Detroit Lions: What should Bob Quinn do with the third overall pick?
By Bob Heyrman
Draft and trade or draft and sit?
Detroit could simply select Tua third overall with two options to consider later in the offseason. If the Alabama product proves he’s completely healthy later in the summer as the preseason approaches the Lions can showcase his talents leading up to the regular season as Matthew Stafford won’t need to take many exhibition snaps.
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Bob Quinn may find an opportunity to land a plethora of future draft picks along with a proven NFLer in a trade for Tua’s services.
Perhaps Tua proves he’s the generational talent many expected he’d be before suffering the hip injury and the Detroit Lions decide to shop Matthew Stafford. It’s an option I’m not in favor of at this point, but if Tagovailoa is indeed Drew Brees from the left-side, he’d be someone the Lions need to consider moving forward. Matthew Stafford just turned 32 years old, while he has a lot left in the tank, he’s made the turn to the back nine of his career.
Another unpopular decision would be selecting Tagovailoa and sitting him behind Matthew Stafford for the entire season. We all found out the hard way last season that the Detroit Lions don’t currently have a capable backup quarterback rostered.
With Stafford’s recent injury history, it wouldn’t be a bad thing to have a top rookie QB redshirt his first professional season; it worked for Patrick Mahomes. Also, Aaron Rodgers sat three years behind Brett Favre. It’s an unpopular opinion in 2020 as these dynamic quarterbacks enter the league from the college ranks and hardly skip a beat. There wouldn’t be much push-back if Tua sat a year resting his hip and learning the offense behind Stafford.
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This move would put some pressure on Stafford to perform; he hasn’t had much pressure in the way of a quarterback competition throughout his career. It’s a way the Lions could continue to get the best out of their franchise quarterback and re-visit trading one of them next offseason for a substantial haul.