Detroit Lions: Bob Quinn can’t stop blabbing about Matthew Stafford

I have no idea why, but the Detroit Lions General Manager Bob Quinn can’t help but tell anyone that will listen, Matthew Stafford won’t be traded.

It’s Detroit Lions General Manager Bob Quinn’s best impression of the Detroit Tigers GM Al Avila.  Why on earth would a GM want to express to the world what he’s thinking?  You’d think a GM would hold their cards close to their chest, putting on their best poker face when it comes to rumors, trade negotiations and trade intentions.

Al Avila of the Detroit Tigers made this mistake time and time again, actually limiting his return for valuable players on the trade market such as J.D. Martinez and Justin Upton.

Bob Quinn immediately came out and squashed those Matthew Stafford trade rumors last week, but why?  Quinn should try and increase Stafford’s value, but more importantly, he should be bolstering the organizations’ trade stock by trying to convince everyone the team may draft Tua Tagovailoa.

More from Detroit Jock City

• Tigers Sign Manager A.J. Hinch to Long-Term Extension
• Lions vs. Bears Week 14 Opening Odds Disrespect Detroit
• Former Tigers Celebrate Jim Leyland Hall of Fame Call
• This Pistons Team Could be the Worst in Detroit Sports History
• 4 Free Agents Tigers Should Sign During Winter Meetings

Some of you may say, well, can’t Detroit still draft Tua and keep Stafford?  Sure, but it’s not an ideal situation picking third with plenty of high-end talent in this draft plus having a roster with a plethora of openings to fill. BUT, there is no harm in banging this drum, making teams think Detroit may draft Tua and let him sit behind Stafford, especially after Tua mentioned he’d be willing to sit a year and learn.

So why does Quinn feel the need to continually mention Matthew Stafford hasn’t been, and won’t be on the trading block?

Is Matthew Stafford that sensitive? Maybe he’s the type of personality that needs to be coddled?  If that’s the case, why wouldn’t Quinn reinforce this behind closed doors with Stafford, and just let the media come up with their assumptions until the draft has been completed?  Doing it this way, not telling the media exactly what you’re thinking, will only draw assumptions, but assumptions build draft capital.  Quinn should be trying to maximize the value of the teams’ third pick overall with the intention of trading it for a haul of picks.

The Detroit Lions would be foolish to move on from Matthew Stafford for multiple reasons.  It wouldn’t make any sense to pay him a whopping $32 million to play elsewhere due to his dead cap hit.  Next year the dead cap becomes $19 million and then $6MM in 2022.

Moving Stafford, who excelled in an offensive system that caters to his skill-set would also be foolish.  Jim Bob Cooter used to call way too many short, quick passing plays.  Why would you regularly call plays short of the sticks when you have a quarterback with maybe the strongest arm in the league?  Well…

Stafford benefitted last season from Darrell Bevell’s downfield play-calling, expect more of the same moving forward.  Stafford threw 19 touchdowns in 8 games last season.  On pace to throw 38 touchdowns would have led the entire league. He’s expected to be fully healed from a lingering back injury, and he’s just 32 years old with plenty left in the tank.

That being said, Quinn needs to stop this nonsense of telling everyone what’s on his mind and leave something to the imagination.