Detroit Lions: 5 teams that need to trade for Matthew Stafford
By Bob Heyrman
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers are a team that continues to resurface in the quarterback talks. Head coach Kyle Shanahan may not be content with Jimmy Garoppolo anchoring the position. The often injured Garoppolo has two-years remaining on his current deal, but the majority of his guaranteed money has already been paid.
After leading in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl just a year ago, the 49ers fell to the wayside after suffering an abundance of injuries in 2020.
It’s a 49ers club that will surely be back in the mix next season regardless if it’s Garoppolo under center or someone else. But knowing how much success Shanahan had as a coordinator in Atlanta with one of Stafford’s best friends in Matt Ryan, perhaps there would be a mutual attraction between Shanahan and Stafford.
The 49ers have the draft capital to get this done too. The 49ers own the 12th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft but could also add Garoppolo into a deal. I don’t think Garoppolo is Detroit’s long-term answer. Still, he’d provide the organization with a useful bridge-player at the position as they groom their next franchise quarterback, or perhaps flip him immediately for more draft capital. At 29-years old, Garoppolo will have a trade-market this offseason.
If the Detroit Lions were to land the 12th overall pick, and if not ‘Jimmy G’ additional draft capital on day two, it would leave the organization an opportunity to package a deal to comfortably offer Miami for the third overall pick in the draft.
There is no telling what Stafford could do with weapons like George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, and Brandon Aiyuk.