It’s been a longtime coming for Detroit Lions fans. We’ve all longed for a true franchise quarterback. We’ve begged for somebody that we could trust to get us a win on Sundays. Well, now most fans would agree we may have found that guy in Matthew Stafford. His capability as a quarterback has caused him to be fairly popular among the local fan base. Well, after many years of having that comfort, Stafford is up for an extension. The question is, do the Lions sign him now? Wait until after the season? Or do they let him walk and send the franchise back into the abyss of not having a true quarterback?
The Detroit Lions Need to Re-Sign Matthew Stafford Now
Let’s Get Down To Business..
The short answer to this question? YES, SIGN HIM NOW! As a Lions fan, this is a no brainer. The team finally has the franchise quarterback fans have longed for, for seemingly an eternity. The reason the Lions seem to be waiting is probably not on their end. Stafford’s camp is waiting to see what the market is set at by either Derek Carr or Kirk Cousins signing first. Well the market is now set. The Raiders just locked Derek Carr up with a five-year/$125 million extension. That makes him the highest paid player in NFL history. So where does that leave the starting quarterback in Honolulu Blue?
Coaching Pays Dividends
Stafford has had now a few years to work under head coach Jim Caldwell and offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter. Cooter has seemingly been the perfect signal caller for an arm like Stafford’s. We’ve seen him make smarter decisions, and fewer mistakes. It’s not as exciting of an offense, but it’s more efficient, and they eat up a lot more time of possession. That usually creates a winning scenario for a good team. Keeping the status quo only creates possibilities for more success for this team.
Derek Carr Sets the Market
If you’re Bob Quinn, you look at Carr’s contract as the starting point. Stafford will not sign for anything less, and for good reason. He has been every bit as good as Carr over the last few years, if not better at points. So the Lions should look at the same length of contract and start the money around the $26 million mark. That would be a good point to start that you hope Stafford and his camp jump at. The last thing the Lions want is for Cousins to be the next to sign, especially if he signs for more than Carr.
The Lions should’ve probably tried to sign Stafford before Carr inked his extension, but the sides didn’t seem to be on the same page with that one. Had they done that, they would have had the luxury of being the ones to set the market instead of the team that has to now follow the market and end up paying more. Well, now they have to pay the price of waiting. This deal is going to cost them, but not so much that the deal won’t get done. Stafford WILL get signed.
Detroit Wants to Keep Their Man
Stafford has become a guy that the Lions lean on to win games. He is their Franchise quarterback, and will be for the foreseeable future. With the way the market has been set, the Lions now need to jump to sign him before the Redskins sign Cousins to an even more lucrative deal. That way they still get their man for a reasonable price, and they can move forward feeling comfortable with their decision. Stafford is our guy, and the whole city knows it.
