SF 49ers should take chance on Matthew Stafford trade

The SF 49ers could have a shot to land disgruntled Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, and there’s no reason why the Niners should avoid it.

The SF 49ers don’t need to make a change at quarterback this offseason. They already have one, Jimmy Garoppolo, who passed for 3,978 yards in 2019 — fourth best in franchise history — en route to the team’s first Super Bowl appearance since 2013.

That said, the smoke behind the Niners’ potential attempt to upgrade at the position this offseason has led to speculation general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan want to move on and try to find a potentially better option.

Turns out, one might have directly presented itself to San Francisco.

On Saturday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Detroit Lions and their quarterback, Matthew Stafford, are expected to mutually part ways this offseason:

And this from Detroit: pic.twitter.com/M0L46PzCw2
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 23, 2021

And the Lions are going to entertain trade offers for the 32-year-old Stafford awfully soon.

For those wondering if the SF 49ers should bite, the answer is a clear yes.

The move will likely require the Niners’ top pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, No. 12 overall, and perhaps some additional draft compensation. Although it wouldn’t cost nearly as much for, let’s say, a trade for another disgruntled quarterback, the Houston Texans’ Deshaun Watson.

That’s because of the age difference, of course, and this could lead to the idea the elder Stafford might be too old for San Francisco’s liking.

But if Lynch and Shanahan were mulling the idea of pursuing then-42-year-old quarterback Tom Brady last offseason, Stafford’s age isn’t exactly a deterrent.

True, going after Stafford would mean the SF 49ers would have to absorb the bulk of his contract aside from the $14 million in dead money the Lions would ultimately owe. But the remaining $20 million due for 2021 is notably less than the $26.6 million Garoppolo is scheduled to make after missing nearly all of 2018 with an ACL tear and the bulk of 2020 with ankle injuries.

Stafford missed all but eight games in 2019, yes. But he’s been a full 16-game starter every other season during his pro career with Detroit outside of 2009 and 2010.

And as far as his own numbers have gone, it’s pretty clear he’s been able to deliver from a statistical basis:

Matthew Stafford Passing Table
Year	Age	Tm	G	GS	QBrec	Cmp	Att	Cmp%	Yds	TD	Int	Y/A	Rate	Sk	4QC	GWD
2009	21	DET	10	10	2-8-0	201	377	53.3	2267	13	20	6.0	61.0	24	1	1
2010	22	DET	3	3	1-2-0	57	96	59.4	535	6	1	5.6	91.3	4	1	1
2011	23	DET	16	16	10-6-0	421	663	63.5	5038	41	16	7.6	97.2	36	3	4
2012	24	DET	16	16	4-12-0	435	727	59.8	4967	20	17	6.8	79.8	29	3	3
2013	25	DET	16	16	7-9-0	371	634	58.5	4650	29	19	7.3	84.2	23	2	3
2014*	26	DET	16	16	11-5-0	363	602	60.3	4257	22	12	7.1	85.7	45	5	5
2015	27	DET	16	16	7-9-0	398	592	67.2	4262	32	13	7.2	97.0	44	2	3
2016	28	DET	16	16	9-7-0	388	594	65.3	4327	24	10	7.3	93.3	37	8	8
2017	29	DET	16	16	9-7-0	371	565	65.7	4446	29	10	7.9	99.3	47	1	4
2018	30	DET	16	16	6-10-0	367	555	66.1	3777	21	11	6.8	89.9	40	0	1
2019	31	DET	8	8	3-4-1	187	291	64.3	2499	19	5	8.6	106.0	18	2	1
2020	32	DET	16	16	5-11-0	339	528	64.2	4084	26	10	7.7	96.3	38	3	4
Care	Care		165	165	74-90-1	3898	6224	62.6	45109	282	144	7.2	89.9	385	31	38

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com
Generated 1/23/2021.

Stafford has never had the balanced offense Shanahan and the SF 49ers would give him. And if Stafford is being picky with the number of teams likely to dish out offers, he might want to choose one like the Niners, who are essentially ready to win a Super Bowl within the next couple of years.

While the thought of San Francisco landing a franchise-changing quarterback with that top pick in the 2021 draft is enticing, Stafford is far more proven a commodity.

And he’d thrive with the SF 49ers.

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Make the call, Lynch and Shanahan. It’ll be worth the team’s efforts.