Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has been one of the faces of the franchise since the Lions selected him with the first overall pick in 2009.
Yet, even Stafford proved susceptible to trade rumors.
Such rumors initially started with the notion the Lions would select a new quarterback with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. However, those rumors were quickly dispelled.
As for Stafford, he never bought into the rumors (via Michael Rothstein of ESPN):
“I really don't pay too much attention to 'em,” Stafford said of the rumors. “I pay less attention to them than my wife does. But it's something that doesn't bother me. I'm here. I want to be here. I love being a Detroit Lion. I love leading this team.
“So all that kind of stuff is just kind of out there to be out there. It's a slow news month at that point, and I'm just happy to be where I am and ready to deal with this offseason the way it is and try to make the best of the season that I hope happens.”
One of the reasons a trade never seemed likely is Stafford's dead cap value. The Lions would have shed some future salary, but they also would have lost over $10 million against the cap by trading Stafford.
The former Georgia star missed eight games last season after a relatively disappointing 2018. However, Stafford is still among the most talented signal-callers in football and–as evidenced by Detroit's finish to the 2019 season–much of the Lions' success hinges on his ability to stay healthy.
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