The Detroit Lions tweaked the contract of their starting quarterback Matthew Stafford ahead of the team's first game against the Chicago Bears. The 12-year veteran recently agreed to restructure his current deal with the Lions which converted his base salary tagged at $7.8 million into a signing bonus.
ESPN Senior NFL insider Adam Schefter posted the details of the contract via Twitter:
Lions’ QB Matthew Stafford restructured his contract this week, converting his $7.8 million base salary into signing bonus, per source.
Here's the thinking: the Lions get cap relief and Stafford gets the guarantee of that money in the event any games are cancelled due to COVID.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 13, 2020
The latest restructure gave the Lions flexibility while also giving Stafford assurance in case the coronavirus pandemic forces the cancellation of games in the upcoming season. The University of Georgia alum is entering the third year of his lucrative five-year, $135 million contract extension signed back in 2017.
On the field, Stafford is expected by many to have a breakout campaign. He was able to play eight straight seasons with 16 games each before non-displaced fractures in his upper thoracic spine sidelined him for an extended amount of time last season.
The team was looking good in the early stages of the season but playoff hopes went down the drain when Stafford was eventually ruled out for the remainder of the season. He tallied lowly numbers of 2,499 passing yards on 291 attempts and 19 touchdowns through eight games played for the Lions.
The front office has done a valiant effort to improve their roster especially on the defensive side of the field. They traded for three-time Super Bowl champion safety Duron Harmon, acquired 2015 Pro Bowl linebacker Jamie Collins, and Super Bowl LIII champion defensive tackle Danny Shelton all from the New England Patriots.
Another champion in veteran offensive tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai enters the picture along with 2020 third overall pick Jeff Okudah. They also acquired a reinforcement on the offensive rotation via a late signing of veteran running back Adrian Peterson.
With a more resounding veteran presence in the locker room, the Lions can come up with a better campaign and finally make their long-awaited playoff push in the upcoming season.
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