Mike Valenti Grades Matthew Stafford Trade
It is no secret that 97.1 The Ticket afternoon drive host Mike Valenti has not been a fan of the majority of the decisions made by the Detroit Lions organization.
Until now.
Starting off his first broadcast since Stafford was traded, Valenti demonstrated the excitement that several fans who were patiently waiting for Stafford to move on have expressed for the past few seasons.
"With this Stafford trade, the Lions have now changed the power dynamic of their franchise," Valenti said. "Oh, the QB you want isn't there at (pick) seven, I won't take one. A team just offered me a ton to move down, I don't have to stay at seven. They now possess the ability to be patient, flexible and really at the right moment, hyperaggressive. We don't have to settle."
The acquisition of Jared Goff signals to Valenti that the organization is finally admitting the reality that it needs to completely rebuild.
If Goff fails, simply move on after two seasons when his cap number is reasonable, according to Valenti.
Grade: A+
Co-host Rico Beard is not as impressed
Beard was not as thrilled when asked his opinion regarding the trade.
Like many who are scratching their heads, Goff being included in this trade dampened Beard's spirits.
"What do you want Jared Goff for? Why did they take Jared Goff? My only question to this trade, which is why I can't give it an A+, for now. It looks good on paper. I need to know what are the long-term ramifications of Jared Goff," Beard said.
The biggest unknown that many are worried about is how will Detroit respond if Goff does not perform well over the next two seasons.
With the financial commitment allocated to the former Rams quarterback, Detroit may not even select a quarterback in this year's draft.
For Beard, he wants to wait and see whether Detroit chooses a quarterback in the draft, and he will give the trade an "A+" mark only if general manager Brad Holmes is able to flip Goff for another first-round pick.
Grade: Incomplete
