What Are Odds Matthew Stafford Gets Traded to Dallas?
Dak Prescott out. Matthew Stafford in. Could it actually happen in Big D?
Prescott, the Dallas Cowboys' fifth-year passer, went down with an ugly ankle injury Sunday against the N.Y. Giants that will cost him the rest of the season.
Former Cincinnati Bengals starting quarterback Andy Dalton came in, in place of Prescott, and helped lead the Cowboys to their second win on the young season.
Dalton, who turns 33 Oct. 29, threw 14 interceptions and just 16 touchdowns in 13 games, to go along with a measly 38.9 QBR, in his final season in Cincinnati a year ago.
Based off those far from impressive numbers, there's no way Jerry Jones views him as being capable of guiding Dallas on a playoff run in 2020.
And I agree. At this point, Dalton is no more than a competent backup quarterback that can win you a couple games a season off the bench.
Enter Stafford, who just happened to go to high school in Dallas, Texas, at Highland Park.
And there has been more and more talk about it being the right time for the Lions to move on from their longtime franchise passer -- even among Stafford's most ardent supporters.
Almost too good to be true, right?
Seems like it to me.
First, I, unfortunately, don't see the present Detroit regime -- head coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn -- punting on the season quite yet.
Remember, Patricia and Quinn received a mandate at season's end last year to turn the team into a playoff contender or be at risk of losing their jobs.
No one really knows what Sheila Ford Hamp and Lions ownership constitute as a playoff contender.
Is it simply a .500 season, or would it take a double-digit win campaign?
Matthew Emmons, USA TODAY Sports
Even if it is -- for whatever reason -- just an 8-8 season, Detroit's front office understands that the best way of achieving that mark is through keeping Stafford.
Without him under center -- and taking into account how shoddy the defense is -- the Lions are basically a three-or-four-win team at the most.
And their backup QB situation doesn't help out the cause, either.
No offense to Chase Daniel or David Blough. But, neither of them is going to lead a team to more than a couple wins over the course of a season.
This conversation would be a bit different right now if either the Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa or the Chargers' Justin Herbert were drafted at No. 3 overall this past April instead of cornerback Jeff Okudah.
Both rookie passers would've presented Detroit with a great safety valve in case of such a potential trade scenario emerging involving Stafford.
Without a quarterback like that in place behind No. 9, it's highly likely that for the Lions to even consider trading the 12th-year passer, they would have to receive the Cowboys' 2021 first-round pick.
But, if Dallas views Prescott as its long-term solution at quarterback, there's no way the franchise would part with its first-rounder to acquire a 32-year-old passer that will cost $34.95 million against the cap in 2021 and will not be a free agent until 2023.
And yes, I'm well aware that Prescott is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, which feasibly could make the Cowboys interested in pulling off a trade for Stafford.
However, I believe that the injury to Prescott will make Jones & Co. more motivated than ever before to work out a long-term extension with the Mississippi State product.
They'll see first-hand now what the team looks like without Prescott under center, and I don't think they're going to be very pleased with the results on a weekly basis.
Subsequently, the 27-year-old passer will finally get the long-term deal that he's long been deserving of, making a trade for Stafford basically illogical.
Sorry, Detroit fans, but you're going to have to deal with Stafford for at least a little bit longer.
Odds he's dealt to Dallas: 7.5 percent.
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