Rodney Harrison: Matthew Stafford 'Perfect Fit' for Patriots
Once again, the New England Patriots are faced with a quarterback situation. Cam Newton didn't have quite the impact that the team was looking for in the wake of the Tom Brady era, which is why it's likely the team won't re-sign him after one season.
Veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford has voiced his desire to leave the Detroit Lions, which is why both parties have agreed to part ways this offseason. Of course, New England is a potential landing spot for him.
READ MORE: Stafford to Patriots? Oddsmakers Weigh In
Patriots Hall of Famer Rodney Harrison is in favor of Stafford coming aboard. He discussed Stafford's fit with the team on "Safety Blitz" with Jac Collinsworth.
"I would say New England is a perfect choice for him. He can go in there -- they have a good defense, they're gonna add a couple more guys. They can build on the offense and go draft an offensive player, pick up some guys in free agency.
"Bill needs to add another tight end and go get another couple wide receivers and spend some money in free agency," Harrison continued. "But I think Matthew Stafford could be a perfect fit there because they don't need him to come in and galvanize everybody like (Tom) Brady did. They just need him to complete some passes and not throw it into the ground like Cam (Newton) does every other throw."
While Newton proved to be a great leader on the team, his lack of success on the field proved to be costly as the team finished with a 7-9 record, their worst since 2000.
"Matthew Stafford has never been considered a leader, but they don't need his leadership," Harrison said. "They need him to throw the ball and make completions down the field."
Pretty simple when you put it that way.
Stafford has proved to be one of the most reliable quarterbacks in the league the past 10 years. From 2011 to 2018, Stafford played every single game. Although he missed half of the games of the 2019 season, he returned to play a full season in 2020 where he threw for 4,084 yards and 26 touchdowns. Thats averaging about 4,230 passing yards per season since 2011.
If New England could surround Stafford with some offensive weapons and keep the offensive line healthy, he could prove to be the answer to the Patriots' quarterback problem. However, Stafford turns 33 next month, which means he would likely be a short-term solution.
