Stafford to Patriots? Oddsmakers Weigh In
Now that the Detroit Lions have made it known they are shopping veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford this offseason, oddsmakers have dished out their odds for which team will end up with the 12-year veteran.
Here are the odds for which NFL team will land Stafford, via BetOnline:
- Indianapolis Colts 3/1
- San Francisco 49ers 7/2
- Denver Broncos 9/2
- New England Patriots 5/1
- Washington Football Team 6/1
- Carolina Panthers 8/1
- Las Vegas Raiders 10/1
- Los Angeles Rams 11/1
- Houston Texans 12/1
- Dallas Cowboys 14/1
The Colts being at the top of the list is no surprise. Philip Rivers just retired, which means they need a starting quarterback on a roster that has tons of talent on both sides of the football. Stafford would be a great option for an Indianapolis team that is in win-now mode.
San Francisco is in a similar situation to the Colts. They are also in win-now mode with a lot of talent on both sides of the football. However, they do have a starting quarterback: Jimmy Garoppolo. The 49ers have strong odds to acquire Stafford because many believe the organization could look to cut ties this offseason with Garoppolo, who has been injury prone during his time with San Francisco and hasn't quite lived up to his five-year, $137 million contract. If they were to get Stafford, that could potentially lead to a reunion between Garoppolo and the Patriots. But we'll save that scenario for another day.
New England has the fourth-best odds to land Stafford, just behind the Broncos. It's tough to make a case that the Patriots should try to get Stafford, mainly because it isn't quite clear yet what the asking price is for the veteran quarterback. With many holes on the roster heading into the offseason, giving up strong draft capital to get him doesn't seem like a good idea for a Patriots team that is still trying to get younger and more talented on both sides of the football. However, if the price is right, then Bill Belichick and company could very well be in the mix for the long-time Lion.
