Washington Football Team, Matt Stafford a match in 2021?

Are Matt Stafford and the Washington Football Team a match in 2021?

With general manager Bob Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia now gone, could the Detroit Lions finally make the long-anticipated move to trade quarterback Matt Stafford?

Ownership has stated publicly that the new regime will decide Stafford’s fate with the team, but it’s clear that whoever is hired as the Detroit Lions’ new general manager and head coach will not have to be tied to the 2009 first overall pick.

In his last 19 games (played just eight in 2019) Stafford has thrown 37 touchdown passes compared to 13 interceptions. His touchdown percentage was a career-high 6.5 percent in an injury-shortened 2019 campaign, and with multiple years left on his contract, Stafford should be able to net the Detroit Lions a high draft pick or two in the 2021 and/or 2022 NFL Draft.

One team that might be an intriguing landing spot is the Washington Football Team.

Washington hired Ron Rivera as its head coach in 2020 and Rivera, though he has been part of rebuilding projects, probably figured he would get that program rolling in the right direction sooner rather than later, meaning he wasn’t hired with a step-by-step, five-year plan in mind.

Rivera gets the best out of his players and while it ended poorly in Carolina, he has helped turn the culture in Washington around rather quickly and that team, despite being 4-7, is legitimately competing for the NFC East title after a convincing win in Dallas on Thanksgiving.

Washington’s current situation at quarterback includes veteran Alex Smith, journeyman Kyle Allen, and 2019 first-round pick Dwayne Haskins.

Smith is currently in the midst of an incredible comeback to the field while it looks like Haskins could very well be on his way out of Washington by season’s end.

What if Washington sent Haskins and their first-round pick to Detroit for Stafford and a third-round pick?

That would allow Washington to insert the veteran Stafford into a lineup offensively that includes star receiver Terry McLaurin and breakthrough rookie Antonio Gibson at the running back position. It would also give Detroit the option of Dwayne Haskins as a bridge or long-term option while they decide what to do at the position, also giving them multiple first-round picks in the 2021 NFL Draft to work with.

Washington would still have their second-round pick and, in this predicted trade scenario, three third-round picks in the 2021 NFL Draft.

With over $50 million in cap space and more where that came from if they move on from Alex Smith, Washington would be able to keep Kyle Allen as its backup to Stafford and invest their other free agent dollars and draft selections into the offensive line and secondary defensively.

While many expect Washington to be players in the 2021 NFL Draft at the quarterback position, this is a team that is historically very aggressive in the offseason and a move to get Matthew Stafford when they have a ton of available cap space makes sense with the NFC East seemingly up for grabs for the foreseeable future.