Over the weekend, it was revealed by Tom Pelissaro of the NFL Network that the Lions and quarterback Matthew Stafford have agreed to part ways this offseason. That sent the NFL world into a tizzy as the possible destinations for the Pro Bowl quarterback seem to be endless.
In a recent article by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, he broke down nine possible landing spots for Stafford after talking to NFL executives and decision-makers. The list included several obvious teams, such as the Colts, 49ers and Patriots.
However, the Raiders were also mentioned in the piece by Fowler as a team to keep an eye on. Here is what the senior writer at the site had to say about the possible trade:
“Jon Gruden has long been enamored by Stafford’s arm, and the Raiders like to insert themselves into potential deals. They want to be active. Clearly the Raiders could stick with Derek Carr, who, like Stafford, signed his extension in 2017. But including Carr or Marcus Mariota in a deal would give Detroit a good option at the position. That $17 million cap deficit could be an issue.”
Considering how well Carr has played over the last two seasons and that he’s been able to stay healthy, it doesn’t make a ton of sense that the Raiders would swap quarterbacks here. In fact, you can make a strong case that Carr is the better quarterback right now as he has a higher passer rating over the last two seasons and thrown for more touchdowns.
Stafford is the more talented quarterback, but it just doesn’t make sense for the Raiders to make a change at this point in time. That is especially true if it means giving up valuable draft assets and cap space. Instead, look for the Raiders to continue to build around Carr and try to improve their defense. Don’t expect Stafford to be wearing the Silver and Black anytime soon.
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