Lions to guarantee Stafford over $40 million

[racosun]

Reports are running rampant across the world wide web that the hapless Lions are going to commit over $40 million guaranteed to untested QB Matt Stafford. The total deal is around $72 million over six years, but as of this very moment the deal is still unsigned. The deal will make Stafford not only the highest-paid rookie in the history of the NFL, but will give him the highest amount of guaranteed money by ANY PLAYER in the history of the game.

Is he worth this? For a team in major need of an overhaul and full-on rebuild, is this smart to commit such a huge amount of money towards one single player that won't even get much field time in his first couple of years? Can you imagine the cap hit this contract will be? For a team that needs help everywhere, how is this going to improve the team? Are the Lions trying to be the first team in history to go 0-16 two years in a row? If they expand the schedule to 18 games, will we hold that record too?

Sorry, these guys (Mayhew and Lewand, co-GM's) blew it bigtime. We still haven't addressed the defense, which gave up over 30 points per game last season. The #20 pick isn't going to be all THAT great, and we swung and missed (if we swung at all) during free agency. Now I would love to eat crow for being wrong about this, but I highly doubt I am. The Lions never seem to get things right, so why expect them to all of a sudden know what they are doing. They blew the #3 pick on Harrington, and the #2 on Charles Rogers. Also a #10 on Mike Williams. Sure, those picks were made by Matt Millen, but Millen also hired Mayhew. Believe in NOW?

[ATLFalcons]

They get rid of Millen and still can't get it right.

:confused::confused:

[Seattle1]

I hope for the Lions sake he isn't a bust!

[CCN]

I hope for the Lions sake he isn't a bust!

A bust is anything less than leading the team to the playoffs with that contract. A bust is not being as good as Matt Ryan. Or even Jeff Ryan.

[Seattle1]

A bust is anything less than leading the team to the playoffs with that contract. A bust is not being as good as Matt Ryan. Or even Jeff Ryan.

I guess Peyton Manning said he hopes Stafford breaks his record for most ints. by a rookie. Here's hoping Manning holds onto that record!

Go Stafford! Go Lions!

:clap:

[football junkie]

Matthew Stafford, at this point, does possess extremely poor decision making skills regarding when and where to throw the ball. Daunte Culpepper, however, will start the season under center and will likely spend most of the year at the starter.

I'm afraid Manning's record will stand for one more year -- that is unless the Jets decide to start Mark Sanchez. His division is packed with teams with above average or better secondaries.

And I think if Stafford turns into a Matt Ryan and can sustain it, he'll certainly be worth his contract. What the Lions have needed since the 1950s is a QB who can take the position and hold it for a decade or longer. So if Stafford makes mistakes early, fans would be acting in their own best interest to keep their :grouch: to a minimum.

[football junkie]

Well the Lions have picked up former Washington multi-Pro Bowl ORT Jon Jansen. He has suffered from injuries since 2005 and may be more of a name than anything else at this point.

The Lions already have a ORT that they invested a first round draft pick in back in 2008 -- Gosder Cherilus. I do not see the organization moving him off that spot. And I really do not think Jansen is good enough anymore to unseat OLT Jeff Backus. Jansen might end up as the ORG and that would be a big upgrade if he stays healthy.

My main point, although he's not what he once was, Jansen should help solidify Detroit's offensive line. The OLT position, however, still has to be considered a position in need of upgrade. Detroit quietly signed 11-year veteran OT Ephraim Salaam to act as a back up tackle. I would not be surprised if he beat out Backus for the starting OLT job -- moving Backus to ORG. Now that would be a drastic improvement to the line for the short term.

The Lions will not go 0-16 again. I think we will see a seven-game improvement, possibly more.

[Seattle1]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gmywp9IWuys

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