Lions' Matthew Stafford submits trade request

After 12 seasons, the Matthew Stafford era in Detroit may soon be ending. The veteran quarterback has asked the Lions to trade him, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports.

Having recently hired a new GM and new head coach, the Lions have met with Stafford over the past two weeks. In those meetings, the 32-year-old quarterback has requested a fresh start. The Lions are planning to discuss Stafford with teams in the coming weeks, Pelissero adds. The sides are expected to mutually part ways, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

This news comes a year after Stafford popped up in trade rumors. But previous GM Bob Quinn squashed those, and Stafford’s wife affirmed their desire to stay in Detroit. But the Lions struggled again in 2020 and have hired Dan Campbell as HC and Brad Holmes as GM. They are also on the verge of hiring Anthony Lynn as OC. Campbell will be Stafford’s fourth full-time head coach, and Holmes the third GM in his tenure. The Lions have made the playoffs three times in Stafford’s career.

The Lions hold the No. 7 pick in the upcoming draft. They picked third last year, following a 2019 season in which Detroit lost every game after Stafford was lost for the season midway through, but selected cornerback Jeff Okudah over Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert. This year, it would seem Detroit will be firmly in the market for the next crop of QBs. Though, Trevor Lawrence will be gone by the time Detroit picks. Justin Fields and/or Zach Wilson might be off the board as well.

While Stafford has made just one Pro Bowl in 12 seasons, the former No. 1 overall pick has frequently been placed in difficult situations. The cannon-armed passer has never had a high-end running game and played most of the 2020 season without Kenny Golladay. The Lions now have Golladay and Marvin Jones set for free agency and Stafford on the way out. A rebuild is here in Detroit.