Stafford to Lions... Done Deal?

[Joemailman]

Stafford will be sitting in September, but he'll be starting in November.

[MadScientist]

Stafford will be sitting in September, but he'll be starting in November.

I'd guess about the same. He should sit for the whole year, but the pressure to put him in will be too high. The only exceptions are if the line is so poor they'd risk his career by putting him in, or the Lions some how rocket all the way up to mediocrity.

[cpk1994]

Serviceable?

The Lions have a 2nd round pick from Michigan State who's name escapes me at the moment. They also have Daunte Culpepper.

Atlanta had an ancient Chris Chandler ahead of Vick.

Cinci had a good Jon Kitna at the time. He was in MVP conversations midseason.

Chicago had Kordell Stewart and an even older Chris Chandler ahead of Grossman.

The Giants and Chargers both had good started in Kurt Warner and Drew Brees.

I really don't think he'll start from Day #1 unless they get a good left tackle and improve the line around him. I don't know why you're stating this as fact, as their is no way of knowing until they make an announcement.

YOou make my point exactly. Drew Stanton and Culfumble? Pure crap.

I never said he would start day 1. I siad he would become the starter in his first year becuase managment will force the coaches hand. . He will not sit out the enitre first year. Not going to happen.

[Fritz]

That didn't stop the Bengals from sitting Carson Palmer, the Bears from sitting Rex Grossman, the Falcons from sitting Michael Vick, the Giants from sitting Eli Manning, the Chargers from sitting Philip Rivers, etc.

I think he'll ride the pine to begin his career.

But those teams had servicible QB's already on the roster. The Lions have nothing but shit. Big difference. YOu actually think that Lions fans would be fine with Dan Orlovsky as their starter while their #1 pick sits? Stafford will be the starter year 1. Lion management will demand it from the coaches.

CPK, the Lions would be stupid to play Stafford from the get-go. No one I'm hearing is saying Stafford is near ready for anything but the bench, at least for a year.

Besides, it wouldn't be Orlovsky - he's with the Texans. It'd be Daunte Culpepper.

[cpk1994]

That didn't stop the Bengals from sitting Carson Palmer, the Bears from sitting Rex Grossman, the Falcons from sitting Michael Vick, the Giants from sitting Eli Manning, the Chargers from sitting Philip Rivers, etc.

I think he'll ride the pine to begin his career.

But those teams had servicible QB's already on the roster. The Lions have nothing but shit. Big difference. YOu actually think that Lions fans would be fine with Dan Orlovsky as their starter while their #1 pick sits? Stafford will be the starter year 1. Lion management will demand it from the coaches.

CPK, the Lions would be stupid to play Stafford from the get-go. No one I'm hearing is saying Stafford is near ready for anything but the bench, at least for a year.

Besides, it wouldn't be Orlovsky - he's with the Texans. It'd be Daunte Culpepper.

But this is the Lions, and WIlliam Clay Ford we are talking about. Stafford will be made the starter at one point during year 1 because that man will demand it no matter how stupid it is. After all, look how long it took him to finally fire Matt Millen.

[Partial]

Was Matt Ryan originally penciled in as a starter? I know the other one wasn't, and then Troy Smith got really sick, right?

[SnakeLH2006]

Stafford for teh win, eh? Ughh.. He may turn out great, just not with Detroit. They got a slew of QB's and the scouting book on Staffords nails his greatest weakness (facing pressure). If he plays, he better call David Carr for support, cuz God and Snake both know that shaky O-Line ain't gonna save his ass. Poor guy...Stafford.

[Gunakor]

Done deal. Confirmed. 41.7 million dollars guaranteed!

[mission]

*Obviously* Stafford will start at some point this season. Going off a 0-16 season, unless Culpepper looks like a HOFer, there's no way the pressure doesn't come to play the 1st round pick. All it takes is a 3 INT game by the starter... and it will happen sooner than later.

EDIT - forget "first round pick" ... #1 pick more like it!

[Tony Oday]

What a waste of 70+ million...this guy will be out a career backup after the Lions get done with him...I guess they couldn't trade down and pick up a slew of picks to help rebuild that terrible team.

The Lions will be hamstrung by this contract for a long time.

[oregonpackfan]

I am a firm believer in the old-fashioned way of sitting a young QB for at least his first year, probably two. Rare is the Matt Ryan/Joe Flacco type. More QB's get ruined by being pitched into the fire than Carter's got liver pills.

Fritz makes a strong point. Just look at the long list of promising young college quarterbacks who were brought in to start for bad teams only to have their careers stunted--Tim Couch, Joey Harrington, David Carr, Akili Smith...

Starting Stafford, even in the middle of the season, does not bode well for the development of his career.

[Carolina_Packer]

I've got to believe they'll sit him for a year if they draft him #1.

And that is the perfect way to piss off the fans you have left. Try selling "sitting the #1 overall pck" to those fans.

I think the situation you describe is pick your poison. If you feel the pressure to start him right away and he gets destroyed because the O-line can't protect him, or if he struggles in his own right to make the right reads, etc., then the fans will clamour bust. If they sit him behind Culpepper (assuming he wins the starting job), then some of that pressue gets removed and he can ease his way in. You can always try that more conservative approach and see if Culpepper has anything and then insert Stafford if need be.