The Detroit Lions are trying to end their season on a high note as they defeated the New Orleans Saints on the road during Monday Night Football. Matthew Stafford led the way for the offense in the 35-27 win as he completed 22 of 25 passes for 254 yards and three touchdowns. Over the past few games since Jim Bob Cooter became the team's offensive coordinator, Stafford has been thriving at the quarterback position which could save his future with the Lions.
Under Cooter, Stafford has thrown 14 touchdowns with just two interceptions. According to ESPN.com, he is completing 65 percent of his passes in the new offense and while his yardage might not be overwhelming, the improvement is clear. Stafford is well-aware that his future with the Lions is uncertain as a new front office regime is set to take place while the coaching staff could be gone as well. However, the quarterback's improvement shows the Lions cannot afford to let Stafford get away.
According to the Detroit Free Press, the Lions could be gearing up to clean house at the end of the season and Stafford's contract that is a $22 million cap hit in each of the next two seasons might not be wanted for that. however, the quarterback is proving that he is the best option at the position for the franchise and when cutting down the pay roll, the Lions might not want to let him go. Stafford has certainly heard the talk about his future in Detroit, but he stresses he is not thinking about it at the moment and hopes to stick around.
"I don't think about that kind of stuff, honestly," Stafford said, via ESPN.com. "I'm here. I've got a couple years left on my contract. I hope I get the chance to play them out. I hope I'm here for a long time. Just that stuff's not up to me. I worry about stuff that I can't control, and I'm doing a disservice to not only myself but the guys in that locker room."
According to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport, if Stafford is not gone then Calvin Johnson could be the odd man out. After having another quiet game against the New Orleans Saints, it is clear that while the receiver is still one of the best at the position, he is no longer worth the $24 million cap hit to his name next year. Rapoport writes that Johnson is not likely to agree to a pay cut either which could be the deciding factor in his future.
The Lions have pieces already in place for the future, but the quarterback position is not one of them. Players like Golden Tate, Ameer Abdullah and Eric Ebron are set for success in the coming years, but getting rid of Stafford means the Lions will likely either draft a rookie or hope to get someone off the free agent market. Stafford is the best option moving forward if the offense wants some consistency.