Guess Who’s the Frontrunner for Matthew Stafford?

The Minnesota Vikings have 22-year-old quarterback J.J. McCarthy prepared to guide the franchise in 2025 and past.

Guess Who’s the Frontrunner for Matthew Stafford?

Assume that might disqualify the franchise from high betting odds involving different quarterbacks’ landings spots? Nope.

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The Vikings prepared the ground, per sportsbooks, to someway land Matthew Stafford this offseason, because the veteran passer may very well be obtainable by way of commerce. The Draft Community‘s Jaime Eisner posted Stafford’s next-team odds this week:

Vikings (+300)

Giants (+400)

Raiders (+500)

Colts (+600)

Jets (+800)

Steelers (+900)

Jaguars (10/1)

Cowboys (12/1)

Saints (12/1)

Browns (18/1)

Titans (20/1)

49ers (25/1)

Seahawks (33/1)

Lions (50/1)

How did we get right here? Why is Stafford within the commerce rumor mill? The quick reply is his spouse. Kelly Stafford obtained in entrance of a microphone two weeks in the past and appeared to endorse a Stafford commerce out of Los Angeles, irked by Los Angeles’ plans to commerce Cooper Kupp this offseason.

“I wasn’t planning on discussing this, but hell, why not? My husband wants to win, he’s not trying to put a team in a bad situation, if you’re catching my drift … you’re catching my drift. Trading away Cooper, I’m confused. We were one play away from going to the NFC championship, and I think if we go, we win,” Kelly Stafford stated on a podcast earlier than the Tremendous Bowl.

Kelly added, “I have to be the dog in the situation. I want the respect that he deserves. I love the city of LA, with that being said, I love an adventure. Right now, if the Rams decided that they wanted to trade him, or Matthew decided he didn’t want to play for the Rams, I’m good. I would move my family. Yeah, that might be tough. First month, hard. After that, turns out, I like my kids to learn how to be resilient.”

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Photographs

These feedback singlehandedly sparked Stafford-themed commerce rumors, and since the Vikings make use of Kevin O’Connell as their head coach, Minnesota grew to become a preferred theoretical vacation spot. Stafford and O’Connell labored collectively in Los Angeles 4 years in the past — when the pair gained a Tremendous Bowl.

In the meantime, in an article outlining Stafford commerce packages, CBS Sports activities defined final week that the Vikings may hand the Rams their twenty fourth total choose in alternate for Stafford.

“This is a much more straightforward deal for Stafford, which would land him with the Minnesota Vikings. First off, this truly centers around the Vikings’ desire to retain Sam Darnold (who faltered down the stretch) and confidence in J.J. McCarthy. If they want to improve their quarterback play from Darnold and still believe McCarthy needs more time to develop, Stafford gives the Vikings a high ceiling for at least the next two seasons,” Tyler Sullivan wrote final week.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports activities.

“If they think McCarthy is ready to ascend to QB1, however, or decide to stick with Darnold either via the franchise tag or an extension, that blocks this landing spot for Stafford.”

Stafford tossed 20 touchdowns in 2024 and checked in because the league’s Sixteenth-best quarterback per EPA+CPOE.

Most purple debates as of mid-February contain Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy. That dialogue is unresolved.

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports activities.

Including Stafford by way of commerce is a courageous new world — the place oddsmakers declare Minnesota belongs.

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the College of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his day by day YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The present options friends, evaluation, and opinion on all issues associated to the purple crew, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates again to 1996. Listed responsible pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doorways (the band). He follows the NBA as intently because the NFL. 

All statistics supplied by Professional Soccer Reference / Stathead; all contractual info supplied by OverTheCap.com.