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Mayhew: “Comical” to suggest parting ways with Matthew Stafford in 2016

Dave Reginek

Lions General Manager Martin Mayhew said Friday that the team won’t be sellers heading toward the trade deadline despite their 1-6 record.

He also said that the team wasn’t thinking about making a change at quarterback for the 2016 season despite the dismal production of their offense this season. Mayhew called it “comical, really” to suggest that the team move on from Matthew Stafford, saying that Stafford has “Hall of Fame potential” and that they’d be lucky to have 21 other players like him to fill out their starting lineup.

“I mean this guy is a phenomenal talent,” Mayhew said, via the Detroit Free Press. “You can go look at his production over the course of his career in some tough situations, having missed most of the first two seasons of his career. And his numbers are up there with the top guys who have ever played the game.”

Stafford is signed through the 2017 season and there would be a significant amount of dead money on the cap if they were to part ways with him in 2016.

Mayhew stressed the need for better players around Stafford and said the responsibility for acquiring them fell on his shoulders. Their absence makes it something less than comical to suggest that it might be someone else’s responsibility next year.