Colts emerge among initial favorites for Matthew Stafford trade

The Colts are considered one of the favorites to land Matthew Stafford following his mutual trade agreement.

The Indianapolis Colts are in need of a new quarterback this offseason, as the retirement of Philip Rivers means that Frank Reich will likely have to find his fourth Week 1 starter in four seasons.

With the news that Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford is expected to be moved after the Dan Campbell hire, Indy might have their quarterback quandary solved for them.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler believes that the Colts and San Francisco 49ers make a ton of sense for Stafford, as the Colts could pry him away from Detroit if they are willing to part with a few draft picks.

Matthew Stafford could make the Colts a contender in the wide-open AFC.

While the Lions had dozens of serious problems surrounding their team over the last few seasons, Stafford, who will be 33 at the start of the 2021 season, was not one of them. In 24 starts under offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, Stafford completed 64 percent of his passes, averaged 274 yards per game, and threw 45 touchdowns against just 15 interceptions.

Even with the retirement of Anthony Castonzo, Indianapolis could provide Stafford with a tremendous offensive line. With a plethora of offensive weapons around him and tons of cap space for Chris Ballard to spend, the Colts could be Stafford’s best option if he wants to land with a contender.

While Jacoby Brissett could return to this team as a free agent, and fourth-round pick Jacob Eason’s rocket launcher of a right arm could help him land the starting job, Stafford has a proven history of success in this league despite the fact that all the turmoil around him in Detroit prevented them from postseason success. By going to a great offensive coach in Reich in a very winnable division next year, Stafford may finally see his postseason dreams realized in Indianapolis.

Colts: This Matthew Stafford trade to Indy could actually work

With the Indianapolis Colts still pondering how to address the quarterback position, here's what a potential trade for Matthew Stafford would look like.