Lions GM shoots down trading Stafford: 'He will be our quarterback here'

In August 2017, the Detroit Lions rewarded franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford with a five-year, $135 million contract extension that temporarily made him the NFL's highest-paid player.

Just two seasons later, Stafford's future in Detroit has been in serious question after the Lions stumbled to a six-win campaign during one of the worst statistical years of his career.

But Lions general manager Bob Quinn fully committed to Stafford as his starting pivot during Friday's season-ending press conference, rejecting any possibility of trading the former No. 1 overall pick.

"Matthew Stafford is our quarterback. He will be our quarterback here," Quinn told reporters, including ESPN's Michael Rothstein.

Quinn added the coaching staff needs to put the signal-caller in better situations to maximize his skill set, according to Paula Pasche of LionsLowdown.com.

Trading Stafford would have serious financial ramifications for the Lions. The 30-year-old has a cap hit of $29.5 million in 2019. If Detroit moved him before June 1, all of his salary - plus an additional $500,000 - would turn into $30 million in dead money, according to Over The Cap.

Stafford posted his lowest 16-game touchdown total since 2012 and a career-low in yards this season. But the Lions offense was hit hard by injuries, especially on the offense line, while Golden Tate's departure in a midseason trade robbed Stafford of one of his most reliable weapons.

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