Report: Colts Were Interested in Ex-Lions QB Matthew Stafford, But Never Offered the Team’s 1st Rounder

According to The MMQB’s Albert Breer, while the Indianapolis Colts were one of former Detroit Lions franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford’s preferred trade destinations, Colts general manager Chris Ballard never formally offered the team’s first rounder (Pick #21):

“Word was that Stafford’s preferred destinations were, in order, the Rams, Niners and Colts,” Breer wrote. “And while the Lions were always going to do what was best for the Lions (and Stafford didn’t have a no-trade clause to commandeer the process), they were also cognizant of what their former No. 1 pick wanted.”

“. . . The Colts discussed packages of picks and players, but never actually wound up offering their first-rounder, the 21st pick,” Breer added.

Now, that doesn’t mean that Ballard wouldn’t have ultimately offered Pick #21—potentially having been discussing the initial parameters of the deal first and foremost before hoping to eventually get into the finer details of it.

However, from Breer’s report, it sounds like when the Lions agreed to trade Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday evening for two future first round picks, a third round pick, and former #1 overall pick Jared Goff that the Colts first round pick wasn’t formally on the trade table yet.

It’s largely irrelevant now because Stafford is a new L.A. Ram, while the Colts are still looking for a difference-maker at starting quarterback this offseason (with limited available options right now)—but it’s a pretty interesting nugget of insider information.