Dolphins tried to trade for Lions Matthew Stafford ahead of 2018 season

The Miami Dolphins seem to like to look for blockbuster trades with the Detroit Lions. Years after Miami attempted to pull running back Barry Sanders from Detroit only to see nothing happen, it seems last year, the Dolphins again turned to Detroit to pull a player seemingly firmly entrenched in the organization’s plans. According to the Miami Herald’s Armando Salguero, the Dolphins attempted to acquire quarterback Matthew Stafford from the Lions.

Saying that now does not seem like a surprise, given the team traded quarterback Ryan Tannehill to the Tennessee Titans this offseason. Except, according to the report, the Dolphins were trying to execute this trade last year. Miami, with head coach Adam Gase leading the way by making phone calls directly to Lions head coach Matt Patricia, was looking to acquire Stafford for the 2018 season.

The talks never reached the level where serious compensation was being discussed, but Salguero states Gase was willing to start the negotiations with the Dolphins’ 2018 first-round pick. It likely would have taken multiple draft picks - and high draft picks at that - to acquire Stafford, and Patricia made it clear to Gase that the Lions were not looking to move on from their 2009 first-overall pick.

The Dolphins are looking for a franchise quarterback, likely selecting at least one prospect in the 2019 or 2020 Drafts. They signed free agent Ryan Fitzpatrick this offseason to serve as the team’s bridge quarterback until a drafted rookie is ready to take over the offense.