Recently, our very own Jake Thigpen wrote a column on how East Carolina’s Shane Carden was considered one of the top senior quarterbacks in the 2015 draft class. So the question is, should Carden be looking at some property in the Detroit area when he finishes up in college?
Let’s ask the glaringly obvious question in this situation: Do the Detroit Lions even need a quarterback? The current incumbent is Matthew Stafford, who has certainly been prolific, if not successful. Stafford is Detroit’s leading career passer, but has led it to 31 wins in 70 games (.443 winning percentage). The Lions have been to the playoffs once during his six-year tenure under center, although they look to be heading for No. 2 in 2014.
So does Detroit need to replace Stafford if he looks look he’s got the Lions headed in the right direction? The answer is (annoyingly) maybe—Gillian Van Stratt of MLive.com seems to think it’s a real possibility that upper management targets the Pirate gunslinger this upcoming May.
“Drafting a replacement for Matthew Stafford in this draft is beyond unlikely. But drafting a backup with time to develop into a future NFL starter isn’t out of the question,” Van Stratt wrote two weeks ago. “With that in mind, one must look for a QB prospect who is projected more as a late-round pick than one of top QBs in the 2015 draft.
“Shane Carden is that guy. … (he’s) an overlooked winner out of Texas who turned into ECU’s all-time leading passer, (and) is projected to go in the fourth round. He may be a steal … for somebody out there.”
As Van Stratt pointed out, it’s unlikely that Detroit has intentions of grabbing replacement quarterback. The Lions’ problems have extended beyond Stafford, but a developmental prospect could be a good option. Stafford has proven to be tough, and hasn’t missed a game in four years, so the need to press him into action is lessened. But, if he’s a higher-ranked quarterback, what would the Lions be prepared to give up to take on essentially a backup passer, especially in the “what have you done for me lately?” league that the NFL has become.
There is a lot to like about Carden. He’s a bit on the small side for an NFL quarterback (at least the prototype) at 6-foot-2 and 221 pounds, but he has some mobility and can throw the ball well enough. He’s also familiar with running a fast-paced offense, something the Lions like to run. He’s a three-year starter at ECU and a winner with a 23-10 record.
The next question is whether there are better options. Carden is highly-regarded among senior quarterbacks, but the senior class is not outstanding, with only Bryce Petty and Sean Mannion (and maybe Bo Wallace) at the top of the recent lists. However, these lists are subject to rapid change, plus all the postseason events can swing favor in many directions.
Consider the other potential juniors that are assumed to declare for the draft: Marcus Mariota, Jameis Winston, Brett Hundley, Cody Kessler, et al — and that list gets a little longer, and the different options becoming a little more appealing as the draft gets closer.
However, Detroit doesn’t appear to be in the market for a passer right now, and while a developmental option might be appealing, it could likely spend its draft picks on a better value pick who could contribute immediately.
But we can hope. Right?
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