ESPN report: ‘No chance’ Detroit Lions draft Tua Tagovailoa

As the dust has finally settled on Matthew Stafford rumors, it looks like the Detroit Lions can move forward without any questions regarding their quarterback situation in 2020.

However, that doesn’t necessarily preclude them from taking a guy like Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with their third overall pick in April’s draft. Tagovailoa’s agent himself said it may be best for the rookie quarterback to sit in 2020 and take over in his second NFL season, much like Chiefs Super Bowl-winning quarterback Patrick Mahomes did in Kansas City. Stafford’s contract coincidentally becomes much more tradable in 2021, so there is some logic to the move.

However, after a week at the NFL Combine, ESPN’s Matthew Berry is 100 percent convinced it will not happen. In his article filed Tuesday morning, Berry listed 20 things he learned from on and off-the-record talks with various NFL general managers and coaches. He did not mince words when it came to the Lions and Tagovailoa.

“There is no chance the Lions take Tua Tagovailoa in the draft, a source I highly trust told me. No chance.”

Those are pretty strong words, but they also make a lot of sense considering how highly this organization has spoken about Stafford. Just last week, Lions head coach Matt Patricia expressed his adoration for Stafford while denying any trade rumors.

“I love the guy,” Patricia told the ‘Good Morning Football’ crew at NFL Network. “He’s one of the reasons I came to Detroit when I was at my previous employment looking at different jobs and opportunities. An opportunity to work with a guy like Matthew Stafford, for me, there’s no question.”

It’s always important to remember that this is the time of year when smokescreens become indecipherable from actual news. So take this, like all reports between now and the NFL Draft, with a grain of salt. Still, Berry seems to be putting a good chunk of his reputation on the line here.