Oddsmakers don’t see Patriots acquiring Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford

When news broke that the Detroit Lions and Matthew Stafford are headed for a split after 12 years together, the New England Patriots quickly popped up as one of the potential landing spots. The team, after all, is in dire need of an upgrade at the quarterback position after struggling to move the ball through the air with Cam Newton under center during the 2020 season.

Stafford would be a natural fit for the Patriots’ offense and the team should therefore be one to watch when it comes to the former first overall draft pick’s new team. However, the oddsmakers do not think that New England is even in the running: the team is not even listed among the 10 most likely destinations for Stafford.

The full list, according to the latest numbers by Sports Betting Dime, looks like this:

San Francisco 49ers: +250

Indianapolis Colts: +300

Denver Broncos: +350

Washington Football Team: +500

Carolina Panthers: +750

New Orleans Saints: +1500

Houston Texans: +2000

Pittsburgh Steelers: +3000

New York Jets: +3300

Chicago Bears: +5000

While this does not categorically rule out the Patriots from pursuing Stafford, it is a reflection of the belief that the team would rather go after other passers — from acquiring Jimmy Garoppolo, to keeping Cam Newton, to drafting a quarterback early in April — than spend considerable resources on a soon-to-be 33-year-old. Then again, the Patriots have regularly defied the odds under Bill Belichick, so nothing should be off the table just yet.