Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions: A Match Trade in Heaven?

Previously, I outlined the possibility of the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets making a trade that could benefit both teams. Today, I explore another trade scenario including the Detroit Lions.

After recently restructuring Daunte Culpepper's contract, the Lions have made themselves a possible trading partner with the Browns. The Browns owe Derek Anderson a $5 million bonus on March 15. Culpepper's new contract does not pay him until a team workout program starts around March 17. It also has a weight clause whereas the Lions can cut him if they decide he is out of shape.

What does this mean? It means the Lions have some room to try to swing a deal with the Browns to get Derek Anderson after he is paid the $5 million bonus. If the deal happens, the Lions have a loophole to get out of Culpepper's contract. If it doesn't, they still have a veteran quarterback on their roster.

Almost all of the expert mock drafts have Detroit taking Matt Stafford with their first pick overall, though. If the Lions had not recently changed regimes, I would insert a joke here about how they'll probably take wide receiver, Micheal Crabtree. Fortunately for Lions fans, the joke of a new first round wide-receiver every year should die off soon.

However, the Lions will have a lot riding on their first overall pick. Along with it comes a large contract with an unproven player. Matt Stafford is described by many scouts as a young kid with a rocket arm and problems with inconsistency.

Sound familiar, Browns fans? Derek Anderson has practically the same scout profile. The plus side of Anderson is his NFL experience. If they Lions decide it is not worth throwing their first overall pick at the top of what many consider to be a weak quarterback class, they could trade for his mirror image with NFL experience for a much lower price.

Rather than using their first overall pick on Matt Stafford, they could spend their second or possibly one of their two third-round picks trading for Derek Anderson. Then, the Lions could focus their efforts on one of the other, more deserving holes in their roster with the first overall pick.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?