If the Seahawks want to draft Matthew Stafford with the 4th pick, they'll need the Lions to look elsewhere with their draft choice. Despite some of the recent speculation that the Lions intend to take an OT with their first choicel, we still have not seen any proof that they are indeed leaning in that direction. An interview with New Tampa Bay Head Coach Raheem Morris leads to an interesting point: the Lions may have to take a QB with their first pick if they want one of the top three.
The Buccaneers hold the No. 19 pick, and they need a quarterback. Remember, they were bidding for Broncos QB Jay Cutler along with the Lions.
Assuming the Seahawks also want to look QB with the 4th overall pick, the Lions would be left with Josh Freeman at best, especially if another team between 4 and 20 takes a QB. Looking over the list, only the 49ers, Jets, and Bears look like any kind of threat to go QB hunting, although the Broncos could also be on the market if they trade Jay Cutler.* How does Raheem Morris feel about drafting QBs?
“If you’ve got an opportunity, if you feel a guy is a franchise guy, if you’ve got confidence in a guy, you take him. You take him. You have no reservations about it. That’s the bottom line."
It sounds like the Bucs are seriously considering drafting a QB, and that pressure in combination with the uncertainty of the possible picks in between may be enough to force the Lions to draft Stafford.
*This may be part of a zero-sum game, however, as the Broncos would ostensibly trade Cutler to one of the other teams looking for a first-round QB.