Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
The Detroit Lions are headed for another losing season, and they will have a new general manager for sure as well as a new head coach barring something unforeseen. Speculation about the a possible offseason trade of Matthew Stafford has surfaced, and Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press suggested the quarterback’s future in Detroit could carry implications for wide receiver Calvin Johnson. Johnson carries significant salaries over the next two seasons, and a 30-year old wide receiver (31 next September) may not have a place if the Lions decide to trade Stafford and rebuild.
If he is released or placed on the trade block, Johnson’s name recognition and track record is sure to drive interest around the league. But Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports has offered the Oakland Raiders as the best landing spot for “Megatron” if he and the Lions part ways. With Derek Carr establishing himself as a top young quarterback, and a legit potential No. 1 wide receiver in Amari Cooper, Johnson would be the kind of short-term piece that could push the Raiders to serious playoff contention in 2016.
Johnson carries a salary cap hit of $24 million for 2016, and if the Lions cut him they can open up $11 million of that for next year and $21 million in 2017 when the dead money goes away. A team that trades for Johnson would be responsible for his base salaries in 2016 and 2017, which total $32.45 million, though a restructure would be possible after a trade.
The Raiders may have as much as $80 million in salary cap space available next year, and current No. 2 wide receiver Michael Crabtree will hit the free agent market after what is shaping up to be a resurgent season. So Oakland will be in the market for a wide receiver, and as currently constituted (assuming Crabtree is gone) they can easily take on Johnson’s contract without having to restructure.
Robinson offers the interesting side note that the Raiders can rectify one of their bigger draft mistakes, as they took quarterback JaMarcus Russell No. 1 overall in 2007 while Johnson went second overall to Detroit. But leaving that aside Johnson is a great fit for Oakland, even if he is no longer in his prime and may be slightly overpaid in the bigger picture.
Brad Berreman is a Senior Writer at Rant Sports.com. Follow him on Twitter.
