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The Detroit Lions reached an agreement with Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford to make him the first pick in the NFL draft on Saturday.
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An inside look at quarterback Matthew Stafford from Georgia.
According to a source, Stafford will receive a six-year, $41.7 million deal that could be worth $78 million if he achieves all of his playing incentives. The source also said he will receive $41.7 million in guarantees. That tops the $41 million in guarantees Albert Haynesworth received from the Washington Redskins.
The Lions intensified negotiations for Stafford over the past three days, knowing they could also reach a less expensive deal with Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry. After Curry's agents visited the Lions minicamp over the weekend, Lions president Tom Lewand focused on Stafford.
The Stafford deal is the richest given to a draft choice in history, topping the five-year, $57.5 million contract the Dolphins gave to tackle Jake Long last season and the six-year, $72 million contract Matt Ryan received from the Atlanta Falcons.
The language of the contract must still be agreed upon and approved by the management council.
As the week began, the Lions were down to three choices -- Stafford, Curry and Baylor tackle Jason Smith, but the team was insistent on having a contract in place with the first-round pick before Saturday's draft.
Detroit desperately needs a quarterback to help turn around the NFL's first 0-16 team, which has had the worst eight-year stretch in the league since World War II, and is turning to Stafford after he was a starter in each of his three seasons at Georgia.
John Clayton is a senior writer for ESPN.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Sources: Matthew Stafford agrees to $41.7M, six-year deal with Detroit Lions - ESPN
NFL.com Video
An inside look at quarterback Matthew Stafford from Georgia.
According to a source, Stafford will receive a six-year, $41.7 million deal that could be worth $78 million if he achieves all of his playing incentives. The source also said he will receive $41.7 million in guarantees. That tops the $41 million in guarantees Albert Haynesworth received from the Washington Redskins.
The Lions intensified negotiations for Stafford over the past three days, knowing they could also reach a less expensive deal with Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry. After Curry's agents visited the Lions minicamp over the weekend, Lions president Tom Lewand focused on Stafford.
The Stafford deal is the richest given to a draft choice in history, topping the five-year, $57.5 million contract the Dolphins gave to tackle Jake Long last season and the six-year, $72 million contract Matt Ryan received from the Atlanta Falcons.
The language of the contract must still be agreed upon and approved by the management council.
As the week began, the Lions were down to three choices -- Stafford, Curry and Baylor tackle Jason Smith, but the team was insistent on having a contract in place with the first-round pick before Saturday's draft.
Detroit desperately needs a quarterback to help turn around the NFL's first 0-16 team, which has had the worst eight-year stretch in the league since World War II, and is turning to Stafford after he was a starter in each of his three seasons at Georgia.
John Clayton is a senior writer for ESPN.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Sources: Matthew Stafford agrees to $41.7M, six-year deal with Detroit Lions - ESPN
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