New Lions coach Jim Caldwell didn’t hesitate when talking about the first thing he plans to work on with quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Caldwell said that they’ll be focused on improving Stafford’s footwork this offseason in hopes of getting him back on track after a rough stretch of play in the second half of last season. Caldwell doesn’t think that’s an impossible task, nor does new offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi.
Lombardi hasn’t had any time to work directly with Stafford yet, but he said from the Senior Bowl that watching tape of the quarterback hasn’t led him to borrow a famous line from his grandfather and ask what the hell’s going on out here.
“The good news is that he’s not broken, that much is clear,” Lombardi said, via Yahoo! Sports. “There’s an awful amount of talent there. His arm is something to behold. We used to sit in the Saints quarterback room and just marvel at his passes -- all the depths, the whole field in play. He really can sling it. That’s a great thing to have. I am not worried about Matthew. I am excited to be working with him, and we’ll get started soon. I can’t wait.”
We’ve seen Stafford’s talent at several points during his career. Caldwell and Lombardi will be charged with making sure it shows up every week or their tenure isn’t likely to be much more successful than their predecessors.