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Detroit Lions Matthew Stafford rated 2nd-tier QB; what holds him back?

Is Matthew Stafford one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks?

Well, that depends. Do you consider a “Tier 2” quarterback elite?

ESPN’s Mike Sando put together his fifth annual NFL QB Tier rankings and Stafford checks in as the third-best QB in Tier 2.

The Detroit Lions quarterback is ranked seventh-best overall behind Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady (tied for No. 1), Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, Matt Ryan and Russell Wilson.

What makes Sando’s ranking unique is that it’s backed by a panel of “50 league insiders” who offer comments anonymously about each player.