As far as when Matthew Stafford will be starting for the Lions, MLive writer Tom Kowalski says that he wouldn’t doubt it if he’s ready for the opener, or pretty soon after that:

The Lions talked about adding a veteran backup because they weren’t sure how quickly Stafford would be ready. They didn’t want to get into a situation where Daunte Culpepper would start the season and then get hurt and then be forced to go with a raw rookie.The Lions are now very confident that Stafford will be ready for the start of the regular season. Beat writer Tom Kowalski thinks he’ll be the starter against New Orleans – or very soon afterward.