The Lions do not appear to have a long-term quarterback solution on their roster, but they were not connected to any of the passers who switched teams via trade last month. This positions Jared Goff to go into a second season as Detroit’s starter.
This scenario seems fine for Lions GM Brad Holmes, who was with the Rams when Goff was drafted and pulled the trigger on a trade to acquire Goff’s contract — something that netted Detroit more draft capital in the Matthew Stafford swap. Goff’s deal does not make him a realistic cut or trade candidate this year, but the former No. 1 overall pick can be jettisoned much easier in 2023.
As veterans like Baker Mayfield and Jimmy Garoppolo have shrinking markets, Goff is set to move into another season unchallenged for a starting job. Although the team can save $20MM by moving on from Goff next year, Holmes said this week the seventh-year veteran can still be Detroit’s long-term QB answer.
“Jared played good football for us late in the year, so we have a lot of optimism about Jared going forward. We have a quarterback,” Holmes said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “If you’re asking, like, why did not we not kind of hop into that world [of offseason QB movement], we’re happy with where Jared’s at right now. We’re looking forward to him having a productive year for us.
“… Jared’s our quarterback and we’re going to make sure that he’s put in the best position to succeed and that’s — we’ll let the chips fall from there.”
The Lions started 0-10-1 under Goff, who was transported from Sean McVay‘s offense that came equipped with quality wide receivers to a newly assembled coaching staff with one of the worst wideout depth charts in the league. Goff ranked 24th in QBR last season, when he averaged 6.6 yards per attempt but did finish with a 19-to-8 touchdown pass-to-interception ratio. The Lions, who moved on from OC Anthony Lynn earlier this year, re-signed Tim Boyle as a backup in March.
Another Goff-Boyle season could well transpire in Detroit, but select NFL personnel view Goff, understandably, as a placeholder for the Lions, Birkett notes. They are set to carry two first-round picks this year and next. This year’s moderately appealing crop of quarterbacks does not seem to align with the Lions’ No. 2 overall draft slot, though Holmes discussed the topic of a rookie learning behind Goff. If the Lions opt not to reach for one of this year’s top QB prospects at 2, they could conceivably be in play for Matt Corral or Desmond Ridder at 32 or 34.
“Sure, I could see some advantage of there is a young quarterback that can learn under Jared,” Holmes said. “I don’t think Jared would have any issues taking on that role. He’s had younger guys with less experience behind him, so he’d be very comfortable with that.”
It would be interesting if the Lions made their quarterback move now instead of 2023. The team is not expected to contend this season, and the 2023 QB class is — a year out — viewed as superior to this one. Holmes has also discussed Detroit’s No. 2 pick with teams and is open to dealing it before the draft. The Lions floating a scenario where they could be in play for a QB may factor into that approach as well.
I guess 12 years of having Matthew Stafford will spoil you. QB is pretty much the least of the Lions’ concerns right now, but sure, spin the narrative that way Martha…
Who’s Martha? You know she isn’t the owner anymore, right?…and ownership in general is not even mentioned in the writeup.
Goff actually had a decent season with hardly any offensive help.
67% comp
3200 yards
19 TDs
8 ints
Get him some WRs in addition to AmonRa St Brown and Josh Reybolds.
Maybe Treylon Burks with #32 and someone like Justyn Ross with #66.
Support is the key to any QB succeeding but how much did the Lions provide Stafford in all the years he was there? It will probably be the same ol same ol for Goff.
Lions had GMs that didn’t know how to build and coaches that didn’t know how to lead. This Holmes/Campbell combo has a completely different feel.
They had Calvin Johnson, spent money on Marvin Jones, golloday (3rd) drafted titus young ryan broyles high (2nd round)
drafted oline: reiff decker sewell ragnow tomlinson all 1st round picks
drafted hockenson ebron pettigrew at TE all in the 1st round
drafted many rbs abdullah johnson swift leshoure in 2nd and best in 1st
Detroit actually spent a lot of draft capitol in rounds 1 to 3 putting pieces around Stafford on offense over the years
Since he was drafted Detroit spent 19 picks on offense in rounds 1 through 3.
Problem wasnt their efforts problem was they just sucked at drafting or things didnt go their way like with Titus Young
Things haven’t gone the Lions way since 1957. We can blame bad luck and tough breaks for some of that but the one constant has been Ford ownership.
I’m also hoping Burks is there at 32. Ideally Traylon Burks and Nakobe Dean with 32 and 34.
There’s no accounting for taste, I guess. I don’t see how the Lions could be “happy” with Goff, per se. But I can see them preferring to prioritize addressing the many other holes they have in their lineup. This is definitely a team that should be adopting the “best player available” mode on draft day.
Best player available is always the best choice when building. Too many holes to try to field needs. If the T is the best player on your board, trust the board. Elite OL should mean bigger holes for the RB’s and great protection for Goff who plays are better suited for TE and WR in the slot, RB’s in the flat, play action pass to go deep. I think two WR two RB’s one TE would work nicely with an elite OL. Every defense is built for defending the pass so lets run the ball at a high level and wear them down. Passing game opens up as they have to stop the run.
With every draft resulting in a handful of first and second round busts is there any reason to believe GMs can spot the “best player available”? After round two it’s a complete crap shoot so I am in the address positional needs camp in most cases.
The Lions GM made a massive mistake picking up Goff and his over-sized contract in the Stafford deal. The Lions were going to stink anyway and didn’t need a $30 million QB on the roster to do that. The owner should have stepped in and told the GM to forget he used to work for the Rams and make a better deal.
I think that’s how they got a second first rounder. Worth it, I’d say.
Lions should’ve opened up the market and see what others would have offered. But I could see the Rams not wanting anyone else bidding and made a “take it or leave it” move.
They absolutely had other offers on Stafford. They could have gotten a higher first rounder, but chose to get two.
They did. The Rams simply offered a better deal than the Panthers.
Stafford had no trade protection and didn’t want to go to the panthers…
Aaron Rodgers sat and learned for three years, but today if you aren’t a Pro Bowl alternate or better by the end of your rookie year, you’re a bust and no one gives you a real chance ever again.
It’s a weird change in philosophy.
Could the scouts be wrong about THAT many first round QB’s in the past decade OR have ‘we’ just become less patient?
The window to win a Super Bowl is with a QB on a rookie contract because of cap restrictions. You have to choose Mahomes or Hill, DK or Russ, Rodgers or Adams, and the Bengals are adding talent. There is no time for patience because if a QB gets a second contract it prohibits building a roster around them. Down with salary caps.
Yeah, it’s a CBA thing, not a patience thing.
“Goff ranked 24th in QBR last season, when he averaged 6.6 yards per attempt but did finish with a 19-to-8 touchdown pass-to-interception ratio.”
Sounds like a serviceable QB to me! Keep the offensive line stacked and get some WRs. He’ll get better.
Getting two first rounders to take Goff is a lot better than sending away draft picks to take Wentz.
Goff is a placeholder. Holmes can’t say that out loud. Look into Goffs history in LA. He will not look downfield. His average pass was 6.6 yards because he never looked beyond the sticks to throw the ball deep. That was his problem with the Rams and it continues in Detroit. He is not the QB for the future.
Still, waiting to draft a QB next year seems like a fine option. I think the Lions do have the makings of a decent rebuild, and a successful draft this year would be great for a rookie QB in 2023.
Look at the picture in this article. That is Goff making a dump off pass or a screen. It’s all he’s got.
Goff is a pedigreed first round, first overall, talented QB who has taken a team to a SuperBowl in his first 5 years as a pro.
That doesn’t happen alone so build your team through draft picks acquired smartly by your GM.