For the past 12 seasons, when healthy, Matthew Stafford has been the starting quarterback for the Detroit Lions.
But Stafford’s run with the Lions will soon “officially” come to an end when it is announced that he has been traded to the Los Angeles Rams for quarterback Jared Goff and a trio of draft picks.
Today at 4 p.m. EST, the NFL new league year will kick off, which means the Lions can officially announce the Stafford trade, a trade that could alter the future of the franchise.
As a Matthew Stafford slappy, it will be sad to see him playing for a team other than the Lions but I have accepted that it is a move that is in the best interest of the team and their long-term future.
Bringing in Goff, whether as a bridge to the Lions’ next franchise signal-caller or as their quarterback of the future, was a genius move by Lions GM Brad Holmes. Goff is still extremely young, especially when talking about quarterbacks, and he had plenty of valuable experience under his belt and the ability to do some good things in the Motor City.
Am I predicting that Goff will come to Detroit and lead the team to the Super Bowl in his first year? Of course not. But could he eventually have a resurgence to when he threw for nearly 8,500 yards and 60 touchdowns to go along with just 19 interceptions from 2017-2018? I think that is very possible.
But important than acquiring Goff is the draft picks the Lions got in the deal. Not only did they get a 3rd Round pick in the upcoming draft but they also got a 1st Round pick in 2022 and 2023. If Holmes can nail those draft picks, along with what the Lions already have, will determine if the Lions’ future will be altered or if they will continue to be the laughing stock of the NFL.
