Inside the Article:
The Detroit Lions have found their franchise quarterback, and they should give him a mega-deal immediately. Jared Goff has proven that he is capable of leading a team to double-digit victories and playoff wins, something that is not easy to find in the NFL. During his two seasons with the Lions, Goff has shown that if the right talent is around him, he can lead the way. With his current contract going through the 2024 season, the Lions could wait to see how he performs in 2023 before giving him a long-term contract extension. However, that would be a huge mistake.
Key Points
First of all, there is no reason to think that Goff will not be at least as good in 2023 as he was in 2022. Not only does he have a full year under his belt with Lions’ offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson, but he also has more weapons at his disposal on the offensive side of the ball as the Lions just drafted RB Jahmyr Gibbs and TE Sam LaPorta. The addition of these two talented players should give Goff even more options when it comes to leading the Lions’ offense.
Jared Goff should be even better and waiting will cost Lions
Furthermore, waiting until after the 2023 season to sign Goff to a long-term deal could cost the Lions more money down the road. If Goff continues to perform at a high level, his price tag will almost certainly go up based on the quarterback market over the year. If the Lions get a deal done before the 2023 season begins, they will get him at a lower rate. It makes sense to lock in Goff at a lower price now rather than waiting and paying more later.
Finding a solid quarterback is the most important job an NFL general manager has, and Brad Holmes has already found one in Goff. Despite criticism from some fans and pundits about the trade that brought Goff to Detroit, he has proven his worth during his first two seasons with the team. In two seasons with the Lions, Goff has completed 66% of his passes for 7,683 yards and 48 touchdowns to go along with just 15 interceptions. These may not be Patrick Mahomes-type numbers (though Goff throws way fewer interceptions), but they are solid and show that Goff is capable of leading a team to victory.
Goff has the weapons to succeed
The Lions have also made some key moves to surround Goff with talent. They added running back Jahmyr Gibbs and tight end Sam LaPorta to their offense during the 2023 NFL Draft. These two players will give Goff even more options for leading the offense. With a strong running game and talented receivers, AND a Top-3 offensive line in the NFL, Goff should have everything he needs to succeed in Detroit.
Of course, some fans and pundits will argue that the Lions should wait to sign Goff to a long-term deal. They may point to his struggles during his final season with the Los Angeles Rams and suggest that he could regress in Detroit. However, there is no evidence to suggest that Goff will struggle in the coming seasons. He has shown that he is capable of leading a team to victory, and he has the talent around him to do so in Detroit.
It is time to pay up for the Detroit Lions to pay up for Jared Goff
The Lions should give Jared Goff a mega-deal immediately. He has already proven that he is capable of leading a team to double-digit victories and playoff wins. Waiting to sign him to a long-term deal could cost the Lions more money in the long run, and there is no evidence to suggest that Goff will struggle in the coming seasons. With a talented offense around him, Goff should have everything he needs to succeed in Detroit. It’s time for the Lions to show that they believe in Goff and are committed to building a winning team around him. My best guess is that the Lions offer Goff a 4-year deal worth around $42.5 million per season. If they wait until after the 2023 season, and Goff balls out and leads the Lions to a playoff win, that number, because of the way the QB market works, could approach $48-50 million per season.
