I have to admit, when the Detroit Lions acquired Jared Goff in a trade that sent Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams, I thought that Goff would be a decent bridge to the team’s next franchise quarterback. Heck, I even mentioned that if Goff plays well enough, the Lions could decide to keep him around past his current contract.
Boy, was I stupid!
Now, to be fair, Goff is working with the worst wide receiving corps in the history of football (that may not be an exaggeration), which makes it very difficult to look like a good quarterback.
So, with Goff pretty much proving that he is not even an average NFL QB at this point, who will be the Lions starting quarterback in 2022?
The answer to that question, in all likelihood, is…… Drumroll, please…….
Look, I know that nobody wants to imagine another season with Goff as the starter but I really do not see a way around it because of a multitude of reasons.
- Goff is signed through 2022 and even if the Lions were cut ties after this season, they will still be on the hook for a minimum of over $20 million next year.
- If you have been paying attention to the quarterbacks available in the 2022 NFL Draft, you are well aware that there is not a single prospect who would be worth the No. 1 overall pick. Sure, the Lions could use their second first-round pick on a QB (they very well may), but if Goff is around, Goff would still start.
- I doubt the Lions sign a big-name free agent QB such as Teddy Bridgewater because he would demand too much money, which would be added to what the Lions will already be paying Goff.
- I have a sense that Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes still believe that Goff could be decent if he had weapons around him. I think the Lions will look to add some of those weapons in the offseason and see what happens.
Nation, who do you think will be the Lions starter in 2022?
