Could Jared Goff be the starting QB beyond 2022?

By: Raina Rutschka

It wasn’t long ago that Jared Goff was the man to beat. He had just led his team to an NFC Championship and a Super Bowl appearance. His relationship with Sean McVay seemed to be in a strong place, and the Rams looked like a force to be reckoned with.

Fast forward four years and life couldn’t be more different for Goff. His relationship with his former head coach crumbled beneath him, leading to the downfall of his playing career in Los Angeles. After a rocky 2020 season, Goff was traded to the Detroit Lions. Goff and the Lions ended last season with the second-worst record in the league at 3-13.

Detroit has made a lot of upgrades this season, but they chose to stick with their guns at quarterback, keeping Goff around for another year. For 2022, that seems to be the best option. But is Goff a long-term solution for the Lions?

The arguments to keep Goff

The biggest draw to Goff is his experience. He’s been a part of almost everything that the NFL has in store, including the game of all games. Goff was also a key part of the development of Cooper Kupp, the NFL’s reigning triple crown receiver. If previous success is a determining factor in future success, Dan Campbell and the Lions may be leaning on their quarterback to aid in the development of rookie receiver Jameson Williams.

Goff has already proven he has good chemistry with the Lions’ young receivers. In 2021, rookie wide receiver Amon Ra St. Brown showed glimpses of being a star receiver in the not-so-distant future. If Goff’s connection with Williams is as immediate and meaningful, it may give the Lions a reason to keep him around.

Why the Lions should move on

Despite Goff’s previous success, he hasn’t shown much promise for the future. He seems to be past his peak, with stats declining steadily the previous three seasons. In 2021, Goff threw for just 19 touchdowns to eight interceptions. His 332 completed passes for 3245 yards were the lowest of his starting career per Pro Football Reference.

His declining stats are just one piece of the puzzle, however. There aren’t many people that expect the Lions to excel this year, leaving the door open for another high draft pick in 2023. Unlike the 2022 draft class, the 2023 class is stacked with first-round talent at quarterback. Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, and Miami’s Tyler Van Dyke are all highly regarded as the top talents at QB in next year’s draft.

If the Lions find themselves with a high pick and these exceptional quarterbacks on the board, they would be remiss to not consider taking them. Jared Goff has tried his hand at being a franchise quarterback, and it didn’t lead the Rams where they hoped. Young, Stroud, and Van Dyke are the next generational talents with the makings of a franchise quarterback.

The Lions’ core pieces on offense, D’Andre Swift, Jameson Williams, and Amon Ra St. Brown, are all young talents. Joining them with a young, up-and-coming quarterback might be the spark the Lions need to get out of the bottom tier of the league once again. That being said, there aren’t many reasons the Lions should consider keeping Goff around much longer. A rebuilding team deserves an upgrade at every position, including quarterback.