By: Andy Davies

Plenty of uncertainty surrounds the Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, and Houston Texans going into the 2021 season. Their quarterback situations are far from clear and their overall rosters are mediocre at best.

The same goes for their head coaches, with all three going into their first seasons at the franchise. Neither of Dan Campbell, Nick Sirianni, or David Culley has been a full-time head coach in the NFL. Campbell is the only one to have some experience, with his spell as interim head coach of the Miami Dolphins in 2015.

Here is why you should be expecting the Lions, Eagles, and Texans to have the three worst records in the league in 2021.

Saying Goodbye To A Franchise Legend In Detroit. Struggles For The Replacement

Matthew Stafford was the number one overall pick in 2009, with the entire city of Detroit hoping he would be the man to turn around the fortunes of the franchise. Despite three seasons of making the playoffs, the Lions and Stafford never won a single postseason game as the wait continues. The Lions remain the team with the second-longest period without a playoff win, their last taking place on January 5th, 1992.

Stafford had some great individual moments as a Lion, most notably his Mic’d up moment during his 2009 rookie season. In a week eleven game against the Cleveland Browns, he overcame injury to produce a moment of pure heroism. He played with a separated shoulder despite the efforts of the medical staff to keep him off the field, leading the Lions to a touchdown-winning drive.

Jim Caldwell guided the Lions to these playoff appearances but was not seen as good enough to take them to the next step. New England Patriots assistant head coach Matt Patricia was brought in but never took to life as head coach. The Lions had three consecutive losing seasons under the coaching of Patricia. They will hope that they have found their guy in Dan Campbell. His press conference was certainly not dull, with Campbell referring to “biting kneecaps”. As a former Lions player, he knows what it takes to play in the league. He also knows about the city of Detroit and his intentions are both positive and clear. If he is given time, he has the desire to bring the good times back to Detroit. However, he is inexperienced as a head coach and the roster is below average.

New quarterback Jared Goff has the potential to struggle. This is despite the drafting of offensive lineman Penei Sewell at seventh overall, a selection that had Campbell and new General Manager Brad Holmes very excited.

Despite his brilliant 2018 season that saw the Rams reach Super Bowl 53, Goff had a poor game and struggled in 2020 as he and head coach Sean McVay’s relationship deteriorated.

Goff struggled despite a plethora of offensive talent around him. Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp form one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL. He is going to a franchise that let go of their two best wide receivers and failed to replace them.

The Lions have a schedule that features the San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, and Cleveland Browns. There are also two games against their division rivals, the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, and Chicago Bears. The Lions do not have it easy.

Prediction: 3-14

Trouble In Philadelphia; Reason For Hope?

The Eagles have seen three years of gradual decline after winning Super Bowl 52. The 2017 season saw the Eagles lift the Lombardi Trophy for the first time after two previous attempts.

Doug Pederson was the head coach to guide the Eagles to a Super Bowl but was fired after the conclusion of the 2020 season. His decision to bench rookie quarterback Jalen Hurts in order to lose and gain a higher draft pick appeared to be the final nail in the coffin.

Carson Wentz had an MVP caliber season before an injury derailed hopes of winning the award. Backup Nick Foles stepped in and guided the Eagles to the Super Bowl 52 win. He also stepped in a year later and guided the Eagles to a shock Wildcard Round win against the Chicago Bears, with thanks also going to a Cody Parkey missed field goal.

Both Foles and Wentz are no longer Eagles players. Out of the starters in that Super Bowl 52 win, only seven remain with the franchise. Their decision to draft Jalen Reagor over Justin Jefferson continues to be mocked by rival fans and nobody knows how new head coach Nick Sirianni will do in the role.

The schedule is mixed for Philadelphia. Whilst they face the New York Jets, Lions, and twice play the New York Giants, they also have to face the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs.. This is as well as facing a rising Washington Football Team twice as well as playing the Dallas Cowboys both home and away.

Reports have surfaced in recent days of the Philadelphia Eagles being the favourites for Deshaun, with talks said to be “heating up”.

This could be a move that transforms the franchise. However, Deshaun Watson had his best statistical season yet the Texans only managed four wins all year. This proves that whilst it is very important to have a good quarterback, you need more around to be successful.

Unless the Eagles do something in what remains of the offseason, they will continue to be mediocre if their roster continues to be this poor. If they get offensive or defensive talent in the next one or two offseasons, then they are a team that will compete for years to come. Otherwise, the Eagles will fail to be a threat to both the NFC and NFC East.

This is why Deshaun should avoid the Eagles at this present time. He will be going into a situation no different to what he experienced in Houston.

Prediction: 4-13

What A Difference A Year Makes

Where do we start with the Houston Texans? The 2019 season saw them take a 24-0 lead against the Chiefs in the Divisional Round. However, they allowed 41 unanswered points as they lost 51-31. What has unfolded since in the following nineteen months has been reminiscent of a Greek tragedy.

Head coach Bill O’Brien, who also was general manager, made the unusual decision to trade star wide receiver, Deandre Hopkins. In exchange, the Texans received a running back past his sell-by date in David Johnson, one second-rounder and one fourth-round pick. O’Brien only lasted four games in the 2020 season as they finished the campaign with just four wins.

Since the conclusion of the 2020 season, franchise legend J.J Watt has left and there continues to be an uncertain future surrounding quarterback Deshaun Watson. Houston’s quarterback requested a trade in January before allegations of sexual assault arose. These have lingered throughout the remainder of the offseason. It is unclear if Watson will play in the NFL at all in 2021 but even if he does, it is unlikely that he will be wearing a Texans jersey.

Houston has said they would listen to trade offers for Watson, with the franchise said to be wanting three first-round picks. They have also acquired Tyrod Taylor via Free Agency and used their first pick in the draft on Davis Mills in the third round. Even if the Eagles stick with Hurts, there will be plenty of other suitors.

Even with Watson, the Texans are light on the ground when it comes to elite talent. Linebacker Zach Cunningham and Laremy Tunsil are talents and despite adding Phillip Lindsay and Mark Ingram to the running back room, the roster is one of the league’s worst.

David Culley has developed somewhat of a worrying reputation after his time with the Eagles, Chiefs, and Baltimore Ravens. During his fourteen-season spell with the Eagles, his four seasons with the Chiefs, and two years with the Ravens, he had 0 wide receivers earn a PFF grade of 80 or above.

The Chiefs wideouts went an entire season without a touchdown under Culley. With a wide receiver room featuring Brandin Cooks, Nico Collins and Anthony Miller, this is not exactly a position of strength for the Texans. Culley is unlikely to see any of these receivers score high PFF grades.

Whilst the Texans might be playing the Jacksonville Jaguars twice and the Jets, they have a tough schedule. They will face the Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills, Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins and Seattle Seahawks. Houston will also play the Los Angeles Chargers and the San Francisco 49ers as well as the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans twice.

They are unlikely to win many of these games. Fans should be expecting a difficult season.

Prediction: 2-15

The post Expect the Lions, Eagles, and Texans to have the worst records in 2021 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Ladarius Brown

In an NFL offseason full of storylines, one of the bigger ones was that of the trade between the Rams and Lions. The Lions moved on from arguably the best quarterback in franchise history in Matthew Stafford in exchange for Jared Goff. Both quarterbacks needed a change of scenery for varying reasons. For Stafford, it is about the chance to play for a Super Bowl contender. In the case of Jared Goff, it is about trying to start anew someplace else. Now that Goff is in the Motor City, what are the floor and his ceiling? Let us start with his floor. 

Floor: Jared Goff in 2016/Carson Wentz 

The Rams made the quarterback out of the University of California the number one overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. He started seven games that year, losing all seven. Goff threw for 1,089 yards with a 54.6% completion percentage and five touchdowns to seven interceptions. A large part of his shortcomings in his rookie year fell upon the offense around him. In 2016, the Rams had the worst offense in the NFL. Also, the fact that Jeff Fisher was his head coach for the preponderance of that year did not exactly help matters either.  

In that same 2016 NFL Draft, another signal-caller was taken after Goff by the Eagles in Carson Wentz of North Dakota State. Wentz had a better rookie campaign than Goff based on passing yards and completion percentage. Wentz started all 16 games, throwing for 3,782 yards with a 62.4% completion percentage and 16 touchdowns to 14 interceptions in 2016.  

Even with his less than stellar rookie year, Goff’s career is comparable to Wentz’s based on the numbers. Having Wentz as the floor for Goff does not mean I think Wentz is terrible. The Wentz comparison for Goff is that Wentz can only get better, given his new surroundings. Goff is in the same situation.  

Ceiling: 2017-2018 Goff/Matt Ryan 

Given Goff’s floor, I love his ceiling because the Goff we saw in 2017 & 2018 were two of the best years of his six-year career. Combined in those two years, Goff had 8,492 passing yards (fifth-most), 60 touchdowns (tied for fourth), and averaged 273.9 passing yards a game (sixth-most). Also, he was tied with some quarterbacks named Drew Brees and Tom Brady for the most wins at 24 in 2017 & 2018. My point, this was peak Jared Goff, and it was amazing. He was also was the starting quarterback in the Super Bowl 2018. 

With this celling comes with a disclaimer since his production picked up once Sean McVay came to Los Angeles. I am banking on that on the high end, Goff can produce similar numbers for the Lions as he did for the Rams in those two years consistently. The disclaimer comes in is if he can without Sean McVay on the sidelines. I may not be sold on head coach Dan Campbell, but I am on the offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn.  

Lynn, a former offensive coordinator with the Bills and head coach of the Chargers, brings 20 years of coaching experience. In his four years as Chargers head coach, they were in the top 10 all four years. It helped to have quarterbacks in Philip Rivers and 2020 Rookie of the Year Justin Herbert, but it does not take away from Lynn’s coaching ability.  

As we travel back to college, Goff’s NFL comparison was Matt Ryan, and it turned out to be spot-on as both players are very accurate passers and excel in the pocket. Also, both Goff and Ryan are over 6’4” and have been to a Super Bowl, both on the losing end, and both came into the league under defensive head coaches. Looking at Ryan’s career, he was the league MVP in 2016, Goff’s rookie year. Ryan is still playing at a high-level entering year 14 and Goff could be the next Ryan. If Goff can take advantage of his new opportunity in Detroit, his career will bounce back.  

The post What is Jared Goff’s ceiling and floor? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

As most NFL fans know by now, the Lions traded away their franchise QB in Matthew Stafford for draft picks, as well as Jared Goff.  Many fans seem to be overlooking the potential impact Goff may have with this team, and just writing him off as a bargaining chip to get the deal done.  However, this may not be the case for a few reasons.

In this article I will be going over my three reasons as to why Jared could potentially be a long-term option for the Lions, as well as why he would fit in with Detroit overall.

Newly Hired Offensive Coordinator

One of the biggest things that has been ignored this offseason is the Lions’ signing of former Los Angeles Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn.  The Chargers performed solidly under Lynn in his four seasons there, however primarily on the offensive side of the ball.  This is likely the reason he has been put into the OC role for Detroit, as it is his forte.  

As a two-time Super Bowl champion as a part of coaching staffs (XXXII & XXXIII) his knowledge of the game is something that will hugely help the Lions.  How does this play into Jared Goff, however?  It allows him to learn from one of the better offensive minds out there for one, but he also gets to learn about some of the processes Phillip Rivers did in LA, and potentially learn how to air the ball out more.  This will also make the transition from the play-action heavy Rams to the likely more smashmouth type Lions (with new HC Dan Campbell) much easier.

Even Less Reliance 

The Lions have heavily relied upon their QBs in the past, true.  However with their new sophomore running back D’Andre Swift being an absolute monster, their reliance upon the passing game can be minimal for a while.  They also have quite the lack of receivers outside Quintez Cephus (relatively unproven), Amon-Ra St. Brown (completely unproven at the NFL level), and tight end T.J. Hockenson who can be inconsistent at times.  

This lack of receivers would make his job harder in most scenarios, but in this case it may make it easier as the defense will heavily focus on Hockenson and Swift to the point where receivers can get open.  Cephus could be very good, we just do not know yet, and Amon-Ra was a very productive college receiver so he could definitely help the system as well.

Improvement Every Season

Leading into this season, Jared has improved every single season both team wise and stats wise across the board.  He went from the 2016 rookie stats of:

• 0-7 record as a starter
• 112 completions on 205 attempts (54.6% completion rate)
• 1089 yards, 5 TDs, 7 INTs

To his 2020 stats of:

• 9-6 record as a starter
• 370 completions on 552 attempts (67.0% completion rate)
• 3952 yards, 20 TDs, 13 INTs

Does his 2020 statline look perfect?  No.  However at only 27 years old entering the 2021 season, his improvement every year has been exceptionally noticeable.  His interceptions no longer outweigh his touchdowns, his yards have increased dramatically from his rookie year, and he is able to complete the highest rate of passes in his career as of last year.  Also, only in one season (his rookie season) has he ever gone under .500 as a starter.  In fact, excluding that season he is 42-20-0 as a starter, which is exceptionally good. 

The post Why Jared Goff could be the long term answer at QB appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Reese Nasser

The Detroit Lions sent out a defense that was more than lackluster last season. The defense was ranked 26th in the NFL. They also ranked in the bottom five of almost every defensive statistical category.  They ranked last in every defensive touchdown category. 32nd in points, yards, and both rushing and passing touchdowns. They also ranked last in red zone touchdowns given up. The defense also gave up 6,700 yards. 
After an off-season full of changes, the Lions defense is slowly starting to look up. They have made changes for the better and while it may take time to develop, this unit should eventually be a force to be reckoned with. Through both free agency and the draft, the unit on the field this season will look vastly different. Here are three reasons why the Lions defense will be better in 2021 than it was in 2020. 

Revamped Defense

Through both the draft and free agency, the Lions added strong defense players. Detroit traded for defensive tackle Michael Brockers, who will be a focal point on this side of the ball. They also re-signed star defensive end Romeo Okawara. Romeo had nearly half of the teams total sacks with 10 last season. The Lions also selected Romeo’s younger brother Julian Okwara in the 2020 draft. They will hope to see more of a breakout performance in Julian’s second year. He only appeared in six games during his rookie season and was plagued by injury. 

The duo of Brockers and Okawara will not only be the faces of the defense but will also be expected to be the leaders of the defensive line. 

The Lions also chose to go heavy on defense in this year’s draft, using four of their seven selections on defensive players. Most notably, in an effort to solidify the defensive line even more, Detroit went back to back with defensive tackle selections, Levi Onwuzurike at pick #41 and Alim Mcneill with pick #67. Onwuzurike opted out of the 2020 season but in his three seasons at the University of Washington, accounted for 16 tackles for losses and 7 sacks. Mcneill played three seasons at NC State where he was an anchor on the defensive line. In only 32 games, Mcneill was a disruptive player with 77 tackles and 17.5 tackles for loss. He also added 10 sacks. Both of these rookies will be expected to perform day one and one of them will have a starting job come the start of the season.

The Lions clearly saw the defensive line as maybe their biggest weakness so they did what they deemed necessary to fix it. They are also taking an approach of building with the line and then up.

Coaching Changes

Lions new head coach Dan Campbell is said to be a defensive minded coach. Campbell also brought longtime defensive coach Aaron Glenn in to be the Lions new defensive coordinator. Glenn spent the last five seasons as the secondary coach for the New Orleans Saints. There is hope that with both Campbell and Glenn working on this defensive unit, they will see drastic improvements from last season. 

Nearly the entire set of defensive coaches will be new from last season. Each member will attempt to implement their way of defending and if done correctly, this group could be very dangerous. The Lions have made it clear that they want to be a gritty team that wins in the trenches and with these new hires, they are headed in that direction. 

New Scheme

With Aaron Glenn being brought in as the new defensive coordinator, there is potential that a new defensive scheme will be implemented. Coach Campbell has noted that the team will play a variation of a 3-4 defense. The scheme that they use should be based around the players that they are using. In order to have a successful defense, players must be in a scheme that they are best utilized for. In the Lions projected scheme, both outside linebackers will be used more as extra rushers. They will be going around the defensive ends and going to the backfield. This change may result in some extra sacks, which the Lions desperately need after only having 24 throughout the entirety of last season. 

This new defense, while being freshly incorporated, could be exactly what this unit needs. A change in how they approach the defensive side of the ball could prove to be extremely beneficial. 

The post 3 reasons why the Lions will have a better defense in 2021 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By Calvin K (Twitter: @Calvin_SGF)

The NFL draft took place last weekend in Cleveland, and as usual, there were plenty of interesting storylines along with it. As usual, there were players who dropped far past their projected draft slot (Trevon Moehring, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah), as well as players who went earlier than expected (Alex Leatherwood, Tutu Atwell).

Both Moehring and Owusu-Koramoah could be argued as the “steal of the draft” based solely on how far they fell. However, this article will show you why the number one steal was a player who really only dropped two spots beyond their projected pick. That player is Penei Sewell. Here are three reasons why the Lions made perhaps the draft’s best pick.

Sewell is a generational talent

It’s not often that you find a lineman of Sewell’s caliber, and it’s even rarer to find one who can play both left and right tackle (Detroit will use him on the right). Sewell has the potential to immediately become a superstar in this league, and he will start right away for a Lions team that could definitely use some improvement on their line.

For his size, Sewell is an incredible athlete, and he is fantastic at moving laterally to make effective blocks. He was nearly flawless against both the run and the pass in college, and while the NFL is a different game, his skills should still translate over to the pros very well. Sewell should’ve been the pick for Cincinnati at five, as tackle is a much bigger need than WR for them. However, the Bengals chose to take WR Ja’Marr Chase over Sewell, and when the Dolphins took Jaylen Waddle at six, it ensured that the Lions would receive possibly the draft’s greatest gift.

The Lions could use some offensive line improvements

It’s not like Detroit had a bad offensive line, but Sewell could help the line make the jump to elite. Frank Ragnow was a standout center for Detroit last year, and with Taylor Decker stepping up at left tackle, the Lions only needed to fill a void on the right side. Sewell will fill that spot.

Upgrading the offensive line will pay dividends for this Lions team. Jared Goff will now have more time to operate in the pocket, which is especially essential given that Goff’s play suffers significantly when faced with any kind of pressure from defensive lines. Starting RB D’Andre Swift should also have more running room on the outside, which could help to fuel a second-year breakout, and the WRs would rack up more yardage due to Goff having more time. Because Sewell is a well-rounded player, all of these benefits would likely be immediate, which would be great for Detroit’s chances of a shorter-term rebuild.

Sewell fits well with head coach Dan Campbell’s football philosophy

When Dan Campbell had his introductory press conference after signing his six-year deal with Detroit, he emphasized playing smashmouth football. Campbell wants his team to be tough, win in the trenches, and yes, bite some kneecaps as well. While the final statement is clearly in jest, the others are not, and winning interior battles begins with the offensive and defensive lines.

Campbell emphasized his strategy in the draft, following up his Sewell pick with the selection of defensive tackles in Rounds 2 and 3. While Sewell isn’t known particularly for his power blocking, he still fills a position of importance for his new head coach, and there’s no doubt that he has all the tools to improve in that area. Either way, Sewell will make an immediate impact for his team, and he should be a centerpiece of this rebuilding Lions team for years to come.

The post Why Penei Sewell is the Steal of the Draft appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By Rod Villagomez

The Detroit Lions locked up who they believe will be their quarterback for the next several years when they acquired Jared Goff from the Rams. It seems now, they are willing to allow their current backup to also suit up elsewhere next season. The word is out that Chase Daniel may be dealt away soon. So who will serve as the second on the position depth chart if Daniel departs?

Looking at the salary cap situation in Detroit makes this situation a little more complicated that it should be otherwise. Currently, the Lions are coming into the 2021 season just under $5 million over the cap. This makes signing a more expensive veteran arm difficult. Of course, there is always the draft to find a suitable backup. Although, given how young Goff still is, spending anything more than a sixth round pick seems too expensive. 

Where then, does this leave Detroit as far as options? The most feasible way to solve the problem is to look for a signal caller who has a decent amount of experience, or nearing the end of his career. Over the years, it’s been proven that a solid second quarterback can do wonders should their starter go down. One need only look at San Francisco for proof of that. They were lost when Jimmy Garoppolo fell to injury. The Nick Mullins/C.J. Bethard combo was not up to the tall task of keeping the 49ers in the mix in the NFC West. Ryan Fitzpatrick almost sparked a revolution in Miami as the man behind rookie Tua Tagovailoa.

Here are arguments to be made for two possible candidates as Goff’s second in command. We’ll start with the pros, move on to the cons, and make a final conclusion as to whether they make a good fit. 

Blake Bortles

Pros:

The Lions could runite these two former first round draft picks should they pluck Blake Bortles off the free agent market. Once the Jacksonville Jaguars greatest hope, Bortles fell from grace in 2018, one year removed from a playoff appearance. Although, to be fair to the third overall pick in the 2014 draft, he wasn’t dealt the greatest of hands in Duval. 

The fallout from his failures left Bortles bobbing out in the Atlantic Ocean without so much as an inflatable raft. It may not have been fair though considering his situation and how, statistically speaking anyway, he managed to perform in spite of it. 

Despite finishing with a record of 5-11 in the 2015 season, Bortles still passed for 4,428 yards, 35 touchdowns, and only 11 interceptions. Each of these fell inside the top-10 of their respective categories. The next season was not so kind even though he still threw for almost 4,000 yards and 25 touchdowns. Then, in 2017, he took the Jags to within a game of the Super Bowl, only to get bounced by the New England Patriots. He made the best of a bad situation, but ultimately it seems, the situation, brought the worst out of him.

Cons:

Whatever managed to flip Bortles from a rising star to a sinking ship came on without apology in the 2018 season. Fresh off a contract extension and a deep playoff run, one would think he would be primed for a stellar year. Sadly, this was not the case. Suddenly, he became more turnover prone. His passing accuracy and overall numbers plummeted. It was as if his heart just wasn’t in it anymore. As if that wasn’t enough, he lost his starting job to Cody Kessler. 

If the Lions decide to take a risk on Bortles, they will take on more than his luggage. They’ll also inherit the baggage he’s carrying with him from his disappointing departure from Jacksonville. Not to mention, even if he lands in Detroit, there is no telling which version of Blake Bortles will walk into that locker room. 

Conclusion:

Life is full of situations in which there are a wide range of outcomes. Obviously, predictions are made by trying to anticipate and minimize these ranges. With Bortles, you know at his best, you will be getting a competent arm with starting potential. We’ve seen him lead a team to the playoffs with it. At worst, you’ll get the last version of him the Jaguars endured before letting him go. By giving him another shot to back up Goff though, you may be setting him up for a successful (third) chance. 

Goff is not known to miss much time due to injuries, so the pressure won’t necessarily be on to carry the team as often. Granted, he’ll find himself attached to another struggling franchise, but at least this time, he’s not the one who has to turn it around. He would do just fine as the first round backup of the first round starter. 

Geno Smith

Pros:

When it comes to backing up quarterbacks that refuse to ride the bench no matter their condition, look no farther than Geno Smith. After literally getting knocked out of the Jets 2015 season, he found himself riding behind Ryan Fitzpatrick. From there he went on to backup such injury free quarterbacks as Eli Manning, Philip Rivers, and finally Russell Wilson. If there is a role Smith is meant to fill, it’s as the understudy to an Ironman. 

Smith will come at a gigantic discount to Daniel should the current backup find himself sent packing. If the Lions stand pat, they’ll owe Daniel almost $6 million. At most, Smith would cost less than a third of that price, even factoring in the $750,000 dead cap hit Daniel will incur if he’s cut. It’s more likely Detroit will try to trade him though to get more value. In the end, it might not be much, but something is better than nothing. Which is why Smith would make a suitable filler of this vacated position. 

Cons:

Let’s face it, there are actually more reasons not to bring Smith on board than there are to sign him. In six seasons, he’s been involved in only 10 games. Most of them, he’s spent either inactive, or on injured reserve. Not to mention the issues surrounding his eventual loss of his starting job in New York. Although, you could chalk those up to youth and inexperience, both of which are no longer the case. So there’s that. Even still, the fact that he may or not come through when called upon is a major red flag. It may be one that isn’t worth the risk.

Conclusion:

This all comes down to two things: the price tag on Smith, and the durability of Goff. Any team would stand to benefit from signing a seasoned backup at a huge discount. It’s especially true considering the man he’s backing up has yet to miss any considerable time due to major injuries. Can Detroit do better? Probably. Can they do worse? That can be debated. There does exist enough evidence to put this offer on the table and see where the chips fall.  

The post Two Veteran Quarterbacks Targets For Detroit Lions: Who Can Join Goff? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.