Getty Jared Goff tugs on his jersey during Detroit's loss to the Eagles in 2021.
The Detroit Lions made a huge trade last offseason to secure quarterback Jared Goff as well as a pair of future first-round NFL draft picks. At this stage, the picks are looking like the most vital part of the deal.
Goff struggled again amid Detroit’s ugly blowout 44-6 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, and folks were rightly wondering about his performance in the game. Goff threw for just 222 yards in the game, and didn’t throw a touchdown for the second time in two weeks.
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Perhaps the worst play of the day came when Goff threw the ball away on fourth down, not electing to take a chance at making a play on the field.
Jared Goff with a throwaway on 4th down 🤦🏼♂️
The numbers combined with the eye test has combined to help some folks to thinking the Lions need a new quarterback in 2022. One such person is Fox Sports analyst Colin Cowherd. After watching the misery play out in real-time, Cowherd made a prediction for the offseason: the Lions are going to be picking a quarterback in the draft.
The Detroit Lions will be drafting a QB.
Goff hasn’t been great this season, but he has also been devoid of playmakers at wide receiver and is dealing with a patchwork quilt offensive line. How the Lions judge him for what happened this season will be interesting indeed, but to the outside, it’s quite clear the Lions need big time help at quarterback.
Obviously, Cowherd thinks the biggest move the team could make for a potential upgrade revolves around addressing their biggest need on the field.
2022 NFL Draft Quarterback Class Looking Shaky
Cowherd’s theory may hold water, but the better question might revolve around which quarterback is actually worth taking at this point in time for next year’s draft. The class may lack a true top option, which means if the Lions do draft a quarterback, it might have to happen later on in the draft rather than with the team’s first selection. Some of the top options thus far this season could be Liberty’s Malik Willis, Oklahoma’s Spencer Rattler, Cincinnati’s Desmond Ridder and Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett. Plenty will depend on how the evaluation process goes, and teams like Detroit will be monitoring that very closely, especially if they deem they need a passer.
Finding the right player will be key for the team, as well as weighing where to select such a passer should one be available.
Lions Might Have Quarterback Conundrum in 2022
Detroit was rumored to perhaps be in the market for a quarterback after dealing Matthew Stafford, but they added Jared Goff to the mix and also signed Tim Boyle this offseason in free agency. The team also released Chase Daniel, but still has David Blough entrenched as the third quarterback on the roster. As a result, they rolled into the year with this group and did not add anyone else to the mix. It’s a show of just how committed the Lions are to Goff that they didn’t make an addition and bypassed this past year’s class.
The Lions are essentially giving Goff an audition for the future in the 2021 season, and thus far, the results have been rocky with just 8 touchdowns to 6 interceptions for the quarterback. In spite of this, general manager Brad Holmes knows Goff and wants to see what he can do with the Lions, and might look to add more weapons for him as well. With this in mind, it’s more than possible that Goff sticks around for more than a few seasons. He is 26, and has been one of the more successful young quarterbacks in the league recently with a 6-5 playoff record, a Super Bowl appearance and multiple big wins on the resume. Still, his presence alone isn’t going to guarantee the team ignores quarterback in the draft
Whether there’s a player at the spot worth taking or not remains to be seen, but it’s very clear the narrative is starting to develop that the team needs help at quarterback.
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