Getty Jared Goff waives before the Lions game against Cincinnati.
Entering into the 2022 NFL draft, it was widely understood that given their vast array of needs, the Detroit Lions could have done anything at all any time they were on the clock.
From offense to defense and quarterback to defensive back, the Lions were seen to have needs. Thus, it would not have shocked anybody had the team elected to draft a signal caller at some point for the future. When that moved failed to play out, though, one key man was left standing in Jared Goff.
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Goff didn’t see a rookie get added to the mix at his position, which means he is likely to cruise into the 2022 offseason workout period with the familiar Tim Boyle and David Blough as his running mates at the position. That’s a throwback from the 2021 season when exactly the same names were on the roster.
As a result of this, Goff is seen as one of Pro Football Focus’s biggest veteran winners from a wild draft weekend in terms of fantasy potential. Writer Ian Hartitz wrote about why Goff figures to be a sneaky play in 2022 and concluded that is the case because “he’s also suddenly projected to start 17 games after the Lions refrained from adding a single quarterback in the 2022 NFL Draft. He’ll also have two new weapons at his disposal in electric field-stretching wide receiver Jameson Williams and underrated pass-catching tight end James Mitchell.”
In adding Williams and Mitchell at wideout and tight end, the Lions shored up a pair of spots from their 2021 roster that were seen as major needs for the team. Weaponry at wideout was seen as a must in Detroit, and though T.J. Hockenson will be back healthy, a depth tight end was also important. In both of the lone offensive moves, that calculates to an advantage for Goff.
Though PFF is looking at Goff as a winner from a fantasy angle in terms of numbers and players added, it isn’t hard to see how he is an overall winner. Detroit ignored the quarterback position overall during the weekend, and Goff will go into 2022 as the unquestioned starter without a hyped rookie breathing down his neck at all.
These facts could allow Goff to blossom and perhaps take the next step with the Lions in the future. If that happens, the comfort the team created in the 2022 draft might only be seen as one of the biggest examples of why.
Goff Given Major Show of Confidence By Lions During Draft
Entering into the draft, Goff discussed where the Lions were trending at his quarterback position, and as he admitted, he was ready to be a mentor if the situation called upon him to do that duty.
Now that the picks are finally in and the team hasn’t gone with a signal caller, it’s hard to see that as anything other than a show of confidence toward Goff. General manager Brad Holmes seems to believe that the Lions can be a competitive team with Goff under center, and that confidence could end up benefitting the Lions in 2022. Goff could have the weapons needed to make the Lions much more interesting on the offensive side of the ball. In the future, the Lions can still add a young quarterback if they want.
The Lions are ready to run it back with the tandem of Goff, Boyle and Blough. The hope is the latter never have to be seen on the field as much as the former, and in Detroit’s gamble, it can be seen that the brass feels as if Goff is set to have the chance at a major resurgence on the field.
Lions’ 2023 Plan Could Revolve Around Quarterback
The Lions didn’t select a quarterback in 2022 after being rumored to be interested in the position through the process. The team didn’t so much as add a player to the mix from outside the building this offseason, re-signing Tim Boyle as well as David Blough. They didn’t invite an undrafted free agent rookie to camp as an arm, either, up to this point. All of this could show how committed the Lions are to 2023 at the position. Detroit will have a pair of first-round picks once again, and could be able to maneuver around for the quarterback they like. In Bryce Young as well as Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, the team could have a couple potential top answers lurking that make plenty of sense.
Already, ESPN’s Todd McShay is drawing the parallel between the Lions and Young for the 2023 NFL draft.
Many wanted to see the Lions go all-in at quarterback next year, and for those people, this 2022 draft was a win. Detroit got an elite wideout and tight end, and gave Goff a chance to show what he’s capable of this season.
To that end, the quarterback does figure as a major winner from the 2022 draft, and the future with him could certainly be bright in the short and long term given the confidence created as a result.
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