Getty Jared Goff rolls out on a play against the Jets in 2020.
The Detroit Lions added Jared Goff to the mix this offseason, and many weren’t sure about the move given how Goff has struggled in a massive way the last few years on the field.
Even though that was the case, many see the opportunity for Goff to have a great season in 2021 and perhaps even a career revival in Detroit when he takes over on the field. Even though the national media has not been kind to Goff for the most part, there’s a notion beginning to swirl that Goff might be perhaps better off than some might think with his new team.
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Bleacher Report writer Brad Gagnon recently wrote a piece and explained why he thinks Goff is going to be significantly improved this coming season. As he said, the reason has everything to do with the fact that the Lions look as if they want to build toward his strengths, which is giving Goff protection up front and allowing the ground game to help him out.
He wrote:
“Goff was at his best in L.A. when Pro Football Focus rated the Rams offensive line sixth leaguewide in both 2017 and 2018. It all fell apart when that unit was broken up and fell to 31st in those rankings in 2019.
We’ve seen that Goff needs a clean pocket to excel, and he should benefit from a lot of those as a Lion. More broadly, the dynamics surrounding him have changed, and that might be just what the doctor ordered.”
Goff seems rejuvenated by the new start, and the team he will be joining looks to have all the advantages that Goff likes, namely a strong running game and a strong offensive line. While many folks are discounting Goff, these elements do figure to help him out and could make him much better in 2021.
In the end, Gagnon might be the only analyst to see the light as it relates to the potential of Goff with the Lions.
Goff off to Fast Start With Lions
Though the team hasn’t even played a game yet, Goff is already one of the players who has impressed in a big way during the offseason workout program. Not only has Goff been organized and looked like a major leader in terms of connecting with other players, he has been impressive in between the lines as well, catching coach Dan Campbell’s eye in terms of his arm strength and his ability to make all the throws on the field. Considering some have been writing his arm off, that’s an accomplishment in of itself thus far early in his Lions tenure.
Goff seems to have a lot together, which is the good news as it relates to his future with the Lions.
Goff’s Career Stats Could Lead to Hope
If there’s a reason to think Goff might be a bit better than many expect when he does hit the field for good, it’s his production during his career to this point. Clearly, Detroit isn’t just getting a pair of first-round draft picks and a third-round pick, they are getting a quarterback who was in the Super Bowl just two years ago. Goff, a former top pick himself in 2016 out of Cal, has been a dependable player who has won plenty of big games in his career in the rough and tumble NFC West. So far, he’s thrown 107 touchdowns, 55 interceptions, 18,171 yards and has been a two-time Pro Bowler in 2017 and 2018.
Quietly, those numbers plus Goff’s own experience figure to make him a player that is capable of a big time career resurgence with the Lions. It’s something fans won’t want to sleep on when the season finally begins come September.
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