New Jared Goff Trade Rumor Making Rounds During NFL Combine

Jared Goff

Getty Jared Goff throws a pass for the Lions vs. Minnesota in 2021.

In spite of the fact that Jared Goff struggled early in his first season with the Detroit Lions, there’s been an understanding that the quarterback is likely to return for 2022 to quarterback the team.

That apparently doesn’t mean, however, the Lions won’t at least field some calls on their starting quarterback. During the early stages of the 2022 NFL combine, an interesting rumor surfaced which hinted the team could be doing just that currently as well as in the weeks ahead.

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Hogs Haven, an SB Nation site, tweeted about a bit of intel they had received which contends that Goff is actually on the trading block this offseason, and the Lions are looking for a first-round pick in exchange for their quarterback. The caveat is added, however, that Goff might be obtained for a second-round pick as well.

“One veteran QB trade option that hasn’t been mentioned at all: Jared Goff. The understanding is that he’s available, and the Lions want a first-round pick for him, but you could probably get him for a second,” HogsHaven tweeted.

Washington has been a team that has been rumored to be looking around at quarterbacks this offseason from the top names on down, so the fact that this rumor would surface from their end of things is certainly notable. The Commanders have the motive to try and find a deal for someone and be a player in that market given their current starter is Taylor Heinicke. Rumors have held that they could be interested in plenty of different names to upgrade the spot, from Aaron Rodgers to Russell Wilson

Goff’s possible entry into the quarterback market would be a major development for the league. The thinking has been the Lions would hold onto him for the future and perhaps build a bridge with a young quarterback. That could still be the case, but a trade would shake up that timeline for the Lions and firmly thrust them back into the quarterback market for 2022.

Brad Holmes Praised Goff Again During NFL Combine

If the Lions are indeed looking to move on from Goff, their general manager Brad Holmes has been playing a superior game of poker with the media as well as anyone who is willing to listen. Any time Goff has been referenced this offseason, Holmes has been fast to praise him while also explaining some of the quality traits he brings to the table for the Lions.

During his media session in Indianapolis, Holmes was once again quick to point out what Goff did right with the Lions and how the team can continue to grow with him in the future relative to what he showed on the field.

“Jared, his mental toughness, that’s one thing I’ve always thought very, very highly of. I know when Jared came in, he battled some adverse moments early on. It wasn’t a surprise to see him kind of battle through that. It was really cool for him to kind of stay the course, and that’s kind of what we’re all about. We always talk about grit, perseverance, persevering through adverse moments. That’s what he displayed. So it got better toward the end, it was good. That was encouraging. He knows the work he has to continue to do this offseason, but it was good that he hit it off down the stretch,” Holmes said as shared in a tweet by Daniel Alameda.

With those comments in mind, it seems Holmes understands that he has a stable quarterback in Goff that could be successful if the Lions are able to iron out some roster concerns on offense at wide receiver while also getting healthier for 2022.

The Truth About Goff’s Future With Lions

Reality is, calls may have been made on Goff and an asking price may have been established. That’s natural in the NFL offseason for plenty of different players. In some cases, the rumors never reach the public. In spite of that, Detroit has a quarterback they can seemingly count on for the future in Goff under center. Despite of all the early struggles and injury trouble late in the year, as Holmes mentioned, Goff found a way to finish the 2021 season strong on the field. After Thanksgiving, Goff was on relative fire as statistics go at quarterback. He threw 11 touchdowns to just 2 interceptions while going off for 1,136 passing yards. Goff also claimed elusive awards for a Lions quarterback such as NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors as well as FedEx Air Player of the Week award.

All of this has more than likely cemented Goff’s future with the team in the short-term. The Lions could well draft another quarterback, but if they do, Goff is still likely to stick around for the future to help the team continue to build in the best way possible.

Is Goff on the market? This rumor holds that it could be the case. In spite of that, it feels more likely that the Lions will simply keep Goff in the end. Regardless, stay tuned to this as the offseason gets underway in a few weeks.

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