Getty Jared Goff smiles walking off the field after a Rams' 2017 win over the Texans.
The Detroit Lions have shaken up the roster in some pretty dramatic ways leading into the 2021 season, so it’s easy to see how some folks will be concerned about how things are trending for the team, especially on the offensive side of the ball.
Big changes have played out that have left the roster gutted and unnoticeable from recent seasons, but that doesn’t mean it should be all doom and gloom in the Motor City ahead of a new year.
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Recently, on a July 31 episode of NFL Live on ESPN, former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky went out on a limb and predicted that the team could have a chance to be much better than many of the experts have been predicting this offseason.
“I think the Lions, specifically offensively, will be way, way better than people are giving them credit for. I think their offensive line will be a top-five, top-seven unit in the NFL. I think they have an absolute emerging Alvin Kamara type of star in D’Andre Swift out of Georgia, I think T.J. Hockenson is on the verge of being a super-stud at the tight end position. Listen, their skill-position players aren’t great notoriety-wise. Tyrell Williams, Breshad Perriman, Quintez Cephus. I get that, but they’re going to play better than their name kind of projects them to because of that offensive line. So, I just think their offense is going to be way, way better than people think and I think that Jared Goff is going to surprise some people,” Orlovsky said.
Seeing the Lions offense put up some numbers that surprise would be interesting, and could certainly help the Lions have a more abrupt turnaround under Dan Campbell and their new staff than many would expect. The Detroit offense has never lacked for explosion, but they have lacked consistency through the years. Seeing some of their weapons help them achieve this would be a notable step in the right direction.
Dan Orlovsky: Jared Goff Can Create New Identity With Lions
This offseason, Orlovsky has been bullish on the Lions moves offensively as well as Goff himself. When the trade was leaked back in January, Goff took tons of heat and has gained the reputation of a cast-off thanks to how things went down with Sean McVay in Los Angeles over the last year. In spite of this, however, the quarterback remains an under-the-radar player and someone that should be taken seriously in his next stop.
With Goff taking over the Lions, ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky joined ESPN’s Get Up on February 1 after news of the trade broke, and admitted he thinks that the best could be yet to come for the quarterback, because he is getting out on his own and has a chance to show his talent within a brand new offense as well as coaching staff instead of playing in an environment that may have become stale. As he also said, it’s a good fit because of the support system that Goff will have at his disposal with Brad Holmes.
“First of all, it’s a great opportunity for him to create his own identity. Everybody that pays attention to the NFL, they equate Sean McVay and Jared Goff, or Jared Goff with Sean McVay. Now he’s going to be away from Sean. Now it’s going to be an opportunity to prove he can create his own identity away from Sean,” Orlovsky said on the show. “The second thing is this. The new general manager for the Lions is from the Rams. So for everyone that is sitting there telling me how much Jared Goff stinks and how much he got overpaid. The guy, his first move at his new organization is to go acquire the player that he knows just as well as anybody, or better than anybody and his “overpaid” contract. Jared Goff is a good player. What’s the number one trait for a quarterback physically? Can you put the ball where you want to put it. He’s got that. Jared Goff is a good player. It’s an opportunity for him to create his own identity, and the guy who traded for him knows him as good as anybody in the NFL.”
Goff has a good opportunity in front of him to help make a career change for the better, and as he’s already said, he’s happy to be in a spot that wants him and can make the best use of him moving forward. With Detroit’s run-heavy offense under Anthony Lynn, the potential exists for Goff to have a career renaissance. It’s obvious he can still throw the football well, and if he goes to an organization where he’s got support, things could come together in a new way.
Obviously, the chance is there for Goff to shine as Orlovsky says. With the pieces coming together, he might have a good chance to be better right away than some folks think.
Goff, Lions Offense Progressing Well Early During Camp
So far, so good as it relates to Goff and his transition to the Detroit offense. This offseason, Dan Campbell has admitted to being impressed not only by Goff’s arm, but his ability to come in and be a natural leader for the team. Additionally, Anthony Lynn has said that he appreciates the command with which Goff is running the offense. Lynn knows for the Lions to be successful, the team will have to not only have a strong passing game, but a strong running game and offensive line as well. As a whole, the Lions should have the kind of ability to be balanced on offense that they have long craved. A big reason for that will be Goff being a sound decision maker at quarterback.
In the end, given what’s around him, it would make sense to see Goff and the Lions perhaps open some skeptical eyes this season as Orlovsky predicts.
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