Getty Malik Willis speaks during the 2022 NFL combine.
The Detroit Lions seem to be wide open as it relates to the 2022 NFL draft, and many have seen the team as unpredictable for a variety of reasons not the least of which is their conundrum at quarterback.
Many see Detroit as set for the near-future with Jared Goff, but others wonder if the team could elect to surprise and make a move at the position in the draft given the lack of a young player with upside on their roster. For that reason, many have been beating the drum for weeks for Detroit to select a quarterback with one of their picks if not the second-overall selection.
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But how close is that reality to playing out? Experts don’t seem to be completely sure, which is why many mocks have been scattered up until this point with regards to the team. ESPN’s tandem of insiders in Matt Miller and Jordan Reid, however, attempted to shed a little light on the situation with a new quarterback-centric mock draft for every signal caller soon set to be selected.
When it came to the projections, Reid had perhaps the most boldest of all for the Lions. He had the team rolling the dice on Malik Willis and his tantalizing potential with the second-overall pick in the draft thanks to the fact the team has Goff in place and patience to develop Willis.
“With a respectable bridge player in place, Willis would be able to progress slowly; he isn’t ready to play meaningful NFL snaps right away,” Reid wrote, adding that the 2023 class is not a lock to be great, which could mean the Lions elect to “swing for the fences” with a Willis pick.
While this move could represent a risk, Reid’s counterpart has a wildly different outcome for the Lions in his section of the mock.
Miller Doesn’t Have Lions Selecting a Quarterback
In perhaps a shocking turn in the mock, while Reid has the Lions going bold with a high Willis pick, Miller doesn’t have that same outcome. He avoids quarterback entirely for Detroit in this draft, perhaps electing to punt matters off to 2023, and a much more loaded class for the team. Miller doesn’t even have the Lions gambling on a early to middle-round option either, meaning they skip the pick entirely for him in the draft. Considering the loud drum beat from plenty of insiders about Detroit’s possible decision to go with a quarterback, this represents an interesting outcome.
Reality says Miller projecting this could be spot on. Detroit has so many major draft needs across the roster that a quarterback gamble could represent a luxury pick when all is said and done. The team may not be able to take such a gamble in this draft given the needs for the defense and other spots on offense.
How Lions’ Quarterback Plan Could Shake Out During Draft
Who could the Lions look at in the draft for quarterback in 2022 if they choose? There are plenty of options for the team no matter what round they could desire, and that’s especially true after the Senior Bowl as well as the NFL combine pre-draft process. During this time in the process, the Lions have seen the likes of Sam Howell, Malik Willis, Matt Corral and Desmond Ridder excel as well as get mocked to them in the process. Any of those players could be early picks for the team, and while some make more sense than others, the Lions could conceivably roll the dice on one of these names if they are happy with how they can develop. With Tim Boyle back in the fold as backup, the Lions could select one of these players and keep him as a third quarterback for this year even after re-signing David Blough.
Goff’s presence ends up helping the Lions in a big way. The team can select a quarterback if they find one they like and believe in, but they don’t have to make a sudden move whatsoever and take a player they aren’t sure about for the future. That means the Lions can evaluate quarterbacks without having the pressure of needing one so badly they force a move.
As of now, even the insiders remain divided on what Detroit will do, proving once and for all the team could be up in the air when they are on the clock at the end of the month.
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NFL Insiders Offer Wildly Different Projection on Lions’ QB Move