The Detroit Lions first ride on the quarterback carousel in years

The future isn’t now

The other popular option would be for the Lions to use their top pick in the draft at number seven to select a quarterback. This an option many fans are hoping for.

With the departure of Matthew Stafford, the anxiety among the fan base to have their next-generation quarterback on the roster is palpable. This is also a very real option.

Unless Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell trade up to get their future passer, then they will have to wait to see who is available when they are on the clock at number seven.

That of course is the key. If Holmes and Campbell aren’t completely sold on any remaining quarterbacks on the board, then the best option is to fill another need with an elite prospect or trade back and gain additional draft capital.

It is absolutely an option for the Lions to wait until next year’s draft to select their quarterback of the future.

Building this team from the ground up, especially on defense, won’t happen overnight. If Goff starts this season and survives the abuse that Stafford had to endure to come back for next year to still run the offense while mentoring a young passer then everything is fine.

It simply means that while the rookie learns from the bench instead of being thrown to marauding NFL defenses, then perhaps when he is given an opportunity in 2023, the Lions will have enough players in place to give him a chance to find some success during the completion of the rebuilding process, therefore keeping him from losing his confidence.

This is another factor fans have to account for. New offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn is absolutely right that some young passers, especially playing on poor teams, lose their confidence and never regain it.

Part of the game plan for Holmes and Campbell is to find that next franchise passer, either this year or next, and build as much talent as possible around him before he hits the field.

The question of who will be the long-term answer at quarterback is definitely uncertain at the moment. Yet it is also not necessary to have that answer right now.

There is much work to be done and while it would probably be ideal for that next passer to have learned a few tricks and get some on-field action in 2022 so he’s ready to roll when the Lions hopefully are in 2023 or 2024, he doesn’t have to be on the roster yet because the future isn’t now.

So the search for Detroit’s next franchise quarterback will last until Holmes and Campbell find their anointed one. Until then, the Lions and their fans will have to continue to ride the NFL’s quarterback carousel.