Detroit Lions: Could Jared Goff be more than a stopgap?
By Robert Jones
Goff has contributed to winning teams
Lions fans have run the gambit of emotions from excitement to depression about the Stafford trade. It’s safe to say that there are many who believe that this was the best course of action for both Stafford and Detroit but were still upset at seeing the team’s all-time leading passer go.
Yet however, we wish to view it, it has given the Lions a clean slate. A new lease on life.
Keeping Matthew would only mean more ‘retooling’ instead of actually building a winner. So while having Stafford in Detroit with an actual deep and talented roster and a good coaching staff would certainly seem optimal, it will take time for the Lions to get to that point.
Time Matthew doesn’t have to waste.
But Jared Goff is 26 years old and in two or three years will still be in his prime. With good drafting and a coaching staff that lives up to the positive impression they have made on the rest of the league, the Lions could very well be in a position to start competing for more than a top 10 draft pick in a few years.
At that point, who the Lions quarterback is will be critical. Football is the ultimate team sport, but even the best of teams don’t actually compete for a title without a quarterback. The man under center is the most important position on the field.
However, with that being said even the best quarterbacks need a talented team surrounding them to be legitimate contenders.
This is where Jared Goff enters the fray.
In Los Angeles, Goff displayed the ability to contribute to a winning team. Omitting Goff’s rookie season in 2016 when he was mostly being groomed from the bench, Jared has led the Rams to the playoffs three out of the last four years. His record of 3-2 overall in the postseason and contributing to an appearance in Super Bowl LIII are positive accomplishments.
With a good, competitive team around him, Goff has proven himself capable. But he also is coming off two subpar seasons which is why the Rams pursued Matthew Stafford as aggressively as they did. Could a change of scenery and how the Lions use Goff rejuvenate his career?