Lions have tough task ahead to find franchise quarterback in 2022 draft
By Robert Jones
The Detroit Lions certainly could use a franchise quarterback, but finding one in the 2022 draft doesn’t look to be easy.
The Detroit Lions will not go 0-17. But that doesn’t mean they will find a way to win a game in the midst of this disappointing season either.
Last Sunday in Pittsburgh the Lions fought their way to a 16-16 tie that impressed no one. A tie is certainly better than a loss. But in a game that was Detroit’s for the taking, with even average quarterback play at key points, they simply couldn’t seal the deal.
The Steelers have a good defense. Yet, the Lions had their chances. The rushing attack which carried Detroit to the verge of a victory was shut down late. It was a time when a franchise quarterback would carry his team to victory.
Instead, an increasingly ineffective Jared Goff, hampered by an oblique injury, was unable to deliver when he had to.
In theory, head coach Dan Campbell was right. Goff does give the Lions the best chance to win. But that speaks more about Tim Boyle and David Blough, and maybe they’d be willing to challenge defenses downfield.
Goff had receivers to work with in Los Angeles, and it got to a point Sean McVay couldn’t scheme around his shortcomings anymore. Campbell and Anthony Lynn have no chance to do what McVay did for a while, with less talent around a limited quarterback.
The easy answer for the Lions is to select a franchise quarterback in next April’s draft to build around. The problem is there isn’t a can’t-miss prospect coming out, so it’s a bad year to have the No.1 pick with no clearly anointed franchise signal caller to take.
Lions have tough task to find franchise quarterback in 2022 draft
Even without a clear-cut stud quarterback, the premium on the position assures a few will be taken in the first round come April. Could Kenny Pickett, Matt Corral, Malik Willis, or Sam Howell be the franchise quarterback who has the intangibles needed to lead an NFL team to a championship? If the Lions want to find an immediate replacement for Goff, and why wouldn’t they if possible and they’re willing to stage a legit competition for the starting job, Pickett looks like the ideal guy.
Goff will be the Lions starting quarterback the rest of this season barring further injury, and he’ll likely be the starter heading into next year. But if Lions general manager Brad Holmes can find a diamond in the rough somewhere in April’s draft and he turns out, that will be a huge step toward changing the franchise’s future fortunes.
