Jared Goff lands in another appropriate tier among NFL quarterbacks

In another tiered ranking of NFL quarterbacks, Jared Goff has landed in an appropriate spot again.

If you were to rank current NFL starting quarterbacks straight up 1-32, Detroit Lions signal caller Jared Goff would probably land somewhere in the 20-25 range. That lines him up to be replaced, just as soon as the Lions deem it most appropriate.

It may surprise some to know that Goff is entering his age-28 season. It feels like he should be older, with the light of that he’s the last first-round pick the Los Angeles Rams made (No. 1 overall in 2016) added.

Leaving the Rams in the Matthew Stafford trade was going to bring the continuation of Goff’s downswing. For a stretch in the early part last season, his first with the Lions, he was legitimately one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL. Of course he got better, with a 107.1 passer rating over his final five starts.

Jared Goff sits appropriately again in quarterback tier ranking

We saw Goff put into an appropriate ranking tier by Christian D’Andrea of USA Today’s For The Win. Seth Galina of Pro Football Focus did his own tier ranking of NFL quarterbacks, and Goff landed in an absolutely appropriate spot again.

"TIER D: PLAY-ACTION MERCHANTS — PROPPED UP BY SCHEME3. JIMMY GAROPPOLO, SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS4. JARED GOFF, DETROIT LIONSGaroppolo and Goff are also in the same tier but because Goff’s record in years where Sean McVay is not his head coach and playcaller is horrendous, the 49ers quarterback — who may not even start this year — is ahead. Goff’s WAR per season with McVay was 2.41, but it’s called to 0.21 since he left Los Angeles."

As last season went on and the Lions lingered winless into December, much was made of Goff’s record with Sean McVay as his coach (42-20 regular season) and without (3-17-1). There’s no denying McVay’s influence on Goff’s level of play, and until later last season the Lions were not able to scheme/play-call around his flaws.

Goff deserves a bit of grace for having Jeff Fisher as his head coach during his rookie season, when he went 0-7 as the Rams’ starter. And early last year in Detroit, he clearly did not connect with offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn. When head coach Dan Campbell took over play calling and now-offensive coordinator Ben Johnson took on a bigger role, things improved.

All of that said, Goff is tasked with changing the narrative around him this season. Otherwise he’ll remain a quarterback who’s lined up to be replaced, sooner rather than later, and on track to become something of a journeyman.