The Detroit Lions were expected to be a bit better than their record indicates this year. Should they try and replace Jared Goff in the NFL draft? There was a bit of hype coming into the season for the 2022 Detroit Lions.
Their first year under Dan Campbell wasn’t exactly spectacular, but the culture he established within the locker room felt tangible. Their General Manager, Brad Holmes, has also done quite the job in his first couple years.
Detroit has quite a bit of talent on both sides of the ball, and their offensive firepower was on full display in the beginning of the season. Behind a strong offensive line, Detroit had one of the best offenses in the NFL to begin the year, but have since returned to earth a bit.
Still, they rank 9th in the NFL in points scored, which is plenty good enough to eventually turn into a playoff team. Jared Goff has taken over the reigns at quarterback for the team since 2021. In his year and a half starting, Goff has thrown for 34 touchdowns against 15 interceptions. His passer rating is 92.3 and his 17 game average so far, according to Pro Football Reference, is 25 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, and 4,081 yards per season.
He’s been quite average for the Lions, and it seems like he’s played a bit better in Detroit than his last two years as a Ram. Financially, though, it makes a ton of sense for the Lions to move from Goff in 2023. They can save over $25 million on their cap space by cutting him outright. Trading him also yields the same results.
I’ve read some posts here and there about the Lions likely moving on from him after the season, but I’m not sure I agree. Their defense is the worst in the NFL and their offense is top 10. TO me, moving on from Jared Goff in 2023 doesn’t make a ton of sense.
They also have two first round picks, picking 8th and 11th overall. To me, the smart decision is to take defensive players with the first two selections and try and add more talent to the unit in free agency.
I’d also see if Dan Campbell is truly the coach for them. To me, though, moving on from Jared Goff in 2023 does not make sense. The Lions are a much better team and offense than they were in 2021 and appear to be on the right track.
I’d hold firm and look to improve the defense.