Much is expected of the Lions’ offense in 2023, in no small part due to the play of quarterback Jared Goff to close out the 2022 campaign. The former No. 1 pick is on the extension radar as a result, something head coach Dan Campbell would approve of. 
[RELATED: Lions Sign Teddy Bridgewater]
Goff is on the books through 2024, but he is only due guaranteed money for the coming season. It thus comes as no surprise that a new deal has come up, and the Lions have discussed an extension for much of the offseason. Goff’s presence has also been named as a reason why offensive coordinator Ben Johnson chose to withdraw from head coaching searches during the 2023 cycle.
When asked about his confidence in Goff’s ability to remain the team’s starter for years to come, Campbell said, “There’s nothing that tells me he can’t be. When you have a quarterback you believe in, why would you ever move on? I get there are other circumstances, but it’s hard to find quarterbacks in this league. We’ve got a guy we can win with right now. We’re fortunate to have him; that’s how I see it” (h/t ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler).
Detroit seemed to put a Goff succession plan in place by drafting Hendon Hooker in April. The Tennessee alum is currently on the NFI list while rehabbing the ACL tear which ended his college career, but a path exists for him to compete for the starting role in 2024. That would especially hold true if Goff were to move through the coming season without any clarity regarding his long-term future.
After the trade which ended his Rams tenure, the 28-year-old posted underwhelming numbers in 2021. Goff was at the heart of the Lions’ late-season playoff push last year, though, and he finished with 4,438 yards, 29 touchdowns and a third career Pro Bowl nod. Questions will remain about his ability to earn a multi-year extension in Detroit, especially with Hooker in place. If Campbell has his way, though, Goff could remain in the Motor City for the foreseeable future.
Keep Goff in Detroit.
Hooker is a project, Sudfeld is mediocre, and Teddy is a career backup.
Hooker has shown that his strength is his smarts and has learned many new systems in his few years in college. At his best, he plays with poise, and has a lot of starting experience. Also, he’s coming off an injury. Every QB needs to play eventually, but a guy like that can actually benefit while sitting, unlike more athletic and less experienced QBs. There’s no rush to pull Goff right now for Hooker.
Bridgewater can easily hold down the number two spot, and Detroit can use that quarterback pick next year to address their biggest need at the end of the season. Right now, that looks to possibly be corner, defensive tackle, or tight end. Possibly a guard or linebacker (the Lions seem to like Rodriguez a lot, so this will depend on this year goes; same for McNeill at DT).
Well said Ak, I really liked Hooker at Tennessee, and I was thrilled when the Lions picked him in the draft. I think he can sit and learn behind Goff, but if Goff keeps playing like he did last season then there is no need to start Hooker anytime soon. Not the worst situation to be in.
Wonder the number of players that bombed in the NFL because of inept coaching. Drafting a player would seem to be based on their fit into your ‘scheme’ and not ‘can he be molded into something different’.
I just don’t get some of the picks made by some clubs
There is a huge turnover of coaches and offensive co-ordinators at the end of each season so the “molding” concept is adopted far less than it was a couple of decades ago. Coaches with job security can take that approach but many coaches need to rely on the “plug and play” approach hoping the kid they used their top draft pick on can hit the ground running.
How Goff and the Lions perform this season will answer every one of these questions and then some. The Lions get to the playoffs and win a game or two, extend Goff and move forward. If the team and the QB struggle, let’s see what we got with HH. This front office is playing this situation perfectly. Why jump the gun and pay Goff a ton more money until he can prove he is a top 10 QB for more then 10 games to end a season. Time will tell….
Solar eclipses occur more frequently than occasions where the Lions front office plays a situation perfectly.
FYI: The next solar eclipse is scheduled for this fall…it’s true, check it out. Just sayin’ 🙂
Solar eclipses occur more frequently than occasions where you’re NOT trolling the Lions.
The Nostril says keep Him !!!
Nothing wrong with keeping your fresh hooker on the side until they are ready? No need to rush. They need to go slow and in the end hooker will pay off big time!
Goff may be turning out to be the kind of QB you can win serious games with if you put a decent enough team around him. Again, why spend a high draft pick for the “latest and greatest” college QB who hasn’t done anything in the NFL? Goff has had an uneven career thus far but even with that, he still was the QB when the Rams went to the Super Bowl, so maybe he is “capable enough”.
Campbell certainly doesn’t want to shoot himself in the foot, as you never know who will end up as your QB in two years time – but Sean McVay already gave him the answer as to whether Goff is the future. It is too early to know, however, if Hooker is the better option, as while he looked good at Tennessee, the same was true of Goff’s career at Cal, thus you can’t put too much stock in gaudy college stats.
He will become Kirk Cousins 2.0. Since I’m a Packers fan I hope the Lions sign him to huge extension.
Cousins won 13 games last year with the 31st ranked defense. So, in that scenario, all the Lions have to do is be just not the worst there and that’s…well, I don’t believe that I should have to spell it out.
I think so (replying to Duard, won’t let me reply for some reason). After all, he led to a ton of comebacks-difficult ones, at that. He doesn’t get credit, but he’s one of the top five QBs over the whole of the last five years. When you analyze it, you see it, even if you don’t think of Cousins that way. People give him crap, but he does produce.
With a decent defense maybe Cousins 1.0 can take you to a Super Bowl? Maybe?
2023: Goff Starts, Bridgewater Backup, Martinez Practice Squad, Hooker NFI/PUP/IR Sudfeld Elsewhere
Too many what ifs beyond this year.