As soon as word spread that the Detroit Lions and longtime quarterback Matthew Stafford were set to mutually part ways this offseason, the focus immediately turned to which top quarterback prospect the Lions might target at the top of the 2021 NFL draft.
Now that we know Stafford is heading to the Los Angeles Rams in a blockbuster trade that includes sending Jared Goff to Detroit, the Lions are taking on a huge contract while swapping one former No. 1 overall pick for another.
But Goff’s arrival should have no impact on the Lions’ plans in the first round of this year’s draft, no matter how much money their new veteran passer is set to make over the next few years.
Part of the reason the Lions were able to pry multiple first-round picks (and a future third-rounder) away from the Rams in exchange for Stafford was because they would also be taking on the hefty contract extension Goff recently signed with Los Angeles. Goff has been inconsistent at best since signing his new deal, and the Rams clearly wanted out.
The new decision-makers in Detroit, general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell, shouldn’t shift their focus away from this year’s impressive class of quarterback prospects. While it’s likely that two or three of them could be off the board by the time their pick comes up at No. 7 overall, even the fourth-best prospect in this year’s group would be a wise investment, no matter who it ends up being. Ohio State’s Justin Fields, BYU’s Zach Wilson and North Dakota State’s Trey Lance are all worthy selections who would give the Lions a bright future as the new regime gets rolling.
If the Lions feel like they need to move up the board for the quarterback they want, they now have additional draft capital with which to make that kind of bold move in this year’s draft.
This deal was about Stafford and draft picks, as well as finding a team that could eat Goff’s contract. Don’t be surprised if Goff ends up being no more than a bridge quarterback at best, with the Lions targeting their true franchise passer early in the 2021 draft, relegating Goff to being the league’s most expensive backup.
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