There probably isn’t a Rams player who’s come under more criticism in the last year than Jared Goff. Ever since his disappointing performance in Super Bowl LIII, some analysts and fans have questioned whether he’s actually a franchise quarterback and deserving of the massive contract the Rams gave him last offseason.
For as poorly as he played last year, he still remains the Rams’ most important player. And according to Pro Football Focus, the most valuable, too.
Using the site’s WAR (wins above replacement) metric, PFF determined that Goff has been the Rams’ most valuable player in the last decade, with Sam Bradford second and Aaron Donald third.
Most Valuable Rams over the past decade per PFF WAR
1. Jared Goff
2. Sam Bradford
3. Aaron Donald
4. Robert Woods
5. Trumaine Johnson pic.twitter.com/nrZR6CvUgJ— PFF (@PFF) June 7, 2020
Essentially what WAR measures is how much better a player is than any would-be replacement at his position. The Rams got putrid quarterback play before Goff arrived, which helps his case. Even Bradford was deemed a bust after being the first overall pick.
It might seem controversial to say Goff has been the Rams’ most valuable player since 2010, but based on the way he played in 2017 and 2018 when they made the playoffs both years, it’s fairly clear to see the impact he’s had on the team since taking over as the starter.