On Saturday, the Lions traded away their franchise quarterback. The move suggests a rebuild for a team that is already lacking talent up and down its roster.
Detroit traded Matthew Stafford for Jared Goff, a third-round pick in 2021, a first-round pick in 2022 and a first-round pick in 2023. With a new coach, general manager, quarterback and what is still a horrendous defense, the Vikings do not have to worry about the Lions in 2021, or maybe even 2022.
But Detroit made a smart decision on Saturday. The team received a big haul of assets that could turn into good players on cheap contracts down the road. If the Lions hit on some of those picks and Goff adjusts to his new team, all of sudden Detroit could be primed for contention.
Lions coach Dan Campbell has a tough task for next season. Still, he arrives to a team in an obvious rebuild, which isn’t always a bad thing. Two first-round picks and a decent quarterback is a good haul. With how Los Angeles is presently constructed, it makes sense that the Rams would try and upgrade at quarterback.
However, Los Angeles had to give up an awful lot. The Rams are making a bet for the short term, while the Lions are preparing for improvement down the road. It seems like 2021 will feature a playoff hunt with three NFC North teams. Detroit won’t be included in many playoff conversations next season, but give it time. The Lions made a long-term decision and Vikings fans should be concerned about the future.