“What if Jared Goff Doesn’t Play Well in 2023?”

There is no position more polarizing in sprots than quarterback. Unless you’re Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr, there is a group of fans that will be cursing your name after a bad game.

Some guys, like Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and Josh Allen have a longer leash. Others like Kirk Cousins, Justin Fields and Daniel Jones, do not.

My question to you the Lions fan is, where does Jared Goff fall on that spectrum?

If Goff goes out and flat out stinks this season, would you move on? Or has he earned time to course correct.

Does the team’s record matter a lot or a little? If the Lions make the playoffs in spite of Goff are you still good with him?

Let’s have some fun with the hypothetical. This isn’t me trying to push Goff out the door.

But you can cut him next off-season and only have $5 million of dead cap. That’s practically pennies to an NFL team.

That’s a lot more money to build around Hendon Hooker, or whoever the new QB1 would be. Cheap rookie quarterback contracts are in style these days. The Kansas City Chiefs took advantage of Mahomes being on one and it got them a Super Bowl.

Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane noted after the Bengals defeated his team in the playoffs that “(Cincinnati) right now are on the advantage of a rookie contract.” Adding that the Bills are paying Stefon Diggs and Josh Allen “hefty” numbers.

Goff’s Cap Hit Will Go Up With Extension

Goff’s $31 million next year isn’t exactly hefty but the number you would extend him at likely would fall into that category.

With a quarterback cap hit near highest in the league also comes with a price. The more your guy gets paid, the less you can pay others around him.

The Lions have a lot of young players who will be in line for extensions over the next couple years.

Extending Jared Goff to a premium dollar figure might cost you a guy like Jonah Jackson, James Houston or Alim McNeil. Hell, it might cost you multiple players like that.

Brad Holmes has a solid track record at the draft. Which should give Lions fans more ease when losing quality young talent.

But you can’t expect Holmes to always nail the draft. Even the best talent evaluators swing and miss from time to time.

Especially on quarterbacks. Which is why paying Goff the big bucks is less scary than handing the keys over to a second year player who hopefully hasn’t started an NFL game.

But if Jared Goff absolutely tanks it this year then it would be easier for some to hand the reigns over to Hooker.

There is No Right Answer

One reason why I enjoy these debates is there is no right or wrong answer. And most of you will have different opinions.

I’m sure some will say team success means everything. As long as the Lions win who cares if Goff threw 10 touchdowns and 30 interceptions.

Others will probably be the opposite. Which is interesting because Goff has never been a big numbers guy.

He’s thrown for 30 or more touchdowns once in his career. He’s never eclipsed 5,000 yards in a season. And obviously, he doesn’t do much in the rushing department.

But he wins a lot. Or at least his team does.

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For more from the author Jeramy Stover, check him out on Twitter here: @jstover96

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