Jared Goff
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff picked a bad day to have his worst game of the year. In an otherwise solid season, when it came to the Lions’ first playoff game, against the Washington Commanders on Saturday, Goff threw three interceptions and completed only 57.5 percent of his passes, his lowest rate of the season. His passer rating of 59.7 was tied for his worst of the season. Only Goff’s November 10 outing against the Houston Texans produced a passer rating that low — and the Lions won that game.
On Saturday, after compiling a 15-2 record, the best in franchise history — the Detroit made a humiliating exit from the playoffs in their first game, losing to Washington 45-31. Goff, the NFL’s top overall draft pick in 2016, was thoroughly outplayed by 2024’s second-overall pick, rookie Jayden Daniels, who threw for two touchdowns, ran for 51 yards and came away with an impressive passer rating of 122.9 — his third-highest of the season.
Nonetheless, there is no doubt that Goff has played a pivotal role in the Lions’ turnaround. He arrived in 2021 in the trade that sent veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams. After a 3-13-1 season in Goff’s first year in Detroit, things got better fast. In 2022 the Lions went 9-8, their first over-.500 season since 2017, and then in 2023 Goff led them to a 12-5 record and the NFC championship game. And 2024, of course, was the Lions best year ever — until the last game.
Time For Lions to Start Preparing for Life After Goff
So it seems unlikely that the Lions will be moving on from Goff any time soon. However, according to Wright Sports Network co-founder Daniel Alamdea, writing on Sunday, the Lions should already be preparing for life after Goff, whose style is becoming outdated and has not shown the ability to get the Lions to a Super Bowl.
Alameda’s piece for Wright Sports on Sunday was titled “The Detroit Lions Will Replace Jared Goff With Joe Milton,” and as the title implied, predicted that the Lions will acquire the New England Patriots rookie backup quarterback who debuted in the final game of the season against the Buffalo Bills and put on an eye-opening performance to say the least.
The Patriots draft Milton out of Tennessee last year, in the sixth round, 193rd overall. Earning the nickname “Bazooka Joe” for his extraordinary arm strength, Milton was described as an “undeniable” raw talent by Patriots writer and analyst Evan Lazar.
“Although it’s only one game vs. backups, Milton showed real progress with his drop-back footwork and accuracy, registering a +22.5 percent completion percentage over expectation, the second-highest mark by a QB in any game this season,” Lazar wrote.
The Patriots, of course, drafted Drake Maye out of North Carolina third overall last year, and Maye has all of the elements of a franchise quarterback, making Milton prime Patriots trade bait. According to Jordy McElroy of the Patriots Wire blog, Milton may be worth a third-round pick, or even a second-rounder in trade, either of which would be “a major win” for New England.
Milton’s Style is a Better Fit With How NFL QBs are Trending
The 6’5″, 246 pound Milton’s multifaceted, athletic style fits with the direction in which the NFL is trending, according to Alameda, meaning that “the Lions might be more inclined to look at a quarterback like Milton who can make plays outside the structure of the traditional pocket and exploit defenses in new ways. As the league evolves, the need for a quarterback who can make plays off-schedule and with his legs may become more apparent, making Milton a more appealing option as the team continues to build for the future.”
Alameda notes that the timeline for Milton replacing Goff would not be a quick one. Goff is under contract through 2028, with the Lions still owing him $162 million in total base salary. But Milton would be an economically feasible addition, with three years to go on a $4.2 million rookie deal.
“One of the primary reasons Joe Milton could replace Jared Goff lies in the developmental potential he brings to the table,” Alameda wrote. “After spending time at the University of Michigan and later Tennessee, Milton has had exposure to various offensive systems and coaching styles. His experience in different programs will allow him to adapt to a system with greater ease than other raw prospects.”
