The biggest obstacle for Jared Goff to overcome in 2026 is himself. If Goff can overcome his reputation of coming up short in the big moments, the Detroit Lions can take a big step this season, according to Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report. However, if Goff continues to play up to expectations, the Lions might be forced to do the same things the Los Angeles Rams did.
Goff had a great tenure with the Rams. He went 0-7 in his first year, but the Rams were 42-20 when he started in the regular season during his time with Sean McVay. They made the playoffs three times, and despite a 2-3 record, that did come with one NFC Championship win and an appearance in the Super Bowl.
However, after the Rams lost the Super Bowl in 2018, Goff struggled in 2019, and they missed the playoffs. They made the playoffs in 2020, but exited quietly, and it felt the marriage between Goff and McVay was over.
Now that he is with the Lions, his first-year stint in Detroit has gone eerily similar to what happened in Los Angeles. They went 3-10-1 when he started in his first year, but they are 45-23 since then. They have made two playoff runs with a 2-2 record. The issue is that this is when things got stale in Los Angeles, so Lions fans will proceed with caution.
The Detroit Lions Might Not Get Over the Hump with Jared Goff
GettyQuarterback Jared Goff of the Detroit Lions.
The issue with Goff is that while he is a perfectly capable quarterback, he is also not a transcendent or well-above-average player. If the pieces around him are healthy and playing well, and the coaching staff puts him in good positions, he will execute what is needed.
However, if players around him are hurt, not meeting expectations, or the coaching drops off at all, he starts to become a lesser player. His inability to pick teams up in key moments is why he could not go blow-for-blow with someone like Jayden Daniels in the playoffs.
Last year, the offensive line was banged up, and the play-calling was not as good, so Goff did not lift the Lions, and they failed to make the playoffs. Detroit hopes its supporting cast is better, but if they do not carry Goff this year, the team has to start wondering how far they can go with him.
The Lions Have to See Goff Win Big Games
Goff is signed through the 2028 season. However, if the Lions really wanted to, they could trade him next year and find a way to only eat $22M in dead money. The issue is that they would also eat $38M in dead money in 2028. However, they could roll over a chunk of their saved money from the year prior.
If they traded him after 2027, they could save $47M in 2028. They would have $22M in dead money in 2028 and $16M in dead money in 2029. So, the most realistic path might be to draft a quarterback after this year, let him develop, and decide what to do with Goff in 2028 if he continues to play at this level.
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