ESPN’s Kiper ‘You build around the QB’ – former LA Rams Goff

The LA Rams traded quarterback Jared Goff to the Detroit Lions, plus a lot of draft picks, for their quarterback Matthew Stafford. While we’ve spent the majority of our time translating what all of this means for the LA Rams, there have been some curious calls for the Lions to draft a quarterback from the 2021 NFL Draft.  I find that curiously, wrong.

For better or worse, the Lions are shackled to Goff for the next two years. So unless he tries and fails miserably for the Lions, he is their starting quarterback by default.  That was my impression when the trade was first announced. Now, ESPN’s draft guru Mel Kiper is weighing in on the situation with the Detroit Lions and quarterback Jared Goff.  And he is echoing our thoughts as well.

In a telephone call with Detroit Sports Nation’s Michael Whitaker, Kiper said the following:

"‘I would not consider a quarterback if I were the Lions,’ Kiper said during a call on Monday afternoon. ‘I think Jared Goff is a 26-year-old quarterback who has been to a Super Bowl, was off to the races, was the No. 1 pick overall, all that. So I think now he has people who are familiar with him, he’s familiar with in terms of the front office. To me, you build around the quarterback.’-as reported by Detroit Sports Nation’s Michael Whitaker"

So where does Kiper look for the Lions to focus in the 2021 NFL Draft? Well, he projects the Lions to focus on strengthening the defense, which was the problem during Matthew Stafford’s career with the team.

While Kiper is focusing on the 2021 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions have plenty of reasons to shop for former LA Rams players in the upcoming NFL Free Agency market.  Joining Goff with former teammates C Austin Blythe, TE Johnny Mundt, RB Malcolm Brown, TE Gerald Everett, or WR Josh Reynolds would be a great way to jumpstart acclimating him to the Lions offense.

And of course, secondary coach Aubrey Pleasant would love to welcome DB Troy Hill, S John Johnson III, or DB Darious Williams to the Lions defense. And why not? the LA Rams had the top defense in the NFL, and Pleasant is intimately familiar with each of these players. It would make perfect sense for Pleasant to jumpstart his secondary coverages with the help of a former Rams player.

Keep an eye on Detroit. They could improve dramatically in 2021.