Jared Goff and the future of the endangered traditional QB

Jared Goff of the Detroit Lions is the last of a dying breed. 20 years ago every franchise in the NFL wanted exactly what Goff is, a 6’5 accurate pocket passer. However, over the past two decades, franchises have begun to favor athletic dual threat quarterbacks. The ability to score points through the air and on the ground has become much sought after.

As Jared Goff enters his second season with the Lions, many are calling for the front office to move on to a younger, more mobile quarterback. Goff’s fans give mention of the recent championship runs by the Tampa Bay Bucs and the Los Angeles Rams as an example of his hidden potential. Both those teams were led by traditional QBs. At the root of both debates is whether Goff is worth being a franchise centerpiece in the modern NFL?

Jared Goff’s traditional QB approach in the modern NFL

Philadelphia Eagles v Detroit Lions

A traditional QB is a pocket passer with accuracy, complete field vision, and the ability to distribute the ball across the field. Goff is capable of all this, but the problem has always been his consistency. In one game, he plays like Tom Brady, the next he has multiple picks.

This is due to the limitations of his game. He doesn’t have a giant arm and isn’t a running threat. Jared Goff is mobile, but he's no escape artist from pressure in the pocket. His best attributes are working the short and intermediary throwing routes. If a defense is able to take those throws away, the Lions' passing offense usually comes to a halt.

Timing, accuracy and chemistry with receivers are so important for traditional QB’s. When those are lacking, there are a lot of throws in front of or behind the receivers and turnovers.

Jared Goff was at his best during his second and third seasons in the NFL. The Rams were a top-two offense in the 2017 and 2018 campaigns, but little of this was due to Goff’s individual brilliance. Head Coach Sean McVay, All Pro Running Back Todd Gurley, a good O-Line and decent receivers (Robert Woods, Brandon Cooks and Cooper Kupp) allowed Goff to exist as a game manager, getting the ball into his playmakers' hands.

NFL scout Bucky Brooks has a quote on QB’s “they are either trucks or trailers.” Meaning they either pull the offense forward or are carried by it. Goff was arguably being carried. Goff's current offense is not as talented as that Super Bowl Rams team. Last season Goff had the chance to prove he could be a playmaker on offense, but the Lions went 3-10-1 in his 14 starts.

The future for Jared Goff and other traditional QBs

Philadelphia Eagles v Detroit Lions

Jared Goff is currently a low-level game manager. A player with a high completion percentage but a large quantity of his passes are under twenty yards. He could be dubbed a 'Checkdown King.'

In the modern game, this type of Qb are usually backups. Players that can step in and fill the starters spot for a few weeks. They run a system that keeps the team competitive but no one expects anything special from them. If Goff remains a low-level game manager, there will be little reason for the Detroit Lions to build around him.

If he can polish up his game, he could mirror a QB like Alex Smith. Smith, under Andy Reid, was a polished pocket passer who, as long as he was protected and surrounded by playmakers, was able to drive that offense up and down the field. He put up a lot of yards, and most importantly, a lot of points.

Even though things haven't gone to plan for Jared Goff, there's still time for him to prove it to the world. Realistically though, he will need to do that this campaign.