National media outlet names Lions' most underrated player
The Detroit Lions are one of the "trendy" teams in the NFL entering the 2023 season. After going 9-8 in Dan Campbell's second season leading the franchise, the Lions are viewed as a team ready to take the next step and challenge for a playoff spot. Part of the reason there are such great vibes […]
The Detroit Lions are one of the "trendy" teams in the NFL entering the 2023 season.
After going 9-8 in Dan Campbell's second season leading the franchise, the Lions are viewed as a team ready to take the next step and challenge for a playoff spot.
Part of the reason there are such great vibes around the Lions right now is because of the improvements the franchise made to their secondary this offseason.
While the improvements in the secondary are important, the Lions' success will ultimately come down to whether or not quarterback Jared Goff can continue to play at a high level.
Goff, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2016 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams, reached the Pro Bowl this past season for the first time since 2018.
The former California standout isn't viewed as one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL. but he's a much better option than most teams are trotting out there on Sundays.
That's part of the reason why Pro Football Focus named Goff this week as the most underrated player on Detroit's roster.
From PFF: While Goff might never reach the elite level of play we saw early in his career, the former first-overall pick was plenty serviceable for the Lions last season. Goff ranked 17th out of 30 QBs who had at least 300 pass attempts with a 71.2 passing grade, he was fifth among the group with a 76.2 adjusted completion percentage and he led the Lions offense to 253 first downs picked up through the air, the ninth most among QBs.
If Goff can get the Lions to the playoffs this season, he might earn that extension that's been discussed in recent weeks. Goff is set to be a free agent after the 2024 season and the Lions just spent a third-round pick on former Tennessee Vols quarterback Hendon Hooker. But if Goff reaches another Pro Bowl and gets Detroit to the postseason, it's hard to see the team moving on from the veteran signal-caller.
