The Detroit Lions are switching quarterbacks for 2021, from Matthew Stafford to Jared Goff, but that will not stop them from taking a signal early in the NFL draft.
General manager Brad Holmes, who has yet to discuss the Stafford-Goff deal before it can become official when the new league year begins on March 17, said Tuesday he likes what he sees in this quarterback draft class.
“The quarterback position in general, which is cool to this year, is that they have different types,” Holmes said. ‘You have a man who can do it all, do it out of pocket, do it with his legs. You have another guy who probably does a little more with his legs, a little more to be creative. There’s another guy probably doing it more out of pocket.
“So, all the different flavors make it very, very intriguing in terms of when you look at the whole range of the class of these quarterbacks.”
Holmes mentioned several times during his Tuesday news conference that he likes this draft class of quarterbacks, held by Trevor Lawrence of Clemson, Justin Fields of Ohio and Zach Wilson of BYU.
And if you pick in the top 10, he can miss no position. That includes a place that is undergoing major change for Detroit. According to GoThe, Goff will have $ 28.15 million in 2021 and $ 26.15 million for 2022, according to OverTheCap.com. Of course, the Lions could create more space if they restructure Goff’s contract, which has a little over $ 25 million in base salary, once he officially becomes part of the franchise. But it is unknown at this time what he will do after leaving the post.
On top of that, Stafford will count $ 19 million in dead money on Detroit’s annual capital.
What does this have to do with setting up a quarterback at number 7? That may depend on how the team views Goff in the long run – something he has not yet allowed himself to address in public – and what he thinks of the quarterbacks in this class.
‘If you pick in the top 10, I think you can not ignore it, and I think it’s smart set-up anyway, if you pick in the top 10, that you make sure you’re in the quarterback class know very well, ‘said Holmes.
Holmes added that if you choose in the top 10, you need to know the best prospects at each position, because of the potential level of talent. He said he knows the team needs beginners and depth at various positions, some of which can be addressed at number 7.
“There are some pieces we definitely need to add,” Holmes said. “We can start with the defensive side of the ball. We definitely need more depth. We will need beginners in certain places, so those are things we are going through.”
With the attack, Holmes said he likes what the Lions have on the offensive. but they need depth. The reception room – whether they use a franchise label on Kenny Golladay or not – needs to be refurbished. It all connects to a quarterback, leading to a multitude of decisions that Holmes and Dan Campbell, head coaches, have to make to evaluate what they need to do in the free agency and the draft, starting with the no.