Dan Campbell on Jared Goff: 'No Red Flags' This Spring

Dan Campbell has been impressed with the play of Jared Goff this spring.

Dan Campbell entered his tenure as the head coach of the Detroit Lions with a new quarterback.

Though Jared Goff wasn’t light on experience, he was brand new to playing in Detroit. Coming from the Los Angeles Rams, he had large shoes to fill, after the team traded away longtime signal-caller Matthew Stafford. 

After a slow first season in which he threw 17 touchdowns and eight interceptions, the pressure is on Goff to bump up his production in year two. There’s optimism surrounding him, as the Lions have made upgrades at receiver.

There’s also the strong finish that Goff had, throwing 11 scores, to just two interceptions, in his last six games.

In Campbell’s eyes, the second year together has been good to this point.

“I have no red flags with him,” Campbell said. “He looks good out there. He’s got a good grasp of our offense and what we’re doing. He’s commanding the huddle, he’s throwing the ball well. That’s one of his strengths. He’s a pretty good passer. I’d say up to this point, he’s having a good spring.”

Campbell added that Goff’s mechanics have been refined and that the sixth-year pro has a special relationship with new Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.

“I just know physically from this time last year, I feel like his feet and his procedure is quicker than it was,” Campbell said. “Ben and (quarterbacks coach Mark Brunell) are doing a good job pushing him and pushing his fundamentals, just really honing in on that little stuff. Sometimes, you get so enamored and so worried about the scheme and where the ball’s supposed to go, that sometimes you forget about the little stuff.

“We felt like that was gonna be vital for him. Let’s hone him back in on his fundamentals and get him to play a little bit quicker and finish through with his throws, get his head around, flip his hips, just some of these things. Working to his left, and I feel like those things have shown up," Campbell added. 

Alim McNeill showing versatility along the defensive line

Campbell told reporters he simply loves giving rising second-year defensive lineman Alim McNeill nicknames.

On Tuesday, Campbell called the second-year defensive lineman "buttercup", when asked about the progress he has shown. 

During his rookie season in 2021, the N.C. State product played important snaps down the stretch for the Lions. Now, Detroit is expecting more from him.

“He’s been here since Day 1,” Campbell said. “Man, he’s arguably the strongest pound-for-pound player that we have, and we have some strong guys on this team. He’s definitely up there and works his rear off, and so, I’m bubbling about him.”

Campbell seemed impressed with the growth of the defensive tackle during his session with reporters Tuesday. McNeill was originally thought of as a base, inside defensive tackle, but is now showing the coaching staff that there is more to him than that.

“We really feel like (McNeill) has got more versatility than what we thought may have appeared when we drafted him,” Campbell said. “We like the player, but I know last year, once we got him here, we were like, ‘Man, this guy’s got really good feet, he moves well.’ And then just watching his transformation through the year and watching him grow has been good.

“I think some of the things that we are doing defensively, a little bit more of this attack, are gonna serve him well, because he’s got a quick first step. He’s got real good feet, and he is powerful. So, when you’re built the way he is and have the tools that he has, he could be somewhat problematic for an offensive line," Campbell added. 

© Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK

Penisini absent

Campbell said the only player who has been absent from offseason activities has been defensive tackle John Penisini.

A sixth-round pick in 2020, Penisini has played 32 games over two seasons for the Lions. In that time, he’s made 49 tackles and has recorded one sack.

Campbell said he planned on seeing the defensive lineman Tuesday night and was aware of what was keeping him away from the team. Campbell did not disclose the reason for his absence.