Roundtable: Could Lions Not Give Jared Goff New Contract?
1.) Should Lions trade up for J.J. McCarthy?
Christian Booher: I am admittedly high on JJ McCarthy, but I’m not sure that the Lions should be making a move to go get a quarterback. Additionally, I don’t see Brad Holmes changing his tone after giving Jared Goff relentless support over the last three seasons.
I like McCarthy’s winning pedigree and believe that his athletic ability will make him a highly-coveted commodity in the draft. He would fit the Lions’ offensive scheme, but I think the organization is currently set at the position and shouldn’t make a move to get a quarterback when it has other needs to address.
Vito Chirco: I'm vehemently opposed to this. I know McCarthy won a lot of games at Michigan, and has the great win-loss record and a national championship to show for it. However, the Wolverines were a run-heavy/run-first offense with McCarthy under center, so it never felt like he had to make more than a couple big throws a game.
He certainly had a fine college career, and I'll give him his flowers for all that he achieved at Michigan. However, it doesn't mean that I'd swing a trade to move up for him in this April's draft, especially when the Lions have much bigger needs (and on both sides of the ball).
2.) Could Brad Holmes end up not giving Jared Goff an extension?
Booher: I do believe there is a way that Goff could not get an extension, but the chances of that happening are very slim. He has endeared himself to the city of Detroit and played at a high level, so the Lions shouldn’t consider rolling the dice on a young quarterback when they have the pieces in place to make a Super Bowl run.
The one way I could see Goff not getting extended is if the two parties don’t agree on compensation. Holmes plays his cards close to the vest, so it’s hard to tell where both sides are on the extension. However, I believe the two sides will eventually get a deal done.
Chirco: I'd be shocked if Goff and the Lions don't come to terms on a long-term contract extension this offseason.
Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes have made it known numerous times just how much they admire Goff, and the veteran signal-caller has openly reciprocated it many times, too. I think the two sides understand they are much better off with each other than without each other. And, it's a large reason why I see them finalizing a new deal before the start of the 2024 season.
3.) Are Packers contenders or pretenders?
Booher: After what the Packers did in the second half of the season, it’s hard to not see them as contenders going forward. Jordan Love was solid, and there’s a very talented cast of playmakers around him.
This offseason will be a big one for Green Bay, as it has the opportunity to add more veteran talent. With another good draft, I think it will be right in competition with the Lions in the NFC North for the 2024 season.
Chirco: I think the Packers are here to stay and are legitimate threats to dethrone the Lions as NFC North champs in 2024.
I think Jordan Love is the real deal (could be the best QB in the division in '24). And remember, Green Bay, just like Detroit, should've arguably knocked out the 49ers in the postseason.
So, if I'm the Lions, there's no doubt I'm taking the Packers seriously this coming season.
4.) What must Dan Campbell improve upon?
Booher: After a tough first season, Campbell has done an excellent job leading the Lions from the bottom of the NFC North to the very top. He has demonstrated an ability to navigate the ups and downs of a season while guiding Detroit to a historic 2023 season.
One area I thought Campbell improved late in the year and can continue to improve in 2024 is his decision-making and taking calculated risks. His fourth-down decisions will always be critiqued. Going forward, I’d like to see him add a kicker that he’s comfortable with taking long kicks, in order to take some of the pressure off his offense in those fourth-down situations.
Chirco: I'd like to see Campbell tone down his aggressiveness a bit, and become more measured with his fourth-down decisions. He went down swinging with his aggressive play-calling in the Lions' loss to the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. And, you won't be able to convince me that he didn't make a mistake in going for it on fourth down in the fourth quarter of that contest.
I'd like to see the Lions acquire a more reliable kicker this offseason, which hopefully will coerce Campbell into deploying his field-goal unit more often in 2024.
Don't get me wrong: I love Campbell having confidence in his offense to make big-time plays. The unit definitely earned that level of respect from its head man in 2023. I'd just like to see Campbell gamble more cautiously and pragmatically, especially in crunch time of a playoff game, moving forward.
5.) What is your evaluation of David Montgomery's first season in Detroit?
Booher: I think David Montgomery provided exactly what the Lions needed in his first season with the team. Detroit was looking to generate more explosive runs, and Montgomery did just that. He also was the perfect complement to Jahmyr Gibbs, as he was able to handle the tough carries and help the team bleed the clock late in wins.
He was able to surpass 1,000 yards despite missing three games and also had a career-high 13 touchdowns. Heading into his next season, there should be high expectations for the talented running back.
Chirco: To me, you couldn't have asked for anything better. He rushed for north of 1,000 yards and a career-best 13 touchdowns, and formed a dynamic running back duo with Jahmyr Gibbs in 2023. He also played a pivotal role in the Lions winning 12 regular season games and a division championship and advancing to the NFC Championship Game for the first time in 32 years.
If you want to gripe at anything regarding Montgomery's '23 campaign, it's the fact that he didn't play in a full season's worth of games (14 games). Besides for that, I don't think it's possible to find a flaw with Montgomery's debut campaign in the Motor City.
