The Los Angeles Rams opted to switch things up under center by parting ways with Jared Goff in exchange for Matthew Stafford in a trade with the Detroit Lions at the beginning of the offseason.
The move came at a great cost for the Rams as they gave up two first-round picks (2022, 2023) and a third-round pick in 2021. Regardless, it became evident that changes would need to be made if the offense was going to bounce back with a big season.
Despite his recent struggles, Goff enjoyed plenty of success as the centerpiece for head coach Sean McVay’s offense. His efforts were even enough to earn a four-year extension worth $134 million that included $110 million guaranteed, which was an NFL record at the time in 2019.
Although Goff may have been somewhat caught off guard by the decision, there is no sense of bad blood between him and the Rams, via Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk:
“I’m so thankful for my time there. I have so many great memories, made so many great friends, have so many great former teammates from there. And there’s so much I learned there,” Goff said. “There’s no ill will. I want to move forward with my life and my career, and this is the next chapter — it starts today. But I had so many great times there and I’m thankful for everything that I went on there.
“We had a lot of success there. I was able to have a lot of success there. Like I mentioned, there were a lot of good times there. Unfortunately, the way it ended is never the way you envision it. But that’s the way it goes. The only constant is change in this league and it’s no different every offseason. It so happens this offseason, this is part of my change. I’m excited about it.”
Goff added that the trade does admittedly add some extra motivation for him to utilize moving forward:
“I think at first, absolutely. I think it builds that chip on your shoulder a little bit. I won’t lie about that,” Goff said. “There is that little extra motivation and chip that you do feel. And, again, I am so thankful for all my time there. But yeah, you do feel that. You do feel little of, ‘OK, let’s see what we can do now.’”
Goff’s comments are certainly understandable given the amount of flak he caught during their struggles on offense. He will have a chance to prove himself once again as the face of a rebuilding Lions’ franchise.
Goff certainly faces a tall task ahead of him, especially now that No. 1 wide receiver Kenny Golladay is gone. Regardless, his track record as a two-time Pro Bowler and quality playoff experience should help pay some dividends in the 2021 NFL season.
