Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff had somewhat of a career revival in 2022. After struggling with a new team and subpar receiving crew in 2021, Goff rebounded in a big way, finishing in the top 10 in passing yards (sixth), touchdowns (t-fifth), yards per attempt (seventh), passer rating (seventh) and QBR (fifth).
That was enough to earn Goff Pro Bowl honors, but he was left just outside the top-10 quarterbacks rankings of 2023 list by ESPN.
According to the survey of NFL executives, coaches, scouts, and players, Goff was among the five honorable mentions outside of the best 10 quarterbacks.
“Goff rarely got a single vote over the past three seasons, but this year he appeared on nearly 25% of the ballots after leading Detroit to nine wins, thanks in part to a 29-to-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio,” ESPN Jeremy Fowler wrote.
Lamar Jackson is part of a rare group of players who have won the Heisman Trophy and an NFL MVP Award. Even more impressive, Jackson is one of just two MVPs to win the award unanimously. The other is Tom Brady — widely regarded as the Greatest Quarterback of All Time. Despite being in elite company, Jackson is often pegged as not being a “true quarterback.” It’s an unfair label that’s followed him since high school but Lamar has proved his doubters wrong at every step. I mean, forever being linked with the GOAT ain’t half bad. But Lamar’s journey to get the proper recognition he deserves hasn’t been easy. He was once a guy overlooked by major college programs, told to switch positions, and someone that critics thought wouldn’t survive in the NFL. Let’s meet these versions of Lamar Jackson in the prism.
Not only were Goff’s stats significantly better than the previous three years, but one AFC scout aptly noted that he made significant strides in pocket awareness.
“He’s always been a good thrower of the football. His issue, to me, was toughness, particularly in the pocket,” the anonymous scout said. “I thought he addressed a lot of that this year and stood tall.”
The quarterback who bested him at the bottom of the top 10 includes Trevor Lawrence (eighth), Dak Prescott (ninth), and the player who replaced Goff in Los Angeles, Matthew Stafford (10th).
Goff becomes the fifth Lions player to earn votes on this series of surveys. C.J. Gardner-Johnson was eighth on the top safeties list. Penei Sewell came in sixth among the top-10 offensive tackles, while Taylor Decker received some votes. Finally, Frank Ragnow was ranked as the 10th best interior offensive lineman and third-best center.
There is only one category remaining in ESPN’s top-10 lists: wide receivers. Will Amon-Ra St. Brown crack the list?
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