In the wake of the Detroit Lions’ early playoff exit at the hands of the Washington Commanders, questions surrounding the future of the quarterback position have been raised. Despite posting an impressive 31 points against the Commanders, Jared Goff had a rough outing, throwing three interceptions and losing a fumble. This performance was yet another reminder of Goff’s struggles in the postseason, a pattern that also followed him during his time with the Los Angeles Rams.
However, despite Goff’s playoff woes, the Lions are not planning to part ways with him anytime soon, as he’s still under contract through 2028. But with an eye on the future, they could start preparing for the inevitable transition, and that could begin as early as the 2025 NFL Draft.
In his most recent mock draft, Mike Payton of AtoZ Sports has the Lions selecting Jalen Milroe, the Alabama quarterback, in the second round. “Milroe did not have a good week and he’s fallen out of the first round,” Payton noted. “That’s going to help the Lions because this draft is not going to be about starters so much as it’s all about the future now. That’s what happens when you’re a really good team. You need to have sustained success and that means planning for the future.”
Payton continued, emphasizing Milroe’s potential: “Milroe would be the future and he would give the Lions a significant amount of time to develop him into a starting-caliber quarterback. The potential and athleticism are there. It just needs to be guided.”
Milroe, once considered a top quarterback prospect in this draft class, saw his stock drop after a less-than-stellar 2024 season and struggles at the Senior Bowl. Over the past season, the Alabama standout completed 64.3% of his passes for 2,844 yards, while rushing for 726 yards and accounting for 36 total touchdowns. However, he also threw 11 interceptions. Throughout his college career, Milroe accumulated 6,016 passing yards, 1,577 rushing yards, and 78 total touchdowns.
“The overall takeaway is that Milroe possesses all the physical tools needed to play quarterback in the modern NFL,” said Keith Sanchez from The Draft Network in his scouting report. “With the right development, he can become an impact quarterback in the NFL.”
While the Lions already have another young quarterback in Hendon Hooker on their roster, the fact that Detroit added Teddy Bridgewater as the backup and had him serve in that role during the playoff loss is a clear sign that Hooker’s development may not be progressing as hoped. This raises doubts about the Lions’ confidence in him.
Taking Milroe in the draft could be an ideal move for Detroit, as he would have time to develop behind Goff over the next few seasons. However, it’s hard to see the Lions spending a high draft pick on a quarterback when Goff is firmly locked in for several more years. Nonetheless, the possibility of securing a developmental quarterback like Milroe remains an intriguing option for the Lions’ long-term plans.
