Jared Goff Included in Drunk Trade Proposal From Bleacher Report

Every NFL offseason spawns a parade of hypothetical trades, but Bleacher Report’s latest offering involving Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff has left league observers shaking their heads. The suggestion: ship Goff to the Las Vegas Raiders for the No. 1 overall selection in the 2026 draft, giving Detroit a chance to “reset” under center.

The concept collapses under the weight of basic roster logic. Goff, fresh off guiding the Lions to their most successful stretch in decades, signed a four-year, $212 million extension that runs well beyond 2025. Front offices do not commit that level of guaranteed money to a quarterback they intend to flip a year later, nor do they tear up the playbook while positioned to contend.

Proponents of the phantom deal point to roughly $26 million in cap relief, yet cap space is meaningless without a proven signal-caller to spend it on. Goff’s contract—structured to keep him in Honolulu Blue—reflects “build-around” numbers, not “move-on” money. Trading a top-five quarterback in his prime would qualify as front-office malpractice for a franchise that believes its Super Bowl window is open now.

The rationale also cites Detroit’s playoff absence in 2025 as evidence the roster is “headed in the wrong direction.” In reality, injuries on both sides of the ball, defensive inconsistency, and late-game collapses doomed the season. The Lions responded by hiring Drew Petzing as offensive coordinator, a move designed to accentuate Goff’s strengths rather than audition his replacement. Organizations do not redesign an offense around a quarterback they intend to trade.

Ownership, coaches, and teammates have repeatedly endorsed Goff as the engine of the current push. His deal, his fit within the scheme, and the team’s timeline all point in one direction: Detroit is all-in on winning with Jared Goff, not starting over at the sport’s most important position.

Bleacher Report’s exercise may have been intended as a creative thought experiment, but it reads as noise—an idea detached from contract realities, roster timelines, and the basic principles of team-building. In a league where quarterback stability is currency, the Lions have no interest in cashing out.