When the news of the trade that sent Jared Goff to Detroit, somewhere, Todd Gurley must have been shaking his head, knowing full well how Goff must have felt.
A year earlier, Gurley was leaving town less than two years after signing a lucrative extension that seemed to cement his Los Angeles home for many years. The running back was cut by the Rams, who felt that the franchise would be better off separating itself from the former NFL Offensive Player of the Year and allocating its money elsewhere, instead of keeping it close at hand.
Goff, who had just won $ 31 million but had not yet started the four years of his lavish extension, was sent to Lions with a series of choices for Matthew Stafford in a blockbuster quarterback exchange that made Goff happy to be going “somewhere I know you want me and appreciate me.”
Gurley found this out in Atlanta, too, where he ran 678 yards and nine touchdowns on 195 loaded. It wasn’t spectacular, but it was a significant role with an NFL team after his former employer put him aside.
“Well, another situation where I wasn’t surprised again,” said Gurley of the exchange that sent Goff to the Lions during an appearance on Wednesday on the NFL Network. “But you know, I like Goff, I like Goff, he’s a good guy. Nobody cares who a good guy is. I’m very happy that he can go somewhere and I hope these guys will welcome him frankly arms and not be judgmental and just let him play. He was the # 1 choice for a reason, and he still has a lot of ball in him. I just want him to be happy, and I just want him to be able to go there.
“It can be a good thing for him, you know? Just add an extra chip on your shoulder. Many players like to play with chips on their shoulders, but it’s very different when you’re a franchise defender and you take your team to the Super Bowl and two years later you’re on a totally different team. Like I told him, man, love him, I just want him to be happy and keep doing what you’re doing. “
A little extra motivation doesn’t get in the way, and Goff will have the pain of being dispatched by the team that doesn’t like you anymore to take him to fight for new heights with his new team. As Gurley pointed out, we cannot forget where these Rams were just two seasons ago: in a Super Bowl, preparing to face Tom Brady’s Patriots in a game that could very well have been a torch pass to Goff.
Now, it looks so silly, even when Goff didn’t exactly fall off a cliff in terms of performance. Sure, his turnover became a problem in 2020, but when Goff was on, he was really in. There is evidence that he can be a top passer in this league, as long as he can reduce mistakes and find the right situation for him.
Perhaps this situation is in Detroit, where he will have time to grow and overcome his struggles without the pressure of a big market like Los Angeles and the expectation of winning now. At 26, he still has a lot of football ahead of him, and if Lions can use some of the draft capital that came to Detroit on the same flight as Goff to improve his lineup, Goff could end up in a great position.
Having a healthy reminder of how a former love interest has abandoned you to greener pastures doesn’t hurt either.
A final interesting point to consider in the future is how these movements are reflected in the Rams over the next 3-5 years. Coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead have proven they know how to build a winning team, but have also shown that they are not afraid to alienate even their most valuable players when they decide it’s time to move on. Of course, this does not include the worldwide defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who will not reach his own Rams calculations until well after his current contract ends.
But when it comes to attracting free agent talent, it is fair to question whether these types of moves – not exactly cruel, but certainly cold-blooded business decisions – will have an impact on how potential additions see Rams as an organization. Above all, winning is what matters most. But loyalty – or the blatant lack of it – can also play a role.