Jared Goff, Too, Has An Uncertain Future

Add yet another QB to the list of starters who could be on the move.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport is reporting that the Rams plan to have open QB competition if Jared Goff isn't traded. The keyword is "if," indicating Goff, like several other starting QBs, could be traded this offseason.

It's still hard to wrap our heads around why the Rams are so determined to move past Goff. He has won 45 games since 2017, led the Rams to the Super Bowl, beat Russell Wilson on the road in the playoffs, and played well while injured against the Packers. Yet, backing up John Wolford to start the playoffs was the first clue the Rams were no longer sold on Goff, the former No. 1 overall pick.

Before Rapoport's report, Rams general manager Les Snead sparked speculation by making it known how the organization feels about Goff:

"Not going to get into specifics on those. That's the beautiful mystery of the future. ... Jared Goff is a Ram at this moment. It's way too early to speculate."

Not going to get into it, huh? The "at this moment" part got pretty into it.

The QB carousel should be wild. Detroit is expected to trade Matt Stafford. Houston may trade Deshaun Watson. The Jets are likely to part ways with Sam Darnold, and, if a better option exists, the 49ers could look to move Jimmy Garoppolo. Now, potentially, add in Goff.

I'd expect Goff, 26, to have a market. He's not Watson and he's not Stafford, though Goff would be an upgrade for multiple teams. Assuming the Jags and Lions draft their QBs, the Jets either draft or trade their pick for Watson, and the Texans keep Watson or draft his replacement via trade – here are the teams that Goff could upgrade: the Colts, Broncos, Patriots, 49ers (though, I doubt a trade would occur between division rivals), the Saints, Football Team, Bears, and Panthers.

Should the Rams keep Goff, he will have to go into an all-out summer battle with the QB with the best name in the NFL, John Wolford.

The date to watch is June 1. Los Angeles would save $12.75 million of Goff's cap hit by trading him before June 1, though the Rams would still have to carry $22.2 million in dead cap.