The 2022 season was filled with Detroit Lions players who stepped up, but these five were the most valuable.
The Lions finished this season off in style with a victory to eliminate the Green Bay Packers from the playoffs in Week 18. The Lions were eliminated from the playoffs themselves before kickoff, but beating the Packers is always nice.
Many people have quickly turned their attention to next season, trying to play general manager of the Lions and foresee the moves needed to get them over the hump. But before we look ahead, let’s look at those players who made the most impact on this team during the 2022 season.
Here are the five most valuable Lions players from this past season.
The 5 most valuable Detroit Lions for the 2022 season
Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Quarterback Jared Goff
No player earned more respect and confidence from the Lions’ fan base this season than Goff. While his 2021 season was average at best, Goff was among the league’s best this past season, ranking fifth in QBR (61.2). He threw for 4,438 yards (sixth in the league) and 29 touchdowns, with just seven interceptions.
Goff was in absolute control of this offense during the season. He was the leader of the top-ranked offense in the division and the fifth-best offense in the entire league, averaging nearly 27 points per game. In a year where Goff needed to prove himself in order to show he was worthy of being in the league long-term, Goff did more than that. He may have established himself as the long-term quarterback in Detroit.