NFL Comeback Player of the Year odds: Which Jared Goff shows up in 2020 for Rams?

Entering the 2019 season, the Los Angeles Rams looked like a burgeoning powerhouse and Jared Goff one of the most promising young quarterbacks in the NFL. L.A. had reached the Super Bowl the previous season and the team handed Goff a four-year, $134 million extension prior to the 2019 campaign with $110 million guaranteed – at the time, that guarantee was an NFL record.

Alas, Goff and the Rams severely regressed last season as L.A. slipped to 9-7 and missed the playoffs – although it would have made it as the NFC's final Wild-Card team under the new postseason format. Goff threw for 4,638 yards, which is a fine number, but 22 touchdowns and a career-high 16 interceptions.

His 86.5 rating was his first since a disastrous rookie year. Only four quarterbacks posted a lower passer rating against teams with an above-average defense by DVOA: Mitchell Trubisky, Josh Allen, Andy Dalton and Sam Darnold.

Can Goff rebound and win NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2020? He's a +4000 longer shot on the William Hill moneyline odds. The only Rams player to win the award was running back Dick Bass in 1966. The award then wasn't given out again until 1998.

The Rams traded away one of Goff's top weapons this offseason in sending big-play receiver Brandin Cooks to the Houston Texans. In Goff's 2018 breakout season, Cooks caught 80 passes for 1,204 yards and five scores. In addition, running back and former NFL Offensive Player of the Year Todd Gurley was released. He caught 59 passes for 580 yards and four TDs in that Super Bowl season.

Goff's regression in 2019 wasn't all his fault as the Rams' offensive line was a mess and it seemed as Goff was always throwing off his back foot because of pressure. CBS Sports recently ranked the NFL's 10 most overpaid players on their salary cap hit for the 2020 season and Goff was fifth thanks to a cap hit of $28.8 million. The Rams can't realistically move on from him until after the 2022 season.  

The Rams open the season Sept. 13 at home in the new SoFi Stadium against Dallas, which is -2.5 on the NFL odds.

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