The Detroit Lions have a handful of questions to answer in 2026 after last season's disappointing campaign.
The quarterback position isn't one of them. Quarterback Jared Goff has been a top-10 passer for much of his Lions career, and he's on the books through the 2028 season.
However, ESPN's Dan Graziano compiled a list last week looking beyond this season for 16 NFL teams. Graziano suggests that the Lions should be content assuming they get back into the playoffs this season, but another dud could take them down a different path.
Long-shot outcome: The defensive injuries are too much to overcome, and Goff and the offense hit a snag. The Lions fail to take advantage of that soft schedule and miss the playoffs for the second year in a row. Frustrated
by their inability to cash in on what seemed like a Super Bowl window, the Lions decide to break things up. They move on from Goff and bring in a veteran whose situation elsewhere fell apart, such as Baker Mayfield or Jalen Hurts.
Graziano's prediction comes with the caveat that it's unlikely to happen. Through all of the Lions' ups and downs in the Dan Campbell era, Goff has not been the thing keeping them from getting over the hump.
The Lions are 48-33-1 when Goff starts and have had a winning record in each of the past four seasons, two of which included NFC North crowns. Graziano said the most likely scenario for the Lions in 2027 is they run it back with Goff, at least one more time before a potential extension down the line.
Most likely outcome: The Lions, with a stacked roster and a soft-looking schedule, bounce back to the top of the division and make a playoff run behind Goff and their elite offense. Next offseason, they elect to keep Goff on his current contract and push off a possible extension to the 2028 offseason. Maybe they look to the draft for a developmental prospect, but at age 32 and still playing well, Goff remains their best and preferred option.
The idea of moving on to a more mobile, modern quarterback is certainly a romantic one. However, Goff's performance to this point in his tenure leaves his and the Lions' future in a rather secure place barring disaster.
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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: ESPN dissects Lions' QB future beyond 2026 NFL season
