Evaluating long-term health of Detroit Lions' offense and whether 2027 draft could offer solutions at each position
Allen Park — Any NFL general manager will tell you the roster-building process never stops. Regardless, despite many notable names still unsigned as June nears, the Detroit Lions aren’t expected to be in the market for a headline-worthy addition ahead of training camp.
The roster, as constructed, is what the team is counting on to bring home a third NFC North crown in four seasons, returning to the postseason and hopefully contending for the franchise’s first Super Bowl.
Lions general manager Brad Holmes approached this offseason with a restricted budget, setting aside significant cap funds designed to re-sign the four stars from the team’s 2023 draft class. They successfully knocked out the first one last week, agreeing to terms on a four-year pact with All-Pro linebacker Jack Campbell, reportedly worth a little more than $80 million.
With the resources Holmes did have at his disposal — both free agency dollars and draft picks — he did a good job plugging the roster’s immediate needs. The haul was led by two offensive lineman, center Cade Mays and offensive tackle Blake Miller. Defensively, the team has two new edges to pair with Aidan Hutchinson.
Many of the remaining additions bolstered Detroit’s depth. There are new and returning backups at nearly every position, including some mid-round rookies who could reasonably develop into future starters.
With the immediate needs addressed, the team is ready to roll into the 2026 season. However, before that happens, let’s take a look at the bigger picture, where the Lions stand long-term at each position, while offering a super early preview of the next wave of talent expected to enter the league next offseason, the 2027 draft class.
For each position, we’re going to evaluate the team’s long-term need, acknowledge the projected top prospects, and assess the likelihood the Lions will be looking to plug a hole in next year’s draft.
We’ll dive into the offense today and take a deeper look at the defense later this week.
Quarterback
At some point in the future, the Lions are going to need to have an honest conversation about replacing Jared Goff. Frankly, 2027 seems premature to reach that conclusion, but I’m cautious to outright dismiss the possibility of drafting an heir — a la Patrick Mahomes, Jordan Love and, most recently, Ty Simpson — given the depth of the upcoming draft class.
Goff, who turns 32 this October, remains at the top of his game. And given he’s a pocket passer with a quick trigger, he’s likely got a few seasons of prime production remaining.
His contract is the more interesting conversation. He’s signed up through the 2028 season. That means any extension would kick in ahead of his age-35 season. Now, plenty of quarterbacks have continued to perform beyond this age. Drew Brees, Payton Manning, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Philip Rivers, Carson Palmer, Brett Favre, Kirk Cousins and Matthew Stafford are among the group who have posted a passer rating north of 100.0 after their 35th birthday.
I’m merely highlighting that it’s better to be prepared to pivot when the opportunity presents itself, rather than be desperately forced into finding a replacement.
Obviously, selecting a quarterback in the first (or second) round is sacrificing the potential to address a more pressing need. However, unless undrafted rookie Luke Altmyer unexpectedly grabs the brass ring this offseason, the team is going to be in the market for a backup next offseason.
Odds the Lions select a Goff heir in 2027: 20%
2027 top prospects
Arch Manning, Texas: Son of Cooper, nephew of Peyton and Eli, the newest branch of the Manning tree initially fell short of the hype, but is back in the early conversation to be the top pick in next year’s draft after throwing for 26 touchdowns and running for another 10 scores during Texas’ 10-win campaign in 2025.