Jared Goff keeps piling up the numbers, keeps moving the Detroit Lions forward, and still somehow keeps landing lower on quarterback lists than his production says he should.
That’s the latest twist heading into the 2026 season, with Pro Football Focus analysts Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick ranking every quarterback in the league and placing Goff at No. 16. The number jumps off the page because the case for Goff is sitting right there in the stats.
"Goff's average time to throw of 2.57 seconds was tied for second-fastest in the league in 2025, and his EPA on zero-graded throws ranked second overall at 0.090 per attempt - numbers that reflect a quarterback who functions as an extraordinarily efficient system executor."
The praise didn’t stop there.
"He has done nothing but stuff the stat sheet since being traded to the Lions. The former No. 1 overall pick leads the league in passing yards (18,205) and passing touchdowns (130) since 2022, and he ranks sixth among qualifying quarterbacks in PFF WAR since 2023.
His accuracy was outstanding in 2025, as his 14.4% uncatchable pass rate ranked first in the league. While the Lions missed the playoffs for the first time in three seasons, it’s hard to blame Goff for their shortcomings."
Even with all of that, Goff was still slotted behind Jordan Love at No. 6, Justin Herbert at No.
7, Dak Prescott at No. 8, Drake Maye at No.
9, Brock Purdy at No. 10, and Caleb Williams at No. 13.
The ranking puts him squarely in the middle of the pack, which feels hard to square with how steady and productive he’s been in Detroit.
Since arriving with the Lions in 2021, Goff has done more than just settle the position. He’s helped turn the offense into one of the league’s best and has been among football’s most productive quarterbacks over the last five seasons.
Still, none of this appears to be the kind of thing that gets under his skin.
Goff has long been the type to tune out the noise and lock in on what he can control. That approach is still very much in place this offseason, and he says Dan Campbell is setting the tone the way he always has.
"It's been awesome. I think (Dan Campbell has) done a great job of leading the troops like he always does and we follow suit.
I think in some capacity, there's some (extra internal motivation) maybe, but we're always trying to get better. We're always trying to improve, and I think we are hungry.
We were a fourth-place team last year, and we need to come out and play a lot better this year."
That message fits the way Goff has operated in Detroit from the start. The ranking may not reflect it, but the Lions quarterback has already shown he can keep producing at a high level while the outside world keeps debating where he belongs.
He’ll get another chance to answer that on the field in 2026.
In Other News...
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Alex Anzalones move to Tampa Bay has already given the Buccaneers a fresh look at the kind of linebacker Detroit spent years valuing. The veteran signed a two-year deal and has stepped into the weakside role in Todd Bowles defense, bringing the same versatility and command that made him a captain and a steady presence for the Lions. After a productive 2025 season in Detroit, the early signs in Tampa have been encouraging.
For the Lions, this is the familiar reminder that Anzalone was never just a stat sheet player. He handled traffic, helped set the tone and gave Detroit a defensive voice it could trust, even as a concussion kept him out of Week 18 last season. Tampa Bay is also trying to sort out life after Lavonte Davids retirement, so Anzalones arrival comes with real expectations, and the first stretch of his new job is already showing why Detroit valued him so highly. [Read more 🡒]
These Lions Fringe Players Are Suddenly In The 53-Man Conversation
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A few of the usual long-shot labels still apply, but there are also players with clearer paths than a typical camp body, which is what makes this part of the roster worth watching. Detroits need for help at nose tackle after losing Roy Lopez and DJ Reader gives one interior option a real opening, while the mix also includes a veteran with a lengthy resume and a handful of young linemen and skill players trying to turn limited opportunities into something more permanent. [Read more 🡒]
This Familiar Lions Receiver Is Suddenly Back In The Roster Fight
The Lions receiver room is still sorting itself out as camp and preseason decisions loom, and Tom Kennedy has found himself right back in the mix. A familiar face in Detroit since 2019, Kennedy has long been valued for his versatility, including his work as a return specialist, and he is now competing for one of the handful of wideout spots the team is expected to keep on the final roster.
With around five or six receivers likely to survive the cut, the margin for error is thin for everyone on the bubble. Kennedy is part of that fight alongside players such as Dominic Lovett and Cedrick Wilson Jr., plus a group of UFL receivers trying to force their way into the conversation, and the Lions still have some sorting to do before the depth chart settles. [Read more 🡒]