The Detroit Lions have been in good shape with Jared Goff and Dan Campbell steering the offense, but ESPN’s Dan Graziano floated a very different kind of future if things go sideways again in 2026.
In one of his “long shot” predictions, Graziano tied the Lions to two quarterbacks nobody would expect to see as Goff’s successor in Detroit: Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl champion Jalen Hurts and Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pro Bowl passer Baker Mayfield.
“Frustrated by their inability to cash in on what seemed like a Super Bowl window, the Lions decide to break things up,” Graziano writes. “They move on from Goff and bring in a veteran whose situation elsewhere fell apart, such as Baker Mayfield or Jalen Hurts.”
That kind of move would be a major swing, and it would likely take a truly rough 2026 season to push Detroit in that direction. Even then, replacing Goff would not be simple. The free-agent quarterback market is unlikely to be loaded, and the Lions probably would not be in position to land a top rookie in the 2027 NFL Draft without paying a steep price to move up.
That leaves the trade market, where both Hurts and Mayfield could become possibilities if their current teams decided to move on.
Hurts is the cleaner fit on paper for a team looking for a proven winner. He brings high-end rushing ability and has already delivered in the biggest moments at a very high level. Graziano noted the Eagles could have a down 2026 and choose to make a change, just as they did with Carson Wentz in 2021.
Mayfield would be a different kind of gamble. He’s the stronger passer statistically and can move well enough, but he comes with more volatility. The appeal is obvious, but so is the risk: he may not offer the same safety Goff has provided, and he may not match Hurts’ big-game ceiling.
For now, it remains a strange hypothetical. Still, Graziano’s note gives a glimpse at just how far the Lions could go if 2026 turns into a disaster and they decide Goff is no longer the answer.
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