Look, the Detroit Lions’ 2025 season didn’t exactly end with a confetti shower and a trophy. It was messy. After that gut-punch Christmas Day loss to the Vikings and missing the playoffs for the first time in years, everyone in the 313 is looking at the roster with a magnifying glass. Specifically, they're looking at the guy under center.
People love to debate the Lions QB depth chart, but if you listen to Dan Campbell, the conversation is pretty short. He’s called Jared Goff an "absolute stud." He’s said he’s "going nowhere." But as we head into the 2026 offseason, the reality of the room is a bit more complicated than just a coach's vote of confidence.
The State of the Lions QB Depth Chart Heading into 2026
Right now, the depth chart is essentially Jared Goff and a whole lot of questions. We saw a weird shift at the end of 2025. Hendon Hooker, the guy everyone thought was the heir apparent, isn't even in the building anymore—he finished the season with the New York Jets after being released following training camp.
Here is how the room actually looks as of January 2026:
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- The Starter: Jared Goff. He’s 31 now. He just put up 4,564 yards and 34 touchdowns. On paper, he’s elite. But those 38 sacks he took in 2025? That’s a career high. He’s getting hit more, and when the protection broke down last year, things got ugly fast.
- The Backup: Kyle Allen. He’s a veteran’s veteran. He didn’t have to do much in 2025 because Goff is an iron man, but he’s currently a free agent. If he doesn't re-sign, the Lions have literally nobody behind Goff with meaningful NFL snaps.
- The Practice Squad/Futures: C.J. Beathard. He spent the year on the practice squad. Is he a viable QB2 for a team with Super Bowl aspirations? Probably not.
Jared Goff’s Massive 2026 Cap Hit
Let’s talk money, because in the NFL, the contract is the depth chart. Goff is entering the "expensive" part of that four-year, $212 million extension. For the 2026 season, his cap hit is scheduled to be a staggering $69.6 million.
That is roughly 22% of the entire team’s salary cap.
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Brad Holmes is a wizard, but even he can't ignore that number. There’s already talk from insiders like Dave Birkett and reports on Sports Illustrated about a "monster restructure." Basically, the Lions might convert his $55 million base salary into a signing bonus to kick the can down the road. It saves about $40 million in cap space for 2026, but it also means Goff is tethered to Detroit even tighter.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Backup Situation
The biggest misconception last year was that Hendon Hooker was "safe." It turned out the Lions didn't feel he was developing fast enough to pass Kyle Allen. Honestly, seeing Hooker end up on the Jets’ active roster while the Lions’ offense stagnated in late December felt like a bit of a "what if" moment for fans.
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The Lions QB depth chart is currently built on a "Goff or Bust" philosophy. When you have a guy who has started every game for two straight years, you get complacent. But 2025 showed that the margin for error is razor-thin. If Goff’s jersey gets dirty, the season is over.
The 2026 Draft and the Search for a New QB2
With the 28 free agents Detroit is juggling right now—including guys like Alex Anzalone and DJ Reed—spending big money on a backup QB seems unlikely. That brings us to the draft.
The 2026 QB class isn't being called "legendary" by any means. However, the Lions need a developmental project. They tried it with Hooker and it failed. Now, they're back to square one. Dan Campbell has graded himself a "freaking F" for the 2025 season, and part of that has to be the lack of a contingency plan when the offense hit a wall.
Actionable Next Steps for Lions Fans
If you're tracking the roster this spring, keep your eyes on these three specific triggers:
- The Restructure Date: Watch for news around mid-March. If the Lions don't restructure Goff's $69.6M hit by then, it might signal they are actually open to a post-June 1 trade (though highly unlikely).
- The Kyle Allen Re-signing: If Allen walks in free agency, it's a massive "Help Wanted" sign. It means the Lions are either eyeing a veteran like Sam Darnold (if he hits the market) or they are going to use a Day 2 pick on a quarterback.
- Pro Day Visits: Pay attention to which college QBs Brad Holmes is scouting personally. He doesn't waste his time on players he isn't serious about.
The 2026 version of this team has to be more resilient. Having a stable Lions QB depth chart is the only way to make sure a Christmas Day disaster doesn't happen again. Goff is the pilot, but the Lions desperately need to find someone who can at least keep the plane level if he has to step out for a minute.