Jared Goff is entering his eleventh season as a professional and sixth with the Detroit Lions. Despite his team’s lacklustre finish last season, the veteran quarterback is expected to lead the franchise to a major comeback following key offensive upgrades this offseason. Building on an impressive OTAs and mini camp, the Lions beat writer Mike Payton thinks the QB1 could have a great NFL season ahead.
“Jared Goff is coming into another season with the Detroit Lions. He has a much better situation than he did in 2025, with John Morton was not for him at offensive coordinator,” Payton said on A to Z Sports. “He (Morton) was not it for anyone at the offensive coordinator. But he (Goff) has got strength in the offensive line. Cade Mays is much better than Graham Glasgow. I think Blake Miller, even though he is a rookie, and that’s probably going to take some time, just like he does with any rookie tackle. He is going to be an upgrade over Taylor Decker right away. A second-year Tate Ratledge is going to be much better. He has got a lot of things going his way.”
Jared Goff Embraces New Offensive Coordinator Drew Petzing
GettyDrew Petzing
The Detroit Lions’ offense showed unbelievable dominance in the 2024 season, ending the regular season with a spectacular 15-2 record, making it historically their best season in the NFL. The remarkable record meant that the offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was flooded with head coaching opportunities as soon as that season ended, and he ended up leaving for the NFC North rival Chicago Bears.
The vacancy at the position of the OC prompted Brad Holmes to hire John Morton, who turned out to be one of the biggest disappointments for the Honolulu Blues last year, failing to carry the momentum set by his predecessor. Despite Jared Goff’s brilliance (4,564 passing yards), the Lions’ offense struggled big time. As a matter of fact, Morton’s play calling was so predictable and disappointing that he couldn’t last the whole season, as Dan Campbell had no choice but to remove Morton from his play calling duties by Week 10 of the 2025 season.
Now, Drew Petzing has replaced him as the OC, who is poised to make an impact, given his previous experience in that role. Despite his not-so-stellar record at the Cardinals, he is known for his creative play-action, modern wide zone scheme, and quarterback-friendly approach. During the OTAs, he received praise from the QB1.
“How to hold guys accountable, lead, and be able to be in front of a room. He’s great at it. He’s awesome, and it’s a lot of fun working with him.” Goff said last month about Petzing.
While the new OC is likely to have a positive impact on the signal-caller, the key upgrades in the O-Line are another big factor.
Lions’ Offensive Line Overhaul Could Elevate Jared Goff in 2026
GettyJared Goff and Lions offense
As Mike Payton outlined, the center, Graham Glasgow, struggled in the closing weeks of the season, and replacing him with the former Carolina Panthers star Cade Mays is certainly an upgrade, who is also six years younger. On the other hand, Tate Ratledge’s production is expected to see a boost in his second year after being in the Dan Campbell system for over a year.
The offensive tackle unit has a notable change and improvement. The veteran and aging Taylor Decker is gone, while the O-Line is bolstered by this year’s first-round pick, the talented rookie, Blake Miller, who is set to play at right tackle. Also, the four-time Pro Bowler Penei Sewell will be shifting to his natural left tackle position. With these changes and reinforcements, it should have a domino effect on Jared Goff, who will be aiming for his sixth Pro Bowl selection in 2026.
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