The Detroit Lions finally found their next offensive coordinator, who hopes to do better than John Morton, and no, it's not Mike McDaniel. On Monday, the Lions reportedly hired former Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing.
The hiring of Petzing came out of left field, as he wasn’t connected to the Lions in any capacity, let alone any other team. It’s not the hire that many Lions fans were hoping for, but it seems as if head coach Dan Campbell believes Petzing could be the guy.
Petzing’s addition could offer a nice boost for the Lions’ ground game in 2026 after seeing what he’s done in Arizona, which is great news for David Montgomery. However, those efforts on the ground would be down the road. In the meantime, the new Lions OC could immediately help Detroit by bolstering their QB2 spot.
This season, the Lions rolled with Kyle Allen as their backup behind Jared Goff after Allen beat out former third-round pick Hendon Hooker for the job in the preseason. Thankfully, Detroit did not need to lean on the 29-year-old Allen, who only appeared in three games and threw two passes.
Allen is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent and isn’t the ideal backup, as his career suggests that he’s more of a QB3. Therefore, the Lions should be in the market for a QB2, and if that’s the case, they should look at Cardinals veteran QB Jacoby Brissett.
Jacoby Brissett Suddenly a Possible Lions Target After Petzing Hire
The 33-year-old Brissett has proven to be a reliable backup and spot starter regardless of the team or the situation. This season, the veteran quarterback started in 12 games due to Kyler Murray's injury, which left Arizona with no other options.
The Cardinals weren’t on the right side of the scoreboard, as they were 1-11 in the games that Brissett started. However, Arizona’s passing game showed some life, which is more than what fans could say about Murray.
The veteran quarterback completed 64.9 percent of his passes for 3,366 yards, 23 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He also had 168 rushing yards and a score on the ground.
Based on how Brissett played this season and with Murray’s future in Arizona on thin ice, there’s a thought that the Cardinals could keep him for 2026. However, that likely depends on who will be the next head coach, as the Cardinals fired Jonathan Gannon earlier this month.
However, one thing to keep in mind is that Brissett won’t become a free agent until 2027. There is an out in his contract for 2026 ($1.75 million dead cap), though, per Spotrac. If the Cards just let him go, it would be a perfect pairing for Detroit.
The Lions get one of the better backups in the league, who knows Petzing’s offense, and could step in at a moment’s notice. But if the Lions don’t take that route, they could trade for Brissett, as they’re projected to have eight picks, including six on Day 3.
The backup QB won’t be a huge focus of Lions fans this offseason, but it's something that they should have on their checklist.