The Detroit Lions have a new point man on the offensive side of the ball with Drew Petzing taking over for John Morton as offensive coordinator. Petzing won't be alone, either, as Mike Kafka is joining him in a high-ranking offensive staff role.
With those two calling the shots, fans can expect to see different things from this Lions offense on the field in 2026. With that comes new faces on the roster. While there are plenty of areas on the roster that need to be addressed this offseason, as is the case for every NFL team, Detroit's new offensive braintrust should take a long, hard look at the backup quarterback position.
Kyle Allen beat out Hendon Hooker for the job in the lead-up to the 2025 campaign, but the veteran is now an unrestricted free agent, and there are no guarantees that he will return to the Motor City at all, or make the final roster if he does.
All Signs Point to Kyle Allen's Lions Exit Next Month
Fortunately for Detroit, Jared Goff has been a dependable starter week in and week out over the last four seasons, having not missed a game in that span. Banking on that health continuing for a fifth consecutive season would be a risky proposition for head coach Dan Campbell and this team.
However, after the failures of the 2025 season, missing the playoffs again because the front office didn't adequately prepare for a scenario in which Goff goes down is a thought that general manager Brad Holmes and Co. do not want to entertain.
This is part of the reason why finding a legitimate backup for Goff this offseason should be relatively high on the team's to-do list. Allen is about to turn 30 years old, and he has barely seen the field over the last three seasons. Banking on a QB to come in and be ready to play at a high level after not starting a game since 2022 is just too much to ask of a team with aspirations like the Lions.
Better options should be readily available, such as Trey Lance, Zach Wilson, or Jimmy Garoppolo, for starters, making the potential for going in a different direction at that spot an easier decision to stomach for all parties. After watching their division rivals find reliable backups in overlooked players like Malik Willis and Tyson Bagent, the Lions should have all the motivation to do the same as a fail-safe for their own offense.
There would be nothing wrong with bringing Allen back and letting him compete for a spot in training camp, either. The Lions' need for extra arms at that time of year is present for every team, and he would have some level of comfort already built in, having worked with this receiver group in 2025.
In no way should Allen be handed the job, though. That ship has sailed, and Detroit needs to realize it.