Super Bowl window still wide open
by Jacob Teets
It’s no secret that the Detroit Lions season didn’t go exactly as us fans hoped it would. From injuries in the secondary, to one of the more difficult schedules in the NFL, to head coach Dan Campbell taking over the playcalling duties mid-season, it was a disappointing season to say the least. Getting to the Super Bowl in 2026 and beyond will take a lot out of Detroit, but there’s a few things they can do to make it a realistic goal.
Despite going 9-8 in 2025, I’m under the impression that the window for a Super Bowl appearance and victory is still on the table. The Lions still have core players coming back next year with the likes of quarterback Jared Goff, running back Jahmyr Gibbs, edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, and the list goes on. Taking a step back to look at what the team still has; I believe this season was a fluke.
The next step to proving this year was a fluke to me is having a good draft and signing good veteran defensive players. Defensive lineman D.J. Reader is likely on his way out, but not out of the question. If he leaves the Lions, they should go out and grab another veteran lineman.
Two players I would love to see the Lions go after are Buffalo Bills’ defensive tackle DaQuan Jones or Houston Texans’ defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins.
Rankins is my first choice. He will be 32 when next season begins and has been a big part of the Texans’ dominant defense, who are being compared to the great defenses of the past. Rankins has 14 quarterback pressures this season, proving himself capable of getting to the quarterback quickly, which is something the Lions desperately need.
Jones will turn 35 during the 2026 season, but he’s still a solid player and would be useful down in the trenches at 6 foot 4 and 320 pounds. He had three sacks this season and 13 pressures, similar to what Rankins did.
Detroit has the 17th pick in the 2026 NFL draft where they should be trying to get an edge rusher to give Hutchinson some breathing room on the D-line or an offensive tackle to replace Taylor Decker, who will most likely be gone in 2026.
As for who that person will be, Auburn’s Keldric Faulk and Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell would be good edge rushers to bring in. Howell is my preferred option, putting up 11.5 sacks, which ranks him sixth amongst all draft eligible defensive players.
If they go for offensive tackle, Utah’s Spencer Fano and Miami’s Francis Mauigoa would be great additions to fill that hole on the offensive line. A few mock drafts have Detroit taking Spencer Fano, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s the pick.
Any of these scenarios would make me feel more confident in the team going into 2026.
Whatever the Lions do, they need to do better than 9-8 next year if they want to reach their full potential and win their first Super Bowl.