The Detroit Lions' Super Bowl window is a constant topic of conversation.
Do they have years? Is this the year for them to win it all, or at the very least, make it to the big dance? Or, do they have plenty of time to figure things out?
It all starts with one position, and that's quarterback. Jared Goff, at 32 years old, is the best metric from which to base any conversation about the teams' Super Bowl window around. If he can remain healthy, the team could very well contend for a title for nearly another decade. If he keeps getting banged up behind a new-look offensive line, that window shrinks. It helps that he's not an uber-athletic signal caller that risks injury a ton in-game, but age is our bodies biggest enemy.
Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon feels the same, with the writer estimating that the teams' window is only about 1-4 years big now.
"Jared Goff turns 32 this year, and the Lions have had no playoff success the last two seasons. Another failure could mark the end of the run, while a successful rebound could keep the window open into Goff's mid-30s."
Lions' projected Super Bowl window could make Brad Holmes nervous
Holmes has repeatedly told reporters that the Lions' "window" doesn't really exist. Moves can be made when necessary to sharpen the team wherever it needs - they have draft capital to make it happen, and will presumably have the cap space to make it happen years down the line.
Right now, though, Holmes is suffering from his own draft success. Payments have begun for their core players like Jack Campbell, Aidan Hutchinson, and Jameson Williams, while the team has yet to even get extensions done with Sam LaPorta, Brian Branch, and most notably, Jahmyr Gibbs.
So, those picks are beginning to look even more paramount to any future attempt by Holmes to keep the Lions' window propped open for years to come, potentially even after Goff is long gone from the squad. But, will he be willing to use them?
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So far, that doesn't feel like his bag - the Lions have notably needed an additional pass rusher next to Hutchinson for a few years now, and the team hasn't made any significant moves to make that a reality. Other contenders, like the Los Angeles Rams, have made it a point of emphasis.
They haven't even attempted to land additional help in their safety room, which is a huge area of need with Kerby Joseph's knee a lingering issue, and with Branch likely out for a while as he recovers from a late season Achilles tear. So, yes, on paper, the Lions have the ability to start over again if they wanted thanks to their frugal approach to trades presently. But, when the time comes to pull the plug on this current iteration of the team, will Holmes take the plunge? It feels hard to imagine that.
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