The Detroit Lions have plenty of questions heading into the 2026 season, but one spot that nobody is questioning is the team's offense.
Even after a weaker than usual 2025 season which featured a coordinator shakeup, the Lions are poised to get back to where they have been at the top of the league. The reason? In the offseason, the franchise addressed arguably their biggest concern and rebuilt their offensive line.
Beyond questions about the line, Detroit's skill positions were always solid. They have a top 10 quarterback in Jared Goff, an elite MVP candidate at running back in Jahmyr Gibbs and a fantastic group of receivers that impact the game constantly.
With this in mind, it might be a case of fine tuning that is needed for the Lions. Enter Drew Petzing, who takes over looking to mesh his style with what already exists on the roster. At this point, what exists is close to the top of the league if not the best in the league.
ESPN analyst Bill Barnwell recently ranked every NFL team's offensive groups for 2026. Detroit, for the first time ever, placed first in this exercise. Not only was Barnwell impressed by what the Lions have at quarterback, but their playmaking receivers as well. He acknowledges Gibbs as an elite runner, and also believes Sam LaPorta has star potential at tight end.
Barnwell does acknowledge the issues that face Detroit too, but thinks the overall talent and ability outshine any of the potential struggles the group could face.
"There are small downgrades on the margins: The Lions don't have as much wide receiver depth as they've had in years past, and Isiah Pacheco doesn't profile to be as productive or explosive as David Montgomery was in Detroit. But this core also validated it could be among the most productive in the NFL, even without Ben Johnson in the mix. And while 2025 might have been disappointing for the Lions as a whole, it was the season that proved Detroit has the best playmakers in all of football."
Naturally, the biggest issue will be how quickly the rebuilt offensive line can come together. There figures to be a bit of a learning curve with new center Cade Mays as well as rookie right tackle Blake Miller, but obviously, the hope is everything else is enough to overcompensate for any small trouble that may take place early on.
This analysis proves that Petzing is being handed one of the best offenses in the league, and the franchise is counting on his vision to pay it off with a deep playoff run and potentially a Super Bowl victory.
Drew Petzing focused on sharpening skills during offseason period
Smartly, Petzing hasn't been trying to reinvent the wheel after joining the Lions this offseason. Instead, he's been focusing on subtile growth and honing the skills of his players. implementing the new offense and perfecting it have been the top goals thus far of the new staff.
"I think the goal is always going to be get better at everything we do. That's me as a coach, that's individuals, as players, that's us as units. I think that's got to be the focus, and certainly now because, there's not a game plan or an opponent in the imminent future. I think you can dial in on some of the details of that a little bit better. That's really kind of where we're honing in on."
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The Lions figure to have one of the best offenses this season, so it's smart for Petzing to work from within first. He will have plenty of time to scout outside the organization the rest of the season. Right now, he is getting his players to focus on the fundamentals of what he expects.
Lions fans have been making the case that the franchise has the best offense in the league. Right now, that might easily be the case thanks to this new bit of analysis. It certainly doesn't do anything to take away from the pressure the group will be under to perform.
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