Jared Goff may not be the Detroit Lions' best player, yet he's inherently their most valuable. The quarterback position has the greatest direct impact on the outcome of any given football game.
Who comes after Goff in terms of significance on the Lions' outlook, though? Is it do-it-all stalwart offensive tackle Penei Sewell? How about their electrifying dual-threat running back, Jahmyr Gibbs, or dynamic star wide receiver, Amon-Ra St. Brown?
Detroit also has an elite linebacker, game-wrecking pass-rusher and elite safety duo to choose from in Jack Campbell, Aidan Hutchinson and Brian Branch/Kerby Joseph, respectively. They've all cemented themselves as foundational pieces who impact winning at a high level.
However, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official website surprisingly had a different answer for his "most irreplaceable/important" guy on each side of the ball, excluding Goff. Center Cade Mays and cornerback D.J. Reed were interestingly the two names brought up.
Lions beat reporter sparks debate over Detroit’s 'most important' players besides Jared Goff
On the surface, pointing to Mays and Reed might sound absurd, given the aforementioned litany of studs. Most of the Lions faithful will vouch for any combination of Sewell, Gibbs and St. Brown and Campbell, Hutchinson, Joseph and Branch. Look no further than the comments section of Twentyman's post on X (formerly known as Twitter).
In fairness to those questioning Twentyman, Sewell is arguably the best O-lineman in the NFL, with three consecutive All-Pro First Team nods to back it up. St. Brown leads the league in receptions (457) and ranks in the top five in both receiving yards (5,340) and touchdowns (39) since 2022. Gibbs has posted back-to-back 1,800-plus scrimmage yard campaigns while Hutchinson was a finalist for 2025 Defensive Player of the Year honors.
But in theory, Twentyman's answers make sense. The Lions' once-dominant offensive line struggled in 2025 after losing standout center Frank Ragnow to an abrupt late-offseason retirement. Signing Mays to a three-year, $25 million contract in free agency in March was a clear-cut response to the club's shortcomings up front.
Mays lands in Detroit with massive shoes to fill. Like it or not, whether he brings stability to the interior line could quietly determine their Super Bowl LXI hopes.
Then there's Reed, who suddenly became the Lions' top corner following 2024 first-round pick Terrion Arnold's alarming legal troubles and corresponding release. The former will be relied upon more heavily than ever to lead a unit that was already in question before the latter's unceremonious exit — coming off a down season, no less.
The truth of the matter is that Mays and Reed will have larger hands in Detroit's success (or lack thereof) than fans want.
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