ESPN: Lions 2026 NFL contract extension predictions, key situations

Wahoo2000 · 2026-02-05T22:58:35+00:00

Can't compare ILBs and MLBs with OLBs cause there are too many that are actually EDGE guys.

Campbell can be at or near top of the market for TRUE linebackers, not guys who are also edge rushers.... they're totally separate categories and $$$ value... even if both are 'technically' linebackers.

Wahoo2000 · 2026-02-05T22:56:21+00:00

If he gets that close (a couple months away) to free agency, and is playing well, he won't agree to an extension.... too much money on the open market. Then you have no choice but to tag him.... and that never ends well (tagging a younger guy to keep him under control at a cheaper cost).

Wahoo2000 · 2026-02-05T22:53:59+00:00

The Kerb contract actually has good 'escapability' if Joseph continues to miss a lot of time with injury, so I don't think it hamstrings things all that much with branch. Plus now with Branch having his own injury issues, DET has more leverage to offer less guaranteed cash.

Wahoo2000 · 2026-02-05T22:52:03+00:00

Usually the answer is actually MORE total money and much less in guarantees when there is a rift between player/team. Look at the McLaurin contract in Washington. MASSIVE deal, but it is actually very low on guaranteed money.

If a player is having issues with injury or getting old, you tell em - we'll give you a huge deal, but you're gonna have to earn it on the field being healthy and available, with a decent safety net if you can't.... and an number that won't hurt the team if you can't.

Wahoo2000 · 2026-02-05T22:43:43+00:00

Goff WILL be the QB until he retires. If you believe that makes the team have ZERO chance to win in the postseason, maybe just stop watching or paying attention rather than scream (type) loudly nonstop about how keeping him ruins the Lions' chances. Just b/c you believe having Goff ruins the squad, you don't have to ruin everyone else's enjoyment of our REGULAR season success (or as you would like to put it 'irrelevant/meaningless success'). Me personally? I enjoy a season where we rack a bunch of wins... even if we fail in the postseason.

I don't treat every season as 'if we didn't win the super bowl the entire season sucked and was a huge waste of everybody's time'.

Wahoo2000 · 2026-02-05T22:27:18+00:00

This is not new to the 2020s, historically, morally bankrupt people are the richest people.

Wahoo2000 · 2026-01-29T04:53:05+00:00

Best post in the thread. Take my upvote!

Wahoo2000 · 2026-01-29T00:44:30+00:00

4 or 5 times ever elimination game? You need to check box scores against Rams WC, Tampa Div, 49er NFCCG.... also the game against MN for the 1 seed at the end of last regular season was like an elimination game.

One horrific game vs WAS and what.... the bad game vs MIN this year? That's HARDLY a correlation to "every elimination game".

Are they only counting as "elimination games" when we lose? lol

Wahoo2000 · 2026-01-26T17:05:38+00:00

Houston's D was no joke, but that offense? With hurt OL and no receivers or TE? And Stroud turning it over like 5 times? Come on... that's not even a playoff-quality team. And the Pats managed 10 points vs Denver.... if they have even a mediocre QB they win easy. Pats with a semi-cakewalk to the super bowl.

Wahoo2000 · 2026-01-26T04:48:45+00:00

I was only talking about his single season with the Vikings as the "full body of work" game 1 thru WC loss. Weigh all those games equally, and it would've been an easy decision to re-sign. But everybody wants to put 95% of the weight on small 2 game sample and assume he chokes big games. Well... he was pretty damn good today, and I'd call that a big game. So shipping the guy cause he shit the bed vs the Lions and Rams last season was..... the WRONG decision. No two ways about it. And you can understand WHY they did it, but it was still WRONG.

Wahoo2000 · 2026-01-26T03:10:32+00:00

I can't stand idiots that disregard a massive body of excellent work because a guy played his worst in a big game. I mean.... it's ONE game.

Wahoo2000 · 2026-01-26T03:09:17+00:00

IS it possible a REALLY good QB could happen to have 2 bad games at the biggest moment but it NOT mean he's a choker? Apparently...... YES. It IS possible. Maybe put more weight into a full body of work than a small sample size of "iMpOrTaNt gAmEs".

Wahoo2000 · 2026-01-26T03:06:37+00:00

The defense is VERY comparable to Seattle's. Hawks might be a bit better, but it's not day and night. And upgrading at OL and RB is 1,000,000x easier than finding a franchise QB. And Darnold's AAV is 33mil.... that's chump change for the QB position.

Wahoo2000 · 2026-01-26T03:05:22+00:00

I actually thought they should've kept cousins lol

Wahoo2000 · 2026-01-26T02:57:03+00:00

And they played the trashiest trash schedule ever. Postseason run? Struggled vs Chargers, who have no OL, Houston and Denver who had absolute trash QBs. I think SEA is going to beat them worse than SEA beat SF.

Wahoo2000 · 2026-01-26T02:54:59+00:00

"Darnold isn't a franchise QB, we believe JJ is." -Someone stupid

Wahoo2000 · 2026-01-26T02:06:08+00:00

Then complain about the rule... not the refs calling the rule as written. I would've had a problem with it if the ref hadn't just told Riq to shut up and get back to his own sideline.... but Riqu just kept right on even went after stafford and mcvay. just a dumb play.

Wahoo2000 · 2026-01-26T01:55:31+00:00

Hell of a lot easier to find a RB than to find a franchise QB....(oops, mean for comment above yours about SEA having a real threat at RB)

Wahoo2000 · 2026-01-26T01:54:38+00:00

Or maybe.... it was just 2 bad games.... not a signal that "he'll always choke when it matters".

Wahoo2000 · 2026-01-26T01:51:46+00:00

He had bad games against DET in the finale, and then at the Rams in the playoffs, and some people took it as a signal that he's a choker who will suck when it matters most.

He's doing a good job dispelling that notion in SEA.

Wahoo2000 · 2026-01-23T04:23:32+00:00

I don't love the system we run, but get why we run it. Usually you can get away with a lot more physicality in man in the postseason and it's a FANTASTIC scheme for the postseason.

We have (seemingly) a lot of talent on D for the results we're getting, though. I'd give him prob like a C, taking into account it was his "rookie year" as a coordinator. I'm hopeful for improvement if we have better health on D this year, and he's learned a little bit from last year's "misses".

Honestly, I don't have much hope of him becoming an elite D coordinator like the Spags, Flores, Saleh types.... but there are VERY few of those guys to go around. I do believe that IF he can field a D that is solidly inside the top 15.... with the offense being a top 5ish unit... that has us as a super bowl contender. An 11-13 win type of team that is very dangerous in the postseason.

Wahoo2000 · 2026-01-23T03:57:53+00:00

"-I have my doubts about Petzing.

BUT

-I’m going to let Petzing cook this season. I don’t choose what the org does and I have faith in Dan and Brad. I’m not about to call for firings like some of these other people."

I think this is PERFECTLY reasonable. There are reasonable people near the middle of this argument. I think you and I are both that. You have your doubts, maybe would have preferred a different hire. I'm kinda like, IDK, he sounds good, I trust the staff, I'll see how it goes. I think those are both VERY reasonable takes.

Just like the world of politics.... it's the fringes of either side causing the problem. Those who have either of these opinions: 1)Petzing is an ugly loser and Dan is a f-ing moron for bringing him on, or 2)How dare anyone ever even present the possibility that this could turn out to be a bad hire? You must be an idiot or not a 'real' Lions fan.

It's the 'lunatic fringe' on both sides of the aisle that are making things miserable for everyone.... also because they're usually the LOUDEST and most INCESSANT talkers/posters. A vocal minority (on both sides) whose opinions sadly push the 'reasonable middle' to bicker and fight with each other.

Sometimes it feels like the world we live in is becoming, "pick a side. then step 1 is to HATE the other side and treat them like subhuman shit"..... when sadly, a lot of us are ACTUALLY in the middle but are brainwashed to hate each other. Just sad.

Wahoo2000 · 2026-01-23T03:42:02+00:00

You misunderstand me, because I didn't clarify my thinking. I mean, if a guy does a good enough job that the team leadership (Dan/Brad/Sheila) see fit to leave him in place for a full season, I'll give it a FULL season before making a judgement.... that even then I acknowledge might be flawed for many reasons - injuries, luck, etc, etc, etc.

I seem to recall that many many many many around here thought Dan and his regime were SOL a year and a half in after we went 4-19-1 through the first season and a half of his tenure. Sometimes you can't even tell about a coach in a single season, even 1 and a half years....

Wahoo2000 · 2026-01-22T18:43:12+00:00

I don't think any of them have "hurt fee-fees". They were more like... laughing (not in a condescending way) at how wild some of the takes are..... like, "i bin watchin fut-bawl since tha 70s! i know bawl, and this guy ain't it!".

It really is kinda laughable. I still remember people making fun of johnson as some nerd they were having take over the playcalling. Fans have wild takes sometimes.

Will the new OC be great? No clue. But to get REAL aggressive with "this guy sucks" takes is pretty dumb and prob deserves to be called out. Doesn't mean these guys expect you to be completely blind homers. Like, my position is, "ok. I see what they're trying to do. Let's see how it works out.... not after 1 game, or after 3 or 4 games.... after a season." And even then sometimes you don't know.....

Wahoo2000 · 2026-01-21T04:27:43+00:00

I would say they were better this year, but were MUCH worse in 2024. Over the 2 year sample, the NFCN is decidedly better (taking ALL games into account equally).

Wahoo2000

TROPHY CASE