Let’s call it how it is: if Jared Goff goes down, so do the Lions. That’s not doomsday talk, that’s just Detroit reality. And the Lions have lived with that sour truth for a good while now. From David Blough to Tim Boyle, from Nate Sudfeld to Teddy Bridgewater, the Lions haven’t exactly been stacked at QB2. And heading into 2025, it’s still the same tightrope walk: Goff or bust.

But what if it didn’t have to be that bleak? What if the Lions actually had a shot at something they haven’t had in years: a safety net. Not just a warm body with a clipboard, but a QB with upside, sitting quietly on someone else’s bench. And that name has got the fans talking.

On the Aug 1 episode of Sports Talk Detroit, the host revealed a name that seems worth a million bucks right now, looking at the Lions’ depth chart. Kenny Pickett. “But there are better QBs out there immediately. Kenny Pickett looks like a million bucks right now. I’d love to keep an eye on the browns,” he said.

Pickett’s journey has been unconventional, to say the least. Drafted 20th overall by Pittsburgh in 2022, he was thrown into the fire pretty quickly. The man started 24 games across two chaotic seasons. The results? A 14–10 record, 62.6% completion rate, and a dead-even 13 touchdowns to 13 picks. Then came the shuffle: benched, shipped to Philly to back up Jalen Hurts, and finally flipped to Cleveland in March 2025 in a quiet trade for Dorian Thompson-Robinson and a fifth-rounder.

And at Browns, he finds himself amidst a stacked QB roster. Joe Flacco, Pickett, plus rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. He has been taking first-team reps, yes. But everything points to Joe Flacco taking up the QB1 spot. That hamstring injury didn’t really help his case either. The difference between the Lions and Browns? The latter has depth, the former doesn’t.

What would you choose: being QB2 in a team with more options behind you, or a team in which the depth chart pretty much ends with you? Exactly. That’s where Pickett comes in. Rumours are flying in that the Browns are willing to let one of the QBs leave to trim the stacked room. One of the rookies was expected to leave, but it could very easily be Pickett.

If the Lions made a midseason move for Pickett (once Cleveland starts thinning out its quarterback room), it probably wouldn’t take much. A Day 3 pick could do it. Detroit has the draft ammo, Cleveland has the QB surplus. And for a roster looking to make a deep run? A reliable backup is everything.

Pickett is more of a need than a want

Let’s be honest: If Jared Goff is sidelined, that’s season over for the Lions. The host echoed that sentiment. “We all know if Jared Goff goes out with a season-ender, our season is over. But what if Goff has a sprained ankle and has to go off for two weeks? Can we have someone go out there and give us a chance to win? No.” Fair enough. Hendon Hooker hasn’t passed the starter test. Teddy Bridgewater? A playoff cameo, nothing more.

Kyle Allen and Jake Fromm? Camp arms. If Goff goes down, Detroit’s quarterback room quickly turns from playoff-calibre to panic mode. And this concern was underscored in the Hall of Fame game. Kyle Allen got the start and promptly threw two picks before halftime. Hendon Hooker took over in the second half and looked just as shaky, going 3-of-6 for 18 yards and tossing an interception of his own. Neither did anything to ease the pressure on Goff’s shoulders.

Dan Campbell couldn’t hide it either: both backups were up and down. So, no, going after Pickett would not be a ‘luxury’ move. It’s more of a need than a want. It always has been. A reliable backup could be the focal point of difference between an early exit and a playoff run. And Kenny Pickett or not, the Lions must go in for a QB2.