The Detroit Lions (9-8) ended the season with a 26-6 loss to Seattle on Saturday. Here is a look at the season and what's next:

Season grade: B-minus

Season summary: This is a very tough season to judge. They weren’t really expected to be in the playoff hunt. Yet with three weeks left in the regular season, Detroit had a two-game lead on Green Bay in the NFC North and just needed to win one game to make the playoffs. Detroit lost its final three, and then because of a Washington loss, the Lions ended up making the postseason anyway. This season could be viewed as a moderate success because of where the Lions were late in the year and where they ended up, which was over .500 but missing out on the franchise’s first division title since 1993 due to a home loss to Green Bay in Week 17. From a different perspective, though, this Detroit team overachieved because of the roster it had and injuries to personnel at thin positions. That’s how I landed at a B grade. They were better than preseason expectations but fell flat at the end, when they had a chance to put something meaningful together. However, the Lions did well enough to have something to build on for the future.

Coach Jim Caldwell will be back in 2017, but the Lions still face several key offseason questions after a disappointing stretch run this season. Daniel Bartel/Icon Sportswire

Biggest draft need: Probably a pass-rusher, either at linebacker or defensive end. Ezekiel Ansah is still a good player, and Kerry Hyder has emerged as a good rotational end with a high ceiling because of his versatility. But teams can focus on Ansah too much. Provided the coaching staff remains in place, adding a speed pass-rusher with skill would enhance a defense built to succeed through the strength of its front four. Of course, a do-it-all linebacker would fit in this discussion as well.

Key offseason questions:

Does Matthew Stafford get an extension? The short answer here should be yes. Stafford has continued to show progression and is the clear leader of this franchise. He had a season worthy of a Pro Bowl nod -- even though he was snubbed. He has mostly played like a top-10 NFL quarterback, and considering the lack of consistency at the position around the league, the Lions would be foolish not to work out a long-term deal as Stafford enters the final year of his contract in 2017. Stafford and his wife, Kelly, like being in Detroit, so in theory a deal should get done.

What should the Lions do with linebacker DeAndre Levy? He was one of the most talked-about players throughout Detroit’s season as he dealt with a knee injury that kept him out for two-thirds of the campaign. This after a lost season due to a hip injury. Levy has no guaranteed money left on his deal with $1.75 million of his 2017 base salary guaranteed for injury only. That money becomes fully guaranteed the third day of the new league year. Plus, he’s due $5.99 million overall in cash next season with an $8.39 million cap hit. His dead money is $7.2 million. That said, when he has been on the field the past few weeks, he has been effective. It could be tough for Detroit to rely on a player who has missed time with injury. But he makes the Lions better when he’s healthy, and if he has a full offseason without an issue, he could become the Pro Bowl-caliber player he once was.

Will defensive coordinator Teryl Austin return? That’s the most immediate question Detroit has and one it could have an answer to soon. Austin is expected to interview for at least two head-coaching jobs in the coming days -- he has been linked to openings in San Diego and Los Angeles -- and general manager Bob Quinn said on SiriusXM radio last week that the franchise will support Austin’s quest. Obviously, the Lions are hoping he returns for a fourth season, but he has been close to head-coaching gigs the past two offseasons. Although the numbers might not show it, he might have done his best overall job this season considering his best player at every level of the defense missed at least three games. He has been an expert at mixing and matching to find ways to get his personnel to succeed despite some skill limitations. This feels like the year he might finally land a head-coaching gig, and if he does, the Lions could replace him in-house. There are three obvious candidates: Linebackers coach Bill Sheridan and safeties coach Alan Williams are both former defensive coordinators, and cornerbacks coach Tony Oden is an up-and-coming coach with potential.