Brad Holmes has earned plenty of credit for the way he’s rebuilt the Detroit Lions, turning a once-flatlining franchise into a team that expects to play deep into the season. Even so, this roster still has a couple of spots where a smart, timely move could make a real difference before the 2026 regular season opens.
If I were running the Lions, the first order of business would be getting Jahmyr Gibbs locked up.
Gibbs enters 2026 on the fourth and final year of his rookie contract, and Detroit has already picked up his fifth-year option for 2027 at $14.293 million. He’s a three-time Pro Bowler, and last season he backed up that status with 1,223 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground. He was just as dangerous as a receiver, piling up 616 yards and five scores through the air in 2025, both career highs for the Crimson Tide product.
The production showed up in the grades, too. Gibbs finished with an 85.6 Pro Football Focus overall grade, which ranked fifth among 55 qualified running backs. He’s been a huge part of why Detroit’s offense has climbed into elite territory, and now he’s in position to get paid for it.
He reported to Allen Park for training camp Tuesday, but when practices started Wednesday, he was not on the field. That decision was tied to him “holding-in,” while he pushes for a new deal.
I’d pay him. Spotrac pegs his next contract at three years and $60.48 million, which works out to about $20.2 million per season.
That would make him the second-highest-paid running back in the league, behind only Saquon Barkley’s $20.6 million annual average with the Eagles. It’s a big number, but Gibbs is a game-changing piece, and that’s exactly the kind of player you make room for.
The other move I’d make is adding help to the defensive interior.
Detroit’s defensive tackle play didn’t live up to expectations last season, and Alim McNeill’s return from the ACL injury he suffered late in 2024 didn’t produce the kind of impact the Lions needed. In 10 games in 2025, he didn’t record a sack, finished with 23 total pressures and earned a 52.1 PFF overall grade, which ranked 90th out of 134 qualified interior linemen.
That puts more pressure on McNeill and Tyleik Williams, who is heading into his second NFL season, to be much better in 2026. It also gives Detroit a reason to keep looking for another body up front before training camp wraps.
The veteran I’d target is DaQuan Jones. He spent the last four seasons with the Bills and put together a strong 2025, earning a 75.5 PFF overall grade.
At 34, he still brought real juice as a pass-rusher, posting three sacks and a 74.7 PFF pass-rush grade, good for 18th among 134 qualified interior defensive linemen. He also held his own against the run with a 63.1 PFF run-defense grade.
For Detroit, Jones would fit as a dependable reserve who could give Kelvin Sheppard’s defense some needed depth inside.
In Other News...
NFL Coaches Are Already Sending A Message About Lions OC Drew Petzing
The early read on Drew Petzing is already taking shape in league circles, and it comes with a little more respect than name recognition. The Athletics latest offensive play caller rankings for 2026, built from feedback from defensive play callers and assistant coaches, did not put the new Lions coordinator in the top 10, but it did slot him among the honorable mentions alongside established names such as Sean Payton and Kevin OConnell.
For Detroit, that matters because Petzings track record in Arizona is what got him this kind of attention in the first place. His Cardinals offenses were uneven over three seasons, but the arrow pointed up in 2024, when the unit finished 12th in scoring and showed enough efficiency to put Petzing back on the radar in a serious way. It also puts him in familiar company within the division, with former Lions OC Ben Johnson landing near the top of the list and Packers coach Matt LaFleur right behind him. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Rookie May Already Be Changing The Right Tackle Battle
On the first day of Lions training camp, Blake Miller wasted little time inserting himself into one of the more interesting position battles on the roster. The rookie handled the starting right tackle work and took most of the first-team reps, a notable development for a Detroit offensive line that was a major offseason priority after the unit slipped last year. Veteran Larry Borom, meanwhile, was the one seeing a different kind of usage as the staff sorted through its early options.
Miller said he is already getting more comfortable with the playbook, and that the game is starting to slow down for him as he keeps learning. For a team that invested heavily up front and wants a cleaner year protecting the quarterback and opening running lanes, the early signs at right tackle are worth watching closely, even if camp is only just getting started. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Risk Letting Top Edge Help Slip Away Again
Jadeveon Clowney is once again the kind of pass-rush name that can make sense for a team trying to build around Aidan Hutchinson without overcommitting to one solution. The former No. 1 overall pick is fresh off one of the better seasons of his career with the Cowboys, and his appeal is pretty straightforward: he brings run support, pressure and enough versatility to help an edge group that still needs dependable help.
Detroit has been weighing its options carefully, and that is where the tension comes in. The Lions may be comfortable rolling with DJ Wonnum and rookie Derrick Moore on the outside if the right veteran never materializes, but the longer a player like Clowney remains available, the more it invites another familiar question about whether the team will add the kind of edge help that can change a defense or let another opportunity pass by. [Read more 🡒]