The Lions are sitting at 3-2 heading into Week 7 against the Green Bay Packers, and the early read on this season is pretty clear: there’s plenty of reason for Detroit to feel good about where things are headed. The NFC looks messy, the division looks open, and the idea that the Lions could be one of multiple NFC North teams to punch a playoff ticket doesn’t feel far-fetched at all.
That’s also a good backdrop for revisiting a few familiar faces from Detroit’s offseason overhaul. The Lions moved on from some notable names, including a fan favorite, and the early returns have been mostly encouraging for the players they kept - with one exception worth watching.
Amik Robertson has become one of the brighter spots for the Washington Commanders, even though their 1-4-1 start has been rough. He already has eight pass breakups, a forced fumble, and 40 total tackles.
That’s 12 fewer tackles than he had in 17 games with the Lions last season. Whether it’s a better fit in Washington’s scheme or simply a fresh start, Robertson is making a case that Detroit could have used him.
He signed for just 2 years and $15 million, and now The Athletic’s Daniel Popper has even tagged him as a trade fit for the Lions. A reunion wouldn’t be out of the question.
Alex Anzalone, meanwhile, has had a much tougher beginning with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The veteran linebacker was one of two former Lions to head to Tampa Bay this offseason, and while he had started to show some decline in Detroit in 2025, the Buccaneers version has been uglier than expected.
He’s missing tackles, struggling in coverage, and looking like a player who has lost a step. As Pewter Plank writer Joe Soriano said last month:
"Anzalone is a net negative on the entire team, missing tackles, blowing coverae, and playing so badly that you have to wonder if he is taking bets against the Buccaneers. Because there is no logical explanation for a player of his experience and with the money he is making off the Buccaneers to be playing this badly. The Bucs defense would be better with 10 men than Alex Anzalone causing chaos and making life more difficult for that of his teammates."
At this point, Detroit looks justified in letting him move on. The Lions probably would have liked a bigger step from Jack Campbell as the new leader of the defense, but as a unit, the linebacker room still looks better positioned than Anzalone does right now.
Al-Quadin Muhammad also left for Tampa Bay after a career year in Detroit, and the Lions clearly felt comfortable doing it because of what they had coming back. With Alim McNeill returning for a full season and Aidan Hutchinson already anchoring the edge, Detroit expected someone like DJ Wonnum to handle the role Muhammad left behind - and so far, that’s been the case.
Muhammad has settled behind rookie Rueben Bain Jr. and hasn’t made much noise yet. If Tampa Bay believes it can bounce back in a weak NFC, maybe that changes his snap count later.
For now, he’s already gotten paid, so playing time probably isn’t the biggest concern.
And then there’s David Montgomery, whose start in Houston briefly made the Lions’ decision look risky. He came out firing for the Texans, scoring three total touchdowns and looking like the answer to their ground-game issues in 2026.
Before Juice Scruggs established himself as a solid center, it seemed possible Detroit might regret moving on. But Montgomery’s production has dropped off since then, he’s been averaging just eight carries per game, and he hasn’t scored again.
An injury has also kept him out for Houston’s last two games. Right now, the Lions appear to be on the better side of that trade.
In Other News...
Lions Pass Rush Could Finally Flip A Frustrating Jordan Love Trend
Jordan Love has made a habit of staying in control against Detroit, but the Lions have reasons to think this matchup can look different. Love has never topped 300 passing yards in seven career starts against the Lions, and his high-water mark in the series came last season at 273 yards. Even as Detroit has dealt with its own issues defending the pass this year, the one area that can alter the script is the front seven, where the Lions have enough rush to make life uncomfortable on any quarterback.
Jordan Loves protection has become a bigger concern, too, with Green Bays offensive line hit by injuries in recent weeks. For Detroit, that creates a possible opening to turn a familiar frustrating trend into something more meaningful by getting after Love before plays can develop downfield. If the Lions can make him work under pressure, they may finally have the kind of defensive edge that has been missing in this matchup. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Secondary Pressure Suddenly Falls On Ennis Rakestraw Against Packers
Ennis Rakestraw has barely had a chance to settle into a real role in the Lions secondary this season, working mostly as an outside cornerback in limited defensive snaps. Even in that small sample, he has given up five catches on 11 targets and a 63.8 passer rating against him, but his coverage has still been steadier than what Detroit has gotten from some of its other cornerbacks.
Now the spotlight is shifting quickly. With Week 7 bringing a trip to face the Packers, Rakestraw is set for a much bigger workload, and the way he handles that assignment could carry more weight than just one afternoon in Green Bay. A solid showing against Christian Watson and Matthew Golden would give the Lions a better read on what they already have, while also shaping how urgently they need to pursue more help at cornerback. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Campbell Finally Addressed Sam LaPortas Contract Frustration
Sam LaPortas frustration over not getting a contract extension had enough traction to draw a response from Dan Campbell, and the Lions coach made it clear the team is treating the situation as part of the normal churn around a young star. Campbell addressed the media and framed LaPortas comments as the kind of thing that can surface when a player has been waiting on a deal, rather than a sign of anything deeper going on around the tight end.
Inside the building, the message is apparently calm rather than alarmed, with Campbell stressing that the remarks are not being taken personally. He also said LaPorta remains focused and ready to play, describing the comments as pent-up frustration and not something that says anything about his character, which is about as direct a line as a coach can draw without turning the issue into a bigger story. [Read more 🡒]