ALLEN PARK, Mich.-The Lions are spending training camp in a spot they haven’t occupied much lately: a little further out of the spotlight. On a steamy day, the first humid one of camp, the focus inside the building was less on noise and more on the shape of this team as it takes form.
Jahmyr Gibbs was back on the field in a limited way, making a brief appearance at practice for the first time in pads all summer. He stretched, got a little work in with the trainer and, just as importantly, remains central to what the Lions are trying to do moving forward.
Detroit and Gibbs are working on a contract that could be finished by the end of the work week, and the team’s new offensive staff, led by coordinator Drew Petzing, is clearly eager to build around him. The belief inside the building is that Gibbs could be the best player on the team in 2026.
He sits at the center of a loaded group of skill players, with Jameson Williams continuing to grow as a route-runner and getting stronger, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta providing steady production, and Isaac TeSlaa likely stepping into a larger role on the outside, which would push St.
Brown into the slot more often. LaPorta and Brian Branch are not close to deals, but both are viewed as part of Detroit’s future and could still be extended soon.
The quarterback picture remains one of the more interesting pieces of the puzzle. Jared Goff, who has long been underappreciated for what he’s done in both Detroit and Los Angeles, should fit naturally into the new offense.
Petzing is expected to blend in a lot of what’s already been installed, and the aim appears to be getting Goff back into more of the keeper-game usage Ben Johnson gave him in 2023 and ’24. Goff has shown elite vision, touch and leadership, and he has also been pushing teammates as he tries to restore a standard that may have slipped last year.
The expectation here is for a big year.
Up front, the Lions are trying to rebuild a group that went from being a strength and part of the team’s identity to a weakness in 2025. Penei Sewell has moved back to left tackle after spending his first five NFL seasons at right tackle, and that switch has gone smoothly.
The bigger questions sit everywhere else. First-round pick Blake Miller is the favorite to take over Sewell’s old spot at right tackle, and his four years as a college starter have shown up in his maturity and understanding of the position.
Inside, Cade Mays arrives from Carolina, while 2025 second-rounder Tate Ratledge is locked in at right guard. Detroit is counting on both to lift those spots.
Left guard is still unsettled, with Christian Mahogany, Ben Bartch, Juice Scruggs and Miles Frazier all in the mix. How this line comes together will go a long way toward deciding the team’s ceiling.
The front seven, though, looks loaded. Alim McNeill appears back to himself nearly two years after his torn ACL, and he has been dominant in camp while playing with real confidence.
There’s quality depth behind him too: Tyleik Williams has slimmed down and caused problems, Skyler Gill-Howard is emerging as a dark horse, and Tyler Lacy has shown he can work inside and outside. On the edge, Aidan Hutchinson remains Aidan Hutchinson, while D.J.
Wonnum and Derrick Moore have both flashed opposite him. Behind that group, Jack Campbell has already signed long term and is getting more freedom from second-year coordinator Kelvin Sheppard, who let him call the defense from the field for a full practice this week.
If there’s a place that could swing Detroit’s season, it’s the secondary, especially with Terrion Arnold out of the picture for now. Brian Branch would be a major addition when he returns, though he’s questionable for the first month or so of the season.
Beyond that, the picture is hazy. D.J.
Reed brings experience at corner. Rock Ya-Sin has shown a promising game opposite him, and rookie Nick Whiteside has been making his presence felt on both defense and special teams every day in camp.
At nickel, Roger McCreary, Christian Izien and rookie Keith Abney II are battling. At safety, Chuck Clark is trying to hold off Thomas Harper, while Avonte Maddox is expected to be part of the rotation and has helped steady a back end that has seen plenty of mixing and matching.
It’s the kind of group that could push the Lions in either direction this season.
In Other News...
Isaac TeSlaa Faces An Early Camp Test In Crucial Year 2
Isaac TeSlaa is spending training camp trying to turn a strong rookie season into a bigger role for the Lions, and the focus right now is less on highlight plays than on the finer points of his craft. Detroit wants him to expand his route tree and sharpen his technique, the kind of work that can separate a promising young receiver from one who is ready for a larger share of the offense.
Dan Campbell said TeSlaa has run into some of the usual growing pains that come with those adjustments, but the coach made it clear the team sees this as part of the development curve rather than a setback. Campbell likened it to refining a golf swing, the sort of thing that only gets better through repetition, and TeSlaas next step will be showing that the work in practice can carry over once the games start to matter again. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Camp Still Leaves Big Questions About Who's Really Ready
Detroits seventh camp practice came with the kind of heat that can turn a routine August session into a test of endurance, and several players were left managing their workloads because of it. The Lions had a mix of limited participation and absences as the temperature and a handful of injuries shaped the day, with the staff clearly taking a cautious approach rather than forcing anyone through a long workout.
Jahmyr Gibbs was back on the field, but his return still stopped short of full participation, and Tyler Conklin also rejoined the mix after coming off the PUP list. Even so, both were handled carefully as the team eased through walkthrough work and individual periods, leaving their next step in camp as the more interesting question than simply whether they were present at all. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Camp Just Raised The Stakes For One Crowded Position
An open practice for fans gave the Lions another look at a linebacker room that has become more interesting by the day. Detroit has been leaning into competition and depth on defense, and the recent addition of Devin White only sharpened that dynamic as the team works to keep the unit adaptable heading into the season.
Kelvin Sheppard has already pointed to Whites experience as part of the appeal, but the bigger picture is still centered on how the group sorts itself out once the pads stay on. Dan Campbell is also expected to offer an update on Malcolm Rodriguez after his ankle issue, adding another layer to a position battle that already has plenty riding on it. [Read more 🡒]