The Detroit Lions are heading into training camp with a pile of real decisions to make.
Late July is going to bring competition all over the roster, but the most interesting fights are clustered in a few places: the offensive line, the secondary and the edge rotation. With several jobs unsettled, the Lions will spend camp sorting out who fits where and who can hold up once the games count.
One of the biggest openings sits at linebacker after Alex Anzalone left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency. Jack Campbell and Derrick Barnes are back, but Detroit no longer has a clear third name in the mix.
Malcolm Rodriguez returns on a one-year contract and, if he stays healthy, he could have the edge thanks to the experience he has built over his first four seasons. Still, he’s not alone in the race.
Jimmy Rolder is a rookie worth watching after standing out as one of the best tacklers in this year’s linebacker class, while Trevor Nowaske and free agent signing Damone Clark are also in the picture.
The pass-rush battle behind Aidan Hutchinson is another spot worth tracking. Hutchinson is locked in at the top of the depth chart, but the No. 2 job is wide open.
D.J. Wonnum brings the most proven résumé of the group, with 86 appearances across six NFL seasons and the most complete skill set.
Derrick Moore, Detroit’s second-round pick this year, adds upside and youth. Then there’s Payton Turner, a former first-round pick of the New Orleans Saints in 2021 whose career has been slowed by injuries.
He has the measurables, and Detroit gives him a chance to force his way into the conversation.
Up front, the Lions are also staring at a competition on the right side of the offensive line if Penei Sewell does move to left tackle as planned. That would leave Larry Borom and Blake Miller battling for the spot.
Borom is the veteran of the pair, with 38 starts in five NFL seasons, and the team believes he can handle a starting role. Miller, a first-round pick, is the long-term swing with the higher ceiling.
Detroit would probably love to see Miller seize the job and become part of the core, but Borom gives them a steadier option if the rookie needs time.
The cornerback picture changed quickly last week when Terrion Arnold was arrested because of an ongoing legal matter and was released. That leaves the Lions with a fresh battle for the starting corner spot opposite D.J.
Reed, something Dan Campbell had already said would be a competition during offseason workouts. Rock Ya-Sin and Ennis Rakestraw look like the leading candidates.
Ya-Sin put his career back on track with a solid 2025 season after his role had faded elsewhere, and he may get the first crack. Rakestraw has upside, but he missed all of last year because of a training camp injury, so he still has to prove he can stay on the field.
Roger McCreary is another possibility, though he appeared headed for the starting nickel role before Arnold’s release. Rookie Keith Abney II could also enter the mix if he stands out in camp.
There’s also a fight brewing at left guard. Campbell has already said the job is open, even with Christian Mahogany back in the fold.
Detroit overhauled the offensive line this offseason and added veterans who will push Mahogany for the spot. Ben Bartch, signed in free agency, and Juice Scruggs, acquired in the David Montgomery trade, are both in the mix.
Bartch missed all of offseason workouts while recovering from a season-ending Lisfranc injury, but he could still be right in the thick of it once camp starts. The Lions also have Miles Frazier and Gio Manu as internal options.
Frazier got late-season action as a rookie after missing the start of the year, while Manu could get looks at guard thanks to Detroit’s added tackle depth.
Mahogany has shown promise in his first two NFL seasons, but last year was uneven and included an injury that sent him to injured reserve for a stretch. He has a chance to win the job back, but with this much competition around him, nothing is going to come easy.
In Other News...
Buccaneers Are Seeing Why Alex Anzalone Meant So Much In Detroit
Alex Anzalones move to Tampa Bay has already given the Buccaneers a fresh look at the kind of linebacker Detroit spent years valuing. The veteran signed a two-year deal and has stepped into the weakside role in Todd Bowles defense, bringing the same versatility and command that made him a captain and a steady presence for the Lions. After a productive 2025 season in Detroit, the early signs in Tampa have been encouraging.
For the Lions, this is the familiar reminder that Anzalone was never just a stat sheet player. He handled traffic, helped set the tone and gave Detroit a defensive voice it could trust, even as a concussion kept him out of Week 18 last season. Tampa Bay is also trying to sort out life after Lavonte Davids retirement, so Anzalones arrival comes with real expectations, and the first stretch of his new job is already showing why Detroit valued him so highly. [Read more 🡒]
These Lions Fringe Players Are Suddenly In The 53-Man Conversation
The back end of the Lions roster is starting to get a little more interesting than the usual camp fodder. Eight members of the Pride of Detroit staff recently sorted Detroits 90-man group into a consensus ranking for 2026, and the names clustered in the 80s and 70s are the sort of fringe players who can disappear quickly in August or force their way into the conversation with a strong enough summer.
A few of the usual long-shot labels still apply, but there are also players with clearer paths than a typical camp body, which is what makes this part of the roster worth watching. Detroits need for help at nose tackle after losing Roy Lopez and DJ Reader gives one interior option a real opening, while the mix also includes a veteran with a lengthy resume and a handful of young linemen and skill players trying to turn limited opportunities into something more permanent. [Read more 🡒]
This Familiar Lions Receiver Is Suddenly Back In The Roster Fight
The Lions receiver room is still sorting itself out as camp and preseason decisions loom, and Tom Kennedy has found himself right back in the mix. A familiar face in Detroit since 2019, Kennedy has long been valued for his versatility, including his work as a return specialist, and he is now competing for one of the handful of wideout spots the team is expected to keep on the final roster.
With around five or six receivers likely to survive the cut, the margin for error is thin for everyone on the bubble. Kennedy is part of that fight alongside players such as Dominic Lovett and Cedrick Wilson Jr., plus a group of UFL receivers trying to force their way into the conversation, and the Lions still have some sorting to do before the depth chart settles. [Read more 🡒]