Detroit Lions training camp is down to its final practice on Thursday, and the real scramble is about to begin.
After a month of shuffling depth charts, dealing with injuries and watching late arrivals make their case, the Lions’ front office will have just 72 hours after camp ends to sort out the 53-man roster. Dan Campbell put the urgency plainly on Wednesday: “This is difficult,” coach Dan Campbell said on Wednesday.
“So, you have got to have a pretty good idea where you’re at before you go into that (preseason) game, knowing there are a few spots left. But you better have a pretty good idea because it’s a quick turnaround.”
With that in mind, one of the biggest questions coming out of camp is simple: who has been the biggest surprise?
There are a few strong answers, and the top three stand out.
Tay Martin has forced his way into the conversation for the WR5 job. That’s especially notable because he entered camp with little buzz, and he’s also benefited from injuries to Kendrick Law and Cedrick Wilson.
Even so, Martin has done enough to earn real attention. The Lions’ staff ranked him 90th out of 90 players, and he was 88th on one evaluation, but he has clearly outperformed those expectations.
His production in the UFL this year - 42 catches for 483 yards - now looks a lot more impressive, and so does the way he’s handled special teams work.
Ahmed Hassanein is right there too. He was already an interesting story and a player worth watching, but the expectation for 2026 was modest after he missed most of his rookie season with an injury.
The idea was that he’d be a fringe roster bubble player and mostly a special teams contributor. Instead, he’s put together a strong camp nearly from start to finish and has climbed into roster-lock territory.
He’s now expected to have some kind of defensive role on game days, and there’s still more room for growth as he keeps learning the details of the big end position.
Then there’s Luke Altmyer, who entered camp with almost no one expecting much from an undrafted rookie quarterback. That wasn’t a knock on his college resume so much as a reflection of how the Lions usually handle the backup quarterback spot, which has generally gone to a veteran.
Even before Teddy Bridgewater’s sudden retirement, Altmyer had shown enough steady play, solid accuracy and a decent arm to make things interesting. Now, with Bridgewater gone and Josh Dobbs off to a slow start, the idea of Altmyer backing up Jared Goff on Day 1 suddenly feels very real.
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Jameson Williams Just Added Another Layer Of Intrigue For Lions Fans
Jameson Williams has been one of the more watched players in Lions training camp, and for good reason. He has been active, drawing praise for the way he has looked in practice, including a notable 34-yard touchdown catch that only added to the buzz around what he might bring to the offense this season.
So when fans recently went looking for his Instagram page and found a simple User not found message, it naturally created another small talking point around a player already under a bright spotlight. There has been no reported reason for the pages removal, and with offensive coordinator Drew Petzing stressing the competition for playing time and the need to balance touches, Williams remains part of a crowded and closely watched mix as camp unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Still Have One O-Line Chance Worth Watching Closely
As roster cuts approach, the Lions are still keeping an eye on the waiver wire, where the market could get crowded quickly with teams trying to shore up weak spots before the deadline. Detroit has obvious offensive line questions to monitor, and guard Jordan Meredith of the Raiders is one name that could come into play if Las Vegas moves on from him.
Dan Campbell has already acknowledged that the competition for jobs is still unfolding, and that there could be chances to add help before the roster is finalized. The wrinkle for Detroit is that Washington is also expected to be active, which means the Lions may not get a long look at potential upgrades if another club moves first. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Suddenly Have Another Edge Rusher Problem This Summer
Payton Turners summer has taken another turn, and it leaves the Lions with more to sort through on the edge just as camp competition starts to sharpen. Detroit placed the defensive end on injured reserve because of a back injury, then filled the roster spot by signing cornerback Eric Scott Jr., a reminder that the team is still juggling health and depth while Dan Campbell looks ahead to the preseason.
Campbell has said those exhibition games will matter for players trying to win jobs, and Turners situation only adds to the urgency along the defensive front. His recent injury history has already made this a difficult stretch, and with the Lions continuing to work through their defensive line mix, the next few weeks should tell a lot about who is ready to hold up when the roster starts getting trimmed. [Read more 🡒]