The Detroit Lions offense is getting plenty of love heading into 2026, and for good reason. But the other side of the ball? That’s where the optimism gets a lot harder to sell.
Dan Campbell’s defense has spent most of his tenure as a problem area. Detroit has landed some high-end talent - Aidan Hutchinson, Jack Campbell, Kerby Joseph, and Brian Branch among them - yet the unit still hasn’t managed to put together a full season of consistent play.
Injuries have been part of the story. So has a feeling that the group has been overcoached.
And the pass rush has been a recurring issue, too. Whatever the explanation, the defense has too often been the side that drags the Lions down.
Still, there are reasons to think 2026 could be different. Detroit finally put real resources into the defensive line, and that group is heading into training camp healthier than it has been. The Lions have also added depth at linebacker and safety, while young players such as Tyleik Williams, Jack Campbell, and Ennis Rakestraw have a chance to take a step forward.
Even with that, the questions are hard to ignore. The secondary comes with major health concerns, and Detroit still has to show it can absorb the departures of DJ Reader, Roy Lopez, Al-Quadin Muhammad, Alex Anzalone, and Amik Robertson. Kelvin Sheppard also enters his second season as defensive coordinator with plenty still to prove.
Looking back at 2025, the numbers paint the picture of a defense that sat somewhere between average and below average. Detroit allowed 5.4 yards per play, which ranked 18th.
It gave up 24.3 points per game, 22nd in the league. The Lions were 24th in both yards per pass attempt allowed at 7.3 and yards per carry allowed at 4.4.
Opposing quarterbacks posted a 92.5 passer rating, which ranked 19th.
The advanced metrics were kinder. Detroit finished ninth in DVOA, 15th in EPA per play, and 11th in success rate.
That gap makes sense when you look at how many explosive plays the defense surrendered. The Lions allowed 68 plays of 20 or more yards, sixth-most in the NFL.
Stretch that out to 30-plus yards, and Detroit was first in the league with 34 explosives allowed.
That’s the clearest path to improvement: cut down the chunk plays, and the defense looks a whole lot better in a hurry.
But that’s also easier to say than to do. There’s a real argument that Detroit’s defensive roster is actually worse than it was a year ago.
The hope is that the Lions can get a stable, if unspectacular, safety pairing while Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch work back from injury. Jack Campbell looks like a player who should keep growing.
Beyond him, though, the linebacker room is shaky. Cornerback depth is thin.
And Sheppard still has to show he can put together sound, effective game plans week after week.
So the most reasonable expectation might be that Detroit lands in roughly the same neighborhood as last season. If the young players develop and the injury luck improves, a top-10 finish is on the table. The Lions were playing at that level for the first two months of last year before the depth got tested, the schedule stiffened, and opponents started adjusting to Sheppard’s approach.
My guess: right around average, with a path to the top-10 or the bottom-10, but not much beyond that.
In Other News...
Lions Left Guard Battle Just Took A Sudden Turn In Camp
Training camp has a way of sorting out the depth chart quickly, and the Lions already have one of their more interesting battles taking shape on the interior of the offensive line. Left guard is open enough that Detroit is sorting through multiple options, with the staff using camp reps to get a clearer read on who can handle the job when the pads come on and the competition gets real.
Christian Mahogany is part of that mix, along with Ben Bartch, Juice Scruggs, Miles Frazier and potentially Giovanni Manu, which gives the Lions both experience and upside to weigh as they build out the line. Campbell has made clear the team will let the competition unfold, and the wrinkle here is that Detroit may be watching more than one player at the same time as it tries to settle a spot that could matter a lot once the season starts. [Read more 🡒]
Matt Campbell Finally Reveals Why He Passed On The Lions
At Big Ten Media Days, Matt Campbell explained the thinking behind the career move that took him from Iowa State to Penn State, and in the process revisited a decision that still resonates in Detroit. Back in 2021, the Lions were searching for their next head coach amid a full-scale reset, and Campbell was among the names tied to the opening before the job eventually went to Dan Campbell.
What stood out in Campbells remarks was the kind of place he wanted to land, one with history and a feel that matched his own background. He said Penn State checked those boxes, which helps frame why Detroit did not, even as the Lions were trying to climb out of the wreckage of the Matt Patricia era and build something new. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Rookie Suddenly Has A Real Shot In Crowded DT Battle
Training camp has already put the Lions defensive tackle group under the microscope, and the opening weeks of the battle have given rookie Skyler Gill-Howard a legitimate path to stick. Detroit is sorting through multiple roster competitions, and after the team moved on from veteran Jay Tufele, the interior line picture got a little clearer for a sixth-round pick who is still working his way back from ankle surgery.
Gill-Howard is trying to carve out a role in a crowded room that also includes Levi Onwuzurike, who is returning from injury and looking to reestablish himself. For a rookie with limited college action last season, every rep matters, and the early camp setup suggests the Lions will keep giving him a chance to prove he belongs in the mix. [Read more 🡒]