The Detroit Lions are heading into training camp with a defense that has plenty to prove and a roster that still has some sorting out to do.
That’s the reality for second-year coordinator Kelvin Sheppard, who spent the offseason studying the league’s top defenses and looking for ways to borrow the little details that make elite units tick. With the Lions’ offense expected to score, the pressure lands squarely on the other side of the ball: get stops, avoid shootouts, and hold up when games tighten.
Up front, Detroit has the makings of a disruptive interior group. Alim McNeill and Tyleik Williams are the starters, with Levi Onwuzurike and Jay Tufele behind them.
Tyler Lacy, Skyler Gill-Howard, Mekhi Wingo, Tyre West, Chris Smith and Aiden Keanaaina round out the reserves. McNeill is expected to be back at full strength, and Williams brings the kind of athletic profile that stood out coming out of Ohio State.
If Williams turns that athleticism into production right away, he could become one of the team’s breakout defenders. The Lions also have experienced depth in Onwuzurike and Tufele, while Gill-Howard and West arrive as rookies with upside.
Lacy adds flexibility because he can line up inside or on the EDGE.
The pass rush picture is more straightforward on one side and wide open on the other. Aidan Hutchinson is locked in, and D.J.
Wonnum is the favorite to win the other starting EDGE job when camp opens. Behind them are Derrick Moore and Payton Turner, with Ahmed Hassanein, Anthony Lucas and Eric O'Neill in reserve.
Wonnum fits the type of complementary rusher Detroit has been looking for next to Hutchinson, bringing veteran production and experience. Moore is the rookie who could make noise early, while Turner still has the first-round pedigree even if injuries have slowed him down.
Hassanein is trying to bounce back after an injury last year, and Lucas and O'Neill will be trying to earn their way onto the roster as undrafted free agents.
At linebacker, the Lions took a hit when Alex Anzalone left in free agency, but the group still has a sturdy core. Derrick Barnes is set at SAM, Jack Campbell is the MIKE, and Malcolm Rodriguez is listed at WILL.
Jimmy Rolder, Damone Clark and Trevor Nowaske are the backups, while Joe Bachie and Erick Hunter are the reserves. Campbell’s All-Pro status gives the unit a foundation, and Barnes has grown into a dependable piece.
The real battle is for the third linebacker spot, where Rodriguez appears to have the edge because he already knows the scheme. Rolder had a strong offseason and could push into the mix, while Nowaske and Clark are both capable if needed.
Detroit’s overall roster depth could make it hard to carry all seven or eight linebackers currently on the team, but Bachie and Hunter have enough going for them to stay in the conversation.
Cornerback may be the most unsettled spot on the defense. D.J.
Reed is in place, but with Terrion Arnold no longer on the roster, the Lions still need a second starter opposite him. Rock Ya-Sin is the early favorite because of his experience and what he produced last season, though Ennis Rakestraw and Roger McCreary are both in the competition.
McCreary looks like the cleanest fit at nickel, with Keith Abney II likely getting the first chance to back him up there. Khalil Dorsey, Nick Whiteside, De'Shawn Rucker and Aamaris Brown are the reserves.
Arnold’s late departure leaves the door open for Detroit to keep shopping at the position during camp.
Safety is where the biggest health questions sit. Kerby Joseph and Chuck Clark are listed as starters, with Christian Izien and Thomas Harper behind them and Avonte Maddox, Dan Jackson and Loren Strickland as reserves.
Brian Branch is injured. There has been little reported about Joseph’s availability, and Branch’s Achilles recovery could keep him out to begin the season.
Joseph would be a major boost if he’s ready, since he’s one of the NFL’s best safeties when healthy. Even with the uncertainty, the Lions added enough depth this offseason that Clark, Izien, Harper and Maddox can all step in if called upon.
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Kerby Joseph Just Put Lions Fans On Edge Before Camp
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Kerby Joseph is one of the names drawing the most attention after a knee injury cost him most of last season and left the Lions handling his return carefully. He sounded upbeat about his status entering camp, but Dan Campbell made it clear the real test comes once the work ramps up and the knee is pushed in the middle of practice, which is why this one is still worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
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Miller has already spent offseason work sharpening technique and getting more comfortable with the playbook, which is the kind of foundation the Lions want from a young lineman before the games start counting. Moores path looks a little more crowded on the edge, where veteran D.J. Wonnum is expected to open the season in front of him and Detroit has added more bodies at the position, leaving the rookie to fight for snaps in passing situations while the rest of the depth chart sorts itself out. [Read more 🡒]
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Penei Sewell and Jahmyr Gibbs both stood out in those rankings, but the broader takeaway is even more striking for Detroit: a lot of the names carrying the roster are still very young. That makes the Lions easy to believe in for now, but it also leaves the real question hanging over the group as the season approaches, because talent at the top is one thing and proving that a younger core can absorb the loss of players like Alex Anzalone and Taylor Decker is another. [Read more 🡒]