The Detroit Lions’ defensive mess through two weeks of the 2026 season starts with the scoreboard and ends with the roster.
Dan Campbell’s team has already given up 915 total yards and 71 points, and opponents have ripped off 13 plays of 20 or more yards, including seven by the Bills in Week 2. That kind of damage does not happen by accident.
Kelvin Sheppard’s play-calling and schematic choices deserve heat, but the bigger issue is the talent on the field - or, more accurately, the lack of it. That lands on Brad Holmes.
Holmes did not do enough in the offseason to give this defense a real chance to hold up week after week. The cornerback room is a prime example.
Detroit did not properly replace Terrion Arnold on the outside, and while Arnold had his issues in the Motor City, he was still expected to play a major role in the secondary before his release. Avonte Maddox, Roger McCreary and Rock Ya-Sin are in the mix, but none of them project as true impact cover corners.
The safety situation is even more glaring. Brian Branch (Achilles) and Kerby Joseph (knee) both started the season on the PUP list, and Holmes did not address that void in a meaningful way. The front office did not leave Sheppard with a real enough safety net for those injuries, and the results have shown up immediately.
New Orleans and Buffalo both took advantage. In Week 1, the Saints got 410 yards and three touchdowns from Tyler Shough.
In Week 2, Josh Allen went for 248 yards and three touchdowns. Those numbers say plenty about how shaky the back end has been.
The problems do not stop there. Detroit’s pass rush still leans almost entirely on Aidan Hutchinson to create pressure.
When Hutchinson is wrecking plays, the defense can function. When he is quiet, the Lions struggle to get to the quarterback at all.
Holmes has had multiple offseasons to find Hutchinson a legitimate EDGE partner, and he has repeatedly passed on making that position a priority. That leaves Sheppard’s defense chasing offenses instead of dictating terms, especially on third and fourth down.
Holmes also took swings in the 2024 draft that have not landed. Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. were his first two picks, and Rakestraw has barely been a factor, appearing in just eight games, all as a rookie. At this point, his time in Detroit already looks shaky.
Put it all together, and the picture is hard to miss: the Lions do not have a sturdy enough secondary or pass rush to survive the way they want to play. Against the Saints and Bills, that weakness has been front and center. And if the question is who deserves more blame for this ugly start, the answer points more toward Holmes than Sheppard.
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When the Lions let Alex Anzalone walk and turned more of the linebacker room over to Derrick Barnes and Jack Campbell, it looked like a bet on youth and development. Early in the 2026 season, that choice has only gained support in Detroit, with Barnes flashing the kind of playmaking the Lions hoped for, including a two-sack opener that reminded everyone why the team was comfortable moving in a different direction.
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Lions Secondary Depth Is Suddenly A Real Concern Before The Jets
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Dan Campbell confirmed Holmes is doing that work, which tells you the Lions are at least preparing for more than just a short-term adjustment. Among the names in play are Melifonwu, Hallett and Wisniewski, with the appeal coming either from prior familiarity with Detroits defense or the fact that they are available elsewhere, but the bigger question is how quickly the Lions can turn that search into something useful. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Just Sent A Clear Message About Their Secondary Depth
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Dan Campbell confirmed the move was aimed at helping the back end, and Fitzgerald arrives with some intriguing background of his own after college stops at NC State and USC. He had been on Pittsburghs practice squad for three weeks, and now Detroit will see how quickly he can fit into a defensive room that needs immediate depth and some stability. [Read more 🡒]