The Detroit Lions will hold training camp at the Allen Park Performance Center, and the calendar is already starting to matter.
One of the biggest dates to circle is Sunday, Aug. 30, when every NFL team must be down to 53 players by 6 p.m. ET.
That’s a change from recent years, when roster cuts came about 48 hours after the final preseason game. In 2025, the deadline landed at 4 p.m.
ET on Tuesday, Aug. 26.
NFL reporter Tom Pelissero noted the league’s updated timing on social media, writing, "The NFL informed teams recently that this year's cutdown deadline to 53 players will be 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, Aug. 30 - not the following Tuesday, as it has been in recent years, sources say.
Waiver claims will be due at 1 p.m. ET on Monday, Aug.
- The season kicks off Sept.
9."
Another date Lions fans should keep in mind is Tuesday, Nov. 10, the NFL trade deadline. Detroit stood pat at last year’s deadline even though the offensive line clearly needed attention. Left tackle Taylor Decker dealt with injuries, while center Graham Glasgow was inconsistent.
Dan Campbell addressed that situation in a radio interview, saying the team had explored that market but knew how difficult it is to pry away linemen. “We’ve looked there, for sure,” Campbell explained to 97.1 The Ticket.
“It’s hard to get rid of them if you’re the other team, so if you are, you’re going to ask an astronomical amount because the later the season goes it’s hard to find bigs. They don’t just fall off trees, especially tackles.”
Here are the other major dates on the NFL calendar: Sunday, Feb. 14 for Super Bowl LXI; Monday, March 1 through March 8 for the scouting combine; Tuesday, March 9 for the start of free agency; Sunday, March 21-24 for the annual owners meetings; and Thursday, April 29 through May 1 for the NFL Draft in Washington D.C.
In Other News...
A Familiar Fix For Detroit's Pass Rush Might Not Be Gone Yet
ZaDarius Smiths name is back in the conversation for the Lions, even if only indirectly for now. After his brief stint with Philadelphia in 2023 ended with a retirement, the Eagles released him from the reserve/retired list in June 2024, which naturally reopened the door to speculation about what comes next for a veteran pass rusher who already spent time in Detroit.
Smith was a familiar midseason addition for the Lions in 2024 after arriving from Cleveland, and he gave them useful pressure off the edge before the offseason moved on without him. Detroit has spent plenty of time sorting through ways to keep its pass rush steady, so any hint that a proven option might not be done yet is the kind of development worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Penei Sewells Standing Just Made One Lions Change Feel Massive
Penei Sewells place among the NFLs elite has long been settled in Detroit, where the Lions have leaned on him as one of the most dependable players on the roster. Even after a 2025 season interrupted by injuries, the left tackles standing remains as strong as ever, with three straight First Team All-Pro selections underscoring just how high the bar has been for him.
Dan Campbells latest comments only added to the sense that the Lions are making a major line adjustment with real confidence behind it. Sewell has prior experience on the left side, and Campbell made clear he expects the transition to go smoothly, a notable vote of trust for a player whose rsum already puts him in rare company. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Still Have One Obvious Pass Rush Move Before Camp
The Lions head into camp with much of their defensive core back in place, but the edge group still looks like a spot where one more proven piece could help. Detroit already moved on from Al-Quadin Muhammad and used a high draft pick on Derrick Moore, signaling that it wants more juice and depth around Aidan Hutchinson as it builds out the front seven for 2026.
A veteran like Jadeveon Clowney would fit that conversation neatly because he has spent 12 years finding ways to stay useful for different teams, and he just turned in a productive season in Dallas. For a defense trying to keep its pass rush steady over a long year, the question is less about whether there is room for another edge and more about whether the Lions want to turn that obvious opportunity into a move before camp opens. [Read more 🡒]