Nothing fires up Ford Field like a sack, and with the Detroit Lions opening the 2026 season at home against the New Orleans Saints, the first quarterback hit of the year is already a fun one to circle. Tyler Shough is the target in Week 1, and the Lions will be hoping he spends plenty of time on the turf.
Detroit’s pass rush was uneven last season, even though the team still finished tied for fourth in the league with 49 sacks. The numbers told the story of a defense that could overwhelm an offense one week and disappear the next.
The Lions had five games with four or more sacks, but they also had seven games with one or fewer. It was a boom-or-bust unit far too often.
Aidan Hutchinson was the clear leader with 14.5 sacks. The bigger surprise was Al-Quadin Muhammad finishing second with 11.0.
Even that total came with the same kind of streaky production that defined the group, though. Muhammad played all 17 games, but 7.5 of his sacks came in just three contests.
In the other 14 games, he managed only 3.5.
Muhammad is gone now, leaving for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency, and Detroit has spent the offseason looking for help around Hutchinson. The Lions signed DJ Wonnum and added Derrick Moore and Skyler Gill-Howard through the draft.
They’re also expecting more from a group that includes Alim McNeill, Levi Onwuzurike, and Ahmed Hassanein, all of whom are returning from injury. The hope is simple: more pressure, more balance, fewer empty stretches.
Still, the first sack of the year might come from somewhere less obvious than the edge.
My answer: Jack Campbell.
Hutchinson should again finish as the team’s sack leader, but early in the season opponents are going to spend a lot of energy trying to slow him down. That opens the door for someone else to slip through.
McNeill and Wonnum are the most established names among the players expected to see a heavy workload, and both should matter in this defense. McNeill has looked like his old self in training camp, while Wonnum should help on early downs.
But if the Saints lean run-heavy in Week 1, the pass rush chances may be limited. It would not be a shock if New Orleans throws fewer than 20 times.
In that kind of game, McNeill and Wonnum may be asked more to control the line than attack the quarterback.
The Saints’ offensive line also deserves more credit than it gets. David Edwards was a signing I really liked because it addresses their weakest spot at left guard.
That’s where Campbell comes in. He has already shown how dangerous he can be as a blitzer, and Kelvin Sheppard’s defense should give him chances to attack at the right moment.
Campbell’s versatility makes life miserable for offensive coordinators because they can’t easily predict where he’s going to line up from snap to snap. He can stop the run, drop into coverage, rush inside, or spy the quarterback.
In 2025, he showed he can do all of it. That kind of skill set creates the chance for one well-timed blitz to turn into the Lions’ first sack of 2026.
In Other News...
Lions Receiver Decision Suddenly Carries Bigger Weight For The Opener
The Lions receiver room looked a little thinner than expected when Detroit trimmed down to four wideouts on its initial 53-man roster for the 2026 season, but the first-week picture is already taking shape. Dan Campbell said veteran Tom Kennedy is expected to play in Week 1, and the staff is looking at him not just as a depth option on offense but as a possible kick returner too.
Dave Fipp has also weighed in on the return-game plan, underscoring that kickoff and punt duties are part of the bigger roster puzzle rather than separate afterthoughts. With only a handful of receivers on the active roster, Kennedys role carries more significance than it might have in camp, and the opener will offer the first real look at how Detroit intends to balance his value on offense with what he can do on special teams. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Receiver Depth Suddenly Looks Like A Real Roster Concern
The Lions entered the week with a thinner wide receiver room than they probably expected after roster cuts, and the picture looks more important when you zoom out beyond Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. Detroit is carrying just four receivers right now, which leaves little margin if injuries or another shakeup hit, and it has pushed the depth conversation into the foreground as the team tries to protect an offense that relies heavily on timing and spacing.
One name that naturally comes up in that context is Darius Slayton, who was just released by the Giants and has a history with Lions passing game coordinator Mike Kafka. He would bring experience and another layer to the position, but Detroit is also working within financial limits that could make a move tricky. For a team that wants to stay aggressive without overextending, the fit is obvious enough to keep watching, even if the path to actually making it happen is not especially clean. [Read more 🡒]
Jared Goff And Detroits New OC Face Immediate Pressure In Week 1
The Lions have spent the offseason trying to keep the offensive machine humming, and the early signs from Jared Goffs partnership with new coordinator Drew Petzing have been encouraging. Dan Campbell has praised the way the two have worked together, with Goff also speaking positively about Petzings play-calling and the confidence he has brought to the job, a useful sign for a team that wants continuity even with a new voice shaping the offense.
Week 1 against the New Orleans Saints will be the first real test of how quickly that relationship translates from the meeting room to the field. Petzing does not need to reinvent anything for Detroit, but he does need to show he can fit into what Goff does best while still leaving his own imprint, and that balance is already going to matter when the lights come on. [Read more 🡒]