After two weeks, the NFC North hasn’t settled into any kind of clear order, and that matters for the Lions as they sort through their own defensive problems.
Detroit’s secondary has been the obvious concern so far. The big plays have piled up, and the current personnel has made it look like there’s only so much scheming can do.
That’s why the Lions are still in the market for help at cornerback, whether that comes through a trade or free agency. But if they make that move, it has to be the right one.
They need a starter, not just another body for depth.
Even with those issues hanging over them, the division as a whole is doing Detroit no favors by separating itself. The Minnesota Vikings are the only undefeated team left in the NFC North, but they’ve had to grind for it.
They opened by beating the Green Bay Packers in Week 1, then followed that with a 9-point effort against the Chicago Bears in Week 2. Minnesota leaned on its defense and also benefited from a key injury to quarterback Caleb Williams.
That injury could end up shaping the race. Chicago already faces one of the toughest schedules in the NFL, and without a competent starter, things could get rough fast. Detroit, meanwhile, has the easiest schedule in the division and may have a cleaner path to working through its own issues.
The Vikings still have to get a full game out of Kyler Murray, but their defense gives them a real chance if they can get steady quarterback play to open up the offense. Green Bay, meanwhile, needed all it could get to edge the Jets in Week 2 and had plenty of its own mess to clean up, from unnecessary penalties to fumbles that kept the game much tighter than it should have been.
For the Lions, that means there’s no reason to panic yet. The rest of the division, Minnesota aside, is still trying to find its footing.
But it also creates an opening. If Detroit wants to stay in the mix with the Vikings, especially on defense, the time to act is now.
Through two weeks, the NFC North is still there for the taking.
In Other News...
Taylor Decker Could Face A Rival Option Lions Fans Will Hate
Taylor Decker is still sitting in free agency after asking for his release from Detroit, and the longer he remains unsigned, the more his market starts to tilt toward places Lions fans would rather not imagine. One of those places is Green Bay, where a season-ending torn patellar tendon to right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele has left the Packers looking for help on the offensive line.
Decker has spent most of his career as a left tackle, so the fit would not be as simple as a plug-and-play move, but the possibility alone is enough to make this a story worth watching from Detroits side. No official move has been reported yet, and for now the veteran remains available while a division rival weighs its options. [Read more 🡒]
Jamaal Williams Reunion Buzz Puts Lions Running Back Depth In Focus
Jamaal Williams has made it clear he would welcome a return to Detroit, and he has already reached out to Dan Campbell about the possibility. Williams, who played for the Lions from 2021 to 2022, has been out of football since the 2024 season, but his interest in a comeback lands at a time when Detroit is paying close attention to its running back room.
Campbells response has been measured, with the Lions presently holding tight at the position while navigating injuries and workload concerns. For now, there has been no move to bring Williams back, but the fact that the conversation has happened keeps the door from closing completely if the roster picture changes. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Get A Timely Alim McNeill Check As Defensive Questions Grow
With the defense under the microscope and questions hanging over the unit, Detroit got a useful early-week update on Alim McNeill. The defensive tackle did not practice Wednesday, but the expectation is that hell be back on Thursday and available for the upcoming game against the New York Jets, which is the sort of late-week health check the Lions badly need right now.
The same goes for the offensive line depth, with Christian Mahogany and Blake Miller also expected back at practice after sitting out the previous game. And while the discussion around the defense has widened beyond injuries, Dan Campbell made clear he still has Kelvin Sheppards back, saying he expects the defensive coordinator to remain in his role even as the pressure around the unit continues to build. [Read more 🡒]