It may be fair to call the Detroit Lions’ offseason a quiet one.
They didn’t make a headline-grabbing splash in free agency, leaned into lower-risk signings with upside, and kept important depth pieces around to patch up spots that had already started to thin out. On top of that, they locked up Jack Campbell and Jahmyr Gibbs with huge long-term extensions.
Even so, there are still some obvious questions hanging over the roster. The left guard spot is still unsettled after a full camp and preseason, the cornerback group looks oddly built around D.J. Reed, and the decision to trade David Montgomery has left real concerns behind Jahmyr Gibbs at RB2.
So with Week 1 close, here’s where the offseason left the Lions with clear winners - and a few clear losers.
Jahmyr Gibbs is one of the biggest beneficiaries of how this all played out. With Montgomery gone, Gibbs is set for a major jump in carries, and the Lions’ “light” schedule only adds to the possibility that he can pile up yards in a hurry.
That all assumes the offensive line does its part, but the opportunity in front of him is massive. Coming off a historic extension, he now gets the keys to the ground game.
Aidan Hutchinson also comes out of the offseason in a much better spot. Detroit made a point to help the pass rush, developing Ahmed Hassanein into a roster player after a strong camp, drafting an edge rusher in a deep class, and signing DJ Wonnum as a steady free-agent addition.
The interior helped too, with Alim McNeill back and Skyler Gill-Howard’s rise giving the front more juice. Hutchinson should see fewer double teams and fewer snaps, which matters after he played 622 last season coming off a major fracture.
Isaac TeSlaa is another winner simply because the path is wide open. With Kalif Raymond gone in free agency, TeSlaa now sits as the Lions’ top WR3.
His camp and preseason didn’t exactly sparkle, but the team still has him positioned for a real role because of his athleticism, big-play ability, and value as a red-zone target for Jared Goff. He’ll get a chance to reset quickly once the regular season starts.
Detroit also got encouraging results from a few younger, lesser-heralded names. Jackson Meeks changed from wide receiver to tight end this offseason and thrived enough to make the 53-man roster, one year after arriving as a UDFA.
Eric O'Neill, an edge rusher out of Rutgers who looked like a long shot to stick, impressed enough in camp and preseason to earn a spot. Thomas Harper, another UDFA, has become a useful depth safety heading into 2026.
And the Lions have continued to do a strong job finding talent after the draft, along with players from the UFL, with Jacob Saylors and Tom Kennedy also fitting that theme.
The rookie class belongs in the winner column too. Blake Miller, Derrick Moore, Keith Abney II, Skyler Gill-Howard, and Jimmy Rolder are all expected to matter in 2026, and Miller, Moore, Abney, and Gill-Howard could all see significant snaps right away.
That’s a noticeable shift from the recent past, when Detroit leaned heavily on established starters like Frank Ragnow and Taylor Decker to keep Jared Goff upright. After a rough 2024 draft, the Lions have answered with two straight decent classes full of players who still have room to grow.
On the other side of the ledger, Brad Holmes is still going to take heat - no matter how good the draft looks. The cornerback situation remains the obvious talking point, especially after the team released Terrion Arnold following his arrest this offseason.
Detroit had time to trade for or sign help, but instead is rolling with a mix of Rock Ya-Sin, Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Roger McCreary, and Abney. It’s the kind of move that will keep Holmes under a microscope, even if he keeps finding contributors elsewhere.
Christian Mahogany is also in a rough spot. He had the entire offseason, plus camp and preseason, to make the left guard job his in a real way.
Instead, the Lions are back to a rotation there with Mahogany, Ben Bartch, and maybe Miles Frazier. Mahogany played adequately before getting hurt last season, but not nearly well enough to stand out next to Tate Ratledge, who was already looking stronger at right guard.
Once Cade Mays returns from his IR stint, Mahogany’s place in the picture could get even shakier.
Special teams rounds out the losers. After releasing Greg Dortch, Detroit’s return game is under a spotlight, and the unit has to bounce back after a down 2025.
Jackson Meeks and Sione Vaki are possibilities, but neither may provide enough explosion to change games on punt or kickoff returns. Tom Kennedy looks like the likely answer there.
Jake Bates is also being watched closely after a very bad final preseason outing. He’s still the kicker, but another shaky year could push Detroit toward bringing in real competition.
In Other News...
Lions Get A Brutal O-Line Warning Before Jared Goff's Season Begins
PFFs latest 2026 offensive line rankings offered a sobering reminder that even a roster built to win up front can feel fragile once injuries enter the picture. The Lions came in at No. 19, a mark that lands well below the expectation around a group that has usually been one of the team's biggest strengths and, in this case, slipped largely because of the injury to starting center Cade Mays.
The drop from 13th to just inside the top 20 is the kind of warning sign Detroit cannot ignore with Jared Goffs season approaching. Analyst Gordon McGuinness pointed to the lines current composition as the concern, and for a team that has leaned on protection and continuity to keep its offense on schedule, the question now is whether the group can hold up long enough to avoid becoming a problem before the games even start. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Rookie Debate Is Already Centered On One Crucial Position Battle
The Lions rookie conversation for 2026 is already narrowing around a familiar kind of debate, the one that starts with role and ends with impact. Derrick Moore and Blake Miller are the names drawing the most attention, and for good reason: staff predictions are weighing how each players draft slot, preseason work and positional value could shape his first season in Detroit. It is less about raw talent in the abstract and more about which rookie is positioned to matter most when the games begin to count.
Moore and Miller also represent the kind of choice that can tell you a lot about how a team views its future. One path points to an edge of the defense where disruption can show up quickly, while the other comes through a position battle where reliability and early trust often matter just as much as upside. For now, the discussion is still speculative, but the Lions already have a rookie race worth tracking closely because the answer may say something important about where the roster is headed next. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Suddenly Have A Week 1 Depth Concern Fans Should Watch
The Lions got through Thursdays practice with a fairly routine injury report as they turn their attention to the Saints, but there was still a little uncertainty attached to the week. Several players were full participants, while Derrick Moore, Mekhi Wingo and Christian Izien were limited as the team continued sorting through a few lingering health issues ahead of game planning.
Dan Campbell offered a cautious read on where things stand, and the overall tone sounded more hopeful than alarmed. Even so, any limited practice reps this late in the week are worth watching for a Detroit roster trying to get everyone lined up before Week 1, especially with a matchup against New Orleans approaching fast. [Read more 🡒]