With three preseason games and training camp now in the rearview, the 2026 Detroit Lions have already shown enough to leave fans with real reason for optimism. The record says 2-1 after the win over the Indianapolis Colts, but the bigger takeaway is how many parts of the roster looked steady, productive and, most importantly, healthy.
That matters even more for a team that dealt with so many problems last year. This preseason didn’t answer every question, but it did offer a few clear signs that this group is built differently.
Start with the ground game. Jahmyr Gibbs was made the highest-paid running back in football this offseason, and that move never really felt like the issue with Detroit’s run attack. The real test was always how the Lions would function without David Montgomery, and the early returns have been strong even without free agent signee Isiah Pacheco on the field.
Detroit ran for more than 100 yards in all three preseason games and averaged 161.33 yards per game. Jacob Saylors turned heads with 187 yards on 31 carries, good for 6.03 yards per attempt, while Trayveon Williams added three short touchdown runs and 93 total yards in two games after signing following the first preseason contest. Joshua Dobbs chipped in a 55-yard touchdown run of his own.
That production wasn’t just about the backs making plays. It also pointed to a run-blocking unit that held up well enough to keep the offense on schedule. The offensive line hasn’t been perfect, but a steady preseason run game is still a good sign heading into the regular season.
The Lions also looked sharper in the situations that hurt them a year ago. Last season, they converted 38.8% of their third downs and 58.1% of their fourth downs, numbers that lagged behind their 2024 marks of 47.6% and 66.7%, respectively. Under John Morton last year and now with Drew Petzing calling the shots, the preseason version of this offense has been much more efficient when it mattered.
Detroit went 26-for-47 on third down, which comes out to 55.3%, and 4-for-5 on fourth down, or 80%. If you remove the first preseason game, those numbers climb to 22-for-36 on third down and a perfect 4-for-4 on fourth. The sample is small, and starters barely played, but the situational work has been clean.
The offense leaned on the pass in those moments, and the results were strong there too, with about a 60% conversion rate. The run game even found the end zone three times on third down, including two goal-line situations. Detroit’s defense, meanwhile, did its part in those same spots, allowing 12-for-40 on third down and 2-for-6 on fourth.
The other major positive came on that side of the ball. If there was a preseason unit that consistently looked hard to finish off, it was the Lions’ defense.
Over three games, the group allowed just two touchdowns, and only one more came against the offense thanks to Joshua Dobbs’ fumble-six against Washington. Opponents averaged only 15 points per game, and nobody topped 16.
The defensive line stood out as the best part of the entire preseason. The secondary still has questions, but the defense as a whole did a strong job of forcing field goals instead of touchdowns, allowing eight of them. That kind of bend-don’t-break showing is worth noting for a team with an offense that can already trade punches with almost anybody.
If this preseason is any indication, and if Kelvin Sheppard’s defense really has taken a step, Detroit could be heading into 2026 with something more dangerous than just a great offense. The Lions open the season at home against the New Orleans Saints on September 13, and they’ll do it with some genuine momentum behind them.
In Other News...
Lions First Roster Cuts Show How Brutal The Final Spots Are
The first round of roster trimming has arrived in Allen Park, and it already shows how little margin there is at the back end of the Lions roster. Veteran linebacker Troy Reeder, a seven-year player who was battling for one of those last spots, was released as Detroit started narrowing the group ahead of final decisions.
Tight end Zach Horton was also waived again after having been let go earlier in training camp, keeping him in limbo as the process moves along. If he clears waivers, a practice-squad return could still be in play, but for now the cuts underscore just how competitive and unforgiving the last spots have become. [Read more 🡒]
Lions QB2 Uncertainty Could Push Brad Holmes Toward One More Move
The Lions still have a little time before the NFL roster cut deadline, and the backup quarterback spot is one area that could prompt Brad Holmes to keep shopping. Detroit already has its starter situation settled, but the depth behind him remains a question the front office appears willing to revisit if the right opportunity surfaces. Holmes has shown a willingness to stay active when theres a chance to strengthen the roster, and this looks like another one of those spots worth monitoring.
Among the names floating around as possible trade targets are J.J. McCarthy, Aidan O'Connell, Anthony Richardson and Spencer Rattler, giving the Lions a range of options to consider depending on cost and fit. No deal has been made, but the fact that Detroit is being linked to multiple quarterbacks suggests the team is at least weighing whether its current backup setup is enough or whether one more move could give it a cleaner answer behind the starter. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Roster Cuts Could Put Promising Young Depth At Risk
The Lions preseason roster churn has put a few young names in a familiar waiting pattern, with Eric ONeill, Lucky Jackson and Luke Altmyer all looking like strong practice-squad candidates for 2026. Their preseason work has at least given Detroit a reason to keep them close, and with the final 53-man roster still not out, the next step is less about flash than about whether each player can clear waivers and stay in the organizations developmental pipeline.
For a team trying to build real depth, those decisions matter more than they might on the surface. ONeill, Jackson and Altmyer have each shown enough to remain part of the conversation, but roster cuts always create risk, and Detroit now has to balance immediate roster needs against the possibility of losing promising young talent before the practice squad picture is even settled. [Read more 🡒]