The Lions head into Week 1 against the New Orleans Saints with a few spots still up for grabs, and Detroit can’t really afford to let any of them drag on for long.
That’s especially true on the offensive line and in the secondary, where the team is still sorting out a starting left guard, a nickelback, and a reliable outside corner opposite D.J. Reed.
With Kelvin Sheppard installing his defense and the line continuing to get younger, those jobs need answers fast. Detroit has enough depth to mix and match if necessary, but the margin for error is still thin.
At left guard, Christian Mahogany appears to be the favorite to open the season. Even so, he didn’t separate himself the way Tate Ratledge did at right guard during camp.
That matters for a team whose line is moving in Ratledge’s direction age-wise. Mahogany needs to take a real step forward if he wants to keep pace with that group, because otherwise he’ll stand out in a bad way.
The options behind him aren’t exactly intimidating, but they do give Detroit flexibility. Miles Frazier was uneven in preseason, though he did clean up some of the penalty issues that hurt him in his first game.
Ben Bartch is the real wild card. He spent much of the offseason hurt, but the Lions know he has upside from the limited time he showed with the San Francisco 49ers last season.
If Mahogany isn’t clearly winning the job, Detroit shouldn’t hesitate to give Bartch or Frazier a shot in spurts.
Nickelback looks more like a shared assignment than a straight-up battle. Keith Abney II and Roger McCreary both figure to get run there, and the Lions seem comfortable letting matchups guide the usage.
That makes sense given the state of the secondary. Abney, a rookie, started getting looks at nickel in preseason and looked quick there, both in games and in camp.
If he can hold up against the run and create turnovers in coverage, he could become a real find.
McCreary also made a strong case in preseason. He’s been bouncing around lately, but Detroit is giving him a chance to carve out something longer term with a solid prove-it year. Between the two of them, the Lions could end up with one of their more flexible pieces on defense, but neither player should expect a long leash if the production isn’t there.
Outside corner is another spot where Detroit is likely to keep its options open. Rock Ya-Sin looks like the most likely Week 1 starter, and that’s not a bad place to begin.
He’s sticky in coverage and put together a pretty decent 2025 season that helped set him up for 2026. Still, the Lions are clearly interested in seeing what else they have.
Ennis Rakestraw Jr. is finally healthy, which gives Detroit a reason to keep experimenting. Khalil Dorsey is in the mix too, and even McCreary could factor in here if the Lions decide they need to reshuffle. Whether it turns into a trade hunt or an internal swap, Detroit should stay open-minded at CB2 rather than locking in too early on Ya-Sin.
In Other News...
Lions Still Have One Week 1 Roster Issue To Solve
With the regular season opener against the Saints drawing closer, the Lions are still sorting through the kind of Week 1 roster question that can shape an early game plan in subtle but important ways. The conversation around the back end of the roster has centered on whether a practice squad player like Tom Kennedy could get the call, a reminder that even in September, Detroit is still weighing depth, flexibility and how to best prepare for a New Orleans team that can stress a defense in a lot of different ways.
Chris Olave stands out as the kind of matchup that can force those decisions to matter, especially when the Lions are trying to line up the right mix of coverage and support around their secondary. The bigger picture is even more interesting because this is also the time of year when the teams long-view expectations start to come into focus, with bold projections already circling 2026 and Jahmyr Gibbs viewed as a central offensive piece. For now, though, Detroit still has one final roster call to make before the real games begin. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Face A Core Roster Decision With Long Term Consequences
With Mondays salary cap deadline looming, the Lions are staring at one of the more consequential front-office decisions of their offseason. Detroit has to trim its payroll from $325.6 million to at or below the league limit of $301.2 million, and the most obvious path is reshaping the contracts of cornerstone players who define the rosters future.
Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell and Alim McNeill are all part of the discussion, which is exactly why this matters beyond simply getting under the number. A restructuring can open the necessary room now, but it also pushes financial obligations deeper into the future, so the Lions are weighing immediate flexibility against the long-term cost of tying more of their cap to the same core. [Read more 🡒]
Lions May Catch A Big Break In Their Saints Opener
The Lions will begin their 2026 season at Ford Field on Sept. 13 against a Saints team already dealing with some early roster attrition. New Orleans is down linebacker Jaylan Ford, wide receiver Jordyn Tyson and safety Lorenzo Styles, all on injured reserve and expected to miss the first four games, while Detroit has its own injury concerns with backup running back Isiah Pacheco and center Cade Mays also on IR.
For a Week 1 matchup, it gives Detroit a little more breathing room than it might have had otherwise, especially with the Saints still sorting through available pieces before the opener. New Orleans veteran Alvin Kamara is working through a knee injury and Cameron Jordan has a hamstring issue that could affect their status, leaving the Lions with a chance to face a shorthanded opponent right out of the gate. [Read more 🡒]