The Detroit Lions may have landed on an initial 53-man roster and filled 15 of their 16 practice squad spots, but Brad Holmes and the personnel department are nowhere near done hunting for help.
That’s the reality for every NFL team. The roster-building never really stops, whether the next chance comes through free agency, waivers, the draft, or the trade deadline. And for the Lions, the next pass through the league still has to start with an honest look at what they already have.
For me, the weakest spot remains the same one it was heading into training camp: cornerback.
There are reasons for some encouragement at the top of the depth chart. D.J.
Reed and Rock Ya-Sin have both shown enough to give the Lions something to work with. But the picture gets a lot murkier once you move past the starters.
Ennis Rakestraw had a camp that went back and forth, and the downs outweighed the ups. Roger McCreary, a move I thought could pay off, flashed at times - especially in the first two preseason games - but he hasn’t matched the expectations I had for him. Nick Whiteside has probably been the most promising of the depth options, which makes it telling that Detroit still chose to waive him and then bring him back to the practice squad.
The nickel spot looks even shakier. Christian Izien was trending toward the starting job before his injury, but even that felt less like someone seizing control and more like nobody really separating.
McCreary never fully stood out there. Rakestraw stayed on the outside.
Rookie Keith Abney is still learning the full-time nickel role after having more success outside in college. At this point, I’m not even sure who the Week 1 starter is, much less who the best backup would be.
That said, this isn’t meant as a full-blown alarm bell. I like a lot of the rest of this roster, and if Reed and Ya-Sin can stay healthy and log meaningful snaps, the Lions may be able to get by.
Still, if I’m Holmes and the rest of the front office, I’m keeping a close eye on the cornerback market. That room looks like the clearest place to keep searching for an upgrade.
In Other News...
Lions Add To Crowded O Line Picture With Another Intriguing Move
The Lions kept adding to an already busy offensive line mix by signing former Buccaneers lineman Elijah Klein to the practice squad. A sixth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Klein has already appeared in 26 games with one start, giving Detroit another young blocker with some pro experience to evaluate as the roster takes shape.
Detroit has plenty of offensive linemen around the building between the active roster and the practice squad, so this is less about a clear immediate role and more about creating competition and depth. For Klein, the next step will be figuring out where he fits in a group that is already crowded, which makes his path with the Lions worth watching as the season unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Already Have A New Reason To Feel Great About Blake Miller
The Lions went into the preseason looking to sort out the right side of their offensive line, and Blake Miller has wasted little time making the decision easy. Detroit took the tackle with the No. 17 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, then watched him work his way into the starting right tackle job by outplaying veteran Larry Borom and earning steady praise from the coaching staff and the media.
Miller has looked comfortable in both phases of the game, showing the kind of power in the run game and reliability in pass protection that can settle an offense quickly. For a team that values stability up front, it is an encouraging early sign that the rookie is not just holding his own, but pushing the Lions to feel better about a spot they needed to get right. [Read more 🡒]
Brian Branch Could Give Lions Defense A Huge Early Lift
Brian Branchs arrival on the sideline this fall is still expected to come with a delay, but the Lions have reason to believe the wait wont be a long one. The versatile defensive back is slated to open the 2026 season on the Physically Unable to Perform list after the Achilles injury he suffered in December 2025, a setback that would normally cloud a players early-season availability much more heavily than this one appears to.
Branchs recovery has reportedly been moving in the right direction, and there is already a sense he could be back at practice after only two weeks on PUP. If that timetable holds, Detroit could be talking about getting one of its most valuable defensive pieces back by Week 6 or Week 7, a boost that would matter even more given how much the unit leans on his range and flexibility compared with the situation around Kerby Joseph. [Read more 🡒]