The Detroit Lions may have finished last in the NFC North, but they’re still being treated like the team to beat.
At least one major outlet has them projected to win the division in 2026, and The Athletic’s Jacob Robinson has Detroit taking the crown again after a 12-5 season. In his projection, the Green Bay Packers land at 10-7, while both the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears finish 9-8.
Robinson didn’t hide why he likes the Lions’ chances, writing:
"A last-place finish gives Detroit the league’s easiest schedule. That, plus its talent on both sides of the ball, makes it a likely bounce-back season after falling from 15-2 to 9-8 last year.
The Lions have significant questions, but they are my dark horse Super Bowl pick. The injury luck has to change eventually, right?"
Jacob Robinson, The Athletic
ESPN still has Detroit as the NFC North favorite, too. That’s a striking spot for a team that went 2-4 in the division last season and now enters another rugged race with plenty of questions hanging over it.
The argument for Detroit is pretty straightforward: even after everything that went wrong a year ago, the roster still looks loaded. The Lions return what may be the league’s best group of skill players, a productive veteran quarterback and multiple defensive standouts. That’s a pretty strong base, even before you get to the softer schedule that comes with a last-place finish.
Still, the warning signs are real. Detroit’s offensive line regressed, Ben Johnson is gone as offensive coordinator and injuries hammered the defense last season. The attempt to repair the line already took a hit with free-agent center Cade Mays expected to miss 8-10 weeks.
The secondary is another major concern. The offseason release of Terrion Arnold and severe injuries to safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph leave the Lions staring at a starting group that could include D.J.
Reed, Rock Ya-Sin, Christian Izien and Chuck Clark. That’s a far cry from ideal.
Even so, there’s a path here. If new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing can get the run game moving again and keep the passing attack steady, Detroit has the firepower to stay near the top of the league in scoring.
The defense still has its pillars. Aidan Hutchinson, Jack Campbell and Alim McNeill remain the core, with Tyleik Williams, Malcolm Rodriguez and Derrick Barnes among the other useful pieces in the front seven.
The rest of the division isn’t exactly offering a clean escape route, either.
Chicago, the reigning division champ, brings back Caleb Williams along with Colston Loveland, Luther Burden III and Rome Odunze, but the Bears’ defense was poor last season and got younger and less experienced. Losing D.J.
Moore in an offseason trade also strips away a proven piece on offense. And the retirement of their Pro Bowl center in his late 20s only adds to the uncertainty.
Green Bay has plenty of talent, too, starting with Jordan Love, Micah Parsons and Tucker Kraft. But Parsons and Kraft are both coming off torn ACLs, and the Packers still need Matthew Golden to make a leap and Christian Watson to justify his mammoth contract extension with a full season.
The running game also comes with baggage after the offseason arrest of Josh Jacobs. Defensively, Green Bay struggled badly without Parsons and didn’t do much to transform that unit beyond adding Zaire Franklin and Javon Hargrave.
Minnesota may be the biggest swing factor in the group after adding Kyler Murray. The Vikings already had one of the league’s best defenses, plus Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, but their quarterback play sank the season even though they still finished 9-8.
Murray’s health and consistency will determine whether they can become something more than a wild card. The running game, meanwhile, remains shaky.
Last season, the NFC North became only the second division in NFL history - along with the 2023 AFC North - to have every team finish with a winning record. And even with all the flaws on display, none of these teams appear to have taken a clear step backward this offseason.
That’s why Detroit still sits near the top of the board. The Lions have a proven offensive identity, a reshaped line and a schedule that should help. If the defense holds together and they get useful production from even one of Branch or Joseph, they could still field the second-best defense in the division.
The problem is obvious, though: there are a lot of ifs. And after the way last season unraveled, the Lions haven’t exactly earned the benefit of the doubt on health. In a division this tight, 2026 could turn into another bruising slog.
In Other News...
Lions Depth Chart Just Put Key Camp Battles In The Spotlight
The first unofficial depth chart always tells you something about where a coaching staff stands, even if the picture is far from final. Ahead of the 2026 NFL preseason, the Lions put their latest roster hierarchy on paper and, as expected, the offensive line and wide receiver spots remain the most interesting areas to watch as camp rolls on. Veterans and rookies are still jockeying for position, and a few of those battles look far from settled.
On the line, the early pecking order leans toward experience, with Larry Borom and Juice Scruggs both sitting above challengers at their respective spots. There is also competition showing up at linebacker and nickel cornerback, where Detroit has a mix of proven depth and players trying to carve out larger roles. Roger McCreary being listed as the top nickel cornerback is another small but meaningful clue about how the Lions are sorting through a crowded summer competition. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Camp Is Creating A Defensive Roster Squeeze Fast
Training camp in Allen Park is starting to sort out the Detroit Lions defensive picture, and fast. Injuries and practice performance have already begun to reshape the depth chart, with battles still simmering at defensive end, tackle, linebacker, cornerback and safety as coaches sort through who fits and who is running out of time.
Devin White and Nick Whiteside have both helped themselves in a crowded group, while other names are drifting closer to the bubble as the roster takes on a more defined look. Roger McCrearys situation is part of that shifting mix, and the next few practices should say plenty about which defenders are truly secure before the pressure gets even tighter. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Cornerback Battle Suddenly Looks Trouble For Ennis Rakestraw
Ennis Rakestraws first training camp has not gone as smoothly as the Lions likely hoped, and the early rotation is starting to reflect that. After an inconsistent opening stretch, the cornerback has been spending more time with the second-team defense while Nick Whiteside has worked into a more prominent role on the first unit, a noticeable shift in a room the Lions expected to be one of the more competitive parts of camp.
Dan Campbell has made it clear the team is still searching for the right mix at corner, even with some optimism around the secondary overall despite the injuries and setbacks that have hit the group. The addition of Trevon Diggs only underscores how much Detroit wants the competition to stay high, and for Rakestraw, the next few practices may go a long way toward determining whether this is just an early camp hiccup or something more concerning. [Read more 🡒]