The Detroit Lions’ season opener already carries extra weight, and now their Week 1 matchup may have taken a major turn before kickoff.
New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Bryan Bresee is feared to have suffered a torn ACL, according to ESPN and NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport. Rapoport said, “Saints DT Bryan Bresee, one of the linchpins of their defense and a rising star, is feared to have suffered a torn ACL, per me and Mike Garafolo. While tests are ongoing, it’s likely the former first-rounder is done for the season.”
Bresee is 24 and had been building into one of the key pieces up front for New Orleans. The Saints selected him in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft, and he has started 26 games over three seasons. New Orleans also picked up his fifth-year option, which will pay him $13.9 million.
If Bresee is out for the year, that would be a notable break for a Detroit offense expected to lean on plenty of weapons in 2026. It would also give Jared Goff and company a slightly cleaner path when they line up against the Saints defense.
The Lions are entering a season where getting rolling quickly matters even more. Dan Campbell’s team is younger now and sorting through several new faces at important spots, which makes a fast start all the more important.
Detroit will host New Orleans at Ford Field on September 13, 2026.
Saints general manager Mickey Loomis addressed the broader team-building picture after the 2025 season, saying, “I think all of us, every guy with every team, whether it’s a coach or GM, thinks they have a vision for how they can win their division, regardless of how strong or weak you may think it is," Loomis said. "So, we’re gonna approach it the same way.
How do we improve enough to win the division, and we don’t want to just win the division. We don’t want to be an 8-8 or 8-9 winning team in the division.
We want to win the division, be dominant and have a chance to make a run in the playoffs, so that’s what our goal is gonna be.”
In Other News...
Lions Left Guard Battle Just Took A Sudden Turn In Camp
Training camp has a way of sorting out the depth chart quickly, and the Lions already have one of their more interesting battles taking shape on the interior of the offensive line. Left guard is open enough that Detroit is sorting through multiple options, with the staff using camp reps to get a clearer read on who can handle the job when the pads come on and the competition gets real.
Christian Mahogany is part of that mix, along with Ben Bartch, Juice Scruggs, Miles Frazier and potentially Giovanni Manu, which gives the Lions both experience and upside to weigh as they build out the line. Campbell has made clear the team will let the competition unfold, and the wrinkle here is that Detroit may be watching more than one player at the same time as it tries to settle a spot that could matter a lot once the season starts. [Read more 🡒]
Matt Campbell Finally Reveals Why He Passed On The Lions
At Big Ten Media Days, Matt Campbell explained the thinking behind the career move that took him from Iowa State to Penn State, and in the process revisited a decision that still resonates in Detroit. Back in 2021, the Lions were searching for their next head coach amid a full-scale reset, and Campbell was among the names tied to the opening before the job eventually went to Dan Campbell.
What stood out in Campbells remarks was the kind of place he wanted to land, one with history and a feel that matched his own background. He said Penn State checked those boxes, which helps frame why Detroit did not, even as the Lions were trying to climb out of the wreckage of the Matt Patricia era and build something new. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Rookie Suddenly Has A Real Shot In Crowded DT Battle
Training camp has already put the Lions defensive tackle group under the microscope, and the opening weeks of the battle have given rookie Skyler Gill-Howard a legitimate path to stick. Detroit is sorting through multiple roster competitions, and after the team moved on from veteran Jay Tufele, the interior line picture got a little clearer for a sixth-round pick who is still working his way back from ankle surgery.
Gill-Howard is trying to carve out a role in a crowded room that also includes Levi Onwuzurike, who is returning from injury and looking to reestablish himself. For a rookie with limited college action last season, every rep matters, and the early camp setup suggests the Lions will keep giving him a chance to prove he belongs in the mix. [Read more 🡒]