The Detroit Lions are about to open training camp with plenty of eyes on more than just the usual padded practices and roster battles.
Rookies report July 25, veterans arrive three days later, and once everyone is in, the work begins for the start of the 2026 season. For Dan Campbell, now in his sixth year, it’s a camp loaded with questions after a down year and a last-place finish. The optimism is there, but so are the unknowns.
One of the biggest changes is on the schedule itself. For the first time since Campbell’s first season, the Lions will not hold joint practices, and that could reshape how camp feels from day to day.
Campbell has built a reputation for running one of the league’s most physical camps, often piling on starter reps in practice while leaning on depth players in preseason games. Joint practices have essentially served as game-like work for his starters, so without them, it will be worth watching whether the Lions lean more on preseason snaps to balance things out.
The practices should still be physical. That part feels baked in. The real question is whether starters will see more action in preseason games than they have in the past.
There’s also a rookie class that could matter fast. Blake Miller, Derrick Moore and Jimmy Rolder are all in the mix for meaningful roles right away, and Keith Abney II could be part of that conversation too depending on how the cornerback room settles.
Miller and Moore are the names that jump off the page. Miller is battling veteran Larry Borom for the right tackle job, and if it all clicks, he could become a long-term starter.
Moore faces a tougher climb with D.J. Wonnum and Payton Turner presumably ahead of him, but he could still force his way into a bigger role later in the year - or even sooner if he turns heads in camp.
The rookie group gives the Lions some real upside, and it would not be a surprise if one or more of them become significant contributors quickly.
Then there’s the contract layer, which could become one of the most interesting parts of camp. The Lions already got a deal done with Jack Campbell, but three other members of that draft class remain extension-eligible.
Jahmyr Gibbs is the biggest name in that group. The 2023 No. 12 overall pick could be in line for a market-resetting deal, especially with Bijan Robinson in Atlanta also extension-eligible and expected to land a major contract.
That could make Gibbs’ talks take time. There’s also a report from the team’s flagship radio station that if no new deal is reached by training camp, Gibbs might not take part at the start.
Detroit does have the fifth-year option with Gibbs, so the urgency isn’t the same as it is with Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch. LaPorta is cleared for training camp, while Branch’s status remains uncertain as he continues recovering from the torn Achilles he suffered last December. Health may end up shaping those negotiations, and LaPorta being cleared could be a good sign for both his future and the possibility of an extension.
All of that makes the opening stretch of camp worth watching closely. The roster questions are real, and so are the contract ones.
In Other News...
Kerby Joseph Just Put Lions Fans On Edge Before Camp
With rookies set to report to training camp Saturday and veterans due in Monday, the Lions are about to get their first real look at where everyone stands physically. Players have to pass a physical before taking part, and anyone not quite there can be placed on the PUP or NFI list, which makes every early camp update feel a little more meaningful than usual.
Kerby Joseph is one of the names drawing the most attention after a knee injury cost him most of last season and left the Lions handling his return carefully. He sounded upbeat about his status entering camp, but Dan Campbell made it clear the real test comes once the work ramps up and the knee is pushed in the middle of practice, which is why this one is still worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Rookies Are Arriving With One Huge Question Hanging Over Them
The Lions 2026 rookie class is about to take another step, with the group scheduled to report to the Allen Park Performance Center on July 25. For Detroit, the early focus is on a couple of newcomers who could matter quickly, especially offensive tackle Blake Miller and defensive end Derrick Moore, both of whom are expected to be in the mix sooner rather than later as the team keeps building out its roster for the season ahead.
Miller has already spent offseason work sharpening technique and getting more comfortable with the playbook, which is the kind of foundation the Lions want from a young lineman before the games start counting. Moores path looks a little more crowded on the edge, where veteran D.J. Wonnum is expected to open the season in front of him and Detroit has added more bodies at the position, leaving the rookie to fight for snaps in passing situations while the rest of the depth chart sorts itself out. [Read more 🡒]
Are The Lions Really The NFLs Most Talented Roster
The Lions head toward the 2026 season with a roster that still looks loaded at the top, even after some familiar veterans moved on and opened up bigger jobs for younger players. A league-wide ESPN poll only added to that impression, placing Detroit first overall and putting nine Lions players inside the top 10 at their positions, a reminder that this teams ceiling is being driven by premium talent rather than depth alone.
Penei Sewell and Jahmyr Gibbs both stood out in those rankings, but the broader takeaway is even more striking for Detroit: a lot of the names carrying the roster are still very young. That makes the Lions easy to believe in for now, but it also leaves the real question hanging over the group as the season approaches, because talent at the top is one thing and proving that a younger core can absorb the loss of players like Alex Anzalone and Taylor Decker is another. [Read more 🡒]