Derrick Moore is trending toward making his NFL debut when the Detroit Lions open the season against the New Orleans Saints.
The rookie EDGE has been one of three Detroit defenders listed as limited on each of the team’s first two injury reports, alongside defensive back Christian Izien and defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo. Moore, a 6-foot-3, 260-pound EDGE out of Michigan, has been dealing with a hamstring injury, but Lions head coach Dan Campbell sounded optimistic Friday morning.
"I think he should be good to go. He’s put in two pretty good days here of heavy work.
Heavy for him. Let’s put it that way.
So, yeah, I like where he’s trending," Campbell said of Moore.
Detroit spent the offseason trying to strengthen its pass rush around star EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, and Moore is one of the players the team is counting on to help in that area. The Lions would like to get as many snaps out of him as possible early in 2026 as they continue building toward a possible return to the top of the NFC North.
On the unofficial Week 1 depth chart, the Lions have Hutchinson, defensive linemen Alim McNeill and Tyleik Williams, and EDGE DJ Wonnum listed as starters. Moore is slotted behind Hutchinson as his backup.
The Saints will bring in second-year quarterback Tyler Shough, who played in 11 games last season as a rookie and threw for 2,384 yards with 10 touchdowns and six interceptions.
Campbell also gave an update on Izien, saying that "he's doing well" and that "he's a little ahead of schedule in a good way."
Still, Campbell said he wanted to see how Izien looked in Friday’s practice before saying whether Detroit expected him to be available Sunday. The Lions also have to keep one eye on next week, with a short turnaround before a Thursday, Sept. 17 trip to face the Buffalo Bills in Week 2.
In Other News...
Saints Just Made Another Cap Move Fans Know Too Well
The Saints are back at the familiar business of moving money around, this time by restructuring defensive lineman Nathan Shepherds contract to open up about $2.7 million in cap space for 2026. The maneuver converts part of his base salary into a signing bonus, giving New Orleans a little more breathing room as it tries to manage the roster and stay under next years salary cap.
It is the kind of short-term fix New Orleans has leaned on before, and it does come with a catch. By pushing some of the cost down the road, the Saints will carry more than $7.1 million in dead money in 2027 when Shepherds deal runs out, a reminder that every bit of flexibility now usually comes with a bill later. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Backfield Suddenly Has Trade Buzz Fans Can't Ignore
A hip injury to Malik Davis in Cowboys practice has changed the conversation in Dallas almost overnight, and it has ripple effects that reach all the way to New Orleans. With Dallas suddenly thinner at running back for the foreseeable future, the idea of the Cowboys looking around for help has become a natural talking point, especially with the Saints carrying more backfield depth than they can comfortably use every week.
That is where the trade buzz starts to get interesting for Saints fans, because Alvin Kamara and Kendre Miller have both been mentioned in the speculation. Nothing has been confirmed, and there is still a wide gap between rumor and reality, but the possibility alone is enough to make New Orleans backfield worth watching a little more closely as the market shifts around it. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Fans May Feel Vindicated Watching Paulson Adebo In New York
Paulson Adebos move to New York gave Saints fans a fresh way to judge one of their former draft picks, and the early returns have been uneven. The cornerback, drafted by New Orleans before signing a three-year contract with the Giants, arrived with the kind of pedigree that usually brings expectations with it, but his first season there was rocky in coverage and raised questions about how quickly hed settle in.
John Harbaugh has already made it clear the Giants will sort out playing time by performance, not by salary, and that leaves Adebo in a familiar prove-it spot. He was not listed as a starter on the Week 1 depth chart in his second season, which only adds to the uncertainty around how prominent a role hell have as New York tries to sort out its secondary. [Read more 🡒]