Detroit Lions

Projected Cap Space: -$13.2 million

Draft Picks: 8

• 1st (No. 17)
• 2nd (No. 50)
• 4th (No. 118)
• 5th (No. 155)
• 6th (No. 186, CLE)
• 6th (No. 203, JAX)
• 6th (No. 212, comp)
• 7th (No. 222, CLE)

Notable Free Agents: 

• LB Alex Anzalone
• CB Amik Robertson
• DT D.J. Reader
• DE Al-Quadin Muhammad
• DT Roy Lopez
• WR Kalif Raymond
• DE Marcus Davenport
• CB Avonte Maddox
• CB Rock Ya-Sin
• OL Kayode Awosika
• OL Trystan Colon
• CB Jalen Mills
• LB Malcolm Rodriguez

Top Three Needs

1 – Offensive Line

The Lions still finished as a top-five offense last season but it all seemed more difficult on that side of the ball. Detroit slipped to 14th in rushing after ranking sixth and fifth in the two prior years. The sack rate also ticked up for the third straight season, topping six percent. Lions QB Jared Goff was sacked 38 times, which was a career high. While play-calling was an issue, as evidenced by HC Dan Campbell taking over for OC John Morton, a lot of these problems can be traced back to the offensive line. 

Detroit was working in new faces on the interior with youngsters Christian Mahogany and Tate Ratledge. Injuries also threw a wrench into things, turning the interior trio into a little bit of a revolving door. Veteran LT Taylor Decker played over 80 percent of the snaps, but he was clearly hampered by injuries. Retirement is a possibility for the 33-year-old this offseason, and he’s probably a cut candidate as well. 

Even if Decker returns, it would probably be good for the Lions to start thinking about a succession plan. Left tackle isn’t the only potential hole, however. Lions C Frank Ragnow retired last offseason and the Lions are still unsettled at the position. With the benefit of hindsight, the Lions would probably admit they weren’t as prepared as they would have liked (a lesson that might impact how they handle left tackle). Ratledge is someone they envisioned potentially being a fit at center, but if moves to the pivot, they need a new starter at guard. The goal for the Lions should be to go into 2026 without needing to start OL Graham Glasgow. 

2 – Edge Rusher

The Lions hit a home run with DE Aidan Hutchinson, who returned from a broken leg that ended his 2024 season to notch 14.5 sacks and 100 total pressures in 2025. He has 43 sacks in his first four seasons and it would not be surprising to see him contend for a Defensive Player of the Year award in the next few years. That’s why the Lions felt comfortable signing him to a massive, $45 million per year deal. 

The rest of the edge rusher room has been a problem, though. The Lions have taken a couple of swings at filling the spot across from Hutchinson and haven’t found a long-term solution. They got 10 games and 1.5 sacks out of Davenport over two years and it would be a surprise if he were brought back. Muhammad had an unexpected breakout with 11 sacks, but he’s a pending free agent. Finding a value the Lions like to keep him in the fold could be tricky. 

Ideally the Lions can land a young pass rusher on a cheap contract who can excel across from Hutchinson and develop into a viable complement. Detroit was 10th in pressure rate last year but the pass rush likely needs to be even better to cover up for a secondary that could still be a little shaky next season. 

3 – Safety

The Lions were down to third and fourth-string safeties at points last year. That sort of bad luck usually doesn’t last but in Detroit’s case, there is some cause for long-term concern. Veteran S Kerby Joseph tried to labor through a knee injury but ultimately was sidelined after Week 6. There are signs Joseph has cartilage damage that won’t be simple to bounce back from. 

Fellow Lions S Brian Branch is outstanding as a nickel defender, and the Lions could move him more to the slot to take advantage of his instincts. That potentially puts the Lions in the market for two safeties, one to allow Branch to move around the secondary, another as insurance for Joseph. 

One Big Question

Was 2025 just a fluke or a sign of bigger problems in Detroit?

The Lions may have finished with a disappointing 9-8 record and no postseason berth, but some of their metrics still ended up pretty solid. As noted, they were top five on offense in yards and scoring despite the play-calling turmoil. The defense was 10th in pressure rate and fifth in sacks while ranking below average in blitz rate. Despite the record, the Lions were +68 in point differential, better than seven of the 14 playoff teams (for reference, the NFC South champion Panthers were -69 in scoring differential). 

Still, the end result is the end result. The Lions were expected to be Super Bowl contenders going into the year, and fell short of that high bar. There wasn’t just one reason for the underperformance. Injuries played a big factor, even if it wasn’t as extreme as the attrition the year before. Joseph, Decker, Mahogany, Davenport, Branch, DT Alim McNeill, CB Terrion Arnold, CB D.J. Reed and TE Sam LaPorta all missed time. Detroit got a little unlucky in close games, too, nicked for five losses in seven tries. 

It’s impossible not to talk about the coordinator situation, either. Detroit had to replace both former OC Ben Johnson and DC Aaron Glenn, settling on Morton and DC Kelvin Sheppard, the linebacker coach under Glenn and a former linebacker in his playing days. The overall results were underwhelming (the Lions ranked 22nd in scoring defense and 18th in total defense) but Sheppard had generally positive reviews and earned some head coaching interviews. 

The coordinator question will linger for another season. The Lions settled on former Cardinals OC Drew Petzing to replace Morton, who was on a trajectory to be fired even if Arizona hadn’t cleaned house. He fits the identity the Lions want to play with on offense but Campbell went out on a limb with this hire. Sheppard probably needs to take a step forward, too. 

The good news for the Lions is the core of the roster is still in place. The culture Campbell built is healthy and thriving. With some good injury luck and positive variance, the Lions are in strong position to win the NFC North and contend for a Super Bowl. It’s hard not to notice the window starting to tighten, though.