Allen Park — As we crossed paths during locker room cleanout day in January — Tom Kennedy exiting with a bag of his belongings ahead of the entering local media throng he’s never cared to spend more time around than necessary — I caught the Detroit Lions wide receiver’s eye and said, “See you in May.”

In a league where tomorrow is never promised, there was unusual certainty in the pending professional reunion. It took a half-second for the comment to register, for Kennedy to offer a smile and return the farewell, even if he never broke stride on his go route for the door.

That Kennedy is preparing to enter his eighth NFL season is a monumental defiance of odds. The fact that he’s been able to accomplish the feat with a single franchise? An exponentially longer shot.

Through two general managers, two head coaches, three position coaches and a fifth offensive coordinator, Kennedy has been a fixture in Detroit’s locker room. His athleticism, competitiveness, relentless work ethic and football IQ have endeared him to decision-makers and teammates alike, superseding the limitations of his 5-foot-10, 195-pound frame and lack of experience entering the league after spending more time playing lacrosse than football during his time at Bryant University.

Now, following the offseason departure of offensive tackle Taylor Decker, Kennedy is the longest-tenured player on Detroit’s roster. The only other holdover from the previous regime is punter Jack Fox. The next wave — quarterback Jared Goff and the foundational blocks from the 2021 draft class — represent the initial pieces of the successful rebuild into contention orchestrated by general manager Brad Holmes.

Roster churn is an unfortunate part of the business. Even for early-round draft picks and Pro Bowl-caliber talent, it’s uncommon to stick in one place for eight seasons. Yet, there was so little doubt Kennedy would be back for the 2026 campaign.

Respectfully, it’s not about his production. With just 18 career receptions, it would be disingenuous to suggest as much. But Kennedy is all grit and glue, an embodiment of what the Lions have been about during the Dan Campbell era. Even after an offseason reboot focused on getting younger and rediscovering that soul, Kennedy found his way back, just like he has for the better part of a decade.

So what better time to revisit how Kennedy arrived in Detroit, what makes him tick and has helped him stick, and why there’s a clearer path to contributing in 2026 than maybe any time previous in his career.

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Allen Park — The Detroit Lions announced a trio of players will open this week’s training camp on the physically unable to perform list, including starting safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph.

With Branch, the designation is hardly a surprise. The fourth-year defender, who is entering the final season of his rookie contract, is still working his way back from a torn Achilles after he tore the tendon in early December. He’s not expected to return until the middle of the regular season.

Joseph’s availability entering camp had been more of a mystery. The 2024 All-Pro missed most of last season with a nagging, potentially chronic knee condition.

Joseph was in attendance throughout the early portions of the offseason program, but was held out of the practices as the Lions continued to monitor his knee. Asked about expectations in June, coach Dan Campbell was non-committal.

“Yeah, really, I don't know,” Campbell said. “I honestly do not know. I know this, we've done everything we can do and he's done everything he can do to this point. And we are trying to be as smart as we can and not push this until we absolutely have to, because once we've done that, then we'll know one way or another, and it's not worth it right now.

“We're just slowly building, continuing the strength in there,” Campbell continued. “He's getting treatment. He's done some of these different things at different places to try to help. So, I feel good about that. I feel good about that we've done everything we can and so has he. And so, we won't know. I mean honestly, we probably won't know until we get into the thick of training camp.”

Campbell declined to go into the specific treatments Joseph had tried this offseason.

In a recent poll of NFL executives, coaches and scouts conducted by ESPN, both Branch (No. 4) and Joseph (No. 9) were voted as top-10 players at their position, despite their injuries.

That highlights the uphill battle the Lions face if they have to replace one or both for a significant stretch of the regular season. Cognizant of that possibility, the team invested heavily in contingency plans, bringing back veteran Avonte Maddox, and signing Christian Izien and Chuck Clark in free agency, to pair with the returning Thomas Harper, who started nine games for Detroit last season.

In addition to the two safeties, tight end Tyler Conklin will also start camp on the PUP list. The veteran, and metro Detroit native, joined the Lions on a one-year deal this offseason.

Conklin suffered an undisclosed injury during the earlier portion of the offseason program, which sidelined him for the final set of OTAs and mandatory minicamp.

In positive news, Sam LaPorta avoided a stint on the PUP list. Returning from last season’s back surgery, it was reported by ESPN last week that the star tight end had been fully cleared to practice.

Players can only be placed on PUP before the start of training camp. They continue to count against the 90-man roster, but are able to participate in all team activities outside of practice.

A player on PUP can be activated at any time during training camp. If a player isn’t medically cleared before roster cuts next month, they are transferred to the reserve/PUP list where they no longer count against the roster limit, but would be required to miss at least the first four games of the season. Once activated, they do not count as one of the team’s eight designated returns from injured reserve.

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Allen Park — No Detroit Lions position group got more (deserved) attention this offseason than the offensive line.

Detroit’s blocking was far from being a disaster, but the group fell short of lofty standards it established the previous few years, including 2025, when the offense reset the franchise record for points scored.

The decline hinged around the abrupt retirement of All-Pro center Frank Ragnow, but was also impacted by injuries on the left side and the anticipated acclimation period for rookie Tate Ratledge.

The struggles were particularly noticeable with the protection. Obviously, no one needs any reminders about the problems the Minnesota Vikings presented in both matchups a year ago, but overall, the team’s 24.6% pressure rate allowed ranked bottom-10. Paired with quarterback Jared Goff taking less time to throw than any quarterback in the league last season, that’s unacceptable.

To rectify the shortcomings, the Lions first focused on upgrading their situation at center. After releasing veteran Graham Glasgow, the team moved quickly to sign Carolina’s Cade Mays in free agency.

Mays was the best option available who fit Detroit’s budget. They couldn’t afford Tyler Linderbaum, who received the largest contract ever awarded a center, by a large margin. Meanwhile, Connor McGovern, another viable solution, re-upped with Buffalo shortly before he hit the market.

Beyond Mays, Detroit also made a change at offensive tackle. Longtime blindside blocker Taylor Decker was granted his release after rejecting a pay cut, leading to the signing of veteran Larry Borom.

A 14-game starter for Miami last season, Borom thrived in pass protection while playing right tackle, paving the way for Penei Sewell to flip sides to his college position.

Detroit also added depth to compete for the left guard job, picking up Juice Scruggs in a trade and signing Ben Bartch to a low-cost deal in free agency.

The team could have rested on the laurels of that overhaul. Instead, they took advantage of a deep crop of tackles in the draft, selecting Clemson’s Blake Miller in the first round, securing a long-term solution at right tackle.

Now, the pieces are in place for a resurgence with the group that has fueled Detroit’s offensive success. Here’s what we’ll be monitoring when the team reconvenes for training camp later this month.

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Note: This is the latest installment in a multi-part series that explores the background, responsibilities, and aspirations of the Detroit Lions’ lower-level assistant coaches. Today, we’re looking at offensive assistant Marques Tuiasosopo.

Allen Park — Marques Tuiasosopo loves where he’s at. It’s exceedingly unlikely, given the nature of the profession, but if Detroit was his last coaching stop, he’d have no complaints.

However, when talking about a one-game stint as the interim head coach at his alma mater, the University of Washington, more than a decade ago, Tuiasosopo’s eyes light up revealing dreams and ambitions more than words ever could.

One of more than a dozen former NFL players on the Lions coaching staff, at his peak, Tuiasosopo had as much national name recognition as any of them.

In 2000, he quarterbacked the University of Washington to an 11-1 record, a No. 3 finish in the AP poll, a Rose Bowl victory over a Drew Brees-led Purdue squad, earning MVP honors in the game to go with the PAC-10 Offensive Player of the Year award.

A few months later, Tuiasosopo was selected in the second round of the NFL draft by the Raiders. He would stick eight years in the league, although he never replicated his college success. He would appear in just 13 games (two starts) during the span.

But before those opportunities dried up, Tuiasosopo long sensed his next step would be coaching. It was a calling that was first instilled by his father, Manu, who played defensive tackle for the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers, and affirmed by mentors during Tuiasosopo’s playing days.

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Allen Park — A year ago, there was little argument that the Detroit Lions had the best safety tandem in the NFL.

Kerby Joseph was fresh off leading the league in interceptions and earning first-team All-Pro honors, which he parlayed into a massive contract extension.

Meanwhile, Brian Branch earned a Pro Bowl selection in 2024 and was higher regarded by the league’s coaches, scouts and decision-makers in an ESPN poll, ranking second at the position, behind only Baltimore’s Kyle Hamilton.

Both under the age of 25, it looked as if Detroit’s duo would dominate for years to come. But it didn’t take long to be reminded how quickly things change in the NFL.

In training camp, Joseph missed practice time with nagging knee pain. It took a turn for the worse when he fell hard on the knee during an interception return in Week 4. After two more games, he landed on the shelf and never returned with an issue that looks to be chronic.

Then Branch suffered a torn Achilles in December, which will likely sideline him until the middle of the upcoming season.

Not that there’s ever a good time to suffer that kind of injury, but there’s an added challenge to navigate with this being the final year of his rookie contract.

So instead of the stability we all expected last summer, there’s as much mystery with the short- and long-term outlook of Detroit’s safety situation as ever. Here’s how things stack up heading into training camp later this month.

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Allen Park — When we did a mailbag version of the podcast this summer, one viewer asked, “What’s the Lions strongest position group and why is it wide receiver?”

They weren’t wrong. Maybe the Lions lack jaw-dropping depth at the position, but it’s one of the better starting trios in the NFL, with room to still improve as Jameson Williams and Isaac TeSlaa continue to develop as complementary pieces to multiple-time All-Pro Amon-Ra St. Brown.

St. Brown has been a model of consistency during his career. A four-time Pro Bowler, he’s caught between 115-119 balls the past three seasons, averaged 1,392 yards and 12 touchdowns during the stretch, and twice paced the league in first-down catches.

The corps have been bolstered by Williams, a first-round pick in 2022, who turned a developmental corner in his third season. The speedster has topped 1,000 yards the past two years, paired with seven scores each of those campaigns.

TeSlaa was added to the mix last season, and even though he didn’t see a ton of opportunity during his debut, the 6-foot-4, 214-pounder nicely rounds out the group with his big frame and playmaking ability on the outside.

That starting trio stacks up against almost any in the league, matching up well with Cincinnati’s collective of JaMarr Chase, Tee Higgins and Andrei Iosivas, Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and Jauan Jennings, Dallas’ Ceedee Lamb, George Pickens and Ryan Flournoy and Los Angeles’ Puka Nacua, Davante Adams and Jordan Whittingham.

So what questions does Detroit’s corps face this season? We explore as training camp approaches.

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Allen Park — Even with Tate Ratledge logging more offensive playing time than any Detroit Lions player in 2025, the team didn’t lean too heavily on its rookie class last season.

First-year players accounted for fewer than 9 percent of Detroit’s offensive and defensive snaps last season thanks to veteran depth across the roster. The team’s usage of rookies ranked 24th in the league.

Detroit has come a long way since 2021, the first-year of the franchise’s rebuild under general manager Brad Holmes. That year they paced the league in rookie snaps, racking up more than 6,000 combined.

However, there’s not a direct correlation to rookie playing time and Super Bowl contention. The Patriots, last year’s runner-up, ranked third in rookie snap rate last season. The champions, the Seattle Seahawks, were middle of the pack.

Those tallies obviously include contributions from undrafted signings, but let’s explore expectations for Detroit’s seven-prospect draft class ahead of their inaugural training camp.

Offensive tackle Blake Miller

Floor: The last two offensive tackles the Lions have selected in the first round — Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell — were Day 1 starters. Frankly, it was never a question for either, based on their inaugural offseason practice reps.

The same can’t be said for Miller. Sure, it’s possible he pulls away with the starting job, but he’s going to have to wrestle the opportunity away from Larry Borom, the Detroit native who has 38 career starts and thrived in pass protection as Miami’s right tackle in 2025.

Worst-case, Miller’s entrance into the starting lineup is delayed. Riley Reiff, Detroit’s 2012 first-rounder, had to wait a full year until he took over as Detroit’s left tackle. It’s unlikely Miller has to wait that long.

Ceiling: Ideally, Miller’s preparedness for the next level is undeniable by the end of training camp and he delivers a rookie season reminiscent of Decker’s 2016 debut.

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Allen Park — This is Jack Campbell’s defense.

It’s a phrase we’ve heard Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard utter more than once. And after Campbell earned first-team All-Pro honors in his third full season, who is going to argue?

Appearing in all 51 games since the Lions surprised outside observers by taking Campbell No. 18 overall in the 2023 draft, the linebacker delivered 176 tackles, 5.0 sacks, three forced fumbles and four pass defenses last season.

How rare is that type of production? Since the league started tracking tackles in 1987, only three players have recorded 170 stops, 5.0 sacks and three forced fumbles, and none since 1991.

Campbell also completed his second season wearing the green dot, putting him in charge of communication with the sideline, relaying the call and getting the defense aligned. Additionally, Sheppard entrusted the middle linebacker with the ability to adjust play calls to match offensive alignments.

So, yeah, it’s Campbell’s defense.

But, for the past three seasons, he wasn’t doing it alone. Campbell took the reins from five-time captain Alex Anzalone and continued to work in concert with the veteran leader.

Detroit opted to move on from Anzalone this offseason, letting him walk in free agency. It was both a financial decision and a concentrated effort to get younger, across the roster.

Replacing Anzalone’s production and leadership is the biggest question facing Detroit’s linebackers heading into training camp. Let’s explore that and some of the other areas worth focusing on with the corps ahead of the start of training camp.

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Allen Park — The Detroit Lions weren’t wrong to install Jahmyr Gibbs as the starter over David Montgomery last season, but not enough thought was put into maintaining the balance of the team’s backfield rotation.

Publicly, Montgomery played the good soldier. However, after logging fewer than 10 carries in more than half of the team’s games, it was clear the situation was untenable. He deserved a bigger role and the Lions couldn’t afford to pay him what he was owed if they couldn’t guarantee one.

So after three seasons in Detroit, having forged one of the most productive tandems in NFL history alongside Gibbs, the team shipped Montgomery to Houston for a pair of draft picks and offensive lineman Juice Scruggs.

Ahead of the start of training camp later this month, let’s explore the questions surrounding the team’s stable of backs.

What is Gibbs’ ceiling

The Montgomery trade formalized where things were already trending: Gibbs is the team’s bell cow. Still, his workload will continue to be monitored. While there might be a random week or two where he racks up 30 touches, it would be surprising to see him draw 300 carries next season.

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The Detroit Lions made a concentrated effort to refresh the edge defending talent surrounding superstar Aidan Hutchinson this offseason.

The team let Al-Quadin Muhammad walk in free agency after last year’s breakout performance, made no effort to re-sign Marcus Davenport after two injury-plagued seasons, and bid farewell to former second-round pick Josh Paschal after he missed the 2025 campaign with an injured back.

To restock the cupboards, the team signed DJ Wonnum and former first-round pick Payton Turner, then traded up a handful of spots in the second round of the draft to select Michigan standout Derrick Moore.

As we near training camp, here are the questions surrounding the position group.

Can less mean more?

Hutchinson quickly proved he was fully recovered from the broken leg he’d suffered the previous season, racking up 100 quarterback pressures and a career-best 14.5 sacks to earn second-team All-Pro honors.

Importantly, Hutchinson took a step forward with his consistency, tallying at least five pressures in 13 of the team’s 17 games. His pressure total tied for second in the NFL, while his 22.9% win rate was third among edge defenders, behind only Will Anderson and Myles Garrett.

The primary criticism regarding Hutchinson has been his workload. He was on the field for nearly 91% of the team’s defensive snaps, an unusually high figure for a defensive lineman. That reflects the team’s over-reliance on the player, but also putting too much say in Hutchinson’s hands. He’s a fierce competitor with outstanding cardio, so he’s not going to pull himself off the field if given the choice.

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Allen Park — Following the 2022 season, with the Detroit Lions holding the No. 6 pick in the draft as a carryover asset from the Matthew Stafford trade a little less than two years earlier, general manager Brad Holmes was asked about the possibility of using the selection on a quarterback.

While not outright dismissing the idea at that time, Holmes prefaced his response by noting, “It’s a lot easier to get worse at quarterback than to get better at quarterback in this league.”

Despite coming off one of the better years of his career, and serving as a Pro Bowl alternate, the fan base remained split on Jared Goff’s future as the franchise’s solution. In the seasons since, he’s quelled most of that doubt.

In 2023, Goff led the Lions to the brink of the Super Bowl. The next two seasons, he posted the best passer ratings of his career. He’s thrown for more than 4,500 yards and at least 30 touchdowns each of the past three years, while leading a top-five scoring offense four consecutive seasons.

The Lions did draft a quarterback the year Holmes made his better/worse comment, trading up to snag Hendon Hooker early in the third round. He’s come and gone, signing with his fourth team this offseason. Goff, meanwhile, inked a lucrative extension ahead of the 2024 campaign, locking him up through 2028.

Hooker’s failure to develop as expected has left the backup spot a little unsettled, but that’s been of little consequence since the highly durable Goff hasn’t missed a game since 2021, his first year with the Lions.

That’s comforting stability at the game’s most important position. So what, if anything, should we be monitoring with the team’s quarterbacks heading into training camp later this month?

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Allen Park — The interior of the Detroit Lions defensive line is entering something of a transition period following the departures of veterans DJ Reader and Roy Lopez, who combined for more than 1,000 defensive snaps last season.

The anchor of the group, Alim McNeill, returns and will be looking for a big bounceback after struggling to immediately recapture his form coming off a lengthy rehab from a torn ACL.

McNeill figures to be joined in the starting lineup by 2025 first-round pick Tyleik Williams, who is being penciled in to replace Reader as the team’s nose tackle, despite most of Williams’ college experience coming at the 3-tech.

The rest of the depth chart is unsettled, with a key player returning from injury, a 2025 waiver claim experiencing his first full offseason with the Lions, and a couple of rookies added to the mix.

Let’s look at the questions facing the group heading into training camp later this month.

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Allen Park — Maybe not fully appreciated at the time of his injury, Sam LaPorta was on pace to threaten some of the production marks from his record-breaking rookie season.

Through nine games, the Detroit Lions’ third-year tight end was fifth among his position with 489 receiving yards, putting him on track for more than 900 on the season, which would have bested the 889 he posted during his debut campaign.

Barring a late surge, LaPorta likely would have fallen short of his 2023 reception and touchdown tallies, but that was offset by better per-reception production and improved blocking, although the latter is more difficult to quantify.

The larger point is his absence down the stretch was glaring. Detroit’s tight ends combined for just 117 yards from Weeks 11-18, led by Anthony Firkser, who wasn’t employed by an NFL team between May 1-November 11.

That total ranked last in the NFL, by nearly half the next-worst team. And, predictably, the consistency of the offense also tapered off, with the unit being held under 20 points three times the final eight games.

Needless to say, the Lions both desperately need LaPorta back this season and required an upgrade to the team’s depth, which they believe they secured by signing veteran Tyler Conklin.

With that situation explained, let’s lay out the questions facing the group heading into training camp later this month.

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Allen Park — This week brought jarring finality to cornerback Terrion Arnold’s brief time with the Detroit Lions.

The team’s first-round pick in 2024, there was still so much hope being pinned to the defender’s potential. However, the Lions felt they had no choice but to move on with Arnold facing multiple felony charges stemming from a robbery revenge plot earlier in the offseason.

Already a position group with more questions and answers, let’s explore multiple narratives surrounding the cornerback room ahead of the start of training camp later this month.

Ready to roll with Rock

The first name that should come to mind as a starting option following Arnold’s dismissal is Rock Ya-Sin.

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Allen Park — It’s general manager Brad Holmes’ ball game, but coach Dan Campbell recently threw a little bit of cold water on the idea of signing Brian Branch to a long-term extension before the safety returns to practice from last season’s torn Achilles.

“I think you always want to know that your guys are healthy and this is truly healed,” Campbell said. “You are always going to kind of want to lean that way knowing the investment that would go into that.”

It’s the practical approach, understanding that a healthy Branch almost certainly commands a deal that averages north of $20 million per season.

There are plenty of recent examples of players rebounding from torn Achilles and returning to form, including running back JK Dobbins and edge rusher Jaelan Phillips. Going a little further back, it’s easy to point to seven-time Pro Bowler Terrell Suggs as the barometer of post-surgery success.

On the other hand, just as many, if not more never look the same. Cornerback Tre’Davious White never recaptured his Pro Bowl form after tearing an ACL in 2021 and his Achilles in 2023. And in Detroit, Romeo Okwara and Tracy Walker’s careers never rebounded after suffering the injury.

Age and reliance on athleticism, are among the factors, and in Branch’s case, both work in his favor. He won’t turn 25 until October, and his success has largely been more dependent on his instincts than his raw athletic traits since entering the league. So there’s some reason for optimism.

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Three days after Terrion Arnold turned himself in to face multiple charges of kidnapping and robbery, and hours after the cornerback was granted a $1 million bond during a pretrial detention hearing, the Detroit Lions have released the 2024 first-round pick.

During Monday’s pretrial hearing, Judge Christopher C. Sabella determined there was probable cause to move forward with a trial, but rejected the state’s request Arnold continue to be held in jail, granting bond and ability to travel for work.

Arnold is charged with three counts of kidnapping, three counts of armed robbery, one count of conspiracy to kidnap and one count of conspiracy to commit armed robbery from a February incident.

Six co-defendants have also been charged in the case, two who have already pleaded guilty. As part of his release agreement, Arnold is not permitted to have any contact with the co-defendants or any witnesses.

Arnold’s representation has strongly denied his involvement, while the Lions had declined comment during the ongoing legal process prior to cutting Arnold.

The team had lofty expectations for the defender going into his third season after he had finished the previous campaign on injured reserve.

Following Arnold's release, the Lions will hold an open competition for the starting job opposite DJ Reed, with Rock Ya-Sin and Ennis Rakestraw the top canidates for the vacancy.

Ya-Sin performed well as an injury replacement last season, drawing six starts. After playing for five different teams the previous five seasons, he re-signed with the Lions in March.

Rakestraw, a second-round pick out of Missouri in 2024, has been significantly limited by injuries to start his professional career. A nagging hamstring issue limited him to eight games and 46 defensive snaps as a rookie, while a training camp shoulder injury requiring surgery cost him all of the 2025 season.

Update: 4:30 p.m. — The Detroit Lions have release Arnold.

Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold has been granted bond and the ability to work following a pretrial detention hearing in Hillsborough County on Monday.

Following nearly two hours of testimony from Tampa Police Detective Scott Barnett regarding Arnold’s role coordinating a kidnapping and robbery plot, Judge Christopher C. Sabella determined there was probable cause to go forward with a trial, while rejecting the state’s requests that Arnold be jailed until the trial or be required to wear an ankle monitor after being granted bail.

Sabella cited he was reluctant to deny the ankle monitor, but conceded after weighing that Arnold didn’t flee in the five months since the alleged crimes were committed and quickly turned himself in once a warrant was issued.

The conditions of the bond require Arnold to turn in his passport and remain confined to his home in Tallahassee, other than when traveling for work or to meet with his attorneys. Arnold is required to report any trips to the state.

If permitted by the team and NFL, Arnold would be able to travel to take part in the team’s training camp next month, as well as preseason games.

Sabella's ruling was clearly viewed as a win for Arnold and his legal team. The player had multiple family members in attendance at the hearing, as well as family friend Cristin Erica White, who served as a character witness for the defense. When the ruling was announced, Arnold smiled and hugged his representation, including lead attorney Harvey Steinberg.

A trial date for Arnold will be set in the future. He is charged with three counts of kidnapping, three counts of armed robbery, one count of conspiracy to kidnap and one count of conspiracy to commit armed robbery.

If convicted, he faces up to life in prison.

Six co-defendants have also been charged in the case, two who have already pleaded guilty. As part of his release agreement, Arnold is not permitted to have any contact with the co-defendants or any witnesses.

Arnold’s representation has strongly denied his involvement, while the Lions have declined comment during the ongoing legal process.

You can watch the entire hearing below:

Allen Park — Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell issued a warning ahead of the first practices of the 2026 offseason open to local media: Don’t read too much into the rotations.

It’s well established that jobs aren’t won in May and June, before the pads come on in training camp and the preseason. Still, you can come away with an early sense regarding how the team feels about players and their early schematic fits, particularly the newcomers.

Having watched five practices the past month, let’s set the table ahead of next month’s training camp with a premature roster projection.

Quarterback (2)

In: Jared Goff, Teddy Bridgewater

Work to do: Luke Altmeyer

Quick thoughts: I’m intrigued by Altmyer, who is smart, accurate and athletic. If he were a couple inches taller and a year or two younger, it’s easy to imagine he gets drafted in the middle rounds.

It’s clear, he’s more polished than a lot of rookie quarterbacks who have rolled through town during my time covering the team. That’s probably a benefit of five years of college at two programs. The prevalence of portal transfers undoubtedly has young players better prepared for quick acclimation to new surroundings.

If Altmyer shines in camp and the preseason, meriting longer-term consideration through a roster spot, it would have to come at the expense of another position. Presently, that’s a tough sell, but not a door that’s closed.

Running back (4)

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Allen Park — The first hint that Taylor Decker was leaning toward retirement late last season didn’t come from the veteran offensive tackle, but his young understudy, Giovanni Manu.

In a casual conversation discussing his offseason plans after his 2025 campaign was prematurely ended by knee surgery, Manu spoke determinedly about taking over Detroit’s blindside job if the veteran stepped aside.

None of that went according to plan. Decker didn’t retire, but he departed the organization, nonetheless, requesting his release when the team asked him to take a pay cut. But instead of turning the keys over to Manu, the Lions double-dipped on additions, signing veteran Larry Borom before using a first-round pick on Blake Miller.

Had the Lions only added Borom, with his one-year contract, it would have signaled the Lions still believed Manu could be the long-term answer. The drafting of Miller a month later declared the team was pivoting.

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Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold surrendered to authorities in Hillsborough County on Wednesday night after a warrant was issued for his arrest stemming from allegations tied to a February kidnapping and robbery plot.

Hillsborough County State Attorney Suzy Lopez’s office issued a statement shortly after the arrest.

“No one has the right to take the law into their own hands,” the statement said. “A dispute over missing property does not justify kidnapping, violence, or retaliation. This arrest is the result of months of investigative work and collaboration between the Tampa Police Department and our prosecutors. We will continue to pursue justice for the three victims by holding everyone accountable for their roles in this crime.”

The State Attorney’s office is intending to file a pre-trial motion that requests Arnold be held without bond until trial. He’s facing multiple felony charges, and if convicted, could face up to life in prison.

Arnold is the seventh person arrested for the incident. Codefendants Boakai Hilton, Lyndell Hudson, Freddie Lee Hughes III and Christion Williams are still being held without bond in connection with the case, while codefendants Arianna Del Valle and Jasmine Randazzo pleaded guilty during a court hearing on June 24 for their roles in the crime.

Randazzo was sentenced to four years in Florida State Prison. Del Valle is still awaiting sentencing.

According to Lopez’s office, “Arnold is accused of coordinating and directing the codefendants to lure three men to an apartment where the victims were robbed, beaten, and held at gunpoint. Arnold believed the victims in the case stole more than $200,000 worth of his personal items during a stay in his Airbnb property, although there is no evidence to prove the victims were involved in the theft. The investigation further revealed that Arnold orchestrated the kidnapping and robbery just hours after reporting the missing items to the Largo Police Department.”

The Lions issued a boilerplate statement following Arnold’s arrest.

“We are aware of the legal situation regarding Terrion Arnold,” the statement said. “We will not comment at this time out of respect for the ongoing legal process.”

Meanwhile, Arnold representative Denise White of EAG Sports Management released a statement in support of her client.

“Terrion Arnold categorically denies any involvement in the matters underlying the allegations made against him and maintains his innocence,” the statement read. “There is no credible evidence linking Mr. Arnold to these allegations. Instead, the government appears to be relying on testimony from multiple convicted felons who have admitted their own involvement and may have substantial incentives to shift blame in an effort to lessen their sentences.

“Mr. Arnold looks forward to his day in court and is confident that the judicial process will lead to his ultimate vindication.”

Prior to Wednesday’s arrest, the Lions have repeatedly backed Arnold, accepting his account of the events that led to the arrest of the seven codefendants.

Lions coach Dan Campbell was last asked about the situation on May 29, saying, “Yeah, we're good. My understanding (is) we're good, and that's all I know.”

Arnold, a first-round pick in 2024, missed nine games last season with a shoulder injury that required season-ending surgery.

Arnold had been participating in early offseason practices on a limited basis and was frequently working with the second-team defense during the sessions open to the media.

Arnold stopped to talk with reporters following the conclusion of the team’s mandatory minicamp last week. After fielding several football questions, Arnold was asked if he had tightened his circle away from the team after the arrests of the seven codefendants.

“Nah, I’m a home (body), hang around my family and stuff like that,” Arnold said. “But, I mean, as far as things like that, I just feel kind of — when certain things happen in life, it’s best to remain silent. You can speak on stuff if you want to speak on it, but at the end of the day, silence sometimes is the best answer.”

If Arnold’s legal situation keeps him away from the team for a prolonged period, the team is expected to turn to Rock Ya-Sin or Ennis Rakestraw to backfill the void in the starting lineup.

Coincidentally, Arnold and Rakestraw were selected in the draft a little more than a month after the Lions released cornerback Cam Sutton, who also faced an arrest warrant in Hillsborough County.

Sutton, who had been wanted by police since March 7 of that year related to a domestic violence allegation, was released by the Lions on March 21 before turning himself 10 days later.

Sutton eventually entered a pretrial diversion program after the charges were reduced from a felony to misdemeanor battery. He re-signed with the Steelers less than three months after Detroit released him, serving an eight-game suspension to begin the 2024 season.

Sutton lasted just one season with the Steelers and has been out of the NFL since.