Allen Park — Ahead of the Detroit Lions’ final OTA practice, coach Dan Campbell and defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard met with local media.

Then, following the practice, defensive tackle Tyleik Williams, linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez and cornerback DJ Reed had press sessions.

Here are some highlights from those conversations.

Staying patient

The Lions still aren’t putting a timetable on Brian Branch.

Campbell didn’t dismiss the slim possibility that the star safety could return to practice at some point during training camp before playfully stating he’s widening a window for the return to December, just to avoid being asked about the topic repeatedly the next few months.

“Anything before that is a bonus, that way you don’t have to ask me,” Campbell said.

Realistically, Branch will start training camp on the physically unable to perform list, with that stint carrying into the regular season.

The good news? There haven’t been any setbacks in Branch’s recovery. That can add significant time to the rehab process, like we’ve seen in recent years with cornerback Emmanuel Mosely and linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez, who both required cleanup procedures after having ACL repair.

All the way back

Recovery from injury is going to be a theme with this post.

Since I brought him up, Rodriguez noted a night-and-day difference with how his body is feeling entering the offseason program, compared to his mid-season return from a year-long layoff in 2025.

“Yeah, I mean, it was just one of those things where I was dealing with some stiffness, trying to get through some scar tissue, getting that mental strength back. This year, I feel 10 times better.”

Rodriguez, entering his fifth season, is projected to serve as Detroit’s third linebacker in base packages. The former sixth-round pick has 25 career starts under his belt, but hasn’t been a full-time starter since his rookie season in 2022, when he piled up a career-best 87 tackles.

No stone unturned

Cornerback DJ Reed was sidelined six games in his first season with the Lions, more than he had missed the previous three years combined.

All things considered, Reed felt fortunate to return to action after suffering a severe hamstring strain. Still, the rehab was brutal, and even though he felt fine physically by the time he got back on the field, his film was telling him a different story.

“It was like same thing, same technique, but guys were just running by me,” Reed said, comparing his pre-injury to post-injury play. “I just didn't have that extra gear. It was definitely humbling.”

Reed has proactively sought treatments to strengthen the hamstring this offseason. That included a trip to Panama, where he got stem cell work done. He got the idea from a former teammate, 49ers star linebacker Fred Warner.

“The main goal for me is just to stay healthy,” Reed said. “I think that's really important and that's just doing my system, just hydrating, getting the right amount of sleep, just doing everything I can control.”

As for that burst Reed felt he lacked down the stretch last season, he believes he’s back to normal this offseason.

“Yeah, it's definitely there now,” Reed said.

Oft-injured CB bulks up

Cornerback Ennis Rakestraw has had his share of injury woes through two seasons. That includes missing the entirety of the 2025 campaign after requiring shoulder surgery.

Rakestraw missed Thursday’s practice with an illness, but has otherwise been a full participant. Asked what more he could do this offseason to better hold up against the rigors of the NFL, coach Campbell noted the young defender added some mass during his rehab last year.

“He’s added a little bit of bulk, he’s a little more dense than he was,” Campbell said. “That’s always going to help the body. There’s nothing to say, there’s nothing that would tell me that he won’t be physically prepared to go into training camp. Now, you know, whatever happens happens, but he’s where he’s supposed to be right now in early June.”

A second-round pick out of Missouri in 2024, Rakestraw was limited to eight games as a rookie and has logged just 46 defensive snaps through two seasons.

Entering his third year, he’s expected to compete with Rock Ya-Sin to be the team’s top reserve on the outside, backing up Reed and Terrion Arnold.

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Loading up on length

Asked about the team’s revamped edge group that’s been paired with Aidan Hutchinson, Campbell highlighted the incoming talents’ length.

“We have got some length now,” Campbell said. “We have got some size and length and athletic ability on the perimeter.”

Sheppard noted he and the front office are in accord, viewing length as more valuable than speed as a complementary trait opposite Hutchinson, who the coordinator deemed a werewolf.

DJ Wonnum, who is projected to start, has 34 1/8-inch arms. Rookie Derrick Moore is a little less rangy, at 33 3/8 inches. While Peyton Turner, the former first-round pick, checks in at 35 3/8 inches.

Turner looks remarkably like former Lions defender Marcus Davenport, even wearing the same No. 92 jersey. Interestingly, Turner was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in 2021 to replace Davenport.

Unfortunately, like Davenport, Turner has battled a string of injury issues in recent years. That makes him a bit of a mystery, albeit a low-cost, low-risk one for the Lions.

“I know this, there’s been nothing he has done that has been a disappointment to us through all of spring, since we started this, the offseason program,” Campbell said. “The meetings have been good, the field work has been good, he’s moving around well, his care factor is up there, seems like he is a pretty smart guy, so you know we’re intrigued. That’s also why we brought him in. We liked him when he was coming out as a pup a long time ago, so we’ll see.”

Another name to watch this summer is undrafted rookie Anthony Lucas. He caught Sheppard’s eye when studying the prospect’s USC tape, particularly a 2024 matchup against Sheppard’s alma mater, LSU.

“He was a game wrecker,” Sheppard said. “If people go back, those two tackles that played at LSU that year, one of them was the No. 4 pick and the other went in the third round. Those are some pretty good players and he wrecked that game. So, as a guy I had my radar up on, how did we get this guy undrafted? So, we are very excited.”

The answer to why Lucas went undrafted is likely as simple as his production. He was a rotational player for three seasons and didn’t record his first sack until his senior year. He finished that campaign with 3.0.

Exploring alternatives

After spending most of his first two seasons repping at left tackle, Giovanni Manu has seen more work at both right tackle and guard this offseason.

Selected as a developmental project in the fourth round of the 2024 draft, Manu’s future is a little cloudy entering his third season. Despite the offseason departures of Taylor Decker and Dan Skipper, Manu remains fourth on the tackle depth chart, behind Penei Sewell, free-agent signing Larry Borom and first-round draft pick Blake Miller.

Campbell said the Lions still view Manu as a tackle, long-term, but are exploring his potential at other spots while shorthanded at guard. That includes veteran Ben Bartch being held out of action for precautionary reasons related to a 2025 foot injury.

“It’s actually kind of worked out good to just see what he looks like at guard,” Campbell said. “He’s still getting tackle reps. We’re trying to give him the best opportunity to showcase what he has. And who knows? Maybe he is better at guard. We still think tackle, but if he can prove something then that’s good. So we’ll see.”

Allen Park — Here are notes and observations from Thursday’s OTA practice, the ninth and final session before next week’s mandatory minicamp.

● Let’s start where we usually do with these observations, checking in on participation. Ahead of practice, coach Dan Campbell noted that an illness had hit the defensive back room.

That bug sidelined cornerbacks Ennis Rakestraw and Rock-Ya Sin. Terrion Arnold was also out, but the team had already been managing his workload through the early stages of the offseason program.

Also not practicing were backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, guard Ben Bartch, tight end Tyler Conklin and safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph.

With Bartch, he has yet to practice in any of the three sessions open to the media. I asked Campbell if the absence was related to the season-ending foot injury Bartch suffered last season.

“Yes, he is much more precautionary than what those other two (Joseph and Branch) are,” Campbell said. “We anticipate him being ready for training camp, he’s doing well.”

Conklin, meanwhile, exited Wednesday’s practice with an injury, and given Campbell didn’t offer an unprompted update on the veteran tight end, it’s believed to be a minor issue.

● Branch was in attendance, in street clothes, for the first time this offseason. He wasn’t wearing a sleeve or brace over the repaired Achilles and was walking without a limp.

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Allen Park — Reflecting the true meritocracy of professional football, the Detroit Lions had an undrafted rookie free agent earn a spot on the team’s initial 53-man roster for 15 consecutive years.

In 2025, the counter was reset to zero. That just means a fresh wave of overlooked prospects will be looking to start the next streak.

Last month, the Lions announced the signing of nine undrafted rookies. They recently added a tenth, wide receiver Kyre Duplessis, after fifth-round draft pick Kendrick Law suffered a torn ACL while going through a non-contact drill during an OTA practices.

So who, among that group, is capable of rising up and winning a job? Frankly, any of them. This team’s front office doesn’t add talent without a vision or intent. However, a critical factor is opportunity. And that’s why Aidan Keanaaina arguably has an inside track.

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Allen Park — Derrick Barnes expected more from himself.

His defensive coordinator, Kelvin Sheppard, had gone to bat for Barnes last offseason, telling general manager Brad Holmes the organization needed to re-sign the linebacker.

“That’s a player I have to have,” Sheppard told Holmes.

So despite Barnes coming off a serious knee injury, which sidelined him the final 14 games of the 2024 season, the Lions rewarded him with a three-year, $24 million extension for the developmental strides he had made through four seasons and the belief there were even brighter days ahead.

If we take the stat sheet at face value, Barnes delivered his most productive season to date in 2025. He set career-highs for snaps, sacks, quarterback pressures, tackles for loss and pass breakups. He also recorded his first regular season interception and first since picking off Baker Mayfield to seal Detroit’s playoff victory over Tampa Bay in 2024.

The 4.0 sacks doubled Barnes’ output from the previous four seasons combined. But that was far below the double-digit goal he had set from himself, wanting to validate Detroit’s renewed investment in him.

That wasn’t the only area where Barnes felt he fell short of expectations, and combined with the team missing the playoffs after two straight division titles, it left the linebacker wondering if he did enough to maximize his potential.

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Allen Park — When the Detroit Lions signed Christian Izien in March, it was unclear what role the team envisioned for the versatile defensive back.

During his first three seasons in Tampa Bay, Izien played a lot of nickel, but also saw action as both a box and free safety, while occasionally defending the boundary or aligning along the line of scrimmage pre-snap.

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That followed a similarly varied role during his time at Rutgers, where he worked between 770 and 996 snaps at strong safety, free safety and nickel corner.

When he was introduced to local media after signing with the Lions, Izien claimed his usage hadn’t been discussed. Asked his favorite spot of the many he played, he responded “the football field,” indicating he’s happiest where the team needs him most.

The past two weeks of OTA practices have offered some clarity on Detroit’s plan, at least initially. When the top defensive group has taken the field, Izien is among them, lining up furthest away from the ball in the free safety role.

Had there been odds on where he’d fit the day he signed, that might have been a distant third. Given his physicality near the line of scrimmage, nickel or strong safety seemingly made more sense, particularly following the departure of Amik Robertson and Brian Branch’s ongoing recovery from a torn Achilles that likely keeps him out until the middle of the season.

However, the Lions ultimately added more depth to help in those areas, signing veterans Roger McCreary and Chuck Clark prior to drafting Keith Abney. That allowed the team to plug Izien into Kerby Joseph’s spot while the former All-Pro continues to manage a troublesome knee that sidelined him most of the 2025 campaign.

Through three professional seasons, Izien has played fewer than a quarter of his defensive reps at free safety, but at Rutgers, it was his primary position, so it’s been a little like riding a bike.

“Just having ball instincts, ball awareness, I think I have really great range for safety,” Izien said when asked what he likes about playing free safety. “Then, open-field tackling was something I worked on after my rookie year. It was a big fix for me.”

The other aspect, which Izien considers one of his greatest strengths, is communication. He’s confidently picked up what’s being asked of him with Detroit’s playbook and is comfortable relaying the calls to his teammates, getting them on the same page before the snap.

Izien’s acclimation, to the team and the city, has been aided by Joseph.

While not a captain, Joseph’s leadership has steadily grown behind the scenes over the years. He’s been quick to take young teammates under his wing and he has forged a strong bond among the secondary, hosting weekly gatherings at his home the past couple of years.

Izien made the long walk off the field after Thursday’s OTA practice alongside Joseph, engaged in an animated conversation, with both smiling and laughing. You could easily mistake them for longtime friends. The two are lockermates in Detroit and Izien said Joseph was the first of his new teammates to reach out when he signed.

Joseph has also helped Izien get acclimated to the city, bringing him along to several Pistons games during the team’s too-short playoff run.

Don’t hold it against him, but Izien didn’t take the Pistons’ premature exit too hard. A New York native who grew up 12 miles south of Madison Square Garden, he’s reveling in the Knicks first NBA Finals appearance of his lifetime.

“I was up screaming, jumping out of bed,” Izien said about the Knicks’ Game 1 win over the San Antonio Spurs. “I'm enjoying every step of the way.”

Regardless, experiencing the electric vibe of downtown Detroit while attending those Pistons games, and the steady support of fans who have messaged Izien on social media, has given him an early sense of the city’s passion for the Lions. It’s on a different level than what he experienced in Tampa or at Rutgers, where football can be an afterthought.

Izien will be looking to bring that same juice to the city with the Lions this fall, whether he’s playing free safety, box safety, nickel corner or special teams. He doesn’t care where he's lining up between the lines. He’s just here to help, any way he can.

Allen Park — Ahead of Thursday’s OTA practice, Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell and offensive coordinator Drew Petzing met with the media. Then, after the practice, offensive tackle Penei Sewell, center Cade Mays, wide receiver Jameson Williams and running back Jahmyr Gibbs talked to reporters.

Here are the highlights from those conversations.

Practice participation

It was a light day of practice on Thursday with no full-speed, seven-on-seven work. Instead of providing limited observations, let’s focus on participation.

Critically, cornerback Terrion Arnold and tight end Sam LaPorta were on the field. Both went inside for planned, continued treatment midway through the session, declining interview requests along the way.

The only Lions not on the field were safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph, offensive lineman Ben Bartch, undrafted rookie tight end Miles Kitselman and rookie receiver Kendrick Law, who suffered a torn ACL earlier in the week.

To replace Law, the Lions signed wide receiver Kyre Duplessis. The 5-foot-10, 185-pounder is an undrafted rookie out of Delaware, via Coastal Carolina. He had 60 catches for 824 yards and five touchdowns last season. He also has some limited return work on the resume, including a punt return for a touchdown in 2025.

Still in wait-and-see mode

Joseph hasn’t played in a game since Oct. 12. The Lions spent two months trying to strengthen the leg muscles around his knee to add stability before conceding he wouldn’t return to action in 2025, officially placing him on injured reserve on Dec. 20.

Nearly a half year later, with the early portion of the offseason program underway and training camp on the horizon, the team still lacks clarity on whether the 25-year-old former All-Pro safety will ever be able to return to form.

Joseph has been on the sideline the two OTA practices open to the media, but the team is keeping him in bubble wrap instead of putting unnecessary strain on the balky knee during this time of year.

“I honestly do not know,” Campbell said ahead of Thursday’s practice. “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. It's not worth it right now. We're just slowly building, continuing the strength in there.

“He's getting treatment,” Campbell continued. “He's done some of these different things at different places to try to help. So, I feel good about that. I feel good that we've done everything we can and so has he. …Honestly, we probably won't know until we get into the thick of training camp.”

Joseph has occasionally posted photos on social media, including one of an acupuncture session, but Campbell declined to elaborate any more on the treatments Joseph has explored this offseason.

If Joseph can’t play, the Lions have loaded the roster with insurance options, bringing back Thomas Harper and Avonte Maddox and signing free agents Christian Izien and Chuck Clark.

Izien has been filling in for Joseph as the free safety with the top defensive grouping during these early practices.

“He's a pretty headsy player,” Campbell said. “He's pretty violent: See ball, hit ball. He hasn't done a ton on the back end with depth. And so those are things we're working through. But, I feel like those are things he can do. But, there again, we won't know until we get into it in real time. But I know he's got some football player to him and I really like that (safety) group.”

Lions not worried about Rams’ approach

Campbell’s reaction to Monday’s blockbuster trade that saw the Rams land future Hall of Fame edge rusher Myles Garrett could best be described as a shrug.

“Yeah, I mean good for them,” Campbell said. “I mean, they’ve won (the Super Bowl) now, right? Honestly, I had no (reaction). I mean, he’s a hell of a player. (Jared) Verse is a hell of a player. They’re two totally different players, but that was what they felt like they needed to do and good for them.”

Petzing, meanwhile, offered some personal perspective, having been on the coaching staff in Cleveland during the early stages of Garrett’s career.

“I was in the building with him for three years, so I saw it first-hand,” Petzing said. “He's a great player, kind of like the guys we talked about on this offense. I don't know if there's a weakness in his game. He does so many things at such a high level, plays with such violence, so great player.”

Petzing closed the point by reminding reporters that the Lions don’t play the Rams this season, unless they catch them in the playoffs.

“I know right now he's not on the schedule, so I hope we're playing him this year,” Petzing said.

Emphasis on rush doesn’t diminish stopping run

Under Campbell, former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and current DC Kelvin Sheppard, there’s been a heavy emphasis on stopping the run to earn the right to rush the passer.

However, this offseason, the team has added several defensive linemen who are known more for their pass-rush ability than run-stopping prowess. That includes all three of the defensive linemen the team selected in the draft — Derrick Moore, Skyler Gill-Howard and Tyre West.

Campbell was asked if that approach represented the scales being tilted more toward rushing the passer.

“Well, we certainly wanted to see if we can add a little bit of juice in there on the perimeter, but also in the middle,” Campbell acknowledged.

However, the coach still expects competency from the newcomers when defending the run.

“You got to be able to show you can hold your own, at least,” Campbell said. “You don't have to be dominant. So, that'll be things we're going to have to work through once we get into camp.”

Ready to shoulder the load

After playing fewer than 60% of the offensive snaps each of his first two seasons, Gibbs was slightly above 67% in 2025, after taking over the starting role.

That resulted in a career-high 320 touches, 1,839 yards from scrimmage and 18 touchdowns. And even though the Lions have indicated that they always intend to have a degree of balance to the backfield of rotation — adding former Kansas City starter Isiah Pacheco to serve as the new complement this offseason — they’re no longer shying away from the idea that Gibbs can and will shoulder a heavy load.

“He's going to be our bellcow now,” Campbell said. “He really became more of that last year, but we're going to hang our hat on him quite a bit. We're going to do a lot of things we feel like he does well.

“He can run everything that we've got (in the play book),” Campbell said. “He can run every scheme that anybody's ever run. He's not just an outside runner. He is not just a space runner. He can create his own space in the middle. And some of his biggest runs have been gap scheme right down the pipe where he's had patience and found it and guys blocked it up well. So, we're going to ask a lot of him.”

Part of the expanded duties, according to Gibbs, is increased urgency with his receiving role. A focus seemingly every offseason, the back said the team isn’t waiting until the middle of training camp to focus on his route running. Instead, Petzing has made it a point of emphasis on Day 1 of the offseason program.

To the surprise of no one, Gibbs is ready for as much work as the Lions are willing to give him.

“It’s not anything I’m not used to,” Gibbs said. “Growing up, I’ve always been the person with the most carries, so I’m not looking at it different than any other year.”

Gibbs, who is up for a contract extension, said he’s leaving those conversations to his agent so he can focus on “the team and ball.”

“I’m just trying to hoop right now,” Gibbs said.

Focused on completing the process

Williams was light on details, but said his offseason emphasis has been on “catching.” That seems as good a focus as any for a receiver, if you ask me.

Williams is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, but he did experience a spike in drops in 2025, putting nine catchable throws on the ground after letting just two slip through his hands the season before.

Williams believes his issues were more mental than physical.

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Picking up things quickly

Undrafted rookie quarterback Luke Altmyer, who will spend his inaugural offseason trying to convince the Lions to carry three QBs on the 53-man roster, has made a strong initial impression with the coaching staff.

“Yeah, he didn't lack confidence, for sure,” Campbell said. “What we thought he would be at this point, I would say it's kind of held true. And what I mean by that is he's able to kind of retain the information. …He’s got a lot on his plate, but he knows what the calls are, he knows where guys are supposed to be, the shifts, the motions and that's good for a young guy.”

Petzing noted that the ability for a young player to pick things up quickly is the key to their success, particularly at the quarterback position, because they’re the backstop for the rest of the offense being lined up correctly.

“I think he’s really embraced that and I think that’s been kind of the fun thing to get to work with him,” Petzing said. “You are building it from the ground up. He doesn’t have that foundation right now, and so we’re trying to set that foundation. I think he’s embracing that challenge.”

Petzing said Altmyer has been “unflappable” during his first few weeks in the building.

“I think there are, especially with some young quarterbacks, you can see some nerves in the way that they call plays or get out of the huddle or act post snap,” Petzing said. “Whereas with him, I think he has a ton of confidence in his ability and you feel that in the way he just goes in and out of the huddle and plays the game. …He never seems overwhelmed by what we’re asking him to do or how we’re asking him to do it. He’s willing to learn and to work at it, which has been great.”

Appeal of aggressiveness

While the fanbase is often split on Campbell’s aggressiveness on fourth down — especially when it doesn’t work out — it was interesting to hear center Cade Mays list that as one of the reasons he wanted to sign with Detroit this offseason.

Mays, one of the new kids on the block, has been honed in on getting on the same page as quarterback Jared Goff. The center-quarterback communication is critical to an offense’s success and the new snapper has been appreciative of how much Goff is helping with the acclimation process.

“Obviously, he’s been in this offense longer than me, so it’s just learning how he sees things, how he communicates and upping my game to that level,” Mays said. “…I feel like we’ve done a great job this week. Jared has been awesome with helping me with the questions I have and the looks.”

Maintaining the standard

Sewell is 25 years old, and yet, somehow, he’s the longest-tenured player among his position group and one of the longest tenured on Detroit’s roster.

“I know every year we talk about it (being) a different year, but this one is kind of feeling a lot different because all the guys that I came in with are not here anymore,” Sewell said. “It’s a lot of new faces.”

When Sewell arrived as a rookie, he joined a veteran starting group that included Taylor Decker, Frank Ragnow, Jonah Jackson and Halapoulivaati Vaitai. In the five years since, Ragnow and Vaitai retired, Jackson departed in free agency and Decker, after flirting with retirement this offseason, was granted his release after rejecting a proposed pay cut.

Sewell, who has already been serving as a captain, said it falls on him to uphold the standard he learned under the veterans who came before him.

“The standard is the same,” Sewell said. “I’m the one who has been here the longest in the room, so it’s up to me to really hold that and really show the guys, not just tell them. That’s the most important. You have to come out here each and every day because they’re not going to follow you if you’re not doing it yourself.”

Allen Park — The injury bug has taken a early bite out of the Detroit Lions’ roster. Ahead of Thursday’s OTA practice, coach Dan Campbell announced that rookie receiver Kendrick Law suffered a torn ACL earlier in the week.

“Get this out of the way, on Tuesday, Kendrick Law tore his ACL out at practice (during) a non-contact drill,” Campbell said. “Hate it for him. Kid was doing a good job. That's, you know, part of it. It's a harsh reality, but he'll get it out of the way early, have his whole career in front of him.”

Law, a fifth-round pick out of Kentucky, had caught the eye of Lions general manager Brad Holmes a year earlier while the receiver was still at Alabama.

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Law hit the transfer portal after the 2024 campaign, looking for an expanded opportunity to improve his NFL prospects. He found it with the Wildcats, where he posted 53 receptions for 540 yards last season, with nearly all that damage coming after the catch. He also continued to contribute in the return game and figured to be in that mix for the Lions while he worked toward developing a offensive role.

Detroit’s receiving depth chart remains in good shape despite the unfortunate news. The group is headed by multiple-time All-Pro Amon-Ra St. Brown, speedster Jameson Williams and 2025 third-round pick Isaac TeSlaa.

The team also added Greg Dortch in free agency. The veteran offers a similar skill set to Law and is projected to be the Lions’ No. 4 option and punt returner this season, backfilling the responsibilities previously belonging to Kalif Raymond.

Law’s injury opens the door for Dominic Lovett, Jackson Meeks, Tom Kennedy or veteran Cedric Wilson to potentially claim a fifth receiver spot with a strong training camp and preseason performance later this summer.

Allen Park — The Detroit Lions are adding an experienced GM with a college scouting background to the team's front office, bringing aboard longtime Dolphins general manager Chris Grier in a senior personnel role.

The news was first reported by ESPN and has been confirmed by a team source.

The addition of Grier is the latest change at the top levels of Detroit’s front office, which has seen a steady stream of movement during general manager Brad Holmes’ tenure.

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When Holmes was hired in 2021, he brought in assistant general manager Ray Agnew, former Chiefs and Browns general manager John Dorsey in a senior personnel role, and scout Mike Martin as director of scouting advancement.

Following a successful rebuild, Detroit saw the departures of college scouting director Dave Sears, director of player personnel Lance Newmark and Martin.

Sears joined the Arizona Cardinals as an assistant general manager in 2023 and Newmark landed the same title with the Washington Commanders a year later. As for Martin, he was poached by Notre Dame in 2025, where he serves as the program’s general manager.

Sears' role was backfilled by Brian Hudspeth, formerly the team’s assistant college scouting director. Newmark and Martin’s positions weren’t directly replaced, although the team did bring in Dwayne Joseph, the former Raiders director of pro scouting, to serve as the director of scouting.

According to a team source, Grier’s addition isn’t viewed as a direct replacement of a previous or pending departure.

Grier got his scouting start with the New England Patriots in 1994, working alongside his father, Bobby.

Grier left the organization following the hiring of Bill Belichick, jumping to division rival Miami in 2000. He was promoted to national scout and assistant college scouting director after three seasons, college scouting director after another four, and eventually earned the team’s general manager role in 2016.

At the helm, Grier produced mixed results, compiling an 82-83 record that included a trio of playoff appearances. Among Grier’s notable draft picks are offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil, cornerback Xavien Howard, defensive tackle Davon Godchaux, safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, linebacker Jerome Baker, edge defender Andrew Van Ginkel, guard Robert Hunt, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, safety Javon Holland, edge defender Jaelen Phillips and running back De’Von Achane.

Grier’s final first-round pick as the Dolphins GM was used on Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant.

Grier’s track record in free agency has been less impressive. He's found a handful of gems, most notably center Aaron Brewer in 2024, but had big whiffs on Kyle Van Noy, Ereck Flowers and cornerback Byron Jones.

Arguably Greer’s biggest move as general manager was a 2022 trade for wide receiver Tyreek Hill, which coincided with the hiring of coach Mike McDaniel. Paired with Waddle, the team’s 2021 first-round pick, and Achane, a third-round selection the next year, the Dolphins were the NFL’s most-explosive offense in 2023, leading the league in yards and finishing second in scoring.

However, injuries, including Tagovailoa in 2024 and Hill in 2025, led to the team’s decline and the eventual departure of Grier last October and McDaniel a few months later.

Of note, Grier's father, Bobby, previously overlapped with multiple members of Detroit’s front office, including Hudspeth, the team’s director of college scouting, and Rob Lohman, the team’s director of pro scouting. Both Lions executives worked with the elder Grier in Houston for multiple years, with Hudspeth listing Bobby as one of his scouting mentors.

Bobby passed away last September.

Chris’ brother, Mike, played a long career in the NHL and currently serves as the general manager for the San Jose Sharks.

Allen Park — Last week, we explored the long-term health of the Detroit Lions’ offense, taking an early, position-by-position look at the next wave of prospects expected to enter the 2027 NFL draft.

This week, we’re returning to evaluate how Detroit’s defense is built for 2027 and beyond.

Edge

The Lions are blessed to have one of the league’s truly elite edge rushers in the fold for the next several seasons after signing Aidan Hutchinson to a lucrative extension that runs through 2030. Through 56 career games, the soon-to-be 26 year old has 43.0 sacks. Further highlighting his impact, he’s topped 100 quarterback pressures his past two healthy seasons.

It’s the opposite edge that’s been a conundrum for Detroit. Romeo Okwara and Charles Harris fizzled out early in Hutchinson’s career, John Cominsky and Marcus Davenport’s tenures were marred by injury, and Josh Paschal never met expectations as a second-round pick, also partially due to durability.

Only Al-Quadin Muhammad delivered, at least from a pass-rushing perspective, but his age and deficiencies as a run defender discouraged the Lions from paying the raise he had earned when he hit free agency this offseason.

Instead, the team temporarily plugged the void in the starting lineup with DJ Wonnum and added Michigan’s Derrick Moore in the second round of the draft to bolster the rotation.

Whatever leftover snaps remain will likely go to either former first-round pick Payton Turner — one of several low-cost, low-risk signings the team made this offseason — or late-round selection Tyre West, who flashed an intriguing pass rush toolbox during his four years at the University of Tennessee.

The future of that spot hinges on Moore. He’s projected to begin his career as a reserve, spelling both Hutchinson and Wonnum, but if the rookie can develop reliability in the run game, there’s starting potential.

Regardless, the Lions are likely going to need more depth next season, even if 2025 sixth-round pick Ahmed Hassanein takes a significant developmental jump in his second season.

Odds the Lions draft an edge in the first three rounds in 2027: 30%

2027 top prospects

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Allen Park — For the second time in five years, the Los Angeles Rams are pulling out all the stops in pursuit of a Super Bowl.

Already the early favorite after aggressively addressing the team’s secondary — a deficiency that led to their downfall a year earlier — the Rams pulled off a stunning trade on Monday, sending two-time Pro Bowler Jared Verse and a trio of early-round draft picks to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for seven-time All-Pro and future Hall of Famer Myles Garrett.

The blockbuster is the sequel to another needle-moving deal in March, when the Rams sent four draft picks, including a 2026 first-rounder, to Kansas City for cornerback Trent McDuffie. They promptly awarded the defender with the largest contract for a cornerback in NFL history.

The McDuffie trade, paired with signing cornerback Jaylen Watson and re-signing safety Kam Curl, bolstered a defensive backfield that had been torched by the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship.

Clearly not wanting to waste the twilight of reigning MVP Matthew Stafford’s career, the Rams are taking a similar path to one they followed in 2021, when they traded two first-rounders and former No. 1 pick Jared Goff to the Detroit Lions for Stafford and picked up superstar edge rusher Von Miller at the trade deadline to strengthen a championship push.

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Allen Park — Last summer, it was easy to believe we might have seen the last of Levi Onwuzurike in a Detroit Lions uniform.

Set to play on a one-year contract extension following the expiration of his rookie deal, some offseason knee pain proved to be an ACL injury requiring surgical repair. The follow-up to the defensive lineman’s breakout season was over before it began.

Beyond the expiring contract, a bigger sign he might be done in Detroit was the team gave Onwuzurike’s No. 91 to first-round draft pick Tyleik Williams.

It felt like the tea leaves didn’t require reading, they were a blinking neon sign holding a megaphone.

However, the Lions knew something we didn’t, something not even Onwuzurike knew before it was first reported by the Detroit Football Network in early February. Because he was injured ahead of the final year of his contract, and ruled out the entirety of that season, the deal’s terms would carry over to the next season.

So, it’s not over. Onwuzurike is now set for a second comeback during his Lions tenure after a triumphant return from a spinal fusion surgery that nearly ended his career in 2022. And, based on how the team addressed the defensive tackle position this offseason, it would seem that they’re counting on him to be a key cog in the interior rotation.

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Allen Park — Ahead of the first open practice of the 2026 offseason, Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell, special teams coordinator Dave Fipp and assistant general manager Ray Agnew had podium sessions.

Then, following the practice, quarterback Jared Goff, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, edge defender Aidan Hutchinson and defensive tackle Alim McNeill met with the media.

That’s a lot of audio to dissect. Here are the highlights.

Scrapped plans

The Lions made a unique decision to remove rookie minicamp from the schedule this offseason. I had hypothesized that the alteration was to give the incoming players a much-needed physical and mental break after grueling pre-draft preparation, and it was good to hear Campbell confirm that speculation.

“We'll have a couple of these rookies that probably won't do very much (today) and that's more precautionary,” Campbell said, before I asked about removing the rookie minicamp. “Some of the rookies, it's the same way every year, they train for the combine or for all of those drills, they don't train for football. …We just want to be smart with these guys, make sure they're ready to get on the field to do — even though it's not a lot, to be able to do that. We don't want any setbacks.

“…It's not worth it anymore,” Campbell said about schedule change. “Really, the straw that broke the camel’s back last year. It was the first walkthrough, we had guys all over the ground. The league didn't take too kindly to that, and it's not worth it. It's just not worth it. So, let's get them ready, let's physically get them ready to where they can get with the rest of the guys and look like football players a little bit.”

D-line developments

Agnew, a former defensive lineman, offered some feedback on the team’s young players at the position, including last year’s first-round pick, Tyleik Williams.

“As a young d-lineman, you’re going to always have your ups and downs,” Agnew said. “I thought, by the end of the year, he got more consistent as a player, with his technique and his run play. I think he’ll get better at that this year, and I do think he’ll get better as a pass rusher, also.”

Williams finished his rookie year with 18 tackles, 19 QB pressures and 1.0 sack. He’s expected to join the starting lineup in his second season following the departure of DJ Reader.

In regards to rookies Skyler Gill-Howard and Tyre West, Agnew said the pass-rush ability of both players stood out during the evaluation process. However, both need to round out their skill sets this offseason by working on their run defense.

On the veteran front, Agnew expects Alim McNeill is in line for a rebound performance after a lackluster showing coming off an ACL tear in 2025.

“I think Alim will have a great year,” Agnew said. “I think he’ll have a bounce-back year. Usually, with an ACL, it’s the second year you come back where you’re fully healthy. I expect great things out of him.”

McNeill didn’t return until midseason, missing out on the foundational work players get throughout the offseason program. McNeill said he never underestimated the value of those practices, but there wasn’t an alternative with his recovery timeline.

He is also expecting bigger and better things from himself in 2026.

“(I’m more) explosive and being able to do what I need to do, yeah, absolutely,” McNeill said. “It’s a night-and-day difference between last year and now. Just overall strength and being able to connect the mind and the body, just my brain being able to know that this leg is good and I can step and plant here, stuff like that. It was more mental, like neurological, just getting that muscle to fire with this (injury) than anything. I never felt like last year that I was limited at all, as far as mentally, but yeah, I have that connection now. It’s just easier now.”

Forging a fresh bond

Goff said it’s way too early to tell you how the scheme might look different under first-year coordinator Drew Petzing, but the quarterback has enjoyed the relationship the two are forging behind the scenes.

“He’s been awesome, man,” Goff said. “He’s been great to work with. He’s got a lot of his own ideas and he’s also very open to listening to everything that we want to do. It’s been a fun synergy between him and I and our whole offensive staff. It’s been great. He’s done a great job. Yeah, he really has. He’s a great listener and he really puts the players first.

Goff said he’ll likely have a better answer about how things are different come September. However, I’m not sure how much I would anticipate him sharing those details in the fall.

“Hopefully scoring a lot more points and winning a lot more games is the biggest difference,” Goff said.

Not surprisingly, Goff is impressed with Petzing’s acumen for X’s and O’s, but it’s the coordinator’s intangibles that have grabbed the quarterback’s attention even more.

“He’s got a great feel for what it’s like to run an offense and to run a room and how to balance volume with intentionally attacking a defense and trying to find yourself in the right plays,” Goff said. “It’s hard, man. It’s a lot more to it than just drawing up plays. And I think he’s got that extra part to it, as well as the play (design) stuff is great, his scheme is great, but the part that is outside of the X’s and O’s, I think he does a hell of a job with, and it’s been a lot of fun.

“…It’s communication,” Goff said. It’s knowing when to balance simple, easy concepts with complexities that we can all handle, knowing how to install, how to keep it fun and keep the energy up, and then how to hold guys accountable and lead and be able to be in front of a room. He’s great at it.”

Easing the load

Hutchinson understands the value of rest, but it doesn’t make it any less difficult to embrace the mindset.

He’s coming off a season where he logged more snaps than any defensive lineman, 950, and the Lions want to dial it back. When the team selected Derrick Moore in the second round, Holmes noted the addition should help take some work off Hutchinson’s plate.

Hutchinson was asked if he could appreciate the organization’s mindset.

“Yeah, it’s a fine line,” Hutchinson said. “Sometimes, it’s like overtime, I’m not coming out. If it’s the fourth quarter, I’m not really coming out. I think towards the end of the season last year, we started being a little bit more deliberate about, hey, I’m going to take these first two plays off of this drive. Just (doing) that, I did feel it in the fourth quarter. It really helps, just taking a couple off here and there, it helps the conditioning for sure.”

Hutchinson does love the idea that the Lions added some more Wolverines to the roster, including Moore. The two hadn’t really interacted prior to the draft, but they worked out together at Michigan after the Lions made the selection.

“It was fun just talking pass rush, seeing his mentality, my mentality and how they differ and how they may complement each other,” Hutchinson said.

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Finding the right fit

After the NFL made touchbacks on kickoffs more punitive last season, there was a sharp increase in returns. The Lions faired reasonably well following the alteration, averaging 26.6 yards per return. That ranked 10th in the league. However, they lacked explosiveness on the play. The team’s longest return, 44 yards, was bottom-10.

Fipp has continued to invest significant time into studying the nuances of the new kickoff format. He’s on the hunt for more impact through finding the right returners this year.

“The kick return is obviously a huge play,” Fipp said. “It is definitely more important than it’s ever been, which is fun. But, finding the returner, yeah, obviously, to me, the returner is going to be crucial. I mean, at that position, those guys are touching the ball quite a bit. So, at the end of the day, obviously you want great players back there. I think it’s going to help push teams to play guys who might be doing a little bit more on the roster on offense, but they have a value for you, field position-wise on special teams, too.”

Fipp noted newcomer Greg Dortch could be in the mix for one of the two spots, despite being a little smaller than the coordinator would prefer for the role.

“In my opinion, you want a guy who’s durable, who is going to be able to take some hits,” Fipp said. “Dortch definitely has done it, has been productive and had some production similar to what Kalif (Raymond) has.”

Fipp and St. Brown both had nothing but glowing comments for Raymond, who departed for an opportunity in Chicago this offseason after five years with Detroit.

Regarding Dortch, St. Brown said he loves his new teammate’s football IQ, movement skills and competitiveness. Meanwhile, Fipp, who remembered scouting Dortch when he was coming out of Wake Forest in 2019, sees a chance to recreate Raymond’s growth as an average return man into one of the league’s best.

Halting the hype trains

Every offseason, Campbell gets asked about specific players, and whether they’re looking good during these early practices.

They’re softball questions that produce filler content for newspapers and websites — trust me, I was guilty of providing that filler for more than a decade. Bad news for those counting on the puff pieces because Campbell isn’t interested in providing the quotes to support them.

“I’m done with the hype of the pajama party in May,” Campbell said “Man, it’s about the mental, it’s about the movement skills. All that other stuff doesn’t matter. And then we’ll find out in training camp who’s who.”

Still, even though Campbell robbed us of the “X is in the best shape of his life” quotes, he provided another layup conversation piece when offering a glowing assessment of the roster general manager Brad Holmes pieced together this offseason.

“This will be the most competition we’ve had, in my opinion, top-tier competition,” Campbell said. “This will be good. This is going to be good across the board. So now it’s just, let’s get acclimated. We want to hit the ground running when we get to late July, August.”

The joy of development

Fipp said one of his favorite parts of this time of year is determining what the incoming rookies can do on special teams, particularly those with limited experience during their college careers.

“A bunch of these guys have done some things (on special teams), and then I think some people think these guys have done (more) than they have. Like (Jimmy) Rolder played 13 punts. That’s it. So, if he’s playing on our punt team this year, he’s going to play a lot more than that. He’s got some big shoes to fill.

“None of these guys have covered kick or played a kick return the way they’re going to play it this year,” Fipp continued. (Keith) Abney has zero punt reps in his time in college. So, it’s like these guys are, man, they’re green. They’ve got to grow. Am I excited about that? Oh, heck yeah. That’s my favorite part of the job is trying to get a guy to be able to do something he’s maybe never done before or play at a level he hasn’t before.”

Detroit asks all of its position coaches to contribute to the scouting process ahead of the draft. I asked Fipp how he evaluates a player’s special team potential when they have little to no reps doing what he’ll ask them to do.

“At the end of the day, football is football,” Fipp said. “There’s a lot of things that relate. Just to give you an example, on defense, if you’re a defensive end, you’re trying to rush a tackle one-on-one off the edge. Well, the kickoff play is really a one-on-one pass rush, very similar to defensive end rushing tackle. You’re doing it from five yards away instead of maybe one or two on the line of scrimmage, but it’s very similar. So, how’s that guy play that play on defense, and do you think those skills or traits would relate or carry over”

“Then, through the years, I think you build a volume of information like “OK, I saw this guy do this and that actually showed up when he got here,’” Fipp said. “So, now I feel like when I see a guy do this on college film, I think he’ll be able to do it on NFL film because I saw that with another player. And so, throughout the years, I think you kind of become a little bit more intuitive in your evaluation process.”

The next step

Agnew confirmed that he interviewed for the Vikings’ GM vacancy, expressing gratitude for the opportunity, even if he’s no longer in the running for that job.

Agnew affirmed his commitment to Detroit and the love of his current role as GM Brad Holmes’ right-hand man. Regardless, Agnew restated his desire to run his own team one day.

“Obviously, I didn't have what they were looking for, but I'm excited and happy where I'm at,” Agnew said. “I enjoy working here every day. I've always been wherever my feet are at.

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Allen Park — Here are notes and observations from Friday’s OTA practice, the first offseason session of 2026 open to local media.

● As usual, let’s start with attendance, which was strong for the end-of-the-week voluntary practice.

Most of the absences were related to known injury situations lingering from the previous season. Not practicing were safeties Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch, cornerback Terrion Arnold, offensive lineman Ben Bartch and tight ends Sam LaPorta and Zach Horton,

Joseph (knee), Branch (Achilles), LaPorta (back), Arnold (shoulder) and Bartch (foot) all ended last season on injured reserve.

Joseph did attend practice in street clothes, assisted running a defensive back drill, and caught some soft toss throws at the end of the day. For what little it’s worth, he didn’t have a brace or sleeve on his injured leg or walk with a noticeable limp.

Lions coach Dan Campbell pre-emptively acknowledged some of those players wouldn’t be participating ahead of practice, and also noted there wasn’t an urgency to get any of them on the field.

“That's not the priority and it's not worth all that anyway,” Campbell said. “Now LaPorta has taken some walkthrough, jog-through. He's done some of that. He's not going to be out there today. Listen, the most important thing is continue to let them improve, rehab, all that. That'll take precedence right now. So, they're in meetings, they're getting the mental side of this and just take it day-to-day.”

● The roster was divided between two fields to start the day, with most of the first and second stringers working on the left side and the deeper depth to our right.

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Allen Park — The Detroit Lions kicked off their first of three on-field OTA sessions on Wednesday, with local media getting their first look at the team at the end of the week.

Obviously, at this stage of the offseason, there are heavy restrictions. The team can conduct on-field work, including 11-on-11 practice segments, but they won’t be in pads and the league’s collective bargaining agreement prohibits “live contact.”

Remember, the Lions lost an OTA practice in 2024 for exceeding permissible contact.

In addition to this week’s stretch of practices, the Lions will conduct a second and third set of OTAs from June 2-4 and June 9-11. All of these sessions are voluntary.

The team will conclude this phase of the offseason program with mandatory minicamp, June 12-14, before a summer break that leads into training camp in late July.

Here’s six things we’ll be looking for during this earlier stage.

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Allen Park — Amon-Ra St. Brown has seared the name of every wide receiver drafted ahead of him in 2021 into his brain. The Detroit Lions superstar’s ability to rattle off those 16 names became a worn-out exercise for national media who rolled through town to do a feature during St. Brown’s ascent from overlooked fourth-round pick to first-team All-Pro.

Teammate Jack Campbell’s draft experience couldn’t have gone more differently. Campbell didn’t have to sit and wait for two days, seething a little more each time someone else’s name was announced.

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On the contrary, Campbell was the first linebacker off the board in 2023. Selected No. 18 in the first round, most analysts mocked the Lions for ignoring the conventional wisdom of positional value.

Few, if any are laughing now. After earning All-Pro honors in 2025, the Lions recently awarded Campbell with a four-year, $81 million contract that makes him one of the highest-paid linebackers in NFL history.

We’ll come back to that. First, let’s return to 2023. Campbell heard the noise, the mocking of where the Lions selected him. Then, a short time after he arrived in Detroit, he got a package that made sure he’d never forget.

A fan from a neighboring town in his home state of Iowa sent Campbell a handwritten note with a book of press clippings. Included was a printout of a post-draft story harshly criticizing his selection.

Campbell said it was a CBS Sports article. Ironically, that publication was one of the few that praised Detroit for taking the Iowa linebacker, giving the move an “A+” grade. A Google search based on Campbell’s description more likely refers to a Yahoo column by Charles McDonald, which also offered up instant grades.

“The Lions could have had Campbell potentially two rounds later than this,” McDonald wrote. “Pretty crazy. Campbell is a quality athlete and may turn out to be a solid starter, but this is a major reach. Grade: F.”

Instant analysis is undeniably a big traffic source out of the draft, but opens the door for these types of swings and misses. No one remembers when writers are level-headed and right, they remember the scorching hot takes that blew up in their face.

Lions fans will never let Mel Kiper Jr. down for declaring he’d see us at former receiver Mike Williams Hall of Fame induction, or a half-dozen other goofy opinions over the years.

Was McDonald’s words motivation for Campbell? Sure. How could they not be, to some degree? Regardless, the Lions linebacker said proving people wrong always took a backseat to proving the people who believed in him right.

Like a ball carrier attempting to squeeze through his assigned gap, Campbell tackled that goal with conviction. Tackling is kind of his specialty. He racked up 173 stops last season. And now he’s been rewarded for that production with one of the most lucrative extensions ever given to a linebacker.

But the wild thing is Campbell could have gotten more. After the Lions declined his fifth-year option, a bloated figure because of some edge rushers the NFL has classified as linebackers (see: Parsons, Micah), Campbell and his representation could have played hard ball. They could have followed the path of former Iowa teammate Tyler Linderbaum, who parlayed having his fifth-year option declined by Baltimore into the largest free-agent contract ever awarded to a center, by a wide margin.

Campbell, who happily calls Linderbaum a friend, is happy for his former teammate’s success. But that’s not the path Campbell wanted to take. Sure, he wanted to be paid like a top-tier linebacker, but earning the distinction of highest-paid was far less important than remaining in Detroit, a city that’s embraced him and he’s quickly grown to love because its identity overlaps with his own.

“I kind of came in with the goal of I’d be a Lion, no matter what,” Campbell said. “Let’s be realistic here, I already have more than enough. So, for me, it was more about the principle of I just want to be in the elite category because I feel like I’m an elite linebacker.

“That’s the way (general manager) Brad (Holmes) saw it, and that’s the way everyone upstairs saw it. I feel like, for me, I don’t need to be the highest-paid, even though the guys around the league would probably appreciate that because it bumps up everything else, so I’m sorry to them. But I just feel like, for me, I knew what I wanted in this. I want to help the team in any way possible, just to continue to keep the core together. At the end of the day, I feel like it was fair for the team, and I’m more than happy with everything that they’ve blessed me with.”

A lot of players who play for a Detroit team offer hollow respect for the city’s blue-collar identity. Campbell truly embodies it. He grew up in it and carries it forward as an NFL player. He’s never missed a game, going as far as to stay in a contest where his teammate’s cleat pierced through his face last season.

Predictably, Campbell was at the Lions facility, working out, when he learned the parameters of his extension were in place. And when he promises nothing will be different, despite this fresh influx of millions, it’s easy to believe him.

“Honestly, people think that it's going to change (everything), like you wake up and you have everything you ever dreamt of,” Campbell said. “But I can tell you this much: I woke up and I still had the same problems. I'm still Jack Campbell. So, for me, it's just added fuel to my fire.”

Campbell’s biggest problem? He doesn’t have a Super Bowl ring. And he wants one, badly. Something that fires him up, far more than any article criticizing him coming out of the draft, is he feels his teammates share those team-oriented ambitions.

Allen Park — $16,464,491.

That’s how much cap space the Detroit Lions will save in 2027 after declining the fifth-year option on linebacker Jack Campbell’s rookie contract and signing him to a massive four-year extension a few weeks later.

And those “savings” extend into the 2028 season, when the Lions could certainly use them. That’s when the back-end figures on previous extensions for Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell, and to a lesser extent, Aidan Hutchinson and Jameson Williams swell.

That’s not to say Campbell took a discount, although you can argue he and his representation could have tried to squeeze the Lions for a few extra million beyond the four-year, $81 million pact he signed. By annual average value, it inched past Roquan Smith for the second biggest figure for a linebacker all-time, but that’s less impressive when we consider the Ravens linebacker signed his deal three years ago and the cap has swelled since.

Of course, no one really expected Campbell to play hardball to that degree. He’s not the type to bend the organization over a barrel for every possible dollar. Plus, it’s not like $81 million isn’t enough to afford every piece of hunting and fishing gear he could dream up.

Campbell is set to meet with local media Wednesday afternoon. Before he does, let’s take a look at the full details of the contract, understanding exactly how it was structured to help the Lions in the immediate future, while setting up the sides to come together on a second extension a few years down the road.

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Allen Park — Any NFL general manager will tell you the roster-building process never stops. Regardless, despite many notable names still unsigned as June nears, the Detroit Lions aren’t expected to be in the market for a headline-worthy addition ahead of training camp.

The roster, as constructed, is what the team is counting on to bring home a third NFC North crown in four seasons, returning to the postseason and hopefully contending for the franchise’s first Super Bowl.

Lions general manager Brad Holmes approached this offseason with a restricted budget, setting aside significant cap funds designed to re-sign the four stars from the team’s 2023 draft class. They successfully knocked out the first one last week, agreeing to terms on a four-year pact with All-Pro linebacker Jack Campbell, reportedly worth a little more than $80 million.

With the resources Holmes did have at his disposal — both free agency dollars and draft picks — he did a good job plugging the roster’s immediate needs. The haul was led by two offensive lineman, center Cade Mays and offensive tackle Blake Miller. Defensively, the team has two new edges to pair with Aidan Hutchinson.

Many of the remaining additions bolstered Detroit’s depth. There are new and returning backups at nearly every position, including some mid-round rookies who could reasonably develop into future starters.

With the immediate needs addressed, the team is ready to roll into the 2026 season. However, before that happens, let’s take a look at the bigger picture, where the Lions stand long-term at each position, while offering a super early preview of the next wave of talent expected to enter the league next offseason, the 2027 draft class.

For each position, we’re going to evaluate the team’s long-term need, acknowledge the projected top prospects, and assess the likelihood the Lions will be looking to plug a hole in next year’s draft.

We’ll dive into the offense today and take a deeper look at the defense later this week.

Quarterback

At some point in the future, the Lions are going to need to have an honest conversation about replacing Jared Goff. Frankly, 2027 seems premature to reach that conclusion, but I’m cautious to outright dismiss the possibility of drafting an heir — a la Patrick Mahomes, Jordan Love and, most recently, Ty Simpson — given the depth of the upcoming draft class.

Goff, who turns 32 this October, remains at the top of his game. And given he’s a pocket passer with a quick trigger, he’s likely got a few seasons of prime production remaining.

His contract is the more interesting conversation. He’s signed up through the 2028 season. That means any extension would kick in ahead of his age-35 season. Now, plenty of quarterbacks have continued to perform beyond this age. Drew Brees, Payton Manning, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Philip Rivers, Carson Palmer, Brett Favre, Kirk Cousins and Matthew Stafford are among the group who have posted a passer rating north of 100.0 after their 35th birthday.

I’m merely highlighting that it’s better to be prepared to pivot when the opportunity presents itself, rather than be desperately forced into finding a replacement.

Obviously, selecting a quarterback in the first (or second) round is sacrificing the potential to address a more pressing need. However, unless undrafted rookie Luke Altmyer unexpectedly grabs the brass ring this offseason, the team is going to be in the market for a backup next offseason.

Odds the Lions select a Goff heir in 2027: 20%

2027 top prospects

Arch Manning, Texas: Son of Cooper, nephew of Peyton and Eli, the newest branch of the Manning tree initially fell short of the hype, but is back in the early conversation to be the top pick in next year’s draft after throwing for 26 touchdowns and running for another 10 scores during Texas’ 10-win campaign in 2025.

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Before pivoting to the first media access from organized team activities next week, I wanted to recap the multi-week exploration of the Detroit Lions’ draft class through their college film.

Below is a link to each of the seven tape studies, as well as a short excerpt from each.

Offensive tackle Blake Miller

“The tape suggests, Miller is out-the-box ready to contribute as a run blocker, giving incoming offensive coordinator Drew Petzing a pair of schematically versatile, athletic tackles with a comfort level in space and a thirst for physicality. With Sewell and Miller as the bookends, the Lions won’t be caged into being reliant on gap or zone schemes. They should be able to capably run both at a high level, helping maximize superstar running back Jahmyr Gibbs’ playmaking ability between and outside the tackles.

”Even with his extensive college experience, Miller’s pass protection needs polish. If he wins the starting job early, the Lions may need to protect him with quick throws and chips from the backs and tight ends as he adjusts to more powerful and technically sound NFL pass rushers who will exploit some of the inconsistencies with his hand placement, balance and anchor.”

Edge Derrick Moore

“When reviewing Moore as part of a larger study of the top edge defenders in this draft class, I noted ‘He does nearly everything to varying degrees above-average as a pass rusher, making for an effective total package.’

”That held true on a larger review of his film. The Michigan product mixes up the usage of power and speed from his wide alignments. Average in size for the position, he still manages to frequently jolt blockers with his bull rush, has pop in his hands, and enough length to effectively long arm a tackle back into the pocket.”

Linebacker Jimmy Rolder

“Rolder is a little bit of a project. His lack of defensive reps at Michigan left him underdeveloped in coverage and also showed up in some excessively urgent pre-snap communication, where he appeared unsteady about his assignments.

”There’s far more polish when playing downhill. While there’s occasional awareness issues that cause him to get hung up on down blocks from the tight end, and occasional over-commitment on play-action or other eye candy, the fundamental base is strong. Rolder has excellent read-and-react processing, is nimble and accentuates his above-average strength by consistently out-leveraging opponents.

”When the play unfolds in front of him, he has a see-ball, get-ball mindset, which should help him contribute on special teams early.”

Cornerback Keith Abney

“I really do see a ton of (Amik) Robertson in Abney’s game. Both are feisty competitors with strong anticipatory skills and explosive downhill triggers. Both also share an ability to contribute in run support because they tackle better than their frames suggest. Abney, like Robertson, could probably also move outside in a pinch, even if that’s not his best usage.

”Everything about his tape suggests Abney has a strong football IQ, from his communication, pre-snap adjustments and route combination identifications. He plays with controlled aggression and patience, which both limit his missed tackles and make him less susceptible to double-moves.”

Wide receiver Kendrick Law

“(Greg) Dortch’s presence should give the Lions a year to develop Law, who has higher upside than the veteran because the rookie is bigger and faster.

“If (wide receivers coach Scottie) Montgomery can instill consistent effort in Law’s route running and blocking — and I don’t think the team would have drafted him if that was a concern — the player’s offensive production ceiling should hinge on how his intermediate routes develop. It’s difficult to project Law as a one-to-one replacement for Raymond, because the latter was a legitimate deep threat, but Law can be a quality fourth receiving option with big-play potential without that field-stretching ability.”

Defensive lineman Skyler Gill-Howard

“Gill-Howard is quick off the line of scrimmage and plays with fast, active hands. He wins with speed, not power from the inside. If there’s a go-to move that shows up repeatedly on tape, it’s a swim move to the inside, which takes advantage of his lateral quickness mismatch he has against most of the guards he faced.

”Gill-Howard’s effectiveness is directly linked to the marriage of his upper and lower body. He brings the arm over top the blocker with suddenness, simultaneous to slicing inside, which he sets up with an initial step toward the guard’s outside shoulder.”

Edge Tyre West

“Some of the skill set, particularly the awareness, closing burst and heavy hands reminded me of Tyrus Wheat, a rotational defensive end the Lions claimed off waivers last season. A notable difference is West is 20 pounds heavier.

”I like the foundational tools West has when rushing the passer. The rip, chop, swipe, long arm and bull are a deep arsenal to affect the quarterback when rushing from 4i and 5 techniques. The burst and power also play to interior gaps where a quick lateral step at the snap had the ability to cause problems.”

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Allen Park — The Detroit Lions got the first of four planned contract extensions done with key members of the team’s 2023 draft class, signing linebacker Jack Campbell to a deal that will keep him in Detroit through the 2030 season.

Additional terms of the extension were not immediately revealed.

The team announced the move in an exclusive email to season ticket holders minutes before sharing the news publicly, including a short video from Campbell.

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“I just want to let you guys know I signed my extension,” Campbell said. “I’m excited to be back. I’m excited to be here long-term. Now, it’s time to go win a Super Bowl.”

Campbell, a first-round pick in 2023, No. 18 overall, quickly developed into an on-field leader for the Lions and one of the NFL’s best off-ball linebackers. After pacing the team with 131 tackles in his second season, he followed it up with 176 stops, 5.0 sacks and three forced fumbles last year, earning first-team All-Pro honors for his effort.

“This is Jack Campbell’s defense,” defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said earlier this offseason. “I don’t hesitate when I say that. This is Jack Campbell’s defense and everybody in that locker room knows it. Point blank. Period. It all goes through Jack. If Jack makes a check, it’s just as if I said it. If Jack makes a call, it’s just as if I’ve said it.

“Jack started to get into the realm of checking things during the year and I never questioned him, because I know the time he puts in,” Sheppard said. “…When you have that type of trust coach to player, player to coach, that’s where you see ascension. And as the player ascends, the unit ascends and the team ascends. So, man, I just can’t wait. I’m very fortunate that I’m able to coach a player like that. I’m not talking ability. I’m talking about the man that he is.”

Campbell is one of four players from his draft class who the Lions have expressed interest in extending this offseason. The team is also hopeful to get deals done with running back Jahmyr Gibbs, safety Brian Branch and tight end Sam LaPorta.

The Lions have a little more time on their side with Gibbs after exercising the fifth-year option on his rookie contract. However, a long-term deal would help keep his cap number manageable in 2027 and 2028.

LaPorta and Branch, meanwhile, are both working their way back from season-ending injuries. LaPorta, who required back surgery to address a herniated disc, should be ready for training camp.

Branch, on the other hand, is recovering from a torn Achilles that could keep him sidelined until midseason.

Regardless, the Lions have expressed confidence about both players’ recoveries and general manager Brad Holmes said the team doesn’t necessarily need to see either return to action prior to coming to terms on new deals.

Campbell becomes the latest Holmes’ draft pick to earn a multi-year second contract with the franchise. He follows Penei Sewell, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Alim McNeill, Derrick Barnes, Aidan Hutchinson, Kerby Joseph, Jameson Williams. A few others, including Levi Onwuzurike and Malcolm Rodriguez, have re-signed on one-year contracts.

The Detroit Lions had a pair of glaring long-term needs entering April’s draft — defensive end and offensive tackle — and any reasonable accounting of the situation suggested the best opportunity to fill the latter would be this year.

To start, this was a deep group of prospects at the top of the class, with a half-dozen potential starters. And the Lions were in good position to land one with the No. 17 pick.

Had Detroit missed out or waited, who really knows how next year’s crop of talent shakes out. Plus, if the Lions take advantage of a softer schedule, like we expect them to do, they should be drafting later in the first round in 2027. Finally, they might not have a viable starting option already in place a year down the road, like they currently do with Larry Borom, forcing them into playing a rookie, whether they’re ready or not.

Well, good news. The opening round of the draft played out as most of us expected. Standing pat after exploring opportunities to trade up, the Lions got who many had suspected was their guy all along, Clemson right tackle Blake Miller.

“He’s gotten stronger, his technique’s gotten better, his hands have gotten better,” general manager Brad Holmes said after selecting Miller. “…I think there’s a lot of growth left in him, and that’s hard to find. Some guys, they have a really high ceiling, but the floor is not as high, and so there’s a little bit more development.

“Look, these are all rookies, so they’re going to have their lumps and all that,” Holmes continued. “We expect that, but it’s hard to find guys that have the floor and still have growth, because this guy, when you start matching up his athleticism numbers and all of that to these other tackles, I mean, he’s right up in the mix. So, we’ll see how high it goes, but I don’t have any hesitation or any reservations that he’s going to continue to get better.”

The pick effectively completes a two-year overhaul of Detroit’s starting offensive line, which included the signing of center Cade Mays and drafting of guard Tate Ratledge a year earlier. The addition of Miller will also allow the Lions to move All-Pro Penei Sewell to the left, where he will replace longtime blindside blocker Taylor Decker.

Miller, a two-time, first-team All-ACC selection is unquestionably the Lions' type. More than physically gifted, he’s gritty and tough. Let’s conclude this tape study series by inspecting Miller’s film, to better understand the lineman’s strengths and weaknesses and how he fits Detroit.

Games watched

2025: at Boston College, at Louisville, at South Carolina, vs. Penn State (bowl game)

Note: Miller is No. 78 in the clips posted below.

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