A comprehensive roadmap for the Detroit Lions' 2026 offseason
The Detroit Lions’ season ended more than a month ago. And for the first time in three years, the team missed the playoffs, falling well short of its championship aspirations.
Each NFL offseason is important, but this one feels more so for the Lions. After taking a step back for the first time in a few years, the team will be navigating how to bolster the roster in a way that returns the franchise to contending status.
Preparation for the upcoming offseason is a never-ending process. The scouts spent the year on the road, compiling detailed reports on the upcoming draft class. The pro personnel staff has weighed Detroit’s pending free agents, contrasting that group against the crop of talent expected to hit the open market in March. And all of the decisions will be balanced against the management of the team’s salary cap, both this year and into the future.
When the Lions return for the start of the offseason program in mid-April, most of the veteran components for the upcoming season will be in place. Less than two weeks later, a draft class and several undrafted rookies will be added to the mix.
Between now and then, the Lions will navigate several important milestones as general manager Brad Holmes and his staff construct the 2026 roster. Join us for our annual step-by-step breakdown of what lies ahead in the coming months.
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Roster cuts
Even with the salary cap expected to jump more than $20 million, north of $300 million, the Lions have work to do to get under the threshold. We addressed that topic last March, before the team worked out lucrative, long-term extensions with Kerby Joseph, Jameson Williams and Aidan Hutchinson.
There are a number of ways to clear cap space, and we’ll get into all of them, but one of the more obvious is roster cuts.