2026 Detroit Lions Offseason Thread

[Motown Bombers]

 

[Mr.TaterSalad]

Good depth signing and glad to have Maddox back. He's the kind of depth piece you want to have around and a veteran presence who can start in a pinch as needed.

[MichiganCardinal]

Too much salt for my tastes. 🧂 🧂 🧂 

[holygoat]

Yeah, for as much as Anzalone says "everyone knows this is a business," he sure acts like he wants it to be more than a business.

[Jason_R]

39 minutes ago, holygoat said:

Yeah, for as much as Anzalone says "everyone knows this is a business," he sure acts like he wants it to be more than a business.

I feel for him. I'm sure he loved playing with Detroit and he was a good player and a good Lion. It is hard to see guys like him go, but it is the mark of a good team that they let good players go.

[1984Echoes]

After the draft, there will be several more veterans released in money-moves (out with the old and expensive, in with the new and CHEAP!!!). But even now, there are several vets that are available and, after the draft and as we get closer to training camps... I think their prices will come way down and the Lions could consider one or two as veteran depth signings to add...

The most interesting to me (right now) are:

At WR (do we want one additional guy here?) it's Jauan Jennings and Deebo Samuel who are interesting to me.

At DE it's Cam Jordan and Jadeveon Clowney.

I don't know that there is a coverage LB'er out there right now that would pique my interest...

Anyone else or any other position we might be interested in, to add as a depth guy?

[Stanley70]

They need a 1 tech DT, I hope they bring back Reader. Then if Levi is actually healthy again that would give them a nice rotation and depth.

Right now if either Alim or Tyleik go down they only have Levi, who cannot be counted on. I wouldn't be surprised if they add a day three big body as well.

Edited April 9 by Stanley70

[Jason_R]

Wut?

[holygoat]

I really hope this isn't just bravado, because a healthy Kirby Joseph would mean the world to this team.

[Motown Bombers]

I’ll take a stab at this. Daddy in this case is Kerby Joseph. He’s going to be back, presumably playing football, and he’s going belt to ass. We can assume that is a metaphor for Joseph bringing the physicality required of a safety and not an Adrian Peterson situation. 

[Mr.TaterSalad]

Him saying "I luv u stink" has me thinking of Snakes from Home Alone for some reason. Who is Stink?

[Stanley70]

Is stink a person? Or not just sweating a lot playing football. 

If it's a person I'll guess it's Dan Skipper.

[Motown Bombers]

 

[KnoxP]

On 4/13/2026 at 10:01 AM, Motown Bombers said:

I’ll take a stab at this. Daddy in this case is Kerby Joseph. He’s going to be back, presumably playing football, and he’s going belt to ass. We can assume that is a metaphor for Joseph bringing the physicality required of a safety and not an Adrian Peterson situation. 

Thank you.

[lordstanley]

On 4/13/2026 at 7:01 AM, Motown Bombers said:

I’ll take a stab at this. Daddy in this case is Kerby Joseph. He’s going to be back, presumably playing football, and he’s going belt to ass. We can assume that is a metaphor for Joseph bringing the physicality required of a safety and not an Adrian Peterson situation. 

 

[Mr.TaterSalad]

 

Why did the official Lions Twitter post this? I know former Lions players Tracy Scroggins and Chris Payton-Jones sadly passed away. But this seems like an odd thing for a professional football team's Twitter handle to post without context. Was this a Dan Campbell quote at sometime in the past? Was this a Wayne Fontes quote after he got caught with cocaine?

[Stanley70]

Revealing their draft strategy?

[MichiganCardinal]

1 hour ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

 

Why did the official Lions Twitter post this? I know former Lions players Tracy Scroggins and Chris Payton-Jones sadly passed away. But this seems like an odd thing for a professional football team's Twitter handle to post without context. Was this a Dan Campbell quote at sometime in the past? Was this a Wayne Fontes quote after he got caught with cocaine?

I think they're just screwing around. The Lions social media team can be a bit ironic. I can't imagine this is how they would announce anything serious.

[Motown Bombers]

It is an odd way to say Borom is the starting LT. 

[MichiganCardinal]

There ya go.

[Motown Bombers]

If there is a tweet from the Lions no one can understand, we now know it’s from Kerby Joseph. 

[Motown Bombers]

I know he’s more of a slot/nickel, but he’s really good against the run which the Lions covet in their defensive backs. 

 

[MichiganCardinal]

2026 Post-Draft Depth Chart

I put a line ( | ) where it felt like a general "no sweat training camp" ended. Everyone to the right is likely fighting for a job, though some (like Rakestraw and Frazier) may have an inside track relative to others, and certainly a 7th round (and maybe even a 6th round) rookie can easily fall to the right of that line with a bad camp. 

Underline is a veteran addition, bold is a draft pick, italics is a UDFA signing.

QB (2/3): Jared Goff, Teddy Bridgewater | Luke Altmyer
RB (3/6): Jahmyr Gibbs, Isiah Pacheco, Sione Vaki | Jacob Saylors, Jabari Smalls, Kye Robichaux
WR (5/9): Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Isaac TeSlaa, Greg Dortch, Kendrick Law | Dominic Lovett, Tom Kennedy, Jackson Meeks, Malik Cunningham
TE (2/6): Sam LaPorta, Brock Wright | Tyler Conklin, Zach Horton, Thomas Gordon, Miles Kitselman
OT (3/5): Penei Sewell, Blake Miller, Larry Borom | Giovanni Manu, Devin Cochran
IOL (4/11): Tate Ratledge, Cade Mays, Christian Mahogony, Juice Scruggs | Ben Bartch, Miles Frazier, Michael Niese, Colby Sorsdal, Seth McLaughlin, Mason Miller, Melvin Priestly

EDGE (3/8): Aidan Hutchinson, Derrick Moore, DJ Wonnum | Payton Turner, Ahmad Hassanein, Tyler Lacy, Eric O'Neill, Anthony Lucas
IDL (5/9): Alim McNeill, Tyleik Williams, Levi Onwuzurike, Skyler Gill-Howard, Tyre West | Mekhi Wingo, Myles Adams, Chris Smith, Aidan Keanaaina
LB (4/7): Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes, Malcolm Rodriguez, Jimmy Rolder | Damone Clark, Trevor Nowaske, Erick Hunter
CB (5/9): DJ Reed, Terrion Arnold, Roger McCreary, Rock Ya-Sin, Keith Abney | Ennis Rakestraw, Khalil Dorsey, Nick Whiteside, De'Shawn Rucker
DB (3/9): Kerby Joseph, Christian Izien, Avonte Maddox, [Brian Branch-PUP] | Chuck Clark, Loren Strickland, Dan Jackson, Thomas Harper, Aamaris Brown

ST (3/3): Jack Fox, Jake Bates, Hogan Hatten

Initial look with 85/90 spots filled says there's a lot of turnover, but not a lot of glaring holes. It wouldn't hurt to have more security in the defensive backfield, but Kerby is such an unknown to us. If he's 100% it's probably fine until Branch gets back. If he's not, that looks like a hole. Additional linebacker depth wouldn't hurt either, since the Lions tend to use linebackers on special teams quite a bit.

The camp battles will mostly come in the trenches and the defensive backfield. Currently 42 spots are already filled by my rough estimation, leaving 11 spots for 48 guys.
 

[Sports_Freak]

Brad gonna find us a safety?

 

[Mr.TaterSalad]

So all and all, I really liked this draft. It was a back to the basics draft. Brad went back to the basics, addressed needs with quality, talented players, and didn't try to get too cute by trading up for project or injured players.

I love the Blake Miller pick and have not one complaint about it. I wanted them to draft a RT to help rebuild their offensive line and and anchor it from years to come and they did. I didn't want them to draft Kayden Proctor and he didn't, nor did he to trade up for him. By all accounts, from every report I have read, Blake Miller is a dawg! He is a pitbull out there, who eats, sleeps, and breaths football. He is a Dan Campbell guy to his core. He also seems like a really talented player who will be both a good pass an run blocker. I genuinely don't think Brad reached for need with this pick and went with one of the top tackles and top players available. Great pick by Brad Holmes.

I like and am fine with the Derrick Moore pick. Brad went back to the basics again, not getting cute, and drafting a talented player for an obvious need. I wanted Brad to draft an DE/Edge and he did. I didn't want him to draft Keldric Faulk in the first round and he didn't. Would I have preferred Gabe Jacas or Zion Young? Probably. Do I know enough about either of them to make a truly informed decision on who to pick and whether or not I should be made at Brad for taking Moore of either of them? No. I've watched Moore play a lot being a Michigan fan. He was a fairly productive pass rusher and has the ability to play all three downs, against the run too. I do worry a little bit that he disappeared in some bigger games, against tougher opponents at times. Moore was a multi-year starter at Michigan and didn't change programs. He had 11 sacks, 41 pressures and 10.5 tackles for loss. So the production was certainly there in his senior year of football. This wasn't the DE/Edge I would have drafted, but it's a fine pick nonetheless.

I like the Keith Abney II pick too. This is another example of going back to the basics. The Lions very much needed depth in the secondary, particularly at CB. The 3rd and 4th rounds is where Brad can get cute and be to clever by half with his picks. He did not do that this year. Brad could have gotten cute and traded multiple current/future picks to take on a project player or draft an injured player. While I probably would have made an exception for him taking on Jermod McCoy with this pick due to McCoy being arguably the best CB in the draft, if not for an injury, I'm also fine with Brad standing pat. I know nothing about Abney and had only seen his name in mock drafts. We needed depth at the CB position and more talent for when Ennis Rakestraw inevitably goes down with an injury. Abney seems like a really nice depth pick for the defensive backfield.