All articles tagged with #detroit lions
The Detroit Lions unveiled a new white rivalry uniform as part of the NFL’s rivalry program, with Honolulu blue and black accents and “Defend the den” on the collar; the Minnesota Vikings will wear their own purple-ivory rival kit when visiting. The Lions host the Vikings on Nov. 1 at 1 p.m. and the Vikings host the Lions on Dec. 20 at 8:20 p.m. The jerseys go on sale Sept. 1 and will remain in the lineup for three years.
Juice Scruggs’ strong preseason film against the Commanders gave him a real shot to start at center (and possibly guard) for the Detroit Lions as Cade Mays heals. The Penn State product flashed versatility—stacking second-level blocks, handling multiple run schemes, and showing solid pass protection—matching Brad Holmes’ praise of his intangibles and readiness to contribute across the interior line. If he can maintain this level, Scruggs could be the headset answer for the Lions’ interior line depth.
Detroit Lions beat the Washington Commanders 17-13 in the 2026 preseason, leaning on a stifling defensive performance that limited Washington to 35 rushing yards and nine first downs on 45 plays, while piling up 26 defensive stops. Rookie and depth players stood out: Tate Ratledge flashed with a perfect 100.0 pass-blocking efficiency and strong run-blocking; Jackson Meeks continued his breakout at tight end with 2.75 yards per route run on two targets, leading to five receptions for 50 yards; Jacob Saylors led the backfield with 14 carries for 87 yards (5.3 ypc) and added 28 receiving yards. On offense, Joshua Dobbs struggled under pressure (0-4 on five pressured attempts, 20.9 PFF pass grade under duress) whereas Luke Altmyer showed better efficiency. Notable contributors and depth players helped carry the win even though starters like Hutchinson, McNeill, and Campbell did not play.
Week 2 of the NFL preseason ended with Washington falling 17-13 to Detroit. The first-team defense produced a touchdown, but the offense looked out of sync. Athan Kaliakmanis impressed under pressure (11-for-14, 162 yards, no sacks) while Antonio Williams, Jaden Bradley, Amik Robertson, and Maurice Hurst II provided notable contributions. The interior offensive line struggled, and several depth players, including Will Harris and Robert Henry Jr., showed inconsistency as Washington evaluates its roster for final cuts and possible practice-squad moves.
Washington sat most of its stars but flashed depth and a stingy defense in a 17-13 loss to Detroit. Amik Robertson’s strip-sack TD and Quan Martin’s second interception set the tone on defense, five sacks kept the Lions under pressure, and undrafted receiver Jaden Bradley made a 42-yard two-catch impact. Kaliakmanis emerged in the No. 3 QB battle, going 11-for-14 for 162 yards, while Hart went 9-for-11 for 67 yards; Jayden Daniels had only a brief series. The result highlighted promising depth for Washington as they prep for next week’s joint practice with Baltimore and final roster decisions.
Washington Commanders lost 17-13 to the Detroit Lions in the second preseason game as Dan Quinn explained Jayden Daniels would get only one drive, with the focus on Week 1 in Philadelphia. Daniels said he plays when he’s up, while the team works through a still-settling offensive line and center position, with Nick Allegretti’s injury complicating plans. Julian Good-Jones struggled in the look with Daniels, while Sam Cosmi and Brandon Coleman drew praise as Washington navigates injuries ahead of the regular season.
In a preseason win over the Washington Commanders, five Detroit Lions players stood out and bolstered their odds for the 53-man roster: Skyler Gill-Howard dominated up front and looked like a definitive roster piece; Jackson Meeks led the TE group with six targets and four catches for 33 yards, plus a late kickoff fumble force that helped his case; Devin White contributed on early downs with solid run defense and a disruptive presence; Tay Martin was active as a receiver and delivered a key blocking play on a long TD run, strengthening his bid as a depth weapon; and Eric O’Neill showed versatility on defense and special teams, though the numbers game next to formidable depth could keep him on the edge of the roster and likely on the practice squad if he clears waivers.
Preview of the Detroit Lions’ Saturday preseason game vs. the Washington Commanders, highlighting 10 players to watch as rosters are trimmed: QB Josh Dobbs starts to show his fit; RB Sione Vaki finally gets more run; WR Tay Martin (and others like Dominic Lovett, Cedrick Wilson, and Tom Kennedy) seek a breakout; the starting offensive line aims to build cohesion; EDGE Derrick Moore returns from injury; DT Ben Stille pushes for a roster spot; LB battles between Devin White and Malcolm Rodriguez; UDFA Erick Hunter could climb the depth chart; CB Keith Abney in the nickel rotation; and S Dan Jackson stepping in if Thomas Harper remains sidelined.
The Detroit Lions released an updated depth chart heading into preseason Game 2 against the Washington Commanders, detailing projected starters and key backups across QB, RB, WR, TE, OL, DL, EDGE, LB, CB, and S, with notes on injuries and who may or may not play. Head coach Dan Campbell indicated some starters could see action, but workloads may shift after multiple padded practices. Goff is not expected to play, while Dobbs and Luke Altmyer will split backup QB reps; Jahmyr Gibbs’s status is unclear as Isiah Pacheco is listed as a back with an MCL strain, and several other backs are dealing with injuries. The receiver group appears set through four main options, with WR5/6 still open, and competition continues across tight end, offensive line, and defensive depth as camp progresses.
Detroit’s Week 2 preseason game vs. Washington Commanders kicks off at 12 p.m. ET on Sat, Aug. 22, 2026, at Ford Field. Local TV is FOX 2 Detroit (Detroit Lions TV Network); NFL Network will replay the game on Sunday at 3:30 a.m. ET. If you’re streaming, national viewers can use NFL+ while locals can watch via DetroitLions.com or the Lions app for free. Detroit plans to play a significant amount of starters, with Josh Dobbs starting at QB for the Lions and Jared Goff not playing; Commanders are expected to play a good portion of their starters, though Jayden Daniels’ status is unclear. Radio can be heard on 97.1 The Ticket or other Lions Radio Network affiliates, and the concise game info is also summarized in the Lions game information section.
Fans turn their attention to the Lions’ offensive line for the Lions–Commanders preseason, with lingering questions at left guard and center as Christian Mahogany and Juice Scruggs approach starting roles while Cade Mays recovers. Scruggs is expected to run the temporary center while Mays heals, and the team plans to field the starting line to build cohesion. The focus comes from a SB Nation Reacts survey sponsored by FanDuel, which shows OL as the top watched unit amid other questions across groups.
Detroit Lions head into their second preseason game against the Washington Commanders with QB Luke Altmyer emerging as a potential third quarterback as Jared Goff sits and Josh Dobbs starts. The staff is giving Altmyer extra reps to see if he can stick, while Dobbs gets the game action and others compete for roster spots—Tay Martin for special teams and offense, Jackson Meeks converting to tight end, and Keith Abney II pushing for a starting nickel role after a standout camp start.
Ahead of the penultimate preseason game against the Washington Commanders, Detroit must settle five pressing questions: who will anchor the interior offensive line after Cade Mays’ wrist injury and a rotating group; who earns the nickel/slot cornerback job with Izien, Abney II, McCreary and Rakestraw in the mix; how the team inventories WR5/6 with special-teams value and role versatility; whether Jimmy Rolder’s return timing reshuffles linebacker roster spots; and which quarterback—Josh Dobbs or Luke Altmyer—will earn the staff’s trust, including possible roster moves to keep both in the organization.
In a light Lions practice, Jack Campbell stood out on nine first‑team snaps—sacking Jahmyr Gibbs, disrupting a deep pass to Jameson Williams, and chasing Gibbs for a tackle—showing his versatility on defense, while the starting o-line (Sewell, Mahogany, Scruggs, Ratledge, Miller) again showed miscommunications and a false start. D.J. Reed logged a corner-blitz sack, Dobbs had one team rep in the preseason setup, Sione Vaki produced a 20-yard swing, and Jake Bates hit 41 and 42-yard field goals as depth and special teams contributed ahead of Week 1.
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta has a hip flare-up from practice and will be rested to calm it down, leaving his availability for the start of the season uncertain; he recently recovered from back surgery that caused him to miss the final eight games last year. In other camp updates, guard Ben Bartch is in concussion protocol, jeopardizing his chances at left guard, and rookie linebacker Jimmy Rolder is unlikely to practice next week due to a hamstring injury, though he’s expected to be ready early in the season.