All articles tagged with #detroit lions
With under two weeks to the 2026 NFL Draft, 62 of 66 mock drafts project the Detroit Lions will pick an offensive tackle in the first round, with targets including Francis Mauigoa, Spencer Fano, Blake Freeling, Kadyn Proctor, Caleb Lomu and Vega Ioane; some mocks also float edge options like Keldric Faulk and Akheem Mesidor, underscoring a persistent OT-vs-edge debate and occasional guard fits.
Detroit Lions fans in an SB Nation Reacts survey sponsored by FanDuel chose Freeling as the top offensive tackle prospect for the 2026 NFL Draft among six candidates, with comments praising other players like Fano, Proctor, Miller, Lomu and Iheanachor and noting a broad range of opinions reflected in mock drafts.
Detroit’s 2026 draft outlook centers on adding versatile safeties to a deep group (Kerby Joseph, Brian Branch, Thomas Harper, Avonte Maddox, etc.) while monitoring Joseph’s knee recovery and Branch’s Achilles rehab. The top safety class features Caleb Downs as a potential early pick, with Emmanuel McNeil-Warren and Dillon Thieneman also in play. Five safeties who could fit Detroit: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Dillon Thieneman, A.J. Haulcy, Zakee Wheatley and Kyle Louis, offering in-the-box presence, range and ball skills to boost the defense in multiple roles.
Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell and defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard are installing three new defensive packages this spring to make the base defense more versatile for passing downs after losing linebacker Alex Anzalone and nickel corner Amik Robertson. With Malcolm Rodriguez likely replacing Anzalone at WILL and additions like Christian Izien, Roger McCreary, and Avonte Maddox, Detroit aims to dial up more nickel and flexible alignments depending on the opponent and personnel, though Branch’s Achilles injury and future draft/free-agent moves will influence the final look.
Two Detroit Lions-focused analysts unveil a 7-round mock for the 2026 NFL Draft two weeks from kickoff, arguing the first two picks should address offensive tackle and defensive end; they outline ground rules, plan a second mock, and share a video on Pride of Detroit while inviting fan feedback.
Detroit is weighing moving Penei Sewell to left tackle to protect Jared Goff, which would free up the starting right tackle spot for Borom, Manu—or a draft selection. The Lions’ 2026 tackle preview spotlights five top fits for Detroit—Francis Mauigoa, Spencer Fano, Monroe Freeling, Kadyn Proctor and Caleb Lomu—highlighting a deep, high-upside group as Detroit seeks competition behind Borom and Manu while Sewell adds positional flexibility and the team adds young depth in the draft.
The Lions could opt to skip offensive tackle and defensive end picks in the early rounds, instead pursuing the best player available per Brad Holmes, with discussions about possible post-draft EDGE help and Day 1/2 targets at LB, CB, S, or even TE Kenyon Sadiq if value falls to 50.
Detroit Lions’ post-free-agency mock draft envisions a nine-pick haul built to rebuild the O-line with Blake Miller, add a disruptive edge with Gabe Jacas, and fortify safety, LB, RB, TE, DL, and DB depth across rounds 4–7, aiming for a young, versatile defense and strengthened front.
The Detroit Lions required center Frank Ragnow to repay a portion of his signing bonus after retirement; Lions president Rod Wood says this is a longstanding precedent dating back to Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson, and with Ragnow’s $6 million signing bonus and two years left on his contract at retirement, about $3 million was owed, a sum tied to the team recovering money paid in advance for services not rendered.
NFL.com draft analyst Eric Edholm sketches several plausible, two-team-friendly Round 1 trades for the 2026 draft, including Washington acquiring Sam LaPorta while Detroit moves up for a foundational lineman, the Jets swapping back with the Chargers to restock picks, a Chiefs-Cowboys exchange to cover multiple needs, and Seattle-Pittsburgh maneuvering around the back end of Round 1, with Vikings and other teams’ potential moves noted to balance risk and reward ahead of draft night.
Ahead of the NFL owners meetings, the competition committee unveiled eight rule proposals, including a plan to let league officials consult with on-field referees before the next legal snap or kick to disqualify players for flagrant acts not called on the field; the change could have ejected DK Metcalf in last year’s Ford Field incident. The package also covers changes to kickoffs, draft-trade rules, roster timing, and free-agent negotiations.
Teddy Bridgewater signed with the Detroit Lions for a third stint, returning as Jared Goff’s primary backup and insisting he’ll compete while helping teammates develop, especially younger receivers, this spring and in the preseason. A 13‑year veteran who has played for multiple teams and even coached high school football in 2024, Bridgewater last backed up Baker Mayfield with the Buccaneers; his return adds veteran leadership as Detroit builds depth, while a Florida bill named the Teddy Bridgewater Act seeks to expand spending on student welfare in high school sports.
With major free-agent signings behind them, five NFL contenders — the Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, and Buffalo Bills — are hunting short-term upgrades on one-year deals while preparing for the draft, addressing holes at receiver, edge, and offensive/defensive line and hoping to stay under the compensatory-pick threshold to mount a championship run.
NFL’s latest offseason roundup notes four-time Pro Bowler T.Y. Hilton retiring after a 10-year career, and the Detroit Lions signing wide receiver Greg Dortch to a one-year deal, as teams continue a busy wave of one-year contracts, trades and signings across the league.
NFL Network’s Steve Wyche maps potential landing spots for notable 2026 free agents, highlighting Stefon Diggs to Baltimore and Joey Bosa to Detroit as marquee fits while also projecting teams like the Chargers, Dolphins, Raiders, Panthers and Steelers to pursue other veterans (Jennings, Njoku, Rodgers, Zeitler, etc.) to bolster rosters with veteran leadership and playmaking as free agency settles.