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[Detroit Lions]

Detroit Lions scouting report: The new age Chicago Bears are here

Talk about a quick turnaround. Early in 2025, the Chicago Bears announced they were hiring Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as their next head coach. People questioned how Johnson would do and if he could help turn this offense with plenty of weapons into something strong and resilient. After starting 0-2, getting blown out by his former team, it seemed like perhaps the Bears would be at the bottom of the division once again.

Then they went on a four-game winning streak and haven’t looked back since. With a fourth-place schedule, the Bears were questioned until they defeated the Philadelphia Eagles on Black Friday; that’s when it felt like the Bears were legit. Now they’re the NFC North champions, and they can give Detroit one more loss to push them below .500 for the first time since 2021. After the beating they received in Week 2, I’ve got a feeling Johnson and his team will do whatever it takes to ensure Detroit goes down on Sunday.

Let’s take a deeper look at the Bears in my Week 18 scouting report.

Chicago Bears​

2025 season thus far (11-5)​

Week 1: Lost to the Minnesota Vikings 27-24
Week 2: Lost to the Detroit Lions 52-21
Week 3: Defeated the Dallas Cowboys 31-14
Week 4: Defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 25-24
Week 5: BYE
Week 6: Defeated the Washington Commanders 25-24
Week 7: Defeated the New Orleans Saints 26-14
Week 8: Lost to the Baltimore Ravens 30-16
Week 9: Defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 47-42
Week 10: Defeated the New York Giants 24-20
Week 11: Defeated the Minnesota Vikings 19-17
Week 12: Defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-28
Week 13: Defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 24-15
Week 14: Lost to the Green Bay Packers 28-21
Week 15: Defeated the Cleveland Browns 31-3
Week 16: Defeated the Green Bay Packers 22-16 (OT)
Week 17: Lost to the San Francisco 49ers 42-38

Stats:

• 10th in points scored, 22nd in points allowed
• 16th in DVOA
• 10th in offensive DVOA (7th in pass DVOA, 4th in run DVOA)
• 24th in defensive DVOA (24th pass DVOA, 28th in run DVOA)
• 18th in special teams DVOA

This has been a year Bears fans have been waiting for. They’re atop the NFC North once again, getting their first divisional title since 2018. While the top seed isn’t a possibility for them, they’ll have something to play for on Sunday. With a win over Detroit or if the Eagles lose to the Commanders, the Bears will lock in the two seed. If the Bears lose and the Eagles win, they’ll fall to the three seed.

Quarterback Caleb Williams had a bounce-back season after a difficult rookie year in 2024, throwing for more yards (3,730) and touchdowns (25), all while keeping the interceptions at six. A significant factor in his improvement is the upgrade seen on the offensive line. Williams was sacked 68 times in 2024, the most out of any quarterback, and this year he’s only been sacked 23 times. Johnson was big on the trenches in Detroit, and the moves Chicago made to bolster up the line have given its offense life.

Not only has the offensive line helped the passing game, but the running game has arguably been the better part of the offense. The Bears are like the Lions now; they’ve got a two-headed running attack in D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai, and both are in the top 25 for rushing yards this season. Swift leads the way with 1,047 yards (14th in the NFL) and nine touchdowns, while Monangai has 769 yards (25th in the NFL) with five touchdowns.

The receivers for Chicago are all over, as nobody really is the number one target for Williams. D.J. Moore leads the team in yards (671) and is tied with Rome Odunze with touchdowns (six), with Odunze only 10 yards behind Moore. Rookie tight end Colston Loveland has slowly developed into the mix, with 48 catches for 622 yards and five touchdowns.

While the offense has been a big strength for the team this year, the defense is still working through the kinks. EDGE Montez Sweat leads the team in sacks (9.5) and forced fumbles (three). The secondary has been battling injuries throughout the year, but that hasn’t stopped free safety Kevin Byard from getting a league-leading six interceptions.

But what has bailed the defense out for the entire season is their ability to force turnovers. They lead the entire NFL with 32 takeaways—a huge bump from just 24 last year.

Overall, the Bears are a top-three team in the NFC, something nobody expected heading into 2025. Sure, many believed Johnson to be the right hire for Chicago, but to get this far in the first year, it’s impressive.

Injury notes

Key players ruled out: CB Kyler Gordon (IR), RB Roschon Johnson (IR), OT Braxton Jones (IR), DL Dayo Odeyingbo (IR), DL Shemar Turner (IR)

Key players to monitor: WR Rome Odunze (foot), CB Josh Blackwell (illness), WR D.J. Moore (illness), LB Noah Sewell (Achilles)

Chicago’s injury report isn’t as extensive as Detroit’s, with the majority of the worry being an illness over actual injury. First, the Bears will be without starting cornerback Kyler Gordon as he can’t return until the playoffs. The pass rush will be without two contributors on the defensive line in Dayo Odeyingbo and rookie Shemar Turner, as they both have season-ending injuries. Backup running back Roschon Johnson is still on IR and can return, as well as offensive tackle Braxton Jones.

The Bears have two players dealing with an active injury in Odunze, who has been dealing with a foot injury and could sit this week to save him for the playoffs, and Sewell, who is feared to have suffered a torn Achilles last week. Sewell was more of a rotational and special teams player at this point, but it’s a bummer he won’t get to play against his brother, Penei, this week.

Illness has spread through the Bears’ locker room, claiming cornerback Josh Blackwell and Moore. Once again, the team could let them rest to get better so they can be at 100 percent for the playoffs. While it’s not an injury, having players out playing sick can still be a disadvantage.

Biggest strength: Running attack/Offensive line

When it comes to the Bears’ offense, the running game has seemingly been its go-to option for moving the football, and a big reason for that success is the offensive line. Johnson wanted to see an instant upgrade in the position in the offseason after a poor 2024 showing. Chicago traded for guards Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney, and signed center Drew Dalman to a deal in free agency, instantly making them a top interior offensive line in the division. Those moves have shown the team what it’s like to have an offensive line that can give its quarterback time to throw the ball or create holes for the running game.

According to PFF, the Bears’ offensive line is third in pass blocking (73.6) and run blocking (77.4). Chicago’s offensive line has made it easy for the running backs to find the hole and get almost five yards a carry. PFF has them ranked as the second-best running game (90.3). Swift is having a career year, only two yards behind his previous high, and has a new high in touchdowns. Monangai has climbed up the depth chart in his rookie year and has become a helpful backup option for Chicago.

When you have an offensive line turnaround like Chicago did, mixed with a running game with two backs that you can keep fresh, you have a recipe for a strong offense. Does that sound familiar? With Johnson running the offense and the success he saw in Detroit with the same formula, it’s no surprise he brought that with him to Chicago.

Biggest weakness: Defense

While they lead the NFL in interceptions with 22, takeaways are the only thing the defense consistently does. Their pass rush is below average, with 32 sacks (t-22nd), and outside of Sweat, the Bears haven’t had another player step up to give him some help. PFF has them ranked as the fifth-lowest pass rush team (63.1), with the top player being defensive tackle Gervon Dexter.

Next, the run defense has been bottom-tier as well, allowing the fifth-most rushing yards (2,165), 5.0 yards per carry (fourth-highest), tied for the sixth-most 20+ rushing yard plays allowed (13), and fifth-most 40+ rushing yard plays (four). Five of their top six run defenders by PFF grade are in the secondary. If the secondary defenders are your best run stoppers, your defensive line and linebackers aren’t playing as they should.

Speaking of the secondary, while they do their best to stop the run, they struggle to stop the pass. Chicago allowed the seventh-highest completion percentage (66.8), tied for fifth-highest in passing yards per play allowed (7.6), and passing touchdowns (31). They don’t just struggle in defending the pass; they struggle mightily, allowing the third-most 20+ yard passing plays (57) and tied for fifth-highest 40+ yard passing plays (nine). If it wasn’t for the turnovers, this defense would be even worse than it is.

Key matchup: Lions’ front seven vs. Bears’ ground attack

The biggest question will be if Detroit will play its starters, and for this sake, I’ll assume they do. If Detroit can slow down the Bears’ running attack, they’ll have a chance to win this game and finish the year with an above .500 record. Like Detroit, if Chicago’s running game struggles, the team can’t win most of the time. In games with 138 yards or less, the Bears are 3-5, and one of those wins was against the team with the best chance to have the number one overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Lions’ run defense is a shell of its former self. Something Detroit used to be dominant in has been a weak point for them this season. Then, when Detroit attempts to focus on stopping the run, teams unleash the pass and play action, and the Lions’ defense falters.

So if Chicago can get the ground game moving, this game could be an inverse of the Week 2 game between these two. Johnson is petty like Campbell; he’ll remember how the Lions dropped 52 points on them and will want to return the favor this time around. With the team fighting for the two-seed, they have something to play for, unlike Detroit. Johnson will want his players ready and prepared for playoff football, and a win against a team like Detroit, despite their down year, would be a good rebound game for them in time to host the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card round—who will be their opponent if Chicago wins.

Vegas line for Sunday: Bears favored by 2.5

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...couting-report-new-age-chicago-bears-are-here

 

[Detroit Lions]

Lions TE coach Tyler Roehl explains why he’s taking Iowa State OC job

For his last time as Detroit Lions tight ends coach, Tyler Roehl took the podium on Wednesday afternoon. Roehl has already been announced as the next offensive coordinator for the Iowa State Cyclones, a job he accepted at the beginning of the month.

Roehl has only spent a single year with the Lions—his first job at the NFL ranks—but he admitted on Wednesday that an opportunity to return to Iowa State, where he had served as the team’s assistant head coach and running backs coach in 2023, was too good to pass up. Particularly alluring was the opportunity to call plays and return to a part of the country that meant a lot to him.

“This is one that’s very special to me,” Roehl said. “I want to call plays. That’s my goal. I did it for a long time at North Dakota State, and in this one with coach Jimmy Rogers—in Ames, Iowa—a place that I’m familiar with, a place that my family loved, we admired. When everything started coming full circle, everything started aligning, and just trusted my gut, talked to my family, my wife, and my kids. Not a lot of people see the background of these moves and whatnot. It meant a lot ot me for their support, their desire to be back in Ames, and we’re fired up.”

But before Roehl departed for the college ranks, he wanted to see it through. It hasn’t been an easy year for the tight end room. They’ve been missing their top two tight ends for the past couple of months, they’ve missed one of their primary reserves (Shane Zylstra) for nearly the entire season, and Roehl has had to onboard several players who didn’t start the season with the team. The last thing Roehl wanted to do was to abandon that room.

“I’m not a quitter. I always say you quit once, you quit forever. I just wanted to see it through,” Roehl said. “Dan (Campbell) wanted to keep me here for the year, and we were definitely in alignment on that.”

Roehl will be taking back a ton of experiences and lessons to the college ranks, and was clearly very grateful for an opportunity with the Lions that he “loved.” He credited coaches Dan Campbell and Hank Fraley for allowing him to view the tight end and offensive line positions differently moving forward.

“I’ve learned a lot, a lot. My growth as a coach, as a teacher, understanding really a pro system,” Roehl said. “I have learned so much, and the things that I’ll be able to take back. I’ve really had a system that we ran at North Dakota State: pro style, under center, multiple with motion, run the ball, passing efficiency. Now there’s a whole different element that I’m able to add to my playbook. Things that allow me to be even more multiple.”

As for who will take over in 2026 for the Lions, that much hasn’t been discussed publicly with the media. The Lions do have an assistant tight ends coach in Seth Ryan. Roehl gave him a nice little endorsement on the way out.

“Seth is an extremely bright young coach. I think I talked about this earlier, his knowledge and understanding of the pass game is exponential,” Roehl said. “His growth in the run game, where he was able to come—whether it be asking questions about technique. ‘If I see it this way, this scheme vs. this front? What would we do, maybe vs. this front or this pressure?’ No, he’s grown a lot even in the short time that I’ve been able to be around him. I’m excited for his future, because it’s very bright.”

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...ehl-explains-why-hes-taking-iowa-state-oc-job

 

[Detroit Lions]

6 takeaways from Detroit Lions coordinators’ final press conference

On Thursday, the Detroit Lions’ three coordinators took the podium for the final time in the team’s 2025 season. Here are my biggest takeaways from each.

Offensive coordinator John Morton​

John Morton wants to stay in 2026

After having his play-calling duties stripped midseason, it’s hard to know what’s next for offensive coordinator John Morton. If it were up to Morton, he’d still remain at the same position, even if that means continuing to not call plays for the offense.

“I’d like to be here, yeah. I love it here. I love Dan (Campbell), I love the organization, it’s my home,” Morton said Thursday.

Morton admitted he does still want to call plays at the NFL level, but said he loves the responsibilities of his current role with the team, as well.

“I told you guys before I’m a team player. I’ll do whatever it takes, at this point in my career,” Morton said. “Whatever Dan wants, I do. So, I’m here to help him help this team win and that’s what I’ve done. I’m proud of some of the work that I’ve done, obviously. So, that’s kind of where I’m at with that.”

Optimism about establishing the run vs. the Bears

It’s been a rough go for the Lions’ rushing offense over the past few weeks, with the Lions failing to reach 75 rushing yards in three straight games. However, Morton believes they have an advantage this week against a Bears run defense that is allowing an average of 135 rushing yards per game and 5.0 yards per carry.

“I think we can get after these guys a little bit, I really do,” Morton said. “They’re giving up almost five yards a carry, so I like our chances there with this defense. So, I like the matchup here, and I liked it the first game.”

Back in Week 2, the Lions rushed 30 times for 177 yards and two touchdowns on their way to a 52-21 victory over Chicago.

Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard​

Note: We have a separate article on Sheppard’s defense of his scheme here.

Losing their “Angel in the Outfield”

Sheppard was asked about the impact of losing both starting safeties—Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph—to injuries. Before he got into the the positional impact, he noted that any time a team loses two All-Pro level players, it’s going to hurt them. That said, Sheppard wasn’t about to throw their replacements under the bus, noting that they did compete.

“Some games, those guys stepped up and played at a high level. And other games, unfortunately we weren’t able to make plays at the point of attack and we gave up a few more explosive plays than we would like to,” Sheppard said. “So, I’m not going to sit here and say that’s the reason why this, that or the fourth happened. But I will say whenever you lose All-Pro caliber players, it’s going to affect you in some capacity.”

Sheppard also lamented the fact that Detroit’s ability to create turnovers dipped as the season went on, and noted that losing Joseph—someone who has created 20 interceptions in 52 starts—certainly played a part.

“‘Why are we giving up these explosives?’ And you don’t want to pinpoint it on a player, but in previous years that’s been guys beating coverage and Kerby’s been kind of the angel in the outfield where we weren’t as exposed as we have been as of late,” Sheppard said.

The scheme continues to evolve

I didn’t include it in the separate piece, but I think it’s worth highlighting what Sheppard pointed to about the evolution of the scheme here in Detroit. The idea that it’s always been the same since Aaron Glenn took over the defense is fundamentally not true. Sheppard offered a bit of a history lesson.

“The good thing that I’ve been involved in here is a kind of evolving system. Started out first year in a true 3-4 (defense), then we went to a hybrid kind of over front in 2022, then jumped back to kind of a blend of both worlds,” Sheppard said. “So, I’ve been exposed and have a lot of knowledge in all types of systems and what we’ve created here collectively as a system where we’re able to adapt and adjust on the run, week-to-week. And I’ll say again, I believe we’ve done that.”

Special teams coordinator Dave Fipp​

Kalif Raymond living on the edge

Lions punt returner Kalif Raymond has fielded several punts this year inside his own 10-yard line, leading many to wonder why he isn’t letting those kicks go for their chance at a touchback. I asked Fipp if he could provide any insight into this—suggesting that maybe Raymond had earned the right as an All-Pro returner to make those decisions.

Fipp, instead, said that he would always rather his team lean on the side of aggression when it comes to punt returns because you never know how the ball is going to bounce when it is landing inside the 10-yard line.

“Well you could always argue it. ‘Well, it would’ve been a touchback.’ Well, maybe it wouldn’t,” Fipp said. “Maybe they would’ve pinned us on the one if you let it bounce […] You could always play that game. But yeah, I would prefer to put the ball in our hands and be aggressive than let’s see which way the ball bounces and maybe today it’ll bounce our way and tomorrow it won’t.”

Sione Vaki’s outstanding year

Fipp was asked if there was anyone who has exceeded expectations this year, and the one player his singled out was Sione Vaki. Despite battling through multiple injuries this season, Fipp believes he’s still having a special season.

“Vaki has really had a great year for us,” Fipp said. “And I mean he’s just a unique athlete. Explosive, powerful, strong, he’s an offender technically. I know he played both in college but his ability to make tackles and play in coverage is exceptional for that position of running back. And so, he’s been a great player for us this season. I think he’s had a really good year.”

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...oit-lions-coordinators-final-press-conference

 

[Detroit Lions]

Lions, Bears Week 18 injury news: Amon-Ra St. Brown returns, Penei Sewell misses

Happy New Year!

The Detroit Lions (8-8) and Chicago Bears (11-5) were back on the practice field on Thursday in advance of their Week 18 matchup this Sunday.

Let’s take a look at the latest injury report and get you up to date with what we know. Note: Any changes from the last injury report will be bolded.

No practice​

• RT Penei Sewell (ankle)
• IOL Trystan Colon (wrist)
• DT Alim McNeill (abdomen)

Sewell has now missed back-to-back practices, and it’s fair to speculate if he’ll play this week, considering coach Dan Campbell’s comments earlier in the week surrounding playing injured players. At the same time, Sewel has taken two practices off earlier in the season and was still able to play by Sunday, so there is still a chance he plays on Sunday.

Colon missing two practices with a lingering wrist injury he has previously played through is unusual, and could be a sign he re-aggravated it.

McNeill showed up on last week’s injury report, then exited Week 17 very early and has not practiced since. His status for this Sunday’s game is very much up in the air.

Limited practice​

• WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (knee/ankle) — upgraded from no practice
• LT Taylor Decker (shoulder/illness)
• LG Christian Mahogany (illness) — upgraded from no practice
• OL Kayode Awosika (illness) — upgraded from no practice
• OT Giovanni Manu (knee) — Days remaining in injury evaluation clock: 6
• LB Alex Anzalone (concussion) — upgraded from no practice
• SAF Thomas Harper (concussion) — upgraded from no practice

St. Brown hopes to be able to play this weekend, per Campbell, and a return to practice on Thursday sets him up for that. He’ll need to participate on Friday in some capacity, but signs are pointing up. St. Brown talked to our Jeremy Reisman in the locker room on Thursday.

“I feel solid. I would say a little banged up, but good enough to go, so that’s all that really matters.”

St. Brown would go on to add that he doesn’t believe there is any long-term injury risk involved for him with his current ailment:

“I don’t think so. Obviously, there’s risk in any game you play with any injury, but to answer your question, I don’t think so.”

Certainly sounds like Amon-Ra St. Brown plans on playing.

Says outside of every-game injury risk, there’s no concern of exacerbating his current injuries.

— Jeremy Reisman (@DetroitOnLion) January 1, 2026

Decker getting in a second practice this week is a good sign that he’ll be able to finish out the season on the football field.

Mahogany and Awosika returned from their illnesses, a good sign that they’re likely to be available on Sunday.

Manu is closing out his injury evaluation window, but it’s still not entirely clear if he’ll be activated and play this weekend. Sewell’s health could be a factor in determining that.

Anzalone and Harper both returned to practice on Thursday, suggesting they’re progressing through the NFL injury protocols. That being said, there are still hurdles to clear, and there’s no guarantee either play, especially Harper, who is dealing with his second concussion this season.

Full Practice​

• DB Avonte Maddox (back/illness) — upgraded from limited

Maddox getting in back-to-back practices after missing last week’s game is a good sign he’s on track to return, though there is no guarantee, as we’ve seen many times this season.

Bears’ injury report​

Note: Starters are bolded.

Did not practice on Wednesday

• WR Rome Odunze (foot)
• RG Jonah Jackson (illness) — added to the injury report on Thursday
• DL Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (concussion)

Limited participants

• OT Ozzy Trapilo (knee/quad)
• SAF Nick McCloud (illness)

Full participants

• WR Luther Burden III (quad) — upgraded
• WR Olamide Zaccheaus (illness)
• DB Josh Blackwell (shoulder) — upgraded

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...-amon-ra-st-brown-returns-penei-sewell-misses

 

[Detroit Lions]

Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Bears preview, prediction: On Paper

For the first time in four years, I’m previewing a Detroit Lions game that I know is “meaningless.” It’s been a good run for On Paper and the Lions, but it’s hard to put a ton of effort into this Week 18 preview against the Chicago Bears when the stakes are nearly zero, and the audience for a legit preview is small.

So this will be a super abridged version, where I don’t talk much about the Lions and rather spend some time on the Bears. There will also be no player to watch in each section.

Sorry for the bummer intro, but to the few of you actually reading this, I imagine you’re probably skipping down to the meat of the analysis anyways.

Lions pass offense (6th in DVOA) vs. Bears pass defense (24th)​

For the season, the Lions rank:

• Third in passer rating (107.0)
• Sixth in yards per attempt (7.8)
• Seventh in dropback EPA (.163)
• 10th in dropback success rate (47.9%)

The silver lining to this lost season is that Jared Goff and the passing offense remained quite efficient despite significant downgrades in the running game and offensive line. This was a throwback Matthew Stafford year for Goff: no help from anyone around him, yet still produced top-10 numbers and dragged the Lions to .500 ball.

The Bears pass defense is fascinating, because if you look at any statistic that doesn’t involve their league-leading 22 interceptions, they look terrible. For example, passer rating—which includes interceptions—they rank 16th (91.8). Yards per attempt allowed (interceptions not included), they’re 28th (7.6). EPA (INTs included) they’re 16th. Success rate, they’re 23rd.

All is to say that if you can just avoid throwing the ball to the Chicago Bears, there’s a pretty good chance you’re going to succeed. Outside of one recent examples, the Lions have done a really good job of that.

One thing that also works in Detroit’s favor in this matchup is the Bears’ complete lack of pass rush. You thought the Lions’ pressure was slow to get there? The Bears’ pass rush is even slower, ranking dead last at 2.92 average seconds. They also rank 26th in overall pressure percentage and 21st in sacks.

Advantage: Lions +2. Goff is elite with time and (typically) great at avoiding interceptions, so this seems like a really good matchup for Detroit. My only hesitation is what their offensive line will look like if Penei Sewell can’t go, and that’s where things are trending right now.

Lions run offense (11th) vs. Bears run defense (28th)​

Detroit’s run game has finally fallen off now that they aren’t getting the explosive runs that helped carry the unit early in the season. For the year, the Lions now rank:

• 11th in yards per carry (4.6)
• 22nd in rush EPA (-0.075)
• 25th in success rate (39.1%)

DVOA is a lie. I am sad.

Well, the Bears are quite possibly even worse when it comes to this matchup. For the season, they’ve held opponents below 4.4 yards per carry in just four of 16 contests. They’ve allowed over 150 rushing yards seven times, and in some cases, it’s against pretty mediocre rushing attacks. For the year, the Bears run defense ranks:

• 29th in yards per carry (5.0)
• 20th in rush EPA (-0.044)
• 24th in success rate (43.6%)

This will be the Bears’ fatal flaw in the playoffs, but it’s hard to know how it’ll look this week in a weakness vs. weakness matchup.

Advantage: Draw. I want to be confident based on the Week 2 matchup, but the Lions have clearly gotten worse since, and that’s a great example of how the Lions’ run deficiencies were masked early in the season by explosive plays. Jahmyr Gibbs had a 26 and 42-yard run in that game. On the other 28 carries, the Lions averaged just 3.9 yards per carry. They finished with a 43.3% success rate on the ground that game, which is really just an average performance.

Bears pass offense (7th) vs. Lions pass defense (7th)​

Caleb Williams and the Bears’ passing offense is hitting a little bit of a stride. After some struggles in the first two months of the season, it seems like the passing offense has found its groove, and Williams has been particularly great in the last three games against some strong defenses.

For the season, the Bears rank just:

• 15th in passer rating (91.0)
• 15th in yards per attempt (7.0)
• Ninth in dropback EPA (0.129)
• 22nd in success rate (45.1%)

But if we limit those stats to Week 9 and beyond, here’s where the Bears rank:

• 13th in passer rating (91.4)
• Sixth in dropback EPA (0.159)
• 15th in success rate (45.9%)

The relatively low success rate and high EPA numbers—as we have learned—means the Bears are capable of explosive plays. Indeed, the Bears rank fourth in 20+ yard passing plays this season, with 58—or an average of 3.6 per game.

The Bears have also done a great job of avoiding negative plays in the passing game this year. They’ve allowed just 23 sacks (fourth fewest) and thrown just six interceptions (t-fewest).

But Williams is still battling accuracy issues. His 57.9% completion percentage is worst in the league and his -7.2% completion percentage over expected is last by an extremely large margin (Trevor Lawrence is next at -3.5%).

I’m not sure whether to laugh or cry at that green 3 figure at the bottom of the passing yards column. You’d be hard pressed to convince anyone that the Lions’ pass defense has been good lately, despite the avoiding a red cell in passer rating the last four weeks. Because since right before Thanksgiving, the Lions are ceding a ton of yardage in the passing game.

For the season, the Lions now rank:

• 19th in passer rating allowed (92.9)
• 24th in yards per attempt (7.3)
• 13th in dropback EPA (0.043)
• 8th in success rate (43.1%)

It’s frustrating how these stats look much better than the eye test, but it’s worth pointing out that Detroit has performed outstanding on first and second down all season long (5th in EPA, 3rd in success rate), but third and fourth down has been a complete disaster (26th in EPA, 25th in success rate).

Advantage: Bears + 1.5. I still have questions about Williams, and I think the Lions could be fine on first and second down. However, I would not be surprised at all if Chicago hits on a couple of deep shots. The Bears are not afraid to go deep (Williams is sixth in 20+ air yard attempts) and his deep-ball accuracy has improved as of late.

Bears run offense (4th) vs. Lions run defense (17th)​

Now this is what an actually good rushing offense chart looks like. The Bears have rushed for at least 110 rushing yards and 4.3 yards per carry in five straight contests and in 11 of 16 games this year. They were a good rushing attack for most of the year, and they’ve been an elite one down the stretch. For the season, they rank:

• Third in yards per carry (4.9)
• Sixth in rush EPA (0.007)
• Second in success rate (46.8%)

And if I localize those stats to Week 9 and beyond again…

• Second in yards per carry (5.2)
• Third in rush PEA (0.071)
• Second in success rate (50.0%)

Credit equally goes to the Bears’ revamped offensive line (3rd in run blocking PFF grade) and their set of running backs. For as much crap as D’Andre Swift got in Detroit, his game has evolved and he’s making the most out of his opportunities.

I don’t want to talk about it.

The Lions’ run defense ranks:

• 21st in yards per carry allowed (4.4)
• 23rd in rush EPA (-0.038)
• 20th in success rate (41.5%)

Advantage: Bears +3. I think the Lions may get absolutely slaughtered here. They’ve allowed at least 120 rushing yards in six of their last seven games, including two absolutely embarrassing performances against the Rams and Steelers. Detroit has particularly struggled against teams that utilize two or more tight ends in the run game, and the Bears certainly qualify—ranking seventh in 12 personnel rate and seventh in 13 personnel rate.

Last week’s prediction:​

This was another week in which I got the winner wrong, yet I actually still feel pretty good about all of my predictions from last week’s column. I successfully predicted a low-scoring defensive game, noting that it wouldn’t surprise me for the outcome to go either way. In fact, take this sentence from my conclusion , and I pretty much nailed it.

“I expect this to be a low-scoring, ugly game, and if the Vikings’ aggressive defense forces a turnover or two, it could turn for the worse in a hurry.”

Still, On Paper is a disappointing 7-9 this year. I stopped keeping track of my picks against the spread, but I think it’s a little better.

The closest prediction from the crowd this week came from our own Al Karsten, who was one of two staff members to pick the Vikings in his game. His prediction of 23-20 Vikings wasn’t super close, but no one was. When a staff member wins, they get to request the photoshop. He failed to request anything in time, SO THE WHOLE CLASS GETS PUNISHED. NO REWARD THIS WEEK.

This week’s prediction:​

The Bears come out with a +2.5 advantage which feels about right. I do believe Chicago’s defense is a farce, which should keep the Lions in this game. The Bears’ offense, however, could really pour it on the Lions. Weather pending, I’m expecting a shootout, and one the Lions will just not be able to keep up with.

Bears 38, Lions 28.

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...-vs-chicago-bears-preview-prediction-on-paper

 

[Detroit Lions]

Discussion: What’s one thing you want to see in the Detroit Lions’ finale?

The Detroit Lions close out their disappointing 2025 season on Sunday with a bout against the Chicago Bears. For many fans, I’m guessing, they won’t bother even tuning in. For others, they’ll be actively rooting for a loss in the hopes of improving draft position and earning a fourth-place schedule for 2026.

But knowing this fanbase, there will also be a fair share of you watching like you always do: hoping to see the Lions pull out a victory and provide a little happiness on a football Sunday. Will a win provide anything tangible for this franchise? Probably not. Year-to-year momentum is not really a thing. However, it would be nice to see the Lions simply make some progress to provide at least a little hope going into the offseason.

Coach Dan Campbell was asked what he wanted to see in the season finale, and I think it’s fair to say we’d all love to see that, no matter what outcome you’re rooting for.

“I’d love to see—I mean there’s a lot of areas. I’d probably start with the O-line. Just want to see—and just a tick more, just a little bit better,” Campbell said. “See if we can polish some things up, work together, work our combinations just a little bit.”

So today’s Question of the Day is:

What do you want to see from the Lions’ season finale?​

My answer: I certainly want to see the Lions’ offensive line rise again—particularly when it comes to their run blocking. As Campbell said on Friday, fixing the rushing attack “is everything” this offseason, and getting a head start against one of the worst run defenses in football would be promising to see—especially if they can do it without Penei Sewell.

Aside from that, I’d like to see Detroit’s run defense bounce back. That’s going to be a much taller ask this week against a Bears rushing attack I view as a top-two unit in the NFL. They’ll also be without Alim McNeill. But if first-round pick Tyleik Williams and veteran DJ Reader can work the middle of the line and the boundary defensive backs can play disciplined run defense, it would certainly give some hope that the Lions’ recent decline was more fluky than anything else.

What are you hoping to see from the Lions’ season finale against the Bears? Scroll down to the comment section and share your answer!

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...troit-lions-goals-season-finale-chicago-bears

 

[Detroit Lions]

Detroit Lions place Trystan Colon on IR, elevate 2 from practice squad

The Detroit Lions announced their final set of roster moves ahead of their regular-season finale against the Chicago Bears, and they all involve the offense.

First, the Lions placed Trystan Colon on injured reserve. The interior offensive lineman has missed the last few weeks with a wrist injury, leaving the Lions a bit shorthanded—particularly when it comes to their center depth. This week, the Lions also saw practice squad center Kingsley Eguakun poached from their practice squad to join the Cleveland Browns, despite the Lions wanting to keep him. On Sunday, veteran Graham Glasgow is expected to start at center, with Michael Niese available to play in a pinch.

Detroit also elevated two players from the practice squad who are now eligible to play on Sunday. Offensive tackle Chris Hubbard will help provide much-needed depth. With Penei Sewell already declared out and Giovanni Manu not activated from injured reserve, the Lions only have Taylor Decker, Dan Skipper, and Hubbard as pure tackles active for this game. That said, both Miles Frazier and Kayode Awosika can play tackle, if needed.

The other player elevated from the practice squad is tight end Zach Horton. In previous weeks, the Lions have elevated Giovanni Ricci to help their shorthanded tight end group, but with Ricci out of elevations, they’re going with Horton this week instead. Horton is an undrafted rookie who has only been active for a single game this year: Thanksgiving vs. the Packers. In that game, he played eight snaps on offense and six on special teams. Capable of playing as a fullback or in-line tight end, this should be a great opportunity for Horton to display some skills and potentially earn himself a futures contract in Detroit next week.

In short:

• OL Trystan Colon to IR
• Elevated OT Chris Hubbard from the practice squad
• Elevated TE Zach Horton from the practice squad

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...tan-colon-on-ir-elevate-2-from-practice-squad

 

[JJ]

OH MAN where do I even start with this dumpster fire of a season for the Lions?? 8-8 after all that hype coming into the year... brutal.

Look, I know I'm supposed to be a Bills guy through and through but I've always had a soft spot for the Lions fanbase - y'all have suffered enough over the decades. But this is rough to watch.

The Morton situation is HILARIOUS to me though. "I'd like to stay" - dude got his play-calling stripped MID-SEASON and he's like "yeah I love it here!" That's either the most team-first attitude ever or the guy knows he's not getting another OC gig anywhere else. Probably both tbh.

And can we talk about how this Bears matchup is basically meaningless but still somehow feels like a trap game?? Chicago's run defense is absolutely GARBAGE (5.0 yards per carry allowed, seriously??) and the Lions can't even take advantage of it because their O-line is falling apart. Sewell out, Colon on IR... Glasgow starting at center. YIKES.

The Kerby Joseph "angel in the outfield" quote from Sheppard is actually pretty telling. When your DC is basically admitting "yeah our coverage was getting torched but Kerby was bailing us out" that's NOT a good sign for your scheme.

My prediction? Bears win this one and the Lions limp into the offseason. At least the draft pick gets a little better right??

What a waste of Goff having a legitimately solid year with zero help around him. Stafford vibes indeed.

 

[Detroit Lions]

Panthers-Bucs, Seahawks-49ers, Week 18 Saturday fan discussion

Saturday marks the start of Week 18, and the final two days of the 2025-26 regular season. The NFL used its flex scheduling option to give fans two meaningful games on Saturday, as the Carolina Panthers (8-8) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9) battle it out for the top spot in the NFC South followed by the Seattle Seahawks (13-3) and San Francisco 49ers (12-4) competing for the NFC West division title and the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

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Here’s how to watch Saturday’s games:

Panthers at Bucs​

When: Saturday, January 3, 2026 — 4:30 p.m. ET
Where: Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida
TV: ESPN/ABC
Announcers: Chris Fowler, Dan Orlovsky, and Louis Riddick, with field reporters Katie George and Peter Schrager
Online streaming: ESPN+, Hulu + Live TV, NFL+

From a rooting perspective, Jeremy Reisman has published a Week 18 Saturday Lions fans’ rooting guide for those looking toward the NFL Draft and 2026 season. Lions’ fans will want to pull for the Buccaneers in this game, as Reisman explained:

“The winner of this game moves into the top spot in the NFC South (at least temporarily). If that’s the Bucs, the Lions will jump them in draft order, and the Panthers, at 8-9, will only jump Detroit if the Lions finish 9-8, because Carolina has a much tougher strength of schedule (.522 to Detroit’s .491)

“If the Panthers win, the Lions will stay behind a 7-10 Buccaneers team no matter the outcome of their own game.“

Where this game gets interesting for all NFL fans is that a potential tiebreaker looms on Sunday. If the Bucs beat the Panthers on Saturday, both teams will be 8-9 with the Bucs holding the tiebreaker that puts them in first place in the division.

However, if the Atlanta Falcons beat the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, they would also end up 8-9 on the season, thus creating a three-way tie for first place in the NFC South. In this scenario, the Panthers would jump back into first place because the tiebreaker is based on head-to-head results among the three teams: the Panthers would be 3-1 (beat Falcons twice and split with Bucs), the Bucs would be 2-2 (split with Panthers and Falcons), and the Falcons would be 1-3.

Seahawks at 49ers​

When: Saturday, January 3, 2026 — 8:00 p.m. ET
Where: Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California
TV: ESPN/ABC
Announcers: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, with field reporters Lisa Salters and Laura Rutledge
Online streaming: ESPN+, Hulu + Live TV, NFL+

The winner of this game will become the NFC West champion and secure the No. 1 seed in the NFL playoffs, earning a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. From a Lions fan’s perspective, this game will have no impact on the Lions’ draft pick, but there is some potential to impact Detroit’s 2026 schedule.

Based on the NFL’s scheduling formula, each team from the NFC North will face the comparable seeded team from the NFC West in 2026. Meaning, if the Lions beat the Bears in Week 18 and the Vikings lose to the Packers, the Lions would finish third in the NFC North, secure a third-place schedule for 2026, and face the third-place team in the NFC West.

If the 49ers win, they secure first place, the Seahawks land in second, and the Los Angeles Rams will be third in the NFC West—and the Lions’ potential opponent.

However, if the Seahawks win, they’ll secure first place, and the 49ers will have to wait on the outcome of the Rams vs. Arizona Cardinals game to know their position. If the Rams beat the Cardinals, L.A. lands in second, and the 49ers would drop to third.

For a look at how the POD staff has picked these games, make sure you check out all of our Week 18 predictions: Moneyline, spread, and over/under.

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...eahawks-49ers-week-18-saturday-fan-discussion

 

[Detroit Lions]

4 takeaways from Lions’ season-ending win against the Bears

In a rather meaningless Week 18 game, the Detroit Lions went on the road to play the Chicago Bears. Detroit didn’t care if the game didn’t matter to them, and they played to win. They dominated early on, and despite a late collapse by the defense, the offense saved the day to win the game, 19-16.

While it’s now officially the offseason, we can still discuss this game. Here are my four takeaways from the Lions’ Week 18 victory.

Detroit’s 2026 schedule fate was decided before kickoff​

While this isn’t related to the game, we now know who the Lions play in 2026 after being locked in at the bottom of the NFC North in 2025. While we won’t know the order of the games played, the Lions’ schedule is very favorable in 2026. Of their 17 games, nine are against teams that finished 2025 with a record below .500, which is a great thing for them.

Home: Bears, Packers, Vikings, Patriots, Buccaneers, Giants, Saints, Jets, Titans

Away: Bears, Packers, Vikings, Bills, Falcons, Panthers, Dolphins, Cardinals

Every team will be different next season, but just looking at these games, there’s no reason why, at the very least, Detroit finishes with fewer than 10 wins. Detroit is the best fourth-place team in the NFL, as the next team closest to them is the New Orleans Saints, who finished 6-11. Detroit’s schedule being easier will give them a big boost in returning to the postseason in 2026 and fighting for the NFC North crown.

Red zone falls flat despite strong offensive showing​

After two weeks of the Lions’ offense struggling and contributing to the losses, the offense finally had a good game. Quarterback Jared Goff threw for over 300 yards, and the running game finished with 122 yards. It left me wondering where this was when the games still mattered in December. The one spot where the offense struggled was in the red zone.

With the Lions moving down the field with ease, facing 20 yards or fewer to score became more difficult. Detroit finished one-for-four in the red zone, with kicker Jake Bates seeing lots of action. Thankfully, the defense was strong against Chicago in the first half—if they had struggled for all four quarters instead of one, this game could’ve been one the Lions offense cost them again.

Despite worthless game, Lions still fight hard​

Week 18 2025 was a different feeling compared to the Week 18 game back in 2022. Back then, the Lions were improving and had a chance to eliminate the Green Bay Packers from the playoffs. They went out, pulled off the win, and gave fans confidence in what was to come. They made the playoffs in 2023 and 2024, winning back-to-back NFC North titles, winning two playoff games, and clinching the one seed once.

This year, coming off the best year in franchise history, the Lions fell to 9-8. The Bears had already clinched a playoff spot, but Detroit played to push the Bears down a spot in the seeding and wanted to finish the year with an above .500 record. With the Philadelphia Eagles losing, the Bears still finish the year as the two seed, so overall, the game didn’t matter to them.

This game showed that under Dan Campbell, the Lions will always try their best to win every game. We knew that already, especially in 2021 when the team was at its worst under Campbell, and in 2022 with the strong finish. What makes this year different is that the team has the pieces; they just underperformed and suffered too many injuries. A win today hurts the team’s draft pick, playing starters increased the chance for injury to happen, and ultimately, this didn’t move the needle in the playoff race. Campbell didn’t care; he wanted to end strong like his teams always have.

Amon-Ra St. Brown saves his best for last​

This season has been a rough year for Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra. St. Brown. While he had the second-most yards and touchdowns, he also had a career-high 10 drops. His drops came at the worst times as well, increasing the frustration towards them. In this game, St. Brown had a drop early on in a tough situation, but after that, he blew up.

St. Brown finished with 11 catches for 139 yards, the third-most yards this season and second-most catches. St. Brown was a huge problem for the Bears’ secondary as he made them suffer on short, medium, and deep routes. He ended the year on a positive note, and if he can have a strong offseason, he could easily bounce back with maybe his best year ever in 2026.

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...19-16-season-ending-win-against-chicago-bears

 

[Detroit Lions]

Lions report card, grades: Most complete performance in months vs. Bears

The Detroit Lions showed some pride and grit on Sunday evening, walking off Soldier Field with a well-earned 19-16 victory over the playoff-bound Chicago Bears. It wasn’t the end we were hoping for, but it was a small beacon of light in an otherwise dark season.

The game was a reminder of just how good this team can play when they’re rolling, but also a reminder of how off-kilter they can look late. Still, I believe this was one of the Lions’ best performances in the back half of the schedule, so I will hand out grades accordingly.

Quarterback: B+​

For the first three quarters, Jared Goff was dealing. He was side-stepping pressure, delivering balls with great accuracy and great anticipation. He seemed to know where the Bears’ blitz was coming from and would get rid of the ball on time.

But once the Bears’ comeback started, Goff seemed a little more jittery, and he made one of the most uncharacteristic poor decisions I’ve ever seen him make with his third-and-20 interception. That ball should not have been thrown, and Goff had plenty of checkdown options that would’ve resulted in a makeable, go-ahead field goal—including a wide open Isaac TeSlaa that would’ve gotten the Lions down to at least the 25-yard line.

With the game on the line, however, Goff was as cool as a cucumber. His perfect ball to Amon-Ra St. Brown turned into a 26-yard gain and the game-winning play.

Running backs: A-​

Detroit didn’t get the explosive running plays we’ve been missing for months now, but it was a very consistent rushing attack from the backs. I thought both David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs ran hard, maximizing the amount of yards available to them, even with a shaky offensive line. Gibbs also added his patented Texas route touchdown that just seems impossible to stop. It was nice to see him get over 100 scrimmage yards again (113), while Montgomery pitched in 55 of his own.

Tight ends: C​

Upon initial viewing, the tight ends didn’t do anything particularly offensive or inoffensive. Anthony Firkser had two catches—one an absolute disaster that wasn’t his fault.

Wide receivers: A-​

Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams both had critical drops in this game, but that’s the only reason this isn’t a straight A. St. Brown was absolutely unguardable for the majority of the game, making C.J. Gardner-Johnson look silly at times. Williams came up big in some big moments, as well. And this was the kind of game that made me appreciate Kalif Raymond as a solid depth option. Facing a lot of man coverage from the Bears, Raymond reminded a lot of people that he’s one of the toughest guards on the team one-on-one, and he’s still got plenty of speed in the tank at 31 years old.

Offensive line: C​

Against a defensive line that doesn’t produce a lot of pressure or sacks, the Lions’ pass protection was disappointingly rough. They allowed three sacks, seven QB hits, and countless other pressures.

That said, they did control the line of scrimmage when it came to the running game. The Lions posted a 59.3% success rate rushing the football—the third-best mark of Week 18 and Detroit’s second-best performance of the year.

With a (fifth?) string right tackle, that’ll earn you an average performance on the day.

Defensive line: A-​

My goodness, where was this all season?

Detroit was able to absolutely stuff one of the best rushing attacks in football on Sunday. Sure, they played keep-away for a long time, forcing the Bears to throw the ball more than they wanted. Chicago’s 18 rushing attempts were their fewest this season, and their 65 rushing yards also marked a season-low. Their 33.3% success rate was second-lowest of the season, and their average of 0.57 yards before contact was third-worst.

Credit to Tyleik Williams for tallying a tackle for loss and a pass breakup in a slightly increased role. Aidan Hutchinson was fantastic on the day, giving hell in both the run game and pass rush to a backup left tackle and a borderline Pro Bowl right tackle. Oddly, Roy Lopez and DJ Reader didn’t make the box score, but their presences were felt. Even Mekhi Wingo notched a pressure or two!

Linebackers: C+​

It was a very up-and-down performance for the Lions’ linebackers. It was a tough outing for Derrick Barnes, yet he delivered one of the most important plays of the game with a perfect pass breakup on fourth down. Malcolm Rodriguez also struggled mightily as a replacement for Alex Anzalone, but he also notched a key tackle for loss.

Jack Campbell? You’re perfect. Don’t change anything.

But I was a bit disappointed in two facets of the linebacking corps: their blitzing and coverage. While the Lions turned up the aggressiveness with the blitzing, I thought they got more production out of their defensive backs than their linebackers—who often got caught up in traffic. Chicago also took advantage of any time one of their talented tight ends was lined up with a Lions linebacker. Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet finished with 12 catches for 107 yards, a touchdown, and a two-point conversion.

Secondary: B+​

Caleb Williams didn’t test the Lions deep much, throwing the ball 20+ air yards twice in this game, and both passes represented the best and worst plays from the Lions’ secondary—particularly Avonte Maddox. The first was a perfectly-played interception where Maddox didn’t get fooled by Williams’ eyes and showed incredible ball skills by boxing out the receiver and intercepting the ball. The other was a 25-yard touchdown pass in which Maddox got greedy and tried to jump an underneath route.

Otherwise, though, the Lions’ defensive backs kept everything in front of them, logged a couple of pass deflections, helped prevent the Bears from gaining more than 10 yards on any rushing attempt, and even pitched in with the pass rush (Rock Ya-sin had half of the team’s four QB hits). It wasn’t quite the Legion of Whom out there, but I think a lot of those depth players made strong cases for a return in 2026.

Special teams: C​

Kalif Raymond showed some nice spark and patience in his three punt returns for 33 yards—including a nice 14-yard gain that helped set up the game-winning score.

Then there’s Jake Bates. It was a disappointing season for the Lions’ second-year kicker, and this game showed both why he’s been frustrating and why he’s going nowhere. His missed 53-yard kick (pushed left… again) ruined what was a strong finish to the first half. But his poised, never-in-doubt game-winner as time expired shows how clutch he has been his entire career. Hopefully, an offseason of self-scout can clean up what was a pretty inaccurate season.

Coaching: D+​

Jeez, where do I start?

This game shouldn’t have been close, but some very questionable decisions/play-calls in critical moments nearly cost the Lions the game. There was the odd, poorly-designed screen to Firkser that turned a very good situation (second-and-1 from the Bears’ 12) into a field goal. The Lions then threw the ball three straight times in their next trip into the red zone (all incomplete).

Then there was the disastrous fourth quarter. Detroit squandered another very good situation (third-and-1 from the Bears’ 41-yard line) by getting cute with an attempted Montgomery pass. He was sacked, the Lions punted, and the Bears would tie the game on the ensuing drive. If that wasn’t bad enough, the next time the Lions got the ball, they drove into the field goal range, had an opportunity to drain the Bears’ timeouts, and kick the game-winning field goal… but Campbell dialed up three straight passes instead: incomplete, incomplete, interception.

Now, that’s a lot of really, really bad in-game management. But it’s also worth noting that the Lions’ game plan this week was fantastic. They clearly caught the Bears’ offense off guard with the amount of zone that they played, and it took them three full quarters to find answers. Dan Campbell was an excellent play-caller between the 30-yard lines and had the Bears’ defenders swimming for most of the day.

Campbell also deserves credit for rallying the troops in a “meaningless” game. And when it seemed like everything was going the Bears’ way in the fourth quarter, the team was disciplined enough to put the struggles behind them and deliver a game-winning drive on both sides of the ball.

I tend to grade tougher on the tangible side of coaching, and Campbell will need to do some serious thinking about whether he’s the right play-caller for the future after more questionable choices in high-leverage moments. But this game also displays what Campbell does best: motivate, navigate through adversity, and build a culture that is second to none.

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...-most-complete-performance-in-months-vs-bears

 

[Detroit Lions]

5 takeaways from Lions’ Dan Campbell’s end-of-season press conference

Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell put a cap on the team’s 2026 season on Monday afternoon with a relatively brief press conference. In an 11-minute session, Campbell expressed his frustrations about what went wrong this year, talked about some vague plans for what’s next, and gave himself a very harsh grade for how he handled the year.

Here are my five biggest takeaways from Campbell’s end-of-season press conference.

No coaching decisions have been made… yet​

Dan Campbell has been hinting at making some changes this offseason—not necessarily on the coaching staff—but it certainly doesn’t take much reading between the lines to deduce that could be on the table. During his Monday presser, Campbell said that it will be the first thing he assesses later this week.

“The first thing I’ve got to figure out is the staff. I need to make sure that—where do we go from here?” Campbell said. “I just need to either—I need to make sure that I feel good about where the guys are at, the positions they’re in. Or do we tweak a couple of things, move a couple of guys? Do we stay pat?”

Last week, Campbell stood up for Kelvin Sheppard, noting that he feels like the first-time defensive coordinator did a “damn good job,” while also noting he hadn’t made any decisions on his—or anyone’s— future yet.

Part of the staffing decisions Campbell will have to make is whether he will continue to call plays for the offense moving forward. The Lions coach did not provide much clarity on where he’s currently leaning in that decision.

“I’m open to anything. I don’t know exactly where I’m at with that yet,” Campbell said. “I mean, I guess one of the good things if I did do that, you don’t have to worry about somebody else leaving. You don’t have to worry about your play-caller leaving. So, that would be one of the perks of it. But listen, I’m going to think through all of that, and I think I really want to do what I feel is best for the team.”

Getting back to “the ground level”​

One of the more mysteriously intriguing parts of Campbell’s press conference was his desire to have the team operating more like they did a few years ago.

“I want to get back to some of the things we were doing a couple of years ago. And what I mean by that is just getting back to a little bit of what we did at the ground level, just a little bit of the way we train, the way we go about things,” Campbell said. “This is going to be a good training camp for us. We’re going to go back and really sharpen the sword a little bit. And I know that’s a ways off, but I think that’s the big thing.”

When pushed about what the Lions may have gotten away from this year, Campbell opted not to get into details about what he was talking to, but it certainly seems like he’s implying ramping things up a little more next year. In the past, Campbell has talked frequently about avoiding complacency, but—unless I’m reading him wrong—it sounds like it may have crept in a little this year.

Learning from Frank Ragnow’s retirement​

This season, it’s clear the Lions missed All-Pro center Frank Ragnow after his sudden retirement. And while it’s still not entirely clear how much clarity the Lions had on Ragnow’s situation during free agency and the draft, Campbell admitted they will take some lessons from that situation as it pertains to the uncertain futures of Taylor Decker, Graham Glasgow, and Dan Skipper—all of whom have at least mentioned the possibility of retirement this year.

In the next day or two, Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes intend on speaking with Decker—as they do with all of their players—but they know it’ll take some time before the Lions’ left tackle can come to a decision.

“Whatever goes down there from his perspective, he’s going to need some time. I mean, you just do when you’ve played as long as he has and had the career he’s had. You’re going to need a little bit,” Campbell said. “But absolutely, we learned lessons.”

Campbell is content with training staff​

It was another year of injuries for the Detroit Lions, but it’s fair to say that from Dan Campbell’s point of view, they were more unlucky than unprepared. In his opinion, an increase in soft-tissue injuries would be more of a cause for alarm.

“That’s where I always start because if you’ve got a major soft tissue issue, then it’s more than just the player, in my opinion,” Campbell said.

That wasn’t a particularly big problem with the Lions this year. Campbell actually said they’ve “been great” in that department. Instead, things like Achilles tears or broken bones—freak accidents—were the biggest issues for the team this year.

He believes they’ve done just about everything they can, from slowing down the pace of practice to speeding it up, and it just hasn’t gone their way. And when it comes to their medical staff, Campbell threw his full support behind the crew.

“I like our training staff. I think they do a hell of a job, I really do. It’s just it was a tough year in some areas,” Campbell said.

Coaching grade: Freakin’ F​

People thought I was hard on the coaching staff in my Week 18 report card, but no one is harder on himself than Dan Campbell. When asked how he would assess his own performance this past season, he didn’t hold back.

“Not good enough. We didn’t get in. I mean, we underachieved. So, not good. I’m going to give myself a freaking F,” Campbell said.

Obviously, that’s a little dramatic, but for him, it’s clear this was more of a pass/fail grade. Expectations were to compete for a Super Bowl, and they didn’t make the playoffs. For him, there is no other grade than F, and I wouldn’t expect anything other than this full accountability from Campbell.

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...an-campbells-season-end-press-conference-2025

 

[Detroit Lions]

2026 NFL offseason calendar: Detroit Lions important dates, deadlines

With the Detroit Lions’ 2026 offseason upon us, it’s time to look ahead to the upcoming months to see what’s in store for the team and the NFL. There is no true downtime in the NFL, as the offseason is packed with important events, dates, and deadlines to keep teams active and the league in the news cycle.

This will be one of the more important offseasons for the Lions, as they try to recapture the success that brought them to relevancy under coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes. Here are the important 2026 offseason dates for the Lions and the rest of the NFL.

January​

Jan. 5 — Teams can start re-signing their own players, CFL players

On Day 1 of the offseason, teams can start signing players whose contracts expire at the start of the 2026 League New Year. We’ve already seen the Lions sign three of their exclusive-rights free agents and nine players from their practice squad. Those signings are likely to trickle in over the course of the next two months before the start of free agency.

Jan. 23-27 — East-West Shrine Bowl practices, game

One of the more popular college all-star games, the East-West Shrine Bowl will begin with practices on January 23 and culminate in the game on Tuesday, January 27 at 7 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on NFL Network.

Jan. 27-31 — Senior Bowl

Just as the East-West Shrine Bowl concludes, the Senior Bowl—another college football all-star game to highlight the 2026 NFL Draft class—picks up. Three days of practices will lead up to the game on Saturday, January 31, at 2:30 p.m. ET. This will also be televised on NFL Network.

February ​

Feb. 3— 2026 Pro Bowl games

The Lions had five players named to the 2026 Pro Bowl and five alternates. It’s unclear when the skills competition will be televised in the week leading up to the game, but the flag football game will be on February 3 at 8 p.m. ET.

Feb. 5 — NFL Honors award show

At 9 p.m. ET, the NFL will air its annual awards show on NFL Network and NBC. At this time, finalists haven’t been announced, but several Lions could be up for awards, including Aidan Hutchinson as a possible Comeback Player of the Year candidate and Jahmyr Gibbs as a potential long-shot at Offensive Player of the Year.

Feb. 17 — Franchise/transition tag window opens

Teams can start designating their selections for the franchise or transition tag (difference explained here). The Lions haven’t used the franchise tag since 2018 (Ezekiel Ansah), and there are no real candidates to get it this year. You can see the projected cost of each tag here.

Feb. 23 – March 2 — NFL Combine

While this event is about NFL Draft prospects, it’s also the time when the media meets with Lions general manager Brad Holmes, coach Dan Campbell, and any potential new coaching hires.

March​

March 3 — Franchise/transition tag deadline

If a team plans on using the franchise tag, this is the last day they can use that designation.

March 9-11 — Free agency “legal tampering period”

Starting March 10 at Noon ET, teams can begin negotiating with agents of players who are set to become unrestricted free agents. Oftentimes, players will “agree to terms” with their new teams.

As a reminder, here is the full list of Lions players set to become free agents if not re-signed by March 11 at 4 p.m. ET.

March 11 — New league year, start of free agency

Free agents can officially sign with new teams starting at 4 p.m. ET.

March 29-April 1 — NFL Annual League Meetings

New NFL rules are discussed and voted on. Media also typically meet with Campbell, Holmes, and team president Rod Wood.

April​

April 15 — NFL Draft visit deadline

Teams must complete their top-30 and local NFL Draft prospect visits (at their own facility) by this date.

April 17 — RFA deadline

If a player is given a restricted free agent offer sheet, this is the deadline for those players to sign it.

April 20 — Offseason program begins

The Lions, and any other team with a returning head coach, can begin their offseason program.

April 23-25 — 2025 NFL Draft

This year’s draft will take place in Pittsburgh, PA.

May​

May 1 — Fifth-year option deadline for 2023 first-round picks

This is the deadline for teams to exercise their fifth-year options for their 2023 NFL Draft first-round picks. The Lions have two picks from the first round of that draft: running back Jahmyr Gibbs and linebacker Jack Campbell. Both are almost certainly going to get that option picked up if they aren’t signed to an extension by then.

May 1-4 or May 8-11 — Rookie minicamp

Teams may hold a three-day rookie minicamp for their draft picks and UDFA class in either of the two windows.

Mid-May — NFL schedule release

There is no official date set for the NFL 2025 schedule release, but it was announced on May 14 in 2025, May 15 in 2024, and May 12 in 2023.

It’s worth noting that the NFL’s international schedule typically gets announced a few days before the full schedule release, and the Lions are expected to play one international game in 2026.

May 20-21 — NFL Spring League Meetings

More conversations are had about rule changes, and final rulings are made. There is typically no availability with Lions coaches/owners here.

Late May/Early June — OTAs + mandatory minicamp

This is the first opportunity for the entire Lions 2026 team—veterans and rookies together—to take the practice field. Typically, the Lions dismiss veterans for the final week of OTAs, choosing to spend that time on the young players in attendance

Last year’s OTA/minicamp schedule was cut short due to being in the Hall of Fame game, but this is what the Lions’ 2024 OTA schedule looked like:

• OTA week 1: May 21-23
• OTA week 2: May 29-31
• Mandatory Minicamp: June 4-6
• OTA week 3: June 10-12

July ​

July 15 — Franchise tag signing deadline

If a player is designated with the franchise tag, this is the date by which they must sign that tag. Teams and players often use this date as a deadline for agreeing to a long-term contract to avoid playing on the one-year franchise tag deal.

Mid/late July — Training camp

Last year, Lions rookies reported on July 16 and veterans on July 19, but that was a few days earlier than the rest of the league because of the Hall of Fame game. Expect 2026 dates to be a tad later.

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...endar-detroit-lions-important-dates-deadlines

 

[Detroit Lions]

The first Detroit Lions OC candidate has emerged

The Detroit Lions’ search for a new offensive coordinator has just begun, but one candidate has already emerged. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, former Lions quarterback David Blough is a candidate to fill the role left after John Morton’s firing.

Blough is only two years into his coaching career after retiring from playing after the 2023 season. He has spent the last two seasons as the Washington Commanders’ assistant quarterbacks coach, helping young quarterback Jayden Daniels emerge as a strong franchise player for Washington. Late in the 2025 season, Commanders quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard took the Stanford head coaching job, leaving Blough to serve as the interim quarterbacks coach for the rest of the season.

While backing up Jared Goff in Detroit, Blough was often described by the coaching staff as an excellent backup and strong offensive mind.

“I love the kid, if I’m being totally honest with you,” Campbell said back in 2021. “He’s just a little football player. And when I say that, I mean that in the highest regard. Look, he’s smart. He’s extremely smart. He knows where to go with the football, I love his timing. He knows how to command the huddle, he communicates well and on top of that, he’s a hell of a dude, by the way. He just is. So, he has not disappointed. He’s doing a good job. He’s out there competing with the rest of those guys.”

Obviously, this would be a big jump for Blough, considering he has barely led a position group, let alone ran an entire offense. But he has a strong knowledge of the team’s offense, and was even credited with designing a game-winning play for the Commanders last year.

As of now, this is the only known candidate for the Lions’ offensive coordinator position, but it’s still early in the process. When more candidates emerge, we’ll have a tracker so you can see all of the names in one place.

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...-offensive-coordinator-candidate-david-blough

 

[Detroit Lions]

4 reasons David Blough is a legitimate Lions OC candidate, 3 reasons he isn’t

David Blough is the first name to emerge as a candidate for the Detroit Lions’ vacant offensive coordinator position. The Lions certainly have more names in mind that they will consider for the position, but Blough’s emergence has certainly evoked a lot of emotion in Lions fans.

I, too, have some complicated thoughts about Blough as a candidate for the job. So let’s break them down: my four reasons I like him and three reasons I don’t.

4 reasons Blough should be a legitimate candidate​

He’s got a firm grasp of the Lions’ scheme​

Let’s be honest with ourselves, the Detroit Lions’ offensive scheme does not need a dramatic overhaul. If the Lions can just get back to where they were under Ben Johnson—and they weren’t that far off last year—things can change in a hurry. The Lions’ scheme was one that was carefully developed with Jared Goff at the helm, and Detroit’s personnel was hand-picked to fit what the Lions want to do here. The biggest reason Detroit took a step back this past season was their inability to win up front, not huge schematic blunders. If the Lions go with an external hire, they risk alienating their quarterback and attempting to fix things that weren’t broken.

Blough spent two seasons in Detroit under this scheme (2021, 2023), has a clear rapport with Jared Goff, and throughout his time here, he constantly received praise for his deep football knowledge.

Here’s Johnson mentioning that he saw play-calling in Blough’s future:

“I talked to Tim Boyle right now and I think whenever he decides to hang the cleats up, he’s going to become a coach. David Blough was the same way when he was here. Those guys – you can already see that they want to be potential play-callers down the road.“

And here’s Dan Campbell from 2021:

“He’s smart. He’s extremely smart. He knows where to go with the football, I love his timing. He knows how to command the huddle, he communicates well and on top of that, he’s a hell of a dude, by the way. He just is.”

He’s in higher demand than you may think​

Blough may only be two years into his coaching career, but the man has already drawn the interest of several teams. Last year alone, the Commanders had to block interview requests from the Jets (QB coach), Bears (pass game coordinator), and Jaguars (QB coach). Obviously, Aaron Glenn and Johnson chasing him is no surprise considering their shared time in Detroit, but Liam Coen was also interested, and he has no history with Blough. Word is getting around.

He’s already designed some very successful plays​

While play-design is only a small part of the job of offensive coordinator, Blough has already been credited with pitching in for some critical plays at critical times. Here’s Commanders QB Jayden Daniels talking about this game-winning touchdown play in Week 16 against the Eagles (via Albert Breer):

“It set up perfectly,” Daniels says of Blough’s concept. “We did that same play in practice, same route, right behind the linebacker, in two-high coverage. That was my first read presnap from what I’ve seen—I’m going to go right here and trust in him to make a play.”

JAYDEN DANIELS FIFTH TOUCHDOWN
JAMISON CROWDER AGAIN
COMMANDERS HAVE BEAT THE EAGLES

WHAT IS HAPPENINGpic.twitter.com/2fSNcYUSeX

— WizardsMuse (@WizardsMuse1) December 22, 2024

Remember the reverse flea-flicker the Lions pulled off against the Cowboys? That play was called “Boilermaker.” Why? Because Blough, a Purdue alumnus, brought it with him from college.

He’s already being tabbed as a future head coach candidate​

While the Lions certainly wouldn’t want to have another successful offensive coordinator poached from them in the future, it speaks to Blough’s legitimacy that some believe he’s destined to be a head coach someday soon. David Aldridge, a Commanders columnist for The Athletic, had this to say about Blough:

“But it feels more likely that Quinn will go outside the building, though he’d love to keep assistant quarterbacks coach David Blough, who’s on the fast track to becoming a head coach sometime very soon.”

Blough also made The Athletic’s 2025 list of the NFL’s “50 under 40”— a list of rising young talents in the league at coaching and executive positions. Here’s what authors Jourdan Rodrigue and Mike Jones said about Blough:

“Kingsbury described Blough as ‘one of the brightest quarterbacks I’ve ever been around,”‘and praises his rapport with his players, his insight and communication skills. Blough received interest from Aaron Glenn and the Jets about their quarterbacks coach opening, but the Commanders blocked Blough from interviewing, viewing him as a valuable piece to their quarterback room and with potential to rise through the ranks of their organization.

3 reasons David Blough shouldn’t be a serious candidate​

He’s far too inexperienced​

Blough’s coaching career has lasted just two seasons, and he’s been an assistant quarterbacks coach for almost the entire time. He’s only led a position group for a month, after Commanders QBs coach Tavita Pritchard left to become Stanford’s head coach.

A meteoric rise like that is a pretty significant risk for a team that is looking to win a Super Bowl right now. While his playing career has given him chances to learn under strong offensive minds like Freddie Kitchens, Todd Monken, Ben Johnson, Kevin O’Connell, and Kliff Kingsbury, his “tree” remains relatively small, and he has basically no time on task in developing a game plan during a week or calling plays.

That path isn’t necessarily unprecedented. Saints head coach Kellen Moore became the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator (then Chargers and Eagles coordinator) after just one year of coaching the Cowboys’ QB room. But he is more the exception than the rule.

Play calling remains a problem​

Personally, I think Dan Campbell is best served in a general overseer role. He’s capable of calling plays, but I had two issues with him on the job for 2025. For one, it seemed to pull him away from other duties, leading to questionable game-management decisions with timeouts, challenges, and other key game-day moments. Additionally, while I think Campbell had a good grasp of sequencing and feel for play-calling, he made some very questionable decisions in high-leverage moments, particularly on third and fourth down.

So Detroit would either have to go back to Campbell in 2026 or hand things to Blough, who has zero experience calling plays. Neither choice is ideal, in my opinion.

There are some talented, experienced options out there​

After Black Monday has come and gone, there are a surprising number of strong offensive minds out there with great track records. Erik Schlitt did a great job listing 13 candidates for the Lions’ offensive coordinator position. My personal favorites are Ravens OC Todd Monken and Giants OC/interim head coach Mike Kafka. While both are still employed with their current teams, it’s not entirely clear where their future lies as their organizations start their head coaching search.

Other very experienced options include former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, former Giants coach Brian Daboll, and former Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.

Obviously, hiring one of these candidates comes with its own risk—mainly, whether they will fit the Lions’ current scheme or decide to overhaul things entirely—but in the long-term, these hires could be made with significant confidence they’ll eventually get things in order.

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...gitimate-lions-oc-candidate-3-reasons-he-isnt

 

[Detroit Lions]

2026 NFL mock draft: SB Nation pairs Detroit Lions with OL

As the Detroit Lions turn the corner to the offseason ahead, we’ve officially entered Mock Draft season. Our Mock Draft Roundup series will return later in the week, but we thought it’d be a good idea to kick things off by breaking down a Mock Draft from the SB Nation mothership, composed by long-time respected NFL Draft analyst Mark Schofield.

The early expectations for this draft cycle for the Detroit Lions anticipate the Lions focusing on the trenches, most notably on the offensive line and edge rushers.

Schofield has quarterbacks Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) and Dante Moore (Oregon) as the first two players off the board, with offensive tackle Spencer Fano (Utah) and EDGE Rueben Bain Jr. (Miami) the next players off the board. Hybrid linebacker Arvell Reese (Ohio State) is off the board at No. 7, followed by EDGE Kendrick Faulk (Auburn) picked next. EDGE David Bailey (Texas Tech) goes at No. 12, with offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa (Miami) off the board two picks later at No. 14 overall.

Despite some serious trench talent off the board, Schofield still has the Lions staying in the trenches, and with the No. 17 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, he projects the Lions to take…

Olaivavega Ioane, LG, Penn State​

“A major reason behind the Detroit Lions’ downward turn this year was the struggles in front of Jared Goff. While he posted an Adjusted Completion Percentage of 68.5% when pressured according to Pro Football Focus, tenth-best in the NFL, he was sacked a career high 36 times. Finding some help along the interior is a big need for Brad Holmes, and Detroit gets that in Olaivavega Ioane, a bright spot for Penn State this past season.”

At first glance, the Lions’ most significant needs along the offensive line appear to be at left tackle and center (with Taylor Decker and Graham Glasgow on retirement watch). However, there’s a lot of potential movement that could happen, depending on how things shake out. For example, if Decker retires, the Lions could target the best offensive tackle available, and if they need to move Penei Sewell to the left side, he’s shown the range to make that work.

If Glasgow retires, Schofield’s prediction is entirely plausible. The Lions have hinted that they will consider moving Tate Ratledge inside to center and believe he has the intelligence and athleticism to hold down the position for years to come. If that happens, the Lions would likely flip Christian Mahogany to right guard—a position he’s shown he can play at the NFL level and primarily played in college—thus opening a hole at left guard for Ioane.

Easily the best interior offensive lineman in this draft class, Ioane (6-foot-4, 335 pounds) is a plug-and-play left guard who is an anchor as a pass protector and a mauler as a run blocker. He’s likely going to grade out similarly to last year’s first-round pick, Tyler Booker, yet stylistically, he’ll remind people of former Lion Larry Warford, who was a big-bodied bully in the trenches.

I also would’ve considered Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu (pick No. 27) and Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor (pick No. 28) at No. 17 for the Lions. I still like the idea of landing an offensive tackle in the first round, but in the early stages of my draft evaluation, I do have Lomu and Proctor in a tier below Fano and Mauigoa. How big of a gap between the duos is still to be determined.

Check out Schofield’s entire mock draft here.

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...nfl-mock-draft-detroit-lions-olaivavega-ioane

 

[Detroit Lions]

5 questions we want answered in Lions GM Brad Holmes’ press conference

Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes is currently scheduled to have his end-of-season press conference on Thursday. Many Lions fans are eagerly anticipating this press conference after a frustrating end to the 2025 season. There is a palpable eagerness to see what Holmes will say about with some of the moves he did (and didn’t make) the past year for a season that failed to meet expectations in nearly every single way.

Here are the five things I’m hoping to learn from Holmes press conference.

So many offensive line questions​

• When did you know about Frank Ragnow’s potential retirement?
• Was Tate Ratledge part of his replacement plan?
• Do you view center as still a primary need?
• Where is Giovanni Manu in his development?
• How are you planning for the inevitable retirements for Taylor Decker/Graham Glasgow in the near future?
• Do you think there needs to be more competition at guard to push Christian Mahogany/Miles Frazier?

I imagine offensive line will be a huge topic on Thursday, as that position group took the biggest step back in 2025. It will be interesting to see if Holmes believes he could’ve approached anything differently to avoid regression at one of the most important position groups.

But more importantly, it will be nice to have some insight into how Holmes will attempt to fix the position in the future. Is Manu part of the plan? What about Glasgow and Decker? Does he feel like Ratledge could be the future center or does he like him better at guard? There needs to be a clear plan here, and while I don’t expect Holmes to give away everything, some sort of vision would help ease some minds in Detroit.

Should he have done more at defensive end?​

After Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft, Holmes was peppered with questions about the team failing to add an edge defender. Safe to say, he got pretty defensive about it.

“All I hear is, ‘Edge rusher, draft an edge rusher.’ Well, are you assuming that the guy is really good? Well, that’s a whole different story,” Holmes said at the time.

Later in training camp, coach Dan Campbell told 97.1 The Ticket “we’re good” at defensive end—in a quote about adding Za’Darius Smith that is commonly being misattributed to Holmes.

Flash forward to the end of the season and pass rush was certainly an issue in 2025. The Lions finished with the third-slowest time to pressure in the NFL (2.86). Will Holmes downplay that issue and, instead, point to their 49 sacks (fourth-most in the NFL) and Al-Quadin Muhammad’s season? Or will he admit the Lions should have taken the position more seriously?

Of course, more important than him taking accountability is his plan forward. As of right now, the following edge defenders are headed toward free agency:

• Marcus Davenport
• Al-Quadin Muhammad
• Josh Paschal
• Tyrus Wheat

Has his outlook changed on long-term project draft picks?​

Holmes has taken a few swings on highly-developmental players, and none of them have really worked out. Hendon Hooker, Brodric Martin, Colby Sorsdal, and Giovanni Manu were considered extremely raw players—many coming from lower competition—that needed a ton of development to hit their potential. They’ve essentially gotten nothing from those picks, although you could argue Isaac TeSlaa falls into that category and the early returns are okay there.

Regardless, it will be interesting to see if his philosophy here has changed or evolved. In fact, a much simpler question for Holmes should be: Has your roster acquisition philosophy changed at all in the past few years?

Is safety a priority with two young players dealing with serious injuries?​

The Lions are in a tricky position at safety moving forward. It’s unclear what the future holds for Kerby Joseph and his mysterious knee injury, while Brian Branch is in danger of missing the beginning of the season after tearing his Achilles last month. How does Holmes plan to prepare for the short and long-term at safety—a critical position in this defense?

With growing use of tight ends, do you think Detroit could use more long-term assurance there?​

After injuries to Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright, the Lions were extremely short-handed at tight end and it showed. But beyond that, we’re starting to see the expansion of 12 and 13 personnel across the NFL, meaning some teams are three or four tight ends deep.

I’m curious if Holmes is considering following that trend, as it could be a big boost to Detroit’s struggling run game. The situation is even more complicated given that LaPorta is coming off back surgery and Wright is entering the final year of his contract—and dealing with a neck injury of his own.

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...detroit-lions-gm-brad-holmes-press-conference

 

[Detroit Lions]

6 biggest takeaways from Lions GM Brad Holmes’ press conference

Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes spoke for over 40 minutes on Thursday to recap the 2025 season and look ahead to the 2026 offseason. Here are the biggest takeaways from the press conference.

Note: I am not including Holmes’ comments on David Montgomery. Those were covered in a separate piece here.

Brad Holmes admits to mistakes… but doesn’t specify which ones​

Many fans were hoping Brad Holmes would take some culpability for the team’s failures in 2025 after he had taken a rather confident attitude in previous years. The Lions general manager did… sort of. He said unequivocally that this year was a disappointment, failure, and—like Dan Campbell—gave himself an F for the year, because “it was either good enough or not good enough, and it’s not good enough.”

Holmes said when failure happens, he looks to himself first, and even admitted there were things he’s already identified as mistakes he’s made.

“I’m always going to look inward. Early stages, but already started to identify some things that I can definitely do better,” Holmes said.

However, Holmes declined to specify what mistakes he’s made, and he pretty much rebuffed any suggestions made by the media.

[Note: questions here are paraphrased. Answers are direct quotes.]

Would you have changed anything about how you responded to Frank Ragnow’s retirement?

“I think we did the best we could with everything that we were trying to do from a roster standpoint.”

Did you do enough at offensive line?

“I don’t think that we’ve ever gone into an offseason with a question mark or a hole that we didn’t attack that position with urgency. But sometimes it just doesn’t work out as well as we hoped.”

What about EDGE?

“We just couldn’t — It just didn’t come together like how we would have liked it to be, from a draft standpoint.”

Holmes will keep on drafting developmental players if they fit​

Some, myself very much included, have wondered if Holmes has taken on unnecessary risks in the draft by drafting highly-developmental prospects like Hendon Hooker, Brodric Martin, Colby Sorsdal, Giovanni Manu, and even Isaac TeSlaa. Despite some misses within those picks, Holmes doesn’t appear to be swayed from that strategy if the player still fits their character and talent requirements.

“As long as they’re made up of the right kind of stuff, that’s really — I think that’s the main thing that matters,” Holmes said. “Yeah, there’s a baseline of talent that you have to have for this league, but they have to have the right temperament, the right intangible qualities, they have to have the right football character.”

He doesn’t believe he’s not aggressive​

At two different points in his press conference, Holmes was asked if he intends on being more aggressive or urgent with the team after what is being perceived as a lack of splashy free agency or trade deadline moves this past year. Holmes essentially pushed back on any complacency criticisms, saying that there are a lot of moves the team tried to make last season, but the deal just never came together.

“I don’t think that we’ve like not tried to be aggressive, or just being aggressive just to say we’re being aggressive,” Holmes said. “Usually, when those kinds of moves happen, usually there is a deficiency that’s clear and that team needs to act on that. When we’ve had deficiencies, we’ve tried to act on things. Some of them just didn’t come together, but we didn’t want to settle or reach.

He also warned that they may make some moves this offseason that aren’t the headline-making type.

“Honestly, a lot of the things that we’ll look at, and a lot of the changes and tweaks and adjustments that we will make probably won’t come with a headline,” Holmes said. “That’s not to say that we won’t do something that’s in that ‘splash’ category, but it’s not indicative of a lack of effort, work ethic.”

The Detroit Lions are in the market for a center​

With the unclear future of Graham Glasgow, the Lions will have to figure out their center position, as they continue to search for answers after Frank Ragnow’s retirement in 2025.

Second-round pick Tate Ratledge began training camp at center before the team quickly moved him to guard, where he stayed all season. Holmes admitted that moving Ratledge back to center is still on the table, and he was encouraged by what he saw during OTAs and training camp.

“He’s done it before, he did it in OTAs, didn’t think that he was a fish out of water,” Holmes said. “And then all of the reps that he’s logged this year, just all the rookie snaps, he may have played the most snaps of any rookie on this year. So whether he continues that guard or center, but we know that he’s an option.”

But, more importantly, Holmes said that it is a position they will look to add this offseason.

“We’re definitely going to have to continue to look for one, whether it be the free agency, the draft, or a trade.”

What the Lions are looking for in their next OC​

The Lions’ offensive coordinator search is underway, and there are already two candidates on the board: former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel and Commanders QB coach David Blough.

Holmes offered his ideas on what the team is looking for in their next offensive coordinator, mentioning that they will consider both coaches with and without play-calling experience and look both inside and out of the organization. What they will prioritize more than anything else, it sounds like, is fitting within the team.

“There has to be leadership, there has to be detail-oriented, he’s gotta be able to (have) command over the room,” Holmes said. “You just have to be able to know that there’s somebody that’s gonna be able to dot every ‘I’ and cross every ‘T,’ and make sure that nothing is compromised from the detail standpoint, from the standard standpoint, from the start of the game-planning period all the way to the end of the week.”

The Lions don’t need “deep surgery”​

Unsurprisingly, when asked how far off the Lions were from Super Bowl contention, Holmes said, “I don’t think that we’re that far off.” But he also noted that they need to make sure they don’t veer too far off course just because they think they’re close to contention.

“Maybe that is one of the items that needs to be looked back on, is thinking that you are so close and so now you start changing some things because you only need this piece, you only need that piece,” Holmes said. “And it’s like, ‘Naw, uh-uh.’ Like, who’s the best player to fit for what we’re trying to do that has gotten us to have the expectations that we have as a football team right now?”

Ultimately, he concluded:

“I do not think that this is a deep surgery, overhaul. I don’t think that. But obviously, there needs to be some adjustments made for sure.”

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...keaways-lions-gm-brad-holmes-press-conference

 

[Detroit Lions]

Debating Mike McDaniel’s fit for Detroit Lions OC job

On Thursday, news broke that former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel is a candidate for the Detroit Lions’ vacant offensive coordinator job. Immediately, there was a swell of positive reaction from Lions fans, as McDaniel is commonly viewed as one of the brightest young offensive minds in football. For his first two years as the Dolphins head coach, Miami had one of the most productive and innovative offenses in football.

But we also can’t ignore the drastic fall-off from the Dolphins offense. Partially because of injuries to Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill over the past two seasons, the Dolphins have finished 22nd and 25th in scoring offense in 2024 and 2025, respectively. Injuries can be used as an excuse, but the greatest coordinators find a way through the adversity.

Beyond that, there are questions about his philosophical and schematic fit. While the Lions have built their offenses on grit and physicality, McDaniel seems to favor speed and finesse. But maybe that’s exactly what the Lions need. Detroit has two speedy players in Jameson Williams and Jahmyr Gibbs who could probably be utilized more creatively, and it’s hard to imagine anyone better than McDaniel to do so.

McDaniel also has a very long coaching history with a lot of different coaching influences and schemes—including his closest coaching guru: Kyle Shanahan. The 49ers head coach has a scheme that is both more congruent to what the Lions’ do and much more adaptable.

On this EMERGENCY PODCAST, our crew debates the fit of McDaniel in Detroit, along with our thoughts on the Lions’ other known candidate: Commanders quarterbacks coach David Blough.

Before that, myself, Erik Schlitt, and Ryan Mathews discuss our biggest takeaways from Lions general manager Brad Holmes’ end-of-season press conference, including the future of David Montgomery, whether Holmes really took accountability for his mistakes, and our confidence in him moving forward.

You can catch our discussion in the embedded podcast below or on any podcasting platform you’d prefer. Just search “Pride of Detroit.”

You can also catch video of the show over on our YouTube pages. Here are the links:

• Part 1: Breaking down Brad Holmes’ press conference
• Part 2: Debating the fits for the Lions’ OC job

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...ating-mike-mcdaniels-fit-detroit-lions-oc-job

 

[Detroit Lions]

Lions News: Jameson Williams up for prestigious NFLPA award for community service

Well known for giving back to the local community, star Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams is up for a prestigious NFL Players Association award.

Since 2014, the NFLPA has chosen a Community MVP each week of the regular season—a player who went above and beyond to give back to their community. That player receives $10,000 for their foundation or their chosen charity.

Although Williams has hosted a number of community events, he was chosen for the Week 15 title for donating 250 brand-new custom winter coats to students at Downtown Boxing Gym Detroit, which offers mentorship, educational support, and resources to local kids.

.@bigsgjamo is up for the NFLPA Alan Page Community Award

Finalists will receive a $10,000 donation from the NFLPA to his charity of choice.

— Detroit Lions (@Lions) January 8, 2026

Those 18 winners are now eligible for the NFLPA Alan Page Community Award, which the NFLPA says is the highest honor they can bestow upon a player. It’s presented each year during the week of the Super Bowl.

“The Alan Page Community Award annually recognizes one player who demonstrates a profound dedication to positively impacting his team’s city and communities across the country, following in the spirit of Pro Football Hall of Famer, humanitarian and civil rights pioneer Alan Page. Each year’s winner is selected by his NFL peers, who cast their votes for one of the award’s five finalists via electronic ballot,” per the NFLPA’s website.

The NFLPA asks the public to vote to select five finalists. Each finalist receives a $10,000 donation from the NFLPA to a charity of his choosing.

You can vote here and it’s pretty simple. Just click on Jamo’s picture, an illustration of him on a fake newspaper “The Lions Roar,” and hit submit, no need to provide any information.

And onto the rest of your notes.

• Isaac TeSlaa revealed rookie wide receivers fell for a prank where they thought they had to foot the bill for an extremely expensive dinner.

This is a screenshot of that rookie dinner prank for the receivers that #Lions Isaac TeSlaa referenced on Monday. It was pulled by Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Via Dominic Lovett's IG story. pic.twitter.com/qbTfR6DoCK

— Kory Woods, MSW (@KoryEWoods) January 7, 2026

• A note about your Notes: As we enter the offseason, I may deviate a bit more from Lions-specific content to more general NFL content I think you’d enjoy. For starters, Peacock may start incorporating features on its broadcasts that would allow viewers to control the audio level for the game’s announcers and the ambient crowd noise.

• Michigan State football landed All-American center Trent Fraley, the son of Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley.

• A congrats to Amon-Ra St. Brown for setting the franchise record for the most 100-catch seasons.

@amonra_stbrown pic.twitter.com/vqlmKivTuT

— Detroit Lions (@Lions) January 8, 2026

• “It’s important that the ball is scrubbed smooth so that Jake (Bates) can kick the ball further.” An inside look at how the Lions prepare balls for kickers.

.@hogan_hatten takes us behind the scenes to see how our equipment staff gets the Lions' K-balls ready pic.twitter.com/5X5lfNDJ5i

— Detroit Lions (@Lions) January 7, 2026

• The Lions announced Rocket is making a sizable donation based on the Lions’ third-down stops.

Thanks to the Lions’ 135 third-down stops this year, @RocketOTD will make a donation of $42,225 to Connect 313 in support of digital access and innovation in Detroit. pic.twitter.com/XKamwNxpNb

— Detroit Lions (@Lions) January 9, 2026

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...illiams-nflpa-award-nominee-community-service