Detroit Lions punt returner Kalif Raymond (11) celebrates a touchdown against Cleveland Browns during the second half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
It can be challenging to keep up with the Detroit Lions’ roster movement during the offseason. So, to make things easier on Lions fans, we make it a yearly offseason tradition to track every signing, re-signing, tagging, and roster loss in one convenient place.
For this continuously updating piece, we will focus on the Lions’ 2026 roster heading into free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft. This article is organized by position group and provides fans with an overview of the players on the roster and the pending free agents for each designation.
Within each section, we will provide readers with an end-of-season depth chart for each position, identify the roles players held, list the 2026 contract details for players currently signed by the Lions, and provide several key terms to clarify each player’s situation. There will also be links to other articles for those fans looking for even more depth of coverage.
So, bookmark this page and revisit it as roster updates are made.
Terms to know:
- UFA: Unrestricted Free Agents can sign with any team during the free agency period beginning on March 11 (tampering negotiations begin on the 9th). However, the Lions can re-sign these players at any time. (Note: We ranked this year’s UFA class here)
- RFA: Restricted Free Agents’ rights are held by the Lions, and a tender could fall into three different categories. If an RFA receives a contract from another team, the Lions can match the offer or potentially receive draft compensation for allowing the player to leave (See: Brock Wright in 2024).
- ERFA: Exclusive Rights Free Agents are only allowed to negotiate contracts with the Lions unless Detroit chooses to let them explore free agency.
- SFA: Street Free Agents are players who were under contract with an NFL team in 2025, but not on an active roster at the season’s end. They are free to sign with any team immediately. The most common SFAs are players who were on NFL practice squads.
- Futures contracts are deals given to street free agents before the start of free agency. They’re called “futures” deals because while currently signed, these contracts don’t count against the cap until a “future” date—which is the start of free agency. (Note: the Lions have already begun signing players to futures contracts)
- 2026 cap pit: How much a player counts against the team’s 2026 salary cap.
- Guarantees remaining: this is the remaining guaranteed money owed to the player over the remainder of his contract, not just 2026. If the Lions move on from a player with guaranteed money, that amount will count against the Lions’ cap, even though the player is no longer on the roster.
Quarterback
Goff is entrenched as the Lions’ starter, and with nearly $100 million in guarantees remaining, he’s not going anywhere anytime soon. In fact, with the Lions’ salary cap situation being tight, they may even elect to restructure or renegotiate his contract this offseason in order to free up cap room, which would surely add even more guarantees to his deal.
Allen convincingly claimed the Lions QB2 in training camp but didn’t see any meaningful regular-season snaps in 2025. If he is comfortable in this role, the Lions would likely want him back, but if he’s looking for another opportunity to start, he may look for better opportunities in free agency.
Beathard not signing a futures deal indicates he either wants to explore more lucrative opportunities or the Lions are opting to go in another direction with quarterback depth.
News/Transactions:
UFA profiles:
Running back
*indicates a fifth-year option
The Lions entered the offseason with Gibbs, Montgomery, Vaki, and Robichaux (who spent his entire rookie season on injured reserve) under contract, then quickly re-signed Saylors and Small, meaning for the moment, they retain their entire running backs room from 2025.
That being said, this may not be completely settled, as rumors have been swirling that
Montgomery’s future with the Lions could be in question. General manager Brad Holmes has said the Lions want to bring Montgomery back, but also acknowledged they didn’t use him as much as he deserves, and want to do right by him and are willing to explore options.
News/Transactions:
UFA profiles:
Wide receiver
The Lions’ end-of-season starters are all under contract for the next three seasons, but they may have to make some decisions regarding their depth this offseason. All-Pro punt returner and spot starter, Raymond, is still producing at a contributor level, but he will turn 32 this offseason, and the Lions appeared to draft his potential replacement in Lovett. Kennedy, who found the field as a spot starter due to injury and stuck because of his special teams contributions, is unlikely to receive an RFA tender, but could receive another one-year deal to return to the team for an eighth season. Meeks is a developing talent who will have a chance at making the 53-man roster in 2026, while Cunningham brings a unique skill set as a former quarterback.
News/Transactions:
UFA profiles:
Tight end
The Lions’ tight end position was wrecked by injury in 2025, as LaPorta (back) and Wright (throat) finished the season on IR, Zylstra spent the majority of the season on IR, TE4 Kenny Yeboah spent the season on IR before being released with an injury settlement, and the Lions rotated a plethora of veterans looking for answers.
LaPorta is expected to play in 2026, with coach
Dan Campbell suggesting a training camp return, while the Pro Bowl tight end suggested he is
targeting OTAs to be “up running around.” Wright was nearing a return at the end of the season, so he is expected to be healthy by OTAs, while Horton is still in the developmental stages of his career. Zylstra, Firkser, and Ricci all gave the Lions consistent snaps in the back half of the season, but their production was minimal, and if any return, it’ll likely be to compete for a role in training camp.
News/Transactions:
UFA profiles:
Offensive tackle
With
Decker openly considering retirement, the Lions may enter the offseason looking for a starting left tackle for the first time in over a decade. Skipper, who settled in as OT3 and OL6, is also contemplating retirement due to a back injury, and the depth behind him failed to step up in 2025. Manu is clearly still developing, Jones couldn’t stay healthy, Hubbard gave the Lions one solid start but is a 35-year-old free agent, while Cochran spent the season on the practice squad.
That leaves the Lions potentially looking for not only a starting offensive tackle, but also depth to compete with Manu for an OT3 role. Even if Decker returns in 2026, adding a starting-level tackle this offseason should be one of the Lions’ top priorities, and Sewell’s ability to play at both tackle spots affords the Lions the opportunity to simply target the best player available instead of looking for a side-specific player.
News/Transactions:
UFA profiles:
Interior offensive line
Glasgow, who will turn 34 during training camp, was asked to start at his third different position in three seasons (RG in 2023, LG in 2024, C in 2025), and, like Decker, he is still under contract in 2026 but could be contemplating retirement. Mahogany and Ratledge give the Lions two up-and-coming interior starters, while Frazier has flashed starter-level potential, but the main issue with all three players is limited experience—none have more than one year of game experience. Beyond the top four, the Lions have relied on veterans for depth and spot-starting duties, though none have a clear path to a starter role.
The biggest question for this group entering 2026 is: who will start at center? It’s unclear whether Glasgow will return, whether the staff plans to play Ratledge at pivot, or whether they’ll look outside the organization for a solution.
News/Transactions:
UFA profiles:
Interior defensive line
*indicates a fifth-year option
The Lions drafted Williams in the first round last offseason with the intention of him filling several roles in 2025 and stepping into a starting role in 2026. While that plan certainly seems to still be in place, Reader and Lopez have both expressed a desire to return to Detroit, and the Lions should be open to it. Onwuzurike missed another season due to injury, and while this knee repair could finally get him fully healthy, it’s still unknown how he’ll be able to return from yet another season-ending injury. Wingo flashed interior pass-rush potential, but his role never fit the Lions’ game plan in 2025, and he rarely saw the field. Smith and Adams never made it off the practice squad, as this unit overall was relatively healthy this past season.
News/Transactions:
UFA profiles:
Edge rushers
The Lions deploy three styles of edge rusher: the do-it-all player, a base end/4i (run stuffer and edge setter), and a pass rush specialist. While Hutchinson has one starting role locked down, the Lions rotate all three roles opposite him.
The Lions once again entered the season with the hope that Davenport could fill the do-it-all role, but injuries and ineffective play will make it hard to justify bringing him back for a third season. Muhammad is coming off a career season, but his limited contributions against the run left him primarily in a pass-rushing role. That being said, Muhammad was highly productive in 2025 and could be one of their top priorities to retain in 2026. Paschal, a base end, never got healthy enough to play last season, and it’s fair to wonder if he’ll get another shot. Wheat and Lacy were claimed off waivers after cutdowns, with Wheat taking a pass rushing role and Lacy stepping into a base-end/4i role with Paschal (and Onwuzurike) unavailable. O’Connor earned the base-end/4i role out of training camp but was eventually jumped by Lacy on the depth chart, while Hassanein is being developed for a role similar to Wheat.
With only Hutchinson and two developmental edge rushers under contract and multiple holes to fill, this could be a position the Lions attack in free agency and the draft.
News/Transactions:
UFA profiles:
Linebackers
*indicates a fifth-year option
Throughout the Holmes/Campbell tenure in Detroit, the Lions used six linebackers in nearly every game, and in 2025, they leaned on three starting linebackers more than any other team in the NFL. While it’s not unusual for Detroit to enter the offseason with multiple jobs up for grabs, the Lions will need to be proactive in filling as many as four game-day contributing roles this offseason.
Anzalone, who held out in training camp looking for a new contract, could be too expensive to retain, but if he departs in free agency (as expected), the Lions will need to either be aggressive in replacing him or consider changing their defensive approach/scheme. All five reserves have proven they’re capable of contributing in different roles, but it’d be hard to justify depending on any to take on a starting role. Essentially, I could see any and all reserves returning, but the Lions may still need to add a starter-level linebacker.
News/Transactions:
UFA profiles:
Cornerback
*indicates a fifth-year option
The Lions should enter 2026 with Reed and Arnold as their outside starters, with Rakestraw competing as depth on the outside and/or a starting nickel role, while Dorsey is solid depth and a starting special teamer, and Whiteside is worth developing and could earn a depth role.
Robertson’s ability to start inside and out has been incredibly valuable for Detroit over the past two seasons, but his free agent price tag is difficult to gauge, and it’s possible another team outbids the Lions for his services. Ya-Sin is a perfect fit for the Lions’ scheme, and with a non-starter price tag likely attached to his free agency, he should be a priority re-sign for Detroit.
Regardless of whether the Lions are able to retain either Robertson or Ya-Sin, they could still be on the lookout for more depth and potentially a starting nickel.
News/Transactions:
UFA profiles:
Safety
How the Lions’ safeties recover from injuries will surely dictate how Detroit prioritizes this position in the offseason. Branch (Achilles) could miss parts of the season, and his contract extension will surely get put on hold until the team can assess the long-term impact of his injury. Joseph (knee) has already received his extension, but questions surrounding the knee linger. The unfortunate thing for Lions fans is that we don’t have access to their medical information, so we likely won’t get clear answers on their statuses for quite some time.
Harper and Maddox did well holding down starting roles in 2025, but Harper is still developing, and Maddox is about to be on the wrong side of 30. Jackson should get a chance to help the Lions in 2026, but will also be fighting through a learning curve after a lost rookie season. Thomas is primarily a special teamer, and Mills filled a veteran role, but both would be fighting for jobs if they return. Strickland is entering year three with the Lions, but when they didn’t turn to him last season, despite the injuries, it speaks to where he is in his development.
This is the hardest position to project the Lions’ approach this offseason, as they could be in the market for starter-level players or simply looking for depth.
News/Transactions:
UFA profiles:
Special teams
Bates is on an ERFA contract, meaning the Lions hold the right to offer him a league-minimum deal at any time, and he would be forced to play under that contract in 2026 or not play at all. However, the Lions have said they want to retain him, and not extending his tenure suggests they are likely working on a contract extension.
The Lions could add competition for this group in training camp, but overall, they seem very happy with these three starters.
News/Transactions:
UFA profile:
2026 Lions roster at a glance
Note: Players with no background color are set to be free agents
