The Lions Had a Great Offseason But Let’s Not Pretend Everything Is Perfect
Brad Holmes crushed the draft. Free agency added real pieces. Drew Petzing is one of the smartest offensive minds you can hire. The offensive line looks better on paper than it has in years. Detroit is young, hungry, and built to compete.
And yet.
No roster is perfect. Not even this one. There are concerns heading into training camp, and while none of them should blow up the season, a few need real attention before Week 1. Let’s talk about them honestly, because ignoring problems does not make them go away.
Health Is Still the Boogeyman
This is the big one. If the Lions stay healthy over the past few years, they probably win a Super Bowl. That is not hyperbole. The Lions were 25th in the NFL in adjusted games lost to injury in 2024 and 31st in 2025.
The Lions are making changes. No more joint practices. Jared Goff is not playing a single preseason snap because we already know what he is. That is all smart.
But here is what keeps me up at night: Kerby Joseph has an undisclosed injury. Brian Branch is recovering from an Achilles injury and might not be back until September or October. When Joseph and Branch are together, that is the best safety duo in the NFL. Without them? The Lions added depth at safety, and that was smart, but depth is not the same as having your two best guys on the field.
Then there is Sam LaPorta and his back. And you have to worry about anybody else going down because this team just cannot afford it. Not again.
Interior Defensive Line Depth Is Not Good Enough
Alim McNeill and Tyreek Williams are your starters. We know what they bring. After that? Question marks. Big ones.
There is rookie Skyler Gill-Howard, who could develop into a pass-rushing defensive tackle. There are Miles Adams, Levi Onwuzurike, Tyler Lacy, Chris Smith, Mekhi Wingo, and undrafted free agent Aidan Keanainaa. The Lions need a run-stuffing nose tackle, and they really only have one on the roster right now.
I would be shocked if the Lions went into the regular season without making a move here. There is not much left in free agency, and this does not feel like a trade situation. It feels like they are waiting for cutdowns across the league and then they will claim someone or sign a player who just got released. Holmes does not panic, but he also does not leave obvious holes unfilled.
Cornerback Depth Is a Real Problem
Terrion Arnold is gone. Rock Ya-Sin is now your starter, and sure, that could work. But what happens if Ya-Sin gets hurt? What if DJ Reed goes down? After them you have rookie Keith Abney, Roger McCreary (who you probably do not want to move out of the nickel spot), Ennis Rakestraw, Khalil Dorsey, Nick Whiteside, and a couple of undrafted free agents who probably will not make the 53-man roster.
Ya-Sin was the safety net. Now he is the starter. The Lions have no net behind him.
I know how Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell think. I know the default is next man up. But this is not the time to sit on their hands. If I am running this team, I am looking to make a trade or a free agency signing to get back to where they need to be so Ya-Sin can return to the safety net role. This is not about being paranoid. This is about being realistic after watching this team get destroyed by injuries two years in a row.
Tackle Depth Could Be Better
This is a smaller concern. Blake Miller and Penei Sewell are your tackles. Larry Borom is the swing guy. After that you have a lot of guards and interior linemen. Colby Sorsdal has been with the Lions for a while but has barely played regular-season football since 2023. Giovanni Manu has not shown much yet. Miles Frazier can play every position on the line, and maybe that is the answer if Borom has to step into a starting role.
It is worth monitoring. Nothing more than that right now.
The Offense Needs Time to Gel
Drew Petzing is new in town. I love that hire. He is going to add elements to this offense the Lions have never run before. Combine that with a rebuilt offensive line, and the question becomes: how long does it take to gel, and how much of a leash does Detroit have early in the season?
Talent is not the issue. Time is. Even the best talent needs reps together. The Lions cannot afford too many bumps early on, not in a division this tough.
The Bottom Line
These concerns are relatively minimal outside of health and the interior defensive line. But they are real. The Lions need to address some of these problems before the season starts, and I think they will. Brad Holmes does not leave obvious holes unfilled, and Dan Campbell does not go into a season unprepared.
Frankly, I think they are going to be just fine. But fine is not the goal anymore. The goal is a Super Bowl. And if you want to win one of those, you cannot afford to ignore the details.
So which of these concerns worries you the most, or are you convinced Brad Holmes has this all figured out and I am just overthinking it? Drop your take below.
