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Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46). Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Grading Lions' Defensive Performance in 2025 Season

Originally posted on Detroit Lions on SI
By Christian Booher | Last updated Jan 12, 2026 7:01 AM ET

The Detroit Lions' defense was once again battered by injuries throughout the 2025 campaign.

While there were a pair of stars who emerged to lead the unit, the group as a whole struggled down the stretch and faltered in some of its biggest games. What was once a strong start turned into a somewhat disappointing finish.

Here are the grades for each of the Lions' defensive position groups in 2025.

Defensive line — B-

The Lions had some success in the pass-rush department, as they were much improved from last year and finished the season tied-for-fourth in sacks. Aidan Hutchinson paced the effort with a career-best 14.5 sacks, while Al-Quadin Muhammad had 11.

It was a strong bounce back year for Hutchinson, as he recovered nicely from the season-ending leg injury suffered last season. He didn't appear to lose a step in terms of explosiveness, and recorded 100 pressures.

Muhammad was a nice surprise, as he had a big year with 53 pressures and 11 sacks to set career-bests in both categories. Meanwhile, Marcus Davenport suffered an injury and missed significant time before returning late in the year.

On the interior, the Lions got Alim McNeill back in action midway through the year. DJ Reader had a down year, while Roy Lopez proved to be a nice addition spelling Reader rotationally as the nose tackle.

Rookie Tyleik Williams was up and down, as he went through a midseason swoon in terms of snap count before performing better down the stretch and finishing the year on a high note.

A defining stretch of the season for the Lions will be their three-game losing streak, as the defensive line was gashed and gave up over 150 rushing yards in each game.

Linebackers — B

The Lions' linebacking corps was one of its most stable groups, as the trio of Jack Campbell, Alex Anzalone and Derrick Barnes all appeared in every game, with the exception of Anzalone missing the finale.

Campbell took a huge leap, becoming a First Team All-Pro selection for the first time in his career. He had a breakout year at multiple levels, setting career-highs in combined tackles (179), tackles for loss (9) and sacks (5).

The Iowa product was the second-highest graded defensive player by Pro Football Focus, notching a 90.2 overall grade. Anzalone had another solid year, notching 95 combined tackles and 2.5 sacks. Barnes was used in a hybrid role, splitting time between a traditional outside linebacker role and a pass-rushing role.

Detroit stockpiled good linebacker depth, but was able to stay healthy and as a result didn't need to utilize it much. Grant Stuard was exceptional on special teams, while Trevor Nowaske and Malcolm Rodriguez also provided some contributions throughout the year.

Secondary — C-

The Lions' secondary was battered by injuries, and those injuries in a way defined the season. Kerby Joseph was limited to six games after an All-Pro season last year, while Brian Branch also suffered a season-ending injury late in the year.

Joseph had a lingering knee issue in training camp that carried over to the regular season, and after leaving multiple games was ultimately shut down for the year after multiple attempts to get back going. Branch, meanwhile, suffered a torn Achilles against the Cowboys in Week 14.

The Lions' cornerbacks also dealt with issues with injuries, as both D.J. Reed and Terrion Arnold had injured reserve stints. They relied on Amik Robertson and Rock Ya-Sin as a result, as both versatile veterans helped steady the ship when things got tough.

Detroit was never fully able to put together a completely healthy secondary after the first quarter of the season, and although players like Thomas Harper, Arthur Maulet and Nick Whiteside were able to put together some good performances, the group lacked consistency for much of the final stretch of the season.

In particular, the run defense struggled with Joseph and Branch both sidelined late in the year. Arnold notched his first career interception, but had two injuries that sidelined him for stretches and he wound up appearing in just eight games in his second NFL season.

Coaching — C-

Kelvin Sheppard started the year off somewhat strongly, holding the Bears to 14 points in Week 2 and stifling Lamar Jackson in Week 3. Things were trending up for Sheppard, as his defense had more success getting after the passer and looked solid against the run. However, when the injuries started, things began to unravel.

As the season went on, the Lions had less and less success stopping the run, which ultimately defined them. In games where they were able to quell opposing run games, they had success. Late in the year, when the Lions faced three-straight must-win games, the run defense wasn't up to the task and they lost all three pivotal games.

The pass-rush was better than it had been in previous years, but with the team still deploying a man-coverage heavy scheme for most of the year, there were lapses for the group. Sheppard did have some success with zone defense at times last year, so it's worth exploring whether or not some schematic changes could be beneficial.

Ultimately, the performances of Campbell and Hutchinson were highlights, while the injuries made things difficult from a personnel standpoint down the stretch. Getting healthy will be a priority, as the team has the potential for a bounce back year overall in 2026.

This article first appeared on Detroit Lions on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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