One Question Lions Must Answer at 2026 Minicamp

The Detroit Lions enter minicamp with an ample degree of optimism after a relatively productive offseason. However, one question, in particular, continues to linger: Is the defense strong enough to allow the team to get back to the playoffs and make a deep run in 2026?

Detroit’s offense, coming off a season in which it produced the fourth-most points in football, remains one of the NFL’s most high-octane units. Jared Goff returns under center, and will once again be equipped with a number of explosive weapons, including running back Jahmyr Gibbs and receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.

Yet, the defense experienced its fair share of struggles a season ago.

Simply put, it was a year of growing pains for Kelvin Sheppard in his debut campaign running the Lions’ defense. For a second consecutive season, Detroit was ravaged by injury on the defensive side of the ball, and it regressed to 22nd in the league in points allowed (24.3/game).  

It was not where the Lions wanted to be as a unit, leading to Detroit general manager Brad Holmes making several additions this offseason. Most notably, he added EDGE defenders D.J. Wonnum and Derrick Moore, as well as defensive backs Christian Izien and Roger McCreary. The hope is that those acquisitions will create increased depth while lessening the burden on the team’s returning core pieces (i.e. Aidan Hutchinson).

Lions head coach Dan Campbell is optimistic that the new-look EDGE room will have a productive 2026 campaign. 

“I will say this, for all the drill work that we get and those times when we can turn it up a little bit, Wonnum looks good, Hutch, look we’ve got some length now,” Campbell said. “Let me just step back for a minute, I like where Wonnum is at. He was coming off that injury, all that and hasn’t missed a day with us, has been putting in the work and so he’s doing a good job in the spring.”

Holmes & Co. certainly made a concerted effort to get the defense back on track headed into Sheppard’s second year calling plays. 

However, the verdict is still out regarding whether the additions will be enough to take Sheppard’s unit to the next level. And just like in past seasons, some of it will hinge upon the defense’s ability to stay healthy.

If the defense does make significant strides, the Lions could rise to the ranks of legitimate NFL title contenders. However, if not, the same defensive woes that plagued them a year ago will likely continue to rear their ugly head.