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Roundtable: Early Positive Signs for Lions' 2025 Season
Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa makes a catch against the LA Chargers during the first half of the Hall of Fame Game at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio on Thursday, July 31, 2025. Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Roundtable: Early Positive Signs for Lions' 2025 Season

Originally posted on Detroit Lions on SI  |  By Vito Chirco  |  Last updated Aug 10, 2025 8:32 PM ET

1.) What are you impressed with so far from the Lions?

Christian Booher: The thing that has impressed me most about the Lions so far is their defense. The group looks collectively pretty solid, with talent all over the field. I think the secondary is upgraded, and the pass-rush could certainly surprise some people if the group remains healthy. I think the group has a different mindset than in years past and a new confidence, and should be able to be a real strength of this team.

Vito Chirco: I've been impressed with a pair of Lions 2025 draft picks: WR Isaac TeSlaa and EDGE Ahmed Hassanein. TeSlaa has been super impressive in camp, and looks like he's ready to be the team's No. 3 wideout. Meanwhile, Hassanein's high-level work ethic and relentless motor have been on full display. Additionally, he appears to be ready to contribute as a rotational pass-rusher headed into his debut NFL season. Those are two big, positive developments for Detroit thus far in camp.

2.) What has you concerned after two preseason games?

Booher: I think the offense was better toward the end of the Falcons game, but after the first five quarters of the preseason, I was certainly concerned. Particularly, the backup quarterback competition doesn't appear to be going the way many thought it would. Kyle Allen is the clear leader, with a bounce-back performance against Atlanta after struggling against the Chargers. Offensively, the team finally found its groove against the Falcons, but time will tell if Allen can be consistent enough to beat out Hooker for the backup job.

Chirco: I share the same sentiment as Christian about the backup quarterback competition. Both Kyle Allen and Hendon Hooker have been largely underwhelming. And it has me thinking that if Jared Goff goes down, the Lions’ offense will become rather anemic and the team will struggle to win games. There's no way Detroit is making the playoffs with either Allen or Hooker under center. So, through two preseason games, the play of the two reserve QBs has me most concerned. 

3.) Would you trust Giovanni Manu if something happened to Taylor Decker or Penei Sewell?

Booher: I'm not quite ready to say I trust Giovanni Manu to replace Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell in the event of an injury. Manu has had some flashes of good moments, particularly in games, but he's not nearly consistent enough. I think he's fourth on the depth chart, behind Dan Skipper as the swing tackle, and could wind up being a healthy scratch early in the year once again for the Lions.

Chirco: I don't think I would. Manu has yet to play a regular season snap in his NFL career, and until he does that, I'm not going to be too optimistic about him being able to adequately fill the void created by a potential injury to either Decker or Sewell. In fact, I believe the Lions would be in a load of trouble if either tackle went down for an extended period of time. 

4.) What is wrong with Hendon Hooker? 

Booher: Hendon Hooker has struggled with ball control throughout the first two preseason games, committing three turnovers. However, to me, the more concerning thing is that he really hasn't taken many downfield throws or even moved the offense. It's hard to get excited about a backup option who struggles to move the ball, and that's what Hooker has been so far. These next two weeks will be very important for his future, if he hopes to turn it around.

Chirco: I just don't think he's ready to play at the NFL level. He still struggles with ball security, and his timing and accuracy on his throws continue to be serious issues. At this present juncture, he's not capable of leading the offense down the field, and he's truly not reliable enough to be Jared Goff's backup.

5.) What are you watching for when the Lions conduct joint practices with the Dolphins this week?

Booher: I think the matchups between the Lions' defensive backs and the Dolphins' wide receivers will be the ones I'm paying closest attention to. The Dolphins have multiple electric wideouts in Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill, which will force the Lions to be on their game in the secondary. It will be a great two-day test for the Lions on both sides of the ball, but the defense will be the unit facing the biggest test.

Chirco: I'm looking forward to watching how John Morton's offense fares against the Dolphins’ defense. It'd be nice to see the unit get going a bit because it hasn't been that sharp thus far in camp. Also, I'll be closely watching how TeSlaa and Detroit's top wideouts – Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams – fare against the likes of Minkah Fitzpatrick and Mike Hilton. It should be a solid test for the offensive side of the ball this week.

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

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