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The NFL season is finally here, which makes this the right moment to stop looking forward for an hour and look back at how the Detroit Lions got here.

The 2026 offseason began with a 9-8 season that felt like a hard reset after two years of NFC North contention. Since then, Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell have reshaped the roster, changed the offensive leadership, rebuilt key parts of the line of scrimmage, and made several decisions that will define whether Detroit returns to January football.

On this episode of the Detroit Lions Podcast, Chris and Jeff Risdon work through the entire offseason, from free agency and the draft to training camp, roster cuts, injuries, and the final tuning of the team that will open the regular season.

The biggest changes were not cosmetic. Taylor Decker and Graham Glasgow were released, David Montgomery was traded to Houston, and Detroit began rebuilding an offensive line that had lost some of the stability that once defined the offense.

Penei Sewell moved to left tackle. Detroit used the 17th pick on Clemson tackle Blake Miller, added Cade Mays and Larry Borom in free agency, and acquired Juice Scruggs in the Montgomery trade. The result is a younger line with more athletic upside, but also one of the clearest early-season questions on the roster.

The backfield changed just as dramatically. Isiah Pacheco arrived to complement Jahmyr Gibbs, only for injuries to interrupt that plan before Week 1. Gibbs, meanwhile, went from an offseason hold-in to a long-term extension through 2030. What looked like a committee in March now begins the season with Gibbs carrying even more responsibility.

Drew Petzing also takes over as offensive coordinator, giving Jared Goff another system to master while Campbell looks to restore the offensive identity that slipped during 2025.

Holmes used the draft to attack the trenches. Miller arrived in Round 1, Detroit moved up for Michigan edge Derrick Moore in Round 2, and the class added more defensive depth behind them.

That mattered because the defense spent the summer absorbing its own turbulence. The Terrion Arnold situation forced Detroit to rework the cornerback picture. D.J. Reed and Rock Ya-Sin enter the season as the likely outside starters, while the club continues sorting through nickel and depth options.

The bigger immediate concern is safety. Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch will begin the season unavailable, forcing Detroit to rely on veteran depth until two of its best defensive players can return. Cade Mays and Pacheco are also sidelined, meaning the roster Holmes assembled in March is already different from the one Campbell will take into September.

That is where the retrospective becomes a confidence check.

The stars are still stars. Goff, Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sewell, Aidan Hutchinson and Alim McNeill give Detroit a legitimate championship-level core. The defensive front looks deeper, the rookie class has produced real contributors, and the roster survived cutdown with difficult decisions at multiple positions.

The question is whether the rebuilt offensive line and temporary holes on defense can hold together until reinforcements arrive.

Join Chris and Jeff for the Detroit Lions 2026 Offseason Retrospective as they grade every phase of the offseason and decide whether this team enters the new NFL season stronger, weaker, or simply different from the one that walked off the field in January.

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The Detroit Lions must manage running back Jahmyr Gibbs’ snaps because Isaiah Pacheco faces a multi-month back recovery and Brian Branch is tracking for an October return. Sam LaPorta looks ready now, but ongoing back management matters. Waiving Seth McLaughlin and Jabari Small preserved flexibility amid concussion timelines.

The Lions chose waivers to keep near-term roster and practice-squad flexibility, not season-long IR limits. Lions center Seth McLaughlin sustained a concussion around August 27. Dr. Jimmy Liao said his three-year concussion review showed a median 11-day return to play, so McLaughlin’s waiver was a slight surprise based on timeline alone.

Lions running back Jabari Small was a different case. There was strong concern on film for a second concussion in preseason game three, though no official diagnosis was announced. Dr. Jimmy Liao warned that if Small truly suffered two concussions within eight days, he is out for at least a month and his functional threshold to absorb contact becomes a season-long concern. As Jeff Risdon explained, waiving rather than injury-settling preserves the Lions’ ability to bring him back to the practice squad without the settlement waiting period risk.

Lions offensive lineman Cade Mays went to IR with a wrist fracture. Dr. Jimmy Liao noted typical wrist recoveries can range from about three to eight weeks in comparable NFL examples, so IR indicates a longer timeline than a straightforward fracture. He also flagged Lions offensive lineman Ben Bartch’s Lisfranc history as unreliable, noting Dan Campbell’s earlier disappointment with the slow recovery pace.

Lions running back Isaiah Pacheco’s back issue is severe and extends past a standard soft-tissue timetable. Going on IR rules him out until at least October 11, which Dr. Jimmy Liao characterized as an eight-plus-week back injury with potential spinal involvement. He called Pacheco a “10 out of 10” risk right now.

As Jeff Risdon noted, when Brad Holmes said “we hope that we see him this year,” his heart sank. With David Montgomery traded, Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs becomes the bell cow, and Dr. Jimmy Liao emphasized true load management to preserve Jahmyr Gibbs through 17 games and the playoffs. Lions running back Jacob Saylors must step up as the No. 2 while Pacheco rehabs.

Yes, if the Lions keep managing his workload. Lions tight end Sam LaPorta looked fully functional in camp. Jeff Risdon observed full-speed blocking and difficult catches without visible limitation. Dr. Jimmy Liao cautioned that repetitive blocking hyperextension stresses the spine and can trigger disc recurrence, so practice and contact management are key.

The Lions open Sunday at home on turf, then play Thursday night at the Buffalo Bills on grass. Dr. Jimmy Liao said surface changes can matter, but both teams share the short-week strain and the Lions can mitigate by trimming full-contact practice exposure and prioritizing recovery between games.

Lions defensive back Brian Branch remains on timetable. Dr. Jimmy Liao pegged typical Achilles return at 10 to 11 months, which places Brian Branch, injured December 4, in the October-to-early-November window. IR to start the season is expected and not a setback.

Jeff Risdon watched Brian Branch working strenuously on the side and moving well, and Dr. Jimmy Liao is cautiously optimistic Brian Branch can get close to 100 percent once acclimated. The goal is sustainable availability in October, not just an early cameo.

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The Detroit Lions built their 53 around an attacking defense and flexible offense. They kept waves of defensive linemen to stunt and overload, and they set a short-term interior offensive line and running back plan until injuries clear. Jacob Saylors is RB2 while Isaiah Pacheco is on IR for the first four games.

The Lions will attack with multiple fronts and pressure packages. As Scott Bischoff said, Detroit showed overloaded looks and disruptive stunts in the preseason, a clear shift from a static approach.

Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions, headlines a deep edge group with edge rusher Derrick Moore, Detroit Lions, and interior disruptors like defensive tackle Alim McNeill, Detroit Lions, and defensive tackle Skyler Gill-Howard, Detroit Lions. Safety Chuck Clark, Detroit Lions, benefits from faster pressure, as do safety Avonte Maddox, Detroit Lions, safety Christian Izien, Detroit Lions, and cornerback Ennis Rakestraw, Detroit Lions. With linebacker Jack Campbell, Detroit Lions, plus linebackers Derrick Barnes, Detroit Lions, Malcolm Rodriguez, Detroit Lions, and Jimmy Rolder, Detroit Lions, Aaron Glenn can roll 4-2-5, five-man fronts, and creative mug looks to speed up quarterbacks.

Center Juice Scruggs, Detroit Lions, starts for now, and the group will grow its chemistry week to week. Scott Bischoff emphasized the interior timing changes with different centers and how the run game timing will evolve, then stabilize when Cade Mays returns.

The projected five: left tackle Penei Sewell, Detroit Lions, left guard Christian Mahogany, Detroit Lions, center Juice Scruggs, Detroit Lions, right guard Tate Ratledge, Detroit Lions, and right tackle Blake Miller, Detroit Lions. Depth includes center Seth McLaughlin, Detroit Lions, and swing tackle Larry Borom, Detroit Lions. Russell Brown noted the staff’s confidence in line coach Hank Fraley’s cross-training, with Scruggs and McLaughlin keeping protections functional until Mays is back.

Running back Jacob Saylors, Detroit Lions, is RB2 behind running back Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions, while running back Isaiah Pacheco, Detroit Lions, is on IR for the first four games. Russell Brown noted Dan Campbell has said he is comfortable with Saylors in that role.

Russell Brown also questioned how running back Sione Vaki, Detroit Lions, will be used, since his preseason work skewed to special teams. Scott Bischoff floated a short-term depth addition if needed, especially for fourth-quarter carries in games where Detroit protects leads.

Detroit will flex tight ends to cover WR4/WR5 duties. As Scott Bischoff laid out, tight end Jackson Meeks, Detroit Lions, can split out as a de facto fifth receiver in 12 or 13 personnel, letting tight end Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions, play a full combo role while tight end Brock Wright, Detroit Lions, handles more in-line work. Tight end Tyler Conklin, Detroit Lions, offers additional versatility.

Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions, and wide receiver Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions, headline a lean WR group with wide receiver Tay Martin, Detroit Lions, rounding it out. The structure fits Detroit Lions Podcast recurring themes: multiple tight ends, motion, pin-and-pull, duo, and varied route families that keep the ball moving without needing six traditional wide receivers.

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The Detroit Lions placed running back Isiah Pacheco on injured reserve, sidelining him for at least four weeks. Detroit also re-signed tight end Tyler Conklin to the 53-man roster, restoring depth at tight end without changing the offensive identity. These moves clarify early running back roles and the immediate return game plan.

Because his back injury, coupled with a knee issue, requires a minimum four-week shutdown and the team planned for it. As Jeff Risdon noted, this explains why Detroit initially carried five running backs and then added Detroit Lions running back Jabari Small.

Detroit Lions running back Jacob Saylors is the clear No. 2 after a strong preseason, benefitting from a full offseason to refresh after a full UFL workload last year. The staff can lean on Saylors while Small factors in as RB3/4 and on returns. Jeff Risdon also speculated the back issue could extend Isaiah Pacheco’s absence beyond four weeks, a nod to the challenges of practicing and playing through back pain.

It adds proven depth and special teams flexibility, not a shift to a 13-personnel base. Detroit Lions tight end Tyler Conklin overlaps with Detroit Lions tight end Brock Wright’s TE2 profile, allowing the staff to deploy roles cleanly around Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta.

Conklin’s presence lets the staff use the third tight end in more receiver-like and special teams roles, and Conklin may be inactive some weeks if special teams tilt roster math. Per Jeff Risdon, the Lions showed more 12 packages in camp but did not live in 13. Expect Drew Petzing and Mike Kafka to tailor groupings to their threats, not to a rigid template.

Tom Kennedy is the expected punt returner and Jabari Small will get the first crack at kick returns. Detroit lacks a single locked-in answer, so they can elevate up to three practice-squad players to cover the roles.

Jeff Risdon pointed to Tom Kennedy’s reliability on punts and Jabari Small’s fit on kicks. The door remains open for additional competition as game plans and health evolve.

Detroit added Detroit Lions offensive lineman Elijah Klein to the practice squad and brought back Detroit Lions slot receiver Dominic Lovett, while reinforcing tackle depth. Klein has over 400 snaps of NFL experience, can play multiple spots, and is best at left guard, aligning with Detroit Lions guard Christian Mahogany and Detroit Lions guard Ben Bartch.

Detroit Lions right guard Tate Ratledge has the right guard job, working alongside rookie Detroit Lions right tackle Blake Miller and new Detroit Lions center Cade Mays. Detroit also remains bullish on developmental tackle Detroit Lions offensive tackle Devin Cochran.

Linebacker Erick Hunter chose a 53-man roster spot with the New England Patriots instead of a Detroit practice-squad return. With Detroit Lions linebacker Devin White joining Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell atop a deep room, Hunter pursued immediate snaps elsewhere, a path Jeff Risdon compared to the Trevor Nowaske precedent.

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The Detroit Lions will lean on a fierce defensive line and Dan Campbell’s back-to-basics reset to cover a thin secondary in Week 1 at the New Orleans Saints. Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff is the roster’s oldest player at 31, the team is younger, and Jameson Williams is primed for a massive year, but RB2 remains unsettled.

Yes, the focus shift worked. Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell cut the noise, scrapped joint practices, mixed select veterans into preseason snaps, and built one of the NFL’s youngest rosters.

As Michael Grey noted, Jared Goff is the oldest Lion at 31, and the roster is young, hungry and healthy. Campbell emphasized 2022 and 2023 habits, eliminated the distraction of joint-practice fights, and refused to be held hostage by reputations. The result is a locked-in group headed to Week 1 in New Orleans.

Yes, the front is built to drive the defense while the back end stabilizes. Detroit enters without a true nose tackle, instead loading up on twitchy, package-ready linemen who can create havoc.

Three of the four expected starters in the secondary are out, including Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch and Detroit Lions safety Kirby Joseph, and Terrion Arnold sits on the commissioner’s exempt list. As Michael Grey said, “the secondary is easily the weakest position group on the team, period, full stop.” Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson needs help, and Detroit added it with Detroit Lions edge rusher DJ Wonnum and Detroit Lions edge Ahmed Hassanein at big end, plus a healthy Detroit Lions defensive tackle Alim McNeill. With more nickel and dime on deck and fewer three-linebacker sets, the pass rush must drive stops while Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell anchors the second level.

Yes, and the production is already there. Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams stacked back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, including 1,117 yards last year, and he dominated camp.

His stop route on the boundary is shredding defenders, and the trust with Jared Goff is carved in stone. Jared Goff has repeatedly praised Williams’ growth over the past seasons, and Williams’ sideline leadership with the receiver room showed up all preseason. Expect the staff to feature him from Week 1 rather than forgetting him for a month and a half as Michael Grey criticized last year.

RB2 is unresolved, and protecting Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs’ workload is non-negotiable. Detroit needs a committee to siphon roughly ten carries and snaps so Jahmyr Gibbs can be deployed in routes, in the slot, and on designed passes without overuse.

On the headset, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Drew Petzing is learning the Lions’ language from Jared Goff. As Michael Grey relayed, Jared Goff explained that Petzing is being taught the offense and will build from it, which makes Jared Goff’s experience and communication invaluable to the play-caller. The mandate is clear: feature Jahmyr Gibbs and Jameson Williams, let the D-line drive the defense, and ride the culture reset into Week 1.

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The preseason is over. The evaluations are finished. Now comes the part of the NFL calendar that can change careers in a single phone call.

The Detroit Lions close August with their 53-man roster cutdown deadline arriving at 6 p.m. Sunday, only one day after a 25-16 preseason win over the Indianapolis Colts. By the time Chris and Jeff Risdon go live at 8 p.m. on the Detroit Lions Podcast, the initial roster should be set and the real work will begin: understanding why each decision was made, which players survived, who could return on the practice squad, and where Brad Holmes may still be looking for help.

Saturday was never really about beating Indianapolis. It was about giving the back half of the Lions roster one final chance to force difficult conversations.

Josh Dobbs made his strongest argument of the summer in the QB2 competition, leading three touchdown drives and playing efficient, controlled football. Luke Altmyer had been one of Detroit's best preseason stories, but turnovers in the finale complicated an already fascinating decision. Even after the Lions make their cut, the quarterback depth chart may not be completely settled if an intriguing veteran becomes available elsewhere.

Jacob Saylors made another forceful case at running back with a 100-yard afternoon, while Lucky Jackson's productive receiving day provided another reminder of how painful some of these Detroit Lions Roster Cuts could become.

That is the sign of a deeper football team. The most interesting names on cut day are no longer obvious camp bodies. They are players who have demonstrated legitimate NFL ability.

Running back, wide receiver, defensive line, cornerback and linebacker all carry real intrigue.

The secondary deserves particular attention. Detroit has already absorbed major change there this offseason, and the health of Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch means the early-season depth chart may look very different from the version the Lions hope to field later. Every corner and safety decision therefore carries added weight.

The defensive line presents the opposite problem. Detroit has built enough competition that useful players may simply run out of seats. Those are the cuts other teams watch closely on the waiver wire.

Then there is the surprise cut. Every year produces one. A strong preseason can make a player difficult to waive, but roster construction involves special teams, positional flexibility, contracts and projected roles that never appear in a box score.

The initial 53-man roster is not the final roster. Waiver claims arrive next, followed by the construction of the practice squad and potential veteran additions from around the league.

That will be central to tonight's show. Chris and Jeff will react to the Detroit Lions roster cuts as they become official, identify the decisions that could come back to haunt Detroit, evaluate the depth chart, and discuss whether the roster is strong enough to withstand the injuries already affecting key positions.

Then comes the confidence check.

Detroit enters the season with legitimate expectations. The question on cutdown night is not simply whether Brad Holmes found 53 players. It is whether he kept enough depth, flexibility and NFL-ready talent to get this team through September and position the Lions for the season they believe they can have.

Join us live for Detroit Lions Cut Roster To 53 as the preseason ends and the real roster takes shape.

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