The Detroit Lions enter the offseason with 49 players under contract, having retained 36 from 2025, re-signed three exclusive rights free agents (ERFA), nine players from their own practice squad, and signed a practice squader from outside the organization. However, most fans will be paying close attention to how the Lions work to retain their own free agents, which include 25 unrestricted free agents (UFAs), three restricted free agents (RFAs), and one remaining ERFA.

When examining the Lions’ roster development under general manager Brad Holmes, a pattern has emerged over the last four offseasons.

• In 2022, the Lions re-signed...

The Detroit Lions have many questions to answer next offseason.

Though a majority of their core and Pro Bowl-caliber players will return, there remain multiple starting positions that could be reshuffled in 2026. For one, the Lions might look for upgrades at positions that were below standards. The Lions will also face some pending free agents whose 2026 destination could shake up how the depth chart plays out. There is also the question of retirements, as some of the long-standing veterans might hang up their cleats.

How much different will the starting lineup look in 2026 compared to the disappointing...

Holy cow, what a start to the 2025-26 NFL playoffs. The Rams and Panthers battled to an afternoon thriller filled with multiple fourth-quarter lead changes and go-ahead drives. Then the Bears and Packers closed it out with an epic collapse from Green Bay and yet another improbable recovery from a Bears season that is going down as one of the most memorable for the historic franchise.

On Sunday, the NFL will try to top it with a tripleheader of games. While I have far less emotional stakes in these Wild Card games, they should provide a fair amount of entertainment...

After a thrilling day of Saturday Wild Card playoff football, the NFL continues on Sunday with a tripleheader of games that can hopefully live up to that hype.

For Detroit Lions fans, though, it’s the offseason, and the team needs to improve if they want to be playing deep into January next year. So as you’re watching Sunday’s games, here are 12 players to keep an eye on, as they are currently heading toward free agency in March.

Bills at Jaguars — 1 p.m. ET — CBS

Bills free agents

G/C Connor McGovern (#66) – Arguably the second-best...

The NFL showed on Saturday why they’re the best league in professional American sports. Both Wild Card games were phenomenal, and the dramatic finishes in each game were jaw-dropping. But let’s put aside the thrilling Rams vs. Panthers finish, because the nightcap was far more interesting to Detroit Lions fans.

The Chicago Bears somehow mounted yet another fourth-quarter comeback against the Green Bay Packers in what is already a defining moment in Ben Johnson’s career as the Bears head coach. I got a sense from most Lions fans that they were rooting against Johnson and the Bears for obvious reasons:...

The 2025-26 NFL playoffs kick off on Saturday with the second game of the day featuring the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears. For some Detroit Lions, it may be too hard to watch, as the Lions failed to meet expectations and won’t be in the postseason. But if you’re already in offseason mode, I’ve picked eight pending free agents from the two teams combined that could interest the Lions when free agency opens up in mid-March.

Packers at Bears — 8 p.m. ET — Prime Video

Packers players:

• OT Darian Kinnard (#70) – If you’re looking for...

The NFL playoffs are here, and while we would prefer there were some… other teams playing this weekend, that doesn’t stop the fact that there should be some good, quality football in front of us. I, for one, still can’t wait to see who comes out of each conference when it appears there is no clear favorite on either side.

On Saturday, things kick off with a pair of NFC matchups. A few weeks ago, it looked like the Los Angeles Rams may be the Super Bowl favorite, but after losing two of their last three, they’re in the fifth...

Detroit Lions passing game coordinator David Shaw is the latest coach to be given an opportunity at a coordinator position with another organization. On Saturday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced that they have completed an interview with Shaw for their open offensive coordinator position.

Shaw has been coaching football for over 30 years, with his most prominent position as head coach at Stanford University from 2011 to 2022. While he’s best known for his time at Stanford, he has over a decade of NFL experience, most recently joining the Lions in 2025 as their passing game coordinator.

While a [lengthy...

The Detroit Lions coaching staff continues to draw interest from other NFL franchises seeking upgrades. On Saturday afternoon, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced they had completed an interview with Lions assistant special teams coach Jett Modkins for their vacant special teams coordinator position.

Modkins’ coaching career started as a defensive coach at Akron University, and he got his first break in the NFL in 2020 with the Denver Broncos as a diversity coaching intern, assisting with the offense. The next season, he would join Lions’ coach Dan Campbell’s inaugural staff in Detroit as the team’s assistant special teams coach, working...

Earlier this week, we published our latest SB Nation Reacts surveys, brought to you by the folks over at FanDuel Sportsbook, asking Detroit Lions fans three questions:

1. Are you confident the Lions are headed in the right direction?
2. What grade would you give coach Dan Campbell for his performance during the 2025 season?

As for our weekly question, you can see Lions fans’ frustration throughout the season in each week’s poll results (below), rising and dipping after each win and loss, followed by consistently low returns near the end of the season as hopes for the playoffs slipped...

The 2025-26 NFL playoffs kick off on Saturday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. ET with the Los Angeles Rams traveling east to face the Carolina Panthers. For some Detroit Lions, it may be too hard to watch, as the Lions failed to meet expectations and won’t be in the postseason. But if you’re already in offseason mode, I’ve picked eight pending free agents from the two teams combined that could interest the Lions when free agency opens up in mid-March.

Rams at Panthers — 4:30 p.m. ET —FOX

Rams players:

• TE Tyler Higbee (#89) – The Lions are in...

The official 2025 NFL All-Pro team (as voted on by the Associated Press) was announced on Saturday, and the Detroit Lions have four players who received honors by the publication.

Both right tackle Penei Sewell and linebacker Jack Campbell were named First-Team All-Pro, while Amon-Ra St. Brown and Aidan Hutchinson were named Second-Team All-Pro.

The most notable news here is the addition of Campbell, who had a breakout season for the Lions. This is his first honor as an All-Pro player. The third-year linebacker finished the season with 176 tackles, 5.0 sacks, four passes defended, three forced fumbles, and two...