Detroit Lions 2026 training camp preview: DT has upgraded starters, questionable depth

In this installment of our Detroit Lions 2026 training camp preview series, we shift over to the defensive side of the ball and start by examining the Lions’ interior defensive line, speculating on current and future roles, and discussing how many players from this group could make the 53-man roster.

Previous training camp previews:

• Quarterback: Can Luke Altmyer force a QB3 role?
• Running back: How RB roles could shift in 2026
• Wide receiver: WR depth roles up for grabs
• Tight end: How many TEs will make the roster?
• Offensive tackle: Can Blake Miller win the starting RT job?
• Interior OL: How quickly will Cade Mays adapt to scheme?

Roster construction

Under the Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell regime, the Lions have deployed several different styles of defensive front, but they’ve remained consistent in maintaining the number of players they’ve dedicated to the position.

Let’s take a look at what they’ve done on the interior defensive line in the previous five seasons:

• 2021: With a two-gapping look with three starting interior defenders, the Lions initially kept and ended the season with seven interior defenders.
• 2022: When the front shifted to a 4-3, the Lions reduced their number to five but ended the season with four players active and Levi Onwuzurike on injured reserve.
• 2023: The Lions opened and closed with five interior defenders on the roster.
• 2024: Rinse and repeat: Open and close with five interior defenders.
• 2025: Again, opened and closed with five interior defenders; typically keeping four active on game day.

Planned change

The Lions’ defensive front has undergone a lot of change under this regime, initially operating out of 2-gapping concepts, then flipping to 1-gapping style, before finally landing on a gap-and-a-half approach. And while the Lions front has been relatively consistent for the last few seasons, it appears they’ll undergo some slight tweaking this season as the team increases its focus on pass rushing.

The most noticeable changes among the personnel are that the Lions allowed nose tackles DJ Reader and Roy Lopez to leave in free agency and replaced them with rookies Skyer Gill-Howard and Tyre West, who are more pass rushers than pluggers. The Lions did sign two nose tackles, veteran Jay Tufele and UDFA rookie Aidan Keanaaina, but they appear to be more situational or practice squad players, as opposed to heavy rotational players.

This transition wasn’t simply an adjustment to personnel, as we’ve seen at other positions, but something planned well over a year ago when they drafted Tyleik Williams in the first round and planned to pair him with Alim McNeill in the starting lineup. By deploying two players with nose tackle bodies but pass rusher skill sets, the Lions can now present offenses with difficult decisions in the trenches. Much like we see with the Lions’ safeties, the pairing of McNeill and Williams gives the Lions two interchangeable pieces in the middle of their line that can adjust...