DETROIT — It’s almost time.
In a matter of days, the Detroit Lions report for training camp, as rookies and vets alike gather in preparation for another much-anticipated season. In many ways, it feels like the Lions are flying under the radar — at least compared with the previous two offseasons. That happens when your coaching staff undergoes major changes, your star center retires, and you’re coming off an abrupt playoff exit as a No. 1 seed.
That said, the Lions have given us little reason to doubt their process thus far, even as they enter a season with more uncertainty than years past.
Let’s take a look at a few unresolved questions heading into camp.
Can the new assistants pick up where their predecessors left off?
It’s common knowledge at this point that coach Dan Campbell’s staff was raided this offseason. His offensive and defensive coordinators are now head coaches. Several assistants were poached. The continuity the Lions boasted a year ago is no more.
Now, does that mean the Lions are destined to take a step back? Not necessarily. It was always going to be hard to replicate a 15-2 record — even if Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn were still in town. What the Lions did despite having much of their roster on injured reserve was remarkable in hindsight. Though the record might not be as shiny, better health could lead to a longer playoff run. That’s what this season is about. First-time DC Kelvin Sheppard spent the past few seasons learning from Glenn and will put his own touch on the defense. New OC John Morton is a trusted confidant of Campbell’s and was here when the Lions rebuilt their offense in 2022 with Johnson. That familiarity, along with a strong roster and improved health, should be enough to win double-digit games in 2025, if the new guys are as advertised. They’re entering much better situations than Glenn and Johnson did.
Admittedly, we won’t know the answer to this until the season unfolds, but training camp should offer a glimpse of what to expect.
Who starts at center?
One of the key — and only — starting jobs up for grabs in training camp is at center. Frank Ragnow’s retirement, though not entirely shocking given his health issues, is a blow to one of the league’s best offensive lines. Ragnow was an All-Pro center who made a difficult job look easy. He was a master of preparation, physical in pass protection and agile in the run game. He will be missed. However, the Lions have options.
Graham Glasgow is a player the Lions know and trust. He was Ragnow’s backup the last two seasons while starting at guard — on the right side in 2023 and left in 2024. Though he’s coming off a poor season and turns 33 next month, you could make the argument he would provide more value at center than guard at this stage of his career. He’s always been a cerebral player, and center is a cerebral position. If he’s healthier than he was a year ago and kicks inside, there’s a chance we see a better version of Glasgow in 2025.
The Lions have been quietly investing and developing their next wave of talent along the offensive line, and that group includes rookie second-rounder Tate Ratledge. A multiyear starter and national champion at Georgia, Ratledge is a smart, mature and athletic interior lineman. When he was initially drafted, the assumption was he’d start at guard as a Kevin Zeitler replacement. But with Ragnow’s retirement, the Lions immediately began cross-training Ratledge at guard and center, making him a legitimate option at the position. Though he never logged a game snap at center while at Georgia, he repped there in practice and is viewed as a quick study.
If a decision were to be made today, the Lions might go with the experienced player in Glasgow, while letting Ratledge settle in at guard and cross-train behind the scenes. He could then move to center as a sophomore when he has a year under his belt. But this staff tends to let the best man win.
Are the Lions done at edge?
As of now, the Lions are heading into 2025 with Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport as their starting edge rushers. Bringing back Davenport, injured after just two games in 2024, makes sense. He fits the mold of what the Lions like opposite of Hutchinson — a player who sets an edge in the run game, wins a rush and cleans stuff up when funneled his way. But it’s a risky move, if nothing else is on the horizon. Davenport was available at his price tag because of his health issues. He’s played just eight games over the past two seasons. If he holds up in 2025 and plays more games than he misses, it will be a huge win for general manager Brad Holmes and company. But it’s asking a lot of a player with Davenport’s track record.
The Lions acquired Za’Darius Smith at the trade deadline a year ago, and he remains unsigned heading into training camp. Holmes said months ago that the two sides haven’t closed the door on a possible return. Is the veteran waiting for the season to arrive before signing with a team? Could Detroit look elsewhere for added edge insurance? Or is it comfortable with what it has? We’ll find out soon enough. But as things stand, the position feels a bit light.
Who are the breakout candidates?
An obvious name is CB Terrion Arnold, who enters his second season with the Lions. Detroit’s 2024 first-round pick was thrown to the wolves as a rookie — asked to play the most man coverage snaps of any corner in the league last season. There were obvious growing pains, highlighted by eight penalties in the first four weeks of the season, but Arnold settled in and finished with just three from October on. Opposing quarterbacks completed just 28 of 57 attempts (49.1 percent) versus Arnold in man coverage, good for 31st among qualified CBs. The Lions believe he has all the tools to become an above-average corner in man coverage. Could he get there this year?
Christian Mahogany is expected to become a full-time starter at guard in 2025, for the first time in his career. The 2024 sixth-round pick was viewed as NFL-ready coming out of college but missed much of his first offseason recovering from mono. He eventually returned, though, and filled in admirably as a spot-starter. He flashed enough to feel good about him, and if Mahogany turns his 2024 bright spots into quality play over a full season, the Lions will have an inexpensive starting guard for the next three seasons. That’s valuable, particularly as Detroit shells out big-money extensions to core players.
Detroit Lions coaches have praised wide receiver Jameson Williams this offseason. Could he build on his 2024 season? (Lon Horwedel / USA Today)
How much better can Jack Campbell be? After moving around as a rookie, he settled in at middle linebacker this past season and showed notable growth. He was a constant in the heart of Detroit’s defense and was the only linebacker to avoid the injury bug. Campbell is an excellent key-and-diagnose linebacker, and though he can stand to improve in coverage, he improved there last season. The next challenge for him is using his length and athleticism to cover more ground and develop into more of a playmaker. If what we’ve seen so far is his floor, he’s going to have a very good career. But Campbell has the tools to be a Pro Bowler.
It would be hard to call Jameson Williams a breakout candidate, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention how often this coaching staff praised him this offseason. Forget his impressive numbers in 2024. Williams isn’t a finished product yet, which is a good thing considering what he’s already shown. From here, it’s about the little things with Williams — being more in tune with how defenses are looking to attack him, creating separation with his releases and route-running rather than relying only on his speed, etc. If he can continue to hone his craft, he and the Lions will be better off for it — even if his stats in a loaded offense remain similar.
Which rookies are ready to contribute?
The Lions drafted DT Tyleik Williams for the present and future. Alim McNeill is coming off a torn ACL and isn’t expected to be ready when the season begins. Having a first-round talent like Williams able to pick up some of the slack in McNeill’s absence is huge, and he won’t be asked to be a star right away with Levi Onwuzurike, DJ Reader, Roy Lopez and others capable of helping him.
We already discussed Ratledge, but how about WR Isaac TeSlaa? The Lions invested meaningful capital in a draft-weekend trade to acquire him — parting ways with a 2025 third-rounder (No. 102) and two 2026 thirds for pick No. 70 (TeSlaa), a 2025 sixth-rounder (No. 182; traded for Miles Frazier) and a 2026 sixth-rounder. TeSlaa spent much of his time in the slot in college and must prove himself versus physical NFL corners if he’s going to play on the outside, but he’s got the size and athletic profile to help in 2025. He was particularly effective on short-area routes in college, but he can also stretch the field with his long speed in certain packages. If he can get his feet wet this year, it could set him up for a breakout year in 2026 if given the opportunity.
Edge Ahmed Hassanein and guard Miles Frazier could provide some depth for the Lions in 2025. Frazier, specifically, feels a lot like Mahogany did as a rookie — a borderline top-100 prospect who slid but is viewed as NFL-ready. If there’s an injury, Frazier could be the next man up. Hassanein, meanwhile, is more raw than Frazier, but his energy on the field is infectious, and his constant motor could help him carve out snaps in certain situations.
Finally, a pair of seventh-round picks in S Dan Jackson and WR Dominic Lovett will have to leave their mark on special teams before they’re viewed as factors at their positions. Such is life for rookies drafted late. But both are eager and willing to contribute, and the Georgia teammates are high-character individuals and hard workers. The Lions did well to address the future and the present with their 2025 draft.
(Top photo of Terrion Arnold: Amy Lemus / NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Source link
