Detroit Lions

The Lions won 3, 9, 12, then 15 games during Dan Campbell's first four seasons in charge. Unfortunately, Jared Goff and company took their first meaningful step back in 2025, finishing in third place inside a loaded NFC North. Of course, injuries across the offensive line and on defense certainly didn't help matters, nor did a 3-5 record in one-score games.

Better luck from the injury and regression gods might be the Lions' best path to getting the good times rolling again: There isn't much available cap space for the league's fourth-most expensive roster entering 2026, and the Lions don't have a third-round pick stemming from the Isaac TeSlaa trade. The good news is most roster cornerstones are safely under contract ahead of the offseason.

Offensive Line: This front office needs to add some youth to this once-elite group, as the Lions have drafted only two offensive linemen in Rounds 1-3 over the last five drafts combined!

Defensive Line: the team needs to work to bring back, or replace, free agents Marcus Davenport, DJ Reader, Al-Quadin Muhammad and Roy Lopez. The Lions presently have the fifth-cheapest EDGE room in the league entering 2026.

Cornerback: With guys like Amik Robertson, Rock Ya-Sin, and Avonte Maddox all hitting free agency, the Lions should think long and hard about spending one of their Day 1 or 2 draft picks on their cornerback room.