I don’t need to remind you how much of disappointment the 2025 Detroit Lions season was. After significant growth in every season under coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes, Detroit took a huge step back. Not only did they fail to make the playoffs, but it took them a relatively meaningless win in Week 18 just to get over .500 for the season.
With no blockbuster moves made this offseason, it will mostly be on the Lions’ returning players to improve and put this team back on the right
track. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of players capable of turning the team around, but several will have to perform much better in 2026 than they did last season.
So today’s Question of the Day is:
Which Lions player will have the biggest bounce-back season?
My answer: There are many good options for this question. Christian Mahogany could take a Year 3 jump after a disappointing sophomore season. Derrick Barnes could be a breakout candidate now that he’s likely to take on some of Alex Anzalone’s snaps, as could Malcolm Rodriguez—who’s currently headed for a regular starting role for the first time since his rookie year. Levi Onwuzurike could also be headed for a big role now that he’s back from a torn ACL. Or maybe someone in the secondary could break out after a rough 2025 season.
However, my choice is defensive tackle Alim McNeill.
McNeill missed half of last season as he returned from a torn ACL suffered in 2024. When he came back, there was initial optimism that he was going to look like himself in no time. His first game back was explosive and disruptive. However, that momentum did not carry over to the rest of the season. He finished 2025 with just 14 tackles, 1.0 sacks, and two tackles for loss in 10 starts.
This year, McNeill says he feels a “night and day difference” from last year. He also mentioned how his struggles in 2025 kept him up at night. With both the physical and mental sides now in the right place, I think McNeill is poised to live up to the massive four-year, $97 million contract he signed back in 2024.
It’s easy to forget just how dominant he was when Detroit gave him that deal. Through 14 games in 2024, he had 25 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and a 79.6 PFF grade (ninth among all defensive tackles). Most importantly, he provided some interior pressure—something that Detroit has lacked without him on the field. So if McNeill can return to form, it could have a massive impact on the entire team.
Which Lions player do you think is poised for a huge bounce-back season? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
