With the Detroit Lions’ 2026 roster mostly in place following free agency and the NFL Draft, it’s now time to take inventory on their entire personnel.
In the past, this team has been defined by their players on offense. They’ve finished top-five in scoring in four consecutive seasons. Typically that’s been led by strong play from quarterback Jared Goff, and an offensive line that has allowed the team to move on the ball consistently. They’ve also built a strong receiving corps with Amon-Ra St. Brown,
Jameson Williams, and tight end Sam LaPorta.
But they’ve also built out some talent on the defensive side of the ball. Going into 2025, you could make a case Detroit had the best safety duo in the league, and with investments at cornerback with first-round pick Terrion Arnold and free agent signing D.J. Reed, they looked like a formidable secondary before injuries came crashing down.
So now entering 2026, the question is:
What position is the Lions’ biggest strength?
My answer: Last year, I answered offensive line, but the sudden retirement of Frank Ragnow and struggles at left guard resulted in that unit performing a lot worse than expected. With the additions of center Cade Mays and right tackle Blake Miller—along with fortification of depth pieces—offensive line is at least in the conversation again, but it’s not my choice this year.
I think quarterback also deserves to be in the conversation. It feels like Jared Goff is often taken for granted in this town, but he’s now produced four straight seasons of a passer rating of 97.9 or higher, at least 4,400 yards, and over that time has produced a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 130-to-39. Statistically, he’s been a top-five quarterback, and the importance of that can’t be overstated.
This may be the first year I would consider saying this, but the defensive line also deserves consideration. The starting lineup of Aidan Hutchinson, Tyleik Williams, Alim McNeill, and now Derrick Moore features two first-round picks, a second-round pick, and one of the highest-paid defensive tackles in football. Unfortunately, I’m not ready to crown them until I see actual results—and there’s also some concern among the depth there.
Enough of the candidates, what’s my actual pick? I’m going to say receivers, and cheat a little. St. Brown and Jameson Williams produce one of the best duos in the league, but it doesn’t stop there. I’m including a top-five tight end Sam LaPorta, and I’m going to even throw the receiving skills of Jahmyr Gibbs in there, too.
I believe all five of those players should be bunched together, because with all those receiving weapons at their disposal, new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing and pass game coordinator Mike Kafka should have no problem finding a mismatch in their favor every single week. Throw in the potential of a Year 2 jump from Isaac TeSlaa, and you’d be hard pressed to find better receiving weapons than Detroit across the entire NFL landscape.
What do you think the Lions’ biggest strength is right now? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
