Week 1 of Detroit Lions OTAs is in the books, and there is already plenty to read about after our first look at the 2026 squad. If you haven’t already, check out our full recap of Friday’s practice with our notes and observations. If that isn’t enough for you, you can also check out observations from several other outlets:
But even with several sites covering the Lions, we’re unlikely to get coverage on every single player. It’s nearly a 90-man roster, and with practices being a “pajama party” at
this point in the offseason, there’s only so many observations you can make.
So today’s Question of the Day is:
Who do you want to hear more about at Week 2 of Lions OTAs?
My answer: I’d like to focus more of my attention on Ennis Rakestraw.
With Terrion Arnold currently sidelined, Rakestraw should get more opportunities to work with the first and second-team defenses. But in my notebook, he only appeared once—allowing a catch to Amon-Ra St. Brown on the opening play of 7-on-7s. .
That’s not necessarily a knock on Rakestraw. I’ll admit most of my focus was on the offensive and defensive line rotations and formations during Friday’s practice. But at the same time, for most of what I observed at practice it was D.J. Reed and Rock Ya-Sin with the first team defense.
The Lions have been talking up Rakestraw all offseason, and they believe he still has a chance to be an impact player after missing most of his first two years with injuries. If he can realize this potential in 2026, it changes the outlook of Detroit’s secondary both in the short and long term. So when media reconvenes in Allen Park this Thursday, Rakestraw will be one of the players I plan to key in on at practice.
Which players do you want to read more about? I’ll take some of the best suggestions and add them to my list for next week.
