On Thursday, we concluded our series ranking the Detroit Lions’ 2026 roster from 90 to 1. Our methodology was simple: eight people on the Pride of Detroit staff submitted their entire 90-to-1 ballot, and we averaged out the total votes to create a consensus list. You’ve had a chance to voice your opinion on our list, and today, we’re going to pull the curtain back a little bit.
Below are the 10 players who we had the biggest disagreements about. These are the players that had the widest range of rankings,
and I’ll share each individual vote for each player, to see whether it was a couple of outlier votes or if we just couldn’t find a consensus. These players are ranked in reverse order from smallest disagreement to largest. The commentary is all my own.
10. LB Erick Hunter
- Final spot on rankings: 77
- Highest ranking: 65
- Lowest ranking: 88
- Every vote: 65, 70, 71, 72, 74, 78, 82, 88
It’s not all that surprising to see an undrafted rookie make this list. The span of outcomes is rather large for that pool of players—especially for a small school player like Hunter (Morgan State). Still, there’s a lot of hope for Hunter among some fans and analysts. Given that there is also opportunity at linebacker, it’s understandable that a few staffers would put him on the roster bubble rather than a long shot.
t-8. QB Teddy Bridgewater
- Final spot on rankings: 38
- Highest ranking: 26
- Lowest ranking: 50
- Every vote: 26, 30, 34, 35, 38, 40, 44, 50
It’s certainly hard to gauge where Bridgewater is at in terms of his on-field skills considering he’s thrown just 15 passes in the last three seasons combined. Additionally, his value goes beyond his quarterback skills, as he’s a valued mentor to the Lions’ young quarterbacks and wide receivers. That intangible value may have vaulted his ranking by some, and some sketchy play for the Buccaneers last year may have dragged him down for others.
t-8. EDGE Payton Turner
- Final spot on rankings: 51
- Highest ranking: 39
- Lowest ranking: 63
- Every vote: 39, 45, 46, 47, 48, 51, 56, 63
Turner was a former first-round pick, and he fits the exact mold of what the Lions want opposite Aidan Hutchinson. But his first five seasons in the NFL have all been shortened by injuries. He played five games in 2021, eight in 2022, two in 2023, 16 in 2024, and zero in 2025. It’s understandable to be both extremely skeptical and at least mildly hopeful for Turner, hence the big disparity.
7. CB Avonte Maddox
- Final spot on rankings: 32
- Highest ranking: 23
- Lowest ranking: 48
- Every vote: 23, 24, 28, 29, 37, 38, 46, 48
I’m fascinated by this range in votes, but I think it does represent how different expectations are for Maddox in 2026. On one hand, he could be a starting safety, starting nickel, or even a part of the outside cornerback depth room this season. On the other hand, the addition of Chuck Clark could potentially threaten Maddox’s spot on the roster entirely, as a veteran safety with more success and experience at the position.
t-5. S Thomas Harper
- Final spot on rankings: 32
- Highest ranking: 28
- Lowest ranking: 54
- Every vote: 28, 30, 31, 31, 33, 34, 40, 54
This is more the result of one outlier vote, as six of eight staffers had Harper ranked between 28-34, a very tight range by this rankings’ standards. Still, Harper has a lot to prove as a young player. He showed serious promise with the Raiders in 2024, and he fought valiantly as a reserve safety for Detroit last year. I don’t know if he can win a starting job in 2026, but it certainly seems like the Lions will keep him around to explore his full potential.
t-5. S Chuck Clark
- Final spot on rankings: 41
- Highest ranking: 26
- Lowest ranking: 52
- Every vote: 26, 33, 36, 39, 40, 44, 49, 52
Can you tell there is some serious disagreements and uncertainty around the safety position? I think Chuck Clark’s wide range can be easily explained by two quotes from Lions coaches this fall:
Safeties coach Brian O’Neill:
“There’s not a lot of what I call alpha communicators in the back seven. He’s one of them. He can run the whole show. He can run it all back there, so I’ve been really, really impressed with him.”
Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard:
“When it comes to athletic ability, can he still do certain things? That is still yet to be seen, in training camp that it will allow us those four-to-five-week period to see what he is capable of doing.”
Clark is a great mind, expert communicator, and will rarely make a mental mistake, but there are legitimate questions about whether he’s still physically got it at 31 years old.
t-3. K Jake Bates
- Final spot on rankings: 31
- Highest ranking: 24
- Lowest ranking: 52
- Every vote: 24, 24, 30, 32, 34, 37, 40, 52
This is another case of one outlier dragging the range wide. That said, some disagreement on Bates is warranted. For one, it’s simply hard to place a value on a special teamer as it relates to the rest of the team. Additionally, Bates has been a little inconsistent. After an outstanding first year in Detroit, making 89.7% of his field goals, that number dropped all the way to 79.4% last year. Still, the coaching staff has professed a lot of love for him, and he also improved his accuracy on the new kickoff format.
t-3. LB Joe Bachie
- Final spot on rankings: 76
- Highest ranking: 55
- Lowest ranking: 83
- Every vote: 55, 73, 75, 76, 77, 77, 79, 83
There is one clear outlier here, but it’s worth exploring because Bachie has not really been talked about much. He’s a six-year veteran linebacker who started five games last year for the Colts (before being waived with an injury designation) and has 1,128 snaps of experience on special teams. He probably has a better chance to make the Lions’ roster than most are giving him credit for, especially considering the lack of depth in that room.
2. RB Isiah Pacheco
- Final spot on rankings: 27
- Highest ranking: 18
- Lowest ranking: 48
- Every vote: 18, 21, 23, 24, 25, 27, 29, 48
This is another case of one major outlier in the vote. And while everyone else has Pacheco as a top-30 player on this roster, it’s worth approaching his 2026 with some skepticism. Not only have injuries derailed Pacheco’s last two seasons with the Chiefs, but when he was on the field, it certainly looked like some of his explosiveness has been zapped. Now further removed from those injuries, will that return to his game? No one can say for sure.
1. P Jack Fox
- Final spot on rankings: 26
- Highest ranking: 13
- Lowest ranking: 51
- Every vote: 13, 17, 23, 25, 26, 28, 30, 51
Ah, the punter dilemma. It’s a very hard position to place value upon, but I think the entire staff can agree Fox is one of the best punters in football. Should that land him a spot in the top 20? Or is that more something to celebrate in the 30s or 40s. The one 51 vote certainly dragged all of this down, and, no, it wasn’t me. In fact, you may be shocked to learn that I was the No. 13 vote. Not many on this team can brag about being a first-team All Pro player, and Fox is one of them.
