Each day leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft — April 23-25 — TeamFB7 will break down a different team’s biggest draft need and the best selection to address it. Granted, teams will most often use their first-round pick on the best available player/value and not necessarily always their biggest need, so this isn’t going to compile together into a mock draft in the end. It’s more a breakdown of how each team could best address its most paramount priority if it chooses.
Plain and simple, the Detroit Lions were one of the most disappointing teams in the NFL last season, going from preseason Super Bowl hopes to missing the playoffs entirely.
The Lions went from 15-2 in 2024 to 9-8, and the drop-off raised valid questions about whether head coach Dan Campbell was just being propped up in previous years by offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
The optics aren’t great with Johnson transforming the Chicago Bears into a playoff team in his first season as head coach there, while Campbell quickly lost patience with his new OC John Morton last year, took over offensive play-calling himself as the team lost four of five games late in the season to miss the playoffs and then replaced Morton with former Cardinals OC Drew Petzing.
Nonetheless, the Lions remain one of the most talented teams in the NFL, plenty capable of a bounce-back in 2026.
What Went Wrong For Lions In 2025?
Despite the diminished record and upheaval on the offensive-playcalling front, the Lions still ranked fifth in the NFL in total offense (373.2 yards per game) and tied for fourth in scoring (28.3 points per game).
The floor is always going to be high for an offense that has one of the most dynamic talents in the league in running back Jahmyr Gibbs, one of the most reliable chain-movers at wide receiver in Amon-Ra St. Brown, an emerging deep threat with elite speed in Jameson Williams, a top-tier tight end in Sam LaPorta (whose absence the second half of last season with a back injury certainly contributed to the Lions’ struggles) and a capable quarterback in Jared Goff to run the operation.
But the Lions’ offense did fall short of its peak potential in large part due to Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow’s premature retirement and a patched-together offensive line that rotated through different combinations most of the season.
Meanwhile, Detroit’s defense was middle of the pack last year while giving up the 11th-most points in the league (24.3 PPG), and that was the biggest difference after the Lions gave up the 7th-fewest points in 2024 (20.1 PPG). Perhaps losing defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn was a factor in that, but his Lions defenses were bottom half of the league his other three seasons there, including ranking 29th in total defense in 2021 and dead last in 2022.
The real root of the defensive struggles in 2025 likely had much more to do with the Lions playing out the final stretch of the season without both starting safeties as star Kerby Joseph (a first-team All-Pro in 2024 while leading the NFL with 9 interceptions) played just six games due to a worsening knee injury and Brian Branch (a Pro Bowl selection in 2024) tore his Achilles in Week 14.
So how do the Lions fix it all and get back to looking like a legit Super Bowl contender?
Biggest Needs For Detroit Lions In 2026 NFL Draft
Let’s start by looking at what they’ve already done this offseason to address their weaknesses.
For starters, the Lions finally found Ragnow’s replacement at center. After moving veteran guard Graham Glasgow there last season, the team signed Cade Mays, formerly of the Panthers, to a 3-year, $25-million deal as its big splash in free agency.
It’s hard to say the Lions upgraded on the O-line, though, as they released both Glasgow and veteran starting left tackle Taylor Decker, who declined to rework his contract and take a pay cut. They signed Larry Borom, who started 11 games at right tackle for the Dolphins last year and graded out 64th out of 89 offensive tackles by PFF, likely meaning three-time first-team All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell will be moving to the left side.
Detroit saved some money by trading running back David Montgomery to the Texans and signing former Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco on a cheap one-year deal, but even still, the Lions had minimal salary cap space with which to operate.
Mays and Borom (1 year, $5 million) were the Lions’ biggest free agent additions, while cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (re-signed for 1 year, $3.2 million) and former Panthers edge D.J. Wonnum (1 year, $3 million) were the only other signings of at least $3 million.
Now the Lions turn to the draft where they hold the following picks next week: 1st round (17th overall), 2nd (50th), 4th (118th), 4th (128th), 5th (157th), 5th (181st), 6th (205th), 6th (213th) and 7th (222nd).
There’s only one more to make on offense early in the draft — taking an offensive tackle and making Borom a nice depth option.
The defense is another story.
Lions’ Biggest Defensive Needs
Cross linebacker and defensive tackle off the list for consideration in the first round.
Detroit has a young star in 2023 first-round pick Jack Campbell (176 tackles, 5 sacks last season) and returns Derrick Barnes (78 tackles, 4 sacks) while losing Alex Anzalone (95 tackles) in free agency to the Buccaneers.
Detroit would be wise to draft a linebacker in the middle rounds — but not at pick No. 17.
Ditto for the interior defensive line, which could stand an upgrade as top defensive tackle Roy Lopez signed with the Cardinals, Alim McNeill ranked 90th out of 134 qualifying DTs per PFF, second-year DT Tyleik Williams had just 18 tackles and a sack in 17 games (10 starts) as a rookie and Levi Onwuzurike missed all of 2025 with a torn ACL after missing all of 2022 with a back injury and has just 10 career starts.
Detroit could look to use a Day 2 pick to bolster that unit, but it won’t be a consideration for Day 1.
That leaves safety, cornerback and edge rusher for consideration …
There are concerns about Joseph’s long-term status and that his knee injury could be chronic and degenerative, but the star safety is setting the bar high for his return to the field in 2026.
If he’s right, that would be a game-changer for the Lions’ defense. Meanwhile, Branch still faces a long road back from his torn Achilles and is a free agent after this season. Versatile veteran Avonte Maddox filled in solidly while stepping into a primary role the last four games of 2025, but he’s been mostly a reserve and rotational DB through his career.
So Detroit could look at safety in the draft. Consensus top prospect Caleb Downs will be gone by pick No. 17, but Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman would be a fair selection there.
There are bigger needs, however.
At cornerback, the Lions return Terrion Arnold, D.J. Reed and key reserve Ya-Sin, though Arnold was one of the lowest-graded CBs in the league by PFF (52.6, ranked 97th of 114 qualifying CBs) while limited to eight games by a shoulder injury. Reed only played in 11 games due to a hamstring injury. The team also lost Amik Robertson, who started 10 games in the middle of the season and logged over 800 snaps, in free agency to the Commanders.
If Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy is still on the board at No. 17, the Lions could think about taking him.
Meanwhile, at edge rusher the Lions have one of the best in the game in Aidan Hutchinson, who finished fifth in NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting last season with 54 tackles, 14.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles and an interception.
But they lost second-leading sacker Al-Quadin Muhammad (11 sacks) in free agency to the Buccaneers and brought in Wonnum (3 sacks in 16 games for the Panthers last year). That’s the extent of notable names on the depth chart.
In summation, we’d rank the Lions’ biggest draft needs as EDGE, OT, CB, DT and S in that order.
Who Should Detroit Lions Take At No. 17 In 2026 NFL Draft?
This is a tough one.
The defense is Detroit’s biggest issue and the Lions would benefit greatly from adding another impact edge rusher to partner with Hutchinson.
But with the top tier of edge rushers gone by pick 17, the best value here is to take an offensive tackle.
Miami’s Francis Mauigoa is surely off the board by this point, Utah’s Spencer Fano should be as well and Georgia’s Monroe Freeling and Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor may be too, but that’s no certainty.
If Freeling is available, he’s the obvious pick. The 6-foot-7, 315-pound Freeling vaulted his stock through the pre-draft process, showing elite athleticism for his size.
His limited experience may be some cause for hesitation, but Freeling had great film from his one season as the Bulldogs’ full-time starting left tackle, giving up 5 pressures and 1 sack in 2025. His PFF pass-blocking grade of 85.6 ranked 10th among 632 qualified offensive tackles.
If Freeling isn’t available to the Lions, Proctor or Clemson’s Blake Miller make for fine selections.
Ultimately, the Lions have the potential to be the best offense in the NFL and already started improving the area holding them back from that — offensive line — by signing Mays at center. Pairing a first-round offensive tackle with Sewell, leaving Borom a useful depth piece, is an ideal use of the No. 17 pick.
Few “star” quarterbacks in the league struggle more under pressure than Goff — giving him a cleaner pocket to distribute the ball to all those elite playmakers is the best move the Lions can make here.
