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Detroit Lions 2026 Season Preview Roundtable
The waiting is over. The NFL season opens tonight, and by Sunday afternoon the Detroit Lions will finally begin answering the questions that have followed them through an unusually eventful offseason.
On the Detroit Lions Podcast, Chris, Jeff Risdon, Russ Brown, and Michael Grey come together for the Detroit Lions 2026 Season Preview Roundtable, a full examination of what this team is, what it could become, and what Lions fans should watch as the 2026 season begins. Detroit opens Sunday at Ford Field against the New Orleans Saints, but the bigger conversation is about the next 17 games and whether this roster can put the disappointment of 2025 behind it.
What Should Lions Fans Expect From the 2026 Offense?
The offense still begins with Jared Goff, but it will not look exactly like the unit Lions fans have grown accustomed to watching. Drew Petzing takes over as offensive coordinator, bringing a different voice and fresh concepts to an offense that still possesses some of the best skill talent in the NFL.
Jahmyr Gibbs enters the season as the unquestioned centerpiece of the backfield, with Isiah Pacheco unavailable to begin the year. Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams give Goff two proven difference-makers outside, while Sam LaPorta remains capable of punishing defenses that devote too much attention elsewhere.
The biggest question is up front. Penei Sewell has moved to left tackle, rookie Blake Miller opens at right tackle, and Juice Scruggs steps into the middle while Cade Mays recovers. Detroit is also still sorting through its options at left guard.
If that reconstructed offensive line settles quickly, the Lions have enough firepower to remain one of the NFL’s most difficult offenses to defend. If it does not, everything becomes harder.
Defense, Injuries, and the Players Who Must Step Forward
Detroit’s defense may ultimately determine the ceiling of the 2026 Lions season.
Aidan Hutchinson remains the player every opposing offense must account for first, and Detroit has invested in creating more help around him. The challenge is turning that depth into consistent pressure rather than relying on Hutchinson to manufacture disruption by himself.
The secondary enters September under greater strain. Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch will miss the opening portion of the season, forcing Detroit to lean on its veteran depth while waiting for two of its most important defenders to return. That puts added pressure on the corners, the pass rush, and the communication throughout the back end.
Sunday’s matchup with New Orleans provides an immediate test. Chris Olave gives the Saints a legitimate problem for Detroit’s secondary, while New Orleans brings a defensive front capable of testing the rebuilt Lions offensive line.
How Confident Should We Be in the Detroit Lions?
That is where the roundtable gets interesting.
Is this a playoff team? Can Detroit reclaim the NFC North? Which young player makes the leap? What position group carries the most risk? What has to happen for the Lions to become a serious January threat?
Chris, Jeff, and Michael will make their predictions, identify breakout candidates and potential trouble spots, discuss the floor and ceiling of the Lions roster, and put their confidence levels on the record before the first snap of the season.
The roster still features Goff, Gibbs, St. Brown, Williams, Sewell, Hutchinson and Alim McNeill. The talent is real. So are the questions.
Join us live for the Detroit Lions 2026 Season Preview Roundtable as we tell Lions fans what to expect, what to watch, and what will ultimately determine whether 2026 becomes the rebound season Detroit believes it can deliver.
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