Detroit Lions
· 2026-07-10
The Detroit Lions are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2025 season, and it all starts with their upcoming game against the New Orleans Saints on September 13, 2026.
The Lions finished last in the NFC North after an embarrassing opening-round loss to the Washington Commanders in 2024, and injuries plagued their 2025 season.
They had a 9-8 record and are currently on a one-game winning streak.
The Lions need to rebound to reach the heights they saw in 2023 and 2024, and it starts with key players like LB Derrick Barnes and CB D.J. Reed.
Barnes had a productive season in 2025 but needs to take a step forward with Alex Anzalone departing in free agency.
Barnes was extended prior to the 2025 season and is expected to take a step forward, especially after the Lions took Jimmy Rolder in the fourth round this year.
He enters the second year of his three-year extension, and this is a good audition for offseason negotiations.
The pressure is on Barnes to bounce back and potentially reach his first Pro Bowl.
Reed was hailed as the big signing of the 2025 free agency class, but a hamstring injury affected his performance, and he admitted that he lacked the same burst that he had early in the season.
He has assured the media that he is fully healthy this year and will be relied upon to be a leader in the secondary.
IOL Christian Mahogany took a step up to full-time starter for the 2025 season, but the injury bug bit him late in the season, and the Lions made it clear that his guard spot is far from a finished battle.
RB Sione Vaki has done little to distinguish himself as an NFL running back, being held to primarily special teams, and the clock is ticking for him to prove himself.
The Lions are currently standing 9th in the National Football Conference with a 9-8 record, and their next game is against the New Orleans Saints on September 13, 2026.