Detroit Lions training camp has hit the one-week mark, which is always a good time to do some reflection. I’ve already made some changes to my internal depth chart, made adjustments on the roster bubble both on offense and defense, and for this week’s Midweek Mailbag podcast, Erik Schlitt and I listed some of the players who have exceeded expectations or are falling behind.
For players like Alim McNeill and Tyleik Williams, it seems like the bar is set much higher than their 2025 seasons after a strong start to camp. On the other end of the spectrum, Isaac TeSlaa hasn’t quite lived up to the offseason hype yet—although it certainly is early. In the show, we offer a bunch of other answers on where Detroit appears to be better or worse than expected.
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Beyond that, on this week’s episode we also do a deep dive on the defensive line. We break down what every position is (“big” end vs. “rush” end, nose tackle vs. 3-tech, etc.), and more importantly, we offer our own perceived depth chart at each position. For example, where does Levi Onwuzurike fit in this defense and which players will he have to beat out to win a spot on the 53-man roster?
We also discuss whether Ahmed Hassanein is a roster lock at this point.
Also on this week’s episode:
Could the Lions play multiple cornerback pairings situationally week-to-week?
Could Miles Frazier‘s versatility lead to the Lions carrying fewer offensive linemen?
What sort of contractual detail could Jahmyr Gibbs be seeking? Are we concerned about the lack of progress?
Find out our answers to these questions (and more!) on this week’s episode of the Midweek Mailbag podcast, available below:
You can also catch a video version of the show—with plenty of bonus coverage—over on our YouTube page and Twitch channel.
