Detroit Lions mandatory minicamp has come and gone, with training camp now on the horizon. But, not for a while. So, we just have this mandatory session to go off of to think about what the teams' depth chart might be shaping up to look like this season, and ahead of this preseason.
There are so many moving parts for the Lions this season, including on the offensive line, at cornerback, at safety, and even at backup quarterback. There are legitimate competitions everywhere on this roster for those with the eyes to see.
After minicamp, and hearing from head coach Dan Campbell a few times through the process, we can get a good idea of which players have really stood out, and which players have seemingly lost some footing ahead of training camp in July.
2 winners (and 2 losers) from Lions mandatory minicamp
Winner: Rock Ya-Sin
We recently wrote about his resurgence on the Lions' depth chart following a great 2025 season in relief of Terrion Arnold and D.J. Reed. According to team reporter Tim Twentyman, Ya-Sin has seemingly continued his great play in minicamp, impressing in 7-on-7 drills and looking like a great fit alongside Reed on the starting defense.
Could he really unseat a former 1st round pick in Arnold? It's absolutely possible, especially with the way that the Lions coaching staff has been talking this offseason. They're not here for excuses - they just want results. Arnold hasn't given them much. Ya-Sin has, and continues to do so.
Winner: Jake Bates
After a down year in 2025, Bates looks ready to bounce back to rookie form with Detroit and their special teams unit. The kicker finished out minicamp with a ridiculous 64-yard field goal, and earned specific praise from Campbell as a player that he's seen some major improvement from throughout OTAs and minicamp.
Bates' KVA (kick value added) from 2025 was -3.1217, which is slightly below average from the baseline of zero. In his rookie season, he hit 89.7 percent of his field goals compared to just 79.4 percent in 2025. A bounceback would go a long way against tougher defenses and in scenarios where the Lions just need to get into field goal range in order to stay within reach of teams throughout the year.
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Loser: Terrion Arnold
As mentioned, Ya-Sin has sounded great in minicamp, which is an immediate threat to Arnold on the depth chart. The former 1st round pick has yet to piece together a single dominant season for the Lions, with last season ending on a sour note thanks to a shoulder injury that required surgery. Prior to then, he'd been struggling to generate takeaways and to limit penalties.
Arnold is going to have to go out and earn back his starting spot. This is a huge season for the Lions, and for defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard. They cannot risk having yet another lackluster secondary buoying their defensive line, and their offense. With Arnold not ready for minicamp, it gave Ya-Sin time to get a leg up.
Loser: Sione Vaki
Vaki might be the biggest odd man out on this Lions depth chart overall. The backup running back might have gotten a fair shake at backing Jahmyr Gibbs up at RB this season if it weren't for the team signing Isiah Pacheco. And, he could've probably had a nice gig on the Lions' return team if they hadn't also signed Greg Dortch.
It feels like he has no true spot on this roster. As Campbell noted in his availability prior to another day of minicamp recently, Vaki is very athletic and has the tools necessary to be a good backup running back, but as a former safety, he's still not 100% comfortable with the position.
"We want to move the football and find a way to win. If he helps us do that, we’re going to find a way to put him on the field," said Campbell.
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