Dan Jackson, the Detroit Lions' 7th round pick from the 2025 NFL Draft, did not get any playing time his rookie season due to injury. The defensive back suffered a leg injury during practice ahead of the Lions' preseason starting, which left him zero time to prove that he belonged on an NFL roster.
But, he's getting that opportunity with Detroit in his second year in the NFL, and head coach Dan Campbell knows how critical it will be for Jackson to standout in a sea of veterans competing for starting slots on Kelvin Sheppard's defense in 2026.
"He stayed in the playbook…new, live reps will be very new to him. But as far as the ins and outs and knowing what to do…I feel like he’s done that. He needs playing time now. He’s got to get preseason games and see what he can do with it.”
Jackson must show up in a big way during camp
The Lions did not emphasize safety in this year's draft, as they had shored up the position a lot more than they had in 2025. Of course, last season, it doesn't seem likely that anyone could've predicted that both Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch would be down for the count with leg injuries. The "Legion of Whom" couldn't salvage anything.
That's why it was so important for the Lions to snag the safeties in free agency that they did - Christian Izien and Chuck Clark are seasoned safeties and versatile defenders who can provide solid starts while Joseph continues to ramp back into action, and as Branch goes through his rehab for his torn achilles.
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Per Sports Illustrated's Christian Booher, Jackson seems to be perfectly aware of just how competitive this room will be in 2026, especially since safety - and cornerback - were so down bad during the Lions' 9-8 year.
"It's a great room. It's really competitive. Really, just learning from everybody's great plays and mistakes. That's what spring's all about. We try to learn from each other, and I feel very blessed to be in there, for sure. Even though I wasn't playing, I was trying to put myself in those situations at both safety spots. I was getting the corrections every game and trying to go from there."
With how thin the team is looking if Joseph and Branch are out long-term, Jackson could probably find his way onto the depth chart with a solid preseason and training camp with pads on.
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