The Detroit Lions are finally, actually, suiting up ahead of the 2026 season.
Training camp is here. We'll finally get a glimpse at both their highly-touted draft class, as well as a crop of veterans looking to help get the Lions back to postseason form. There are a lot of camp battles to look forward to this season, which is exactly what you want to see from a team that missed out on the playoffs despite rostering a contender on paper.
Injuries are going to be a big storyline for Detroit in training camp - Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch are notably beginning the year on the PUP list, while the team is also returning a few key members of their defense following injuries that impacted their 2025 season. Alim McNeill, Levi Onwuzurike, and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. fall into that pool.
You can use this tracker as a means of keeping up to date on the latest standout performances, quotes, injuries, and updates from the Lions as the team reports to camp today, and as they undergo an acclimation period leading into full practice on August 2.
- Lions training camp snapshot
- Top lessons learned from Lions training camp so far
- Injury updates
- Latest practice updates
- What Dan Campbell is saying
- This week's practice schedule
- Updated Lions 90-man roster
Last updated: Tuesday, August 18, 10:30am EST
Lions training camp snapshot
• Next open practice: Wednesday, August 19
• Open practices remaining: TBD
• Next preseason game: Saturday, August 22, 12pm EST vs. Washington Commanders
Top lessons learned from Lions training camp so far
- Lesson 1: The Lions' pass rush depth is a lot deeper than expected. Ahmed Hassanein is charging up the depth chart, while we're about to get a taste of Derrick Moore and DJ Wonnum soon as Dan Campbell told reporters there will be starters playing against the Commanders. We still don't know if it'll be Wonnum or Moore starting in Week 1, but preseason could be a good indication about which way Detroit's leaning in that regard.
We wrote about Hassanein's excellent camp after losing his rookie year to injury here.
- Lesson 2: The Lions' left guard competition is still up in the air, which is either gamesmanship or a sign that no one has been good enough to stick out from the pack. Christian Mahogany and Miles Frazier both had penalty riddled preseason debuts, and Mahogany still doesn't have a firm grasp on the starting job despite holding it for a good portion of 2025. Ben Bartch lurks as an option here.
We covered Frazier's specific struggles here.
- Lesson 3: It's been unbelievably quiet as it pertains to the Lions' starters outside of their offensive line and secondary, and that's at least comforting. We hear nothing but great things about Jameson Williams' and Amon-Ra St. Brown's camp so far, and of course we've heard nothing but good things about Jared Goff's accuracy so far. At least their roster holes remain the same holes as we entered camp with...right?
We covered which Lions should be feeling the pressure to step it up in training camp here.
Injury updates
C Cade Mays
Mays suffered a fracture in his wrist ahead of the Lions' first preseason game of the year. He was the Lions' big fish in free agency, and to see him suffer the same fate as so many other Lions offensive linemen from the last few seasons is just brutal. He'll be missing some key chemistry building time with Jared Goff.
S Kerby Joseph
Joseph, who missed significant time in 2025 with a linger knee injury, was not a participant during the first day of training camp for the Lions. Campbell told reporters that he's probably "2-3 weeks out" from being able to participate fully, but as mentioned above, it sounds like he's got his explosiveness and movement down pact.
S Brian Branch
Campbell told reporters on Wednesday that Branch is still working his way back to on-field practicing, but that he expects the safety to be ready to engage in full practice by the end of September or at least by early October.
That lines up nicely if Branch is listed as PUP ahead of the regular season kicking off, as players have to wait four weeks to be taken off that list. Those four weeks slice through that timetable for a return to practice.
LT Giovanni Manu
Manu participated in practice on Wednesday, but somehow landed on the active/NFI list. This could suggest that he suffered an injury prior to attending practice. This leaves the Lions with very limited depth at left tackle. Campbell also announced on Thursday morning that Manu will be missing at least 12-14 weeks, having re-aggrevated something he'd been dealing with in the offseason.
TE Anthony Firsker
Firsker was brought onto the training camp roster following Conklin's injury, only to fracture his tibula shortly after that signing. He has landed on the IR while the team brought on Zach Horton as a replacement.
LB Jimmy Rolder
Rolder suffered a hamstring injury in camp, which is a big blow for a rookie that had been really impressing in minicamp and OTAs. With him out, the team was forced to bring in some veteran WILL help in the form of Devin White. He led the Las Vegas Raiders last season in tackles, so hopefully he can contribute some meaningful reps in camp for the Lions' first and second unit drills.
Latest practice updates
Monday, August 17
- This was a night practice, with one star shining in training camp for this session: Ennis Rakestraw Jr. Nolan Bianchi of Detroit News shared that Rakestraw had a few pass breakups, a pick off a PBU, and a few big stops. He's clearly feeling motivated to wash his hands of what was perceived as a bad preseason performance.
- Injuries included Jameson Williams, who Dan Campbell says is not expected out for long. He's just got a shoulder issue. Nick Whiteside was also out with a hamstring injury, while Ben Bartch also didn't practice, all per Bianchi.
- Some other Lions of note, per Detroit Football Network's Justin Rogers, included Isaac TeSlaa and Ahmed Hassanein. Hassanein seems to be putting the finishing touches on a shocking 53-man roster berth, while TeSlaa needs more practices like this with him having struggled for much of camp with drops and ball security.
What Dan Campbell is saying
This week's practice schedule
Tuesday, August 18: Walkthrough, no practice or media
Wednesday, August 19: Practice
Thursday, August 20: Practice
Friday: August 21: Practice
Saturday, August 22: Gameday
Updated Lions 90-man roster
Offense
QB: Jared Goff, Luke Altmyer, Josh Dobbs
RB: Jahmyr Gibbs, Isiah Pacheco, Sione Vaki, Jacob Saylors, Raheem Blackshear, Trayveon Williams
WR: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Greg Dortch, Tom Kennedy, Lucky Jackson, Jameson Williams, Dominic Lovett, Malik Cunningham, Isaac TeSlaa, Cedrick Wilson Jr., Tay Martin
TE: Sam LaPorta, Brock Wright, Tyler Conklin, Anthony Firsker, Zach Horton
OL: Penei Sewell, Giovanni Manu, Devin Cochran, Christian Mahogany, Juice Scruggs, Miles Frazier, Ben Bartch, Cade Mays, Michael Niese, Seth McLaughlin, Tate Ratledge, Colby Sorsdal, Melvin Priestly, Blake Miller, Larry Borom, Mason Miller
Defense
DL: Alim McNeill, Tyleik Williams, Mekhi Wingo, Aidan Keanaaina, Levi Onwuzurike, Chris Smith, Skyler Gill-Howard, Myles Adams, Ben Stille
EDGE: Aidan Hutchinson, DJ Wonnum, Tyler Lacy, Derrick Moore, Tyre West, Payton Turner, Trevor Nowaske, Ahmed Hassanein
LB: Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes, Malcolm Rodriguez, Damone Clark, Jimmy Rolder, Joe Bachie, Troy Reeder, Devin White, Amen Ogbongbemiga, Ryan Cooper Jr.
CB: D.J. Reed, Keith Abney II, Roger McCreary, Rock Ya-Sin, Nick Whiteside, Khalil Dorsey, Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Aamaris Brown, Christian Izien, Ekow Boye-Doe
S: Brian Branch, Kerby Joseph, Avonte Maddox, Chuck Clark, Dan Jackson, Thomas Harper
Special teams
PK: Jake Bates
P: Jack Fox
H: Jack Fox
PR: Greg Dortch, Tom Kennedy
KR: Jacob Saylors, Tom Kennedy, Greg Dortch, Sione Vaki
LS: Hogan Hatten
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