General manager Brad Holmes is likely going to focus hard on the Detroit Lions' deficiencies on offense this offseason.
Namely, he's probably looking to get a starting center in addition to a starting tackle in order to reinvigorate their run game. Last season, the Lions did not manage to be as dominant on the ground as they were back in 2024, and that was mostly thanks to the lack of proper, healthy run blocking up front.
But, are the Lions maybe focusing too hard on offense, and not enough on their glaring holes defensively?
That's something that NFL.com's Eric Edholm is concerned about heading into 2026, with Detroit sitting at 14th overall in his very early power rankings following Super Bowl 60.
"There’s a lot to work through, with Alex Anzalone set to hit free agency and Brian Branch coming off an Achilles injury, along with the rest of the injuries that plagued the 2025 group. The secondary depth was gutted, and the lack of a consistent rush opposite Aidan Hutchinson was glaring by season’s end. There’s a solid nucleus in place on that side, but the Lions could be victim to the same fate as in 2025 if they don’t supplement what’s already in place."
Lions have to care just as much about defensive holes this offseason
As Edholm also mentions in his blurb on the Lions, the team has really already only focused on improving their offense: they hired Drew Petzing after an abysmal year from John Morton at OC despite the team ranking pretty highly in points per game and yards per game. But, Lions fans know that doesn't tell the full story about this team's offense in 2025.
The offensive line was a skeleton crew, to put it lightly, and it's going to need more stability injected into it for 2026. But, Detroit is going to potentially need to replace Anzalone, Branch, Kerby Joseph, Al-Quadin Muhammad, and DJ Reader on defense. Those are not names, or positions, you just ignore.
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Detroit is still $8 million over the cap, but there have been a few creative analysts that have posited some restructurings and cuts that could get them some very decent space to work with for free agency. Additionally, the NFL Draft is a deep one at the two biggest positions of need for the Lions: offensive line depth, and edge rushing depth.
If the Lions don't address their glaring issues at safety and on their defensive line, they may very well be in the same spot they've been for the last three seasons: being close enough to contending, but not strong enough to topple more fleshed out opponents.