The Detroit Lions have struggled on defense to start the 2026 season, but in spite of all their problems, they have made winning plays in crunch time and are 2-1.
Many have contended that a huge move is what's needed to right the ship. Lately, the Lions have been mentioned as a potential future suitor for cornerback Joey Porter Jr., but other teams will be in the mix and the cost could be high for an elite player in demand at a premium position.
While it makes sense for the Lions to keep an open mind about bigger outside additions such as Porter Jr., they may have learned something coming out of Week 3 that can serve them well. Though the Lions gave up 24 points and had another late meltdown, they once again made a key play to win the game in crunch time.
More than that, they witnessed the emergence of new pieces. Ennis Rakestraw Jr. took the place of a largely ineffective Rock Ya-Sin and looked solid. Safety Chuck Clark continues to be a vital piece, and Christian Izien stepped up at safety as well to have arguably his best game in the pros, putting up 11 total tackles in the game including three tackles-for-loss.
As Izien said following the win, the performance was a testament to what the Lions can do when they stick together and know the plan. Everyone has confidence in each other that they can play up to their potential.
"It goes back to everybody doing their job. We trust the guys that are out there. We practice all week with the guys that are out there. So, we know what everybody can do. We know everybody's strength. We trust the guys. We put the right guys in position to make plays."
Combined with the fact that the Lions have rookie Keith Abney Jr. still at their disposal as well as gritty Nick Whiteside on the practice squad, there are opportunities for multiple other players to slide into roles and show their stuff. If things go as planned on those fronts, it could mean the Lions actually have some quality depth at one of their weakest roster spots on paper.
Rakestraw gaining confidence is big development for Lions' secondary
Detroit's 2024 draft class has been much-maligned for good reason, but it's easy to forget that Rakestraw hasn't seen the field at all thanks to injuries. That finally changed against the Jets, and he was able to hold his own against Garrett Wilson, a top NFL receiver.
The game that Rakestraw played against New York was a major feather in his cap in terms of confidence. He knows the fact he was able to get on the field and prove himself is something which can go a long way moving forward.
"If anything, I learned that I could play in this league. I finally got to play in the game and I knew what kind of challenge (Garrett Wilson) was going to be backside. I mean, (he's) paid a lot of money, so I kind of just had to step up to it. My teammates on the sideline kept encouraging me, Nick Whitside, everybody was just telling me, stay poor, next play. And this is how I have my mindset."
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If Rakestraw can live up to his second-round pedigree and continue to grow, the Lions will immediately benefit from this development. He obviously has more to prove including long-term health, but it could give the Lions the long-awaited solid piece they need to truly bolster the back end.
Going with another "Legion of Whom" approach might not be sustainable if the Lions want to win the Super Bowl, but it can help them figure some important things out in the meantime. Week 3 was a positive step in the right direction for this.
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