The Detroit Lions' training camp dates are set, and we now know we're just about one month away from rookies reporting for training camp at Meijer Performance Center.
Mandatory minicamp for veterans just wrapped, and we learned a few things about the Lions' pecking order ahead of more intense practices and getting pads on in July. With rookies in the mix come July 25, things might be in even more flux with players like Blake Miller, Derrick Moore, and Jimmy Rolder gunning for starting jobs.
The Lions' training camp dates are:
July 25: Rookies report to camp
July 28: Veterans report to camp
These are the four things I'm keeping an eye on ahead of training camp this season.
4 things to keep an eye on ahead of Lions training camp
No joint practices this season
There are five teams, including the Lions, that are not participating in joint practices this season:
Kansas City Chiefs
Detroit Lions
Denver Broncos
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Chiefs are coming off an injury-riddled season, and it's unclear if star quarterback Patrick Mahomes will even be ready to go in Week 1 after suffering a gruesome knee injury late in 2025. They're obviously being cautious with the rest of their team now as a result.
Denver is dealing with the same thing in relation to Bo Nix, although his injury wasn't nearly as destructive as Mahomes' was. But, better to be safe than sorry regarding your franchise QB.
As for Detroit, we know that joint practices didn't really amount to much other than huge hype around the Lions' secondary, which ended up crumbling in the regular season, anyway. With that, plus injury prevention in mind, it makes sense that the Lions would prefer to keep things in-house.
The battle at EDGE2
Things feel pretty clear-cut on paper for the Lions and their edge depth - Aidan Hutchinson is their "bell cow," as it were, while Moore feels like the appropriate next man up behind Hutchinson. D.J. Wonnum was also brought in during free agency to compete for that role, but it feels like Moore will be the pass rusher that the Lions are looking for on the edge compared to Wonnum's strength as a run stopper.
It's good that Moore will have someone breathing down his neck, though, as the rookie can't become too complacent. He doesn't seem to have that kind of mentality headed into camp, however, telling reporters:
“I feel like it can do a lot, especially for a guy like Hutch. We can help each other. He can help me, I can help him. Even the interior guys, it’s definitely going to help a lot just pushing the pocket and everybody getting home. Like I said, it’s going to take all four of us. As long as everybody’s on the same page, that’s all that matters so we can all get after the quarterback.”
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The health of the Lions secondary
It feels like we're all waiting for the other shoe to drop regarding the Lions' secondary, specifically with respect to their safety room. Chuck Clark has been earning major praise for his leadership in that room so far this offseason, which tells me that he's going to be at least one of the teams' starters at safety in Week 1.
As for their other, it really depends on whether or not Kerby Joseph is ready to go in training camp and the preseason, potentially, or if he's still dealing with pain in his knee.
If it's the latter, then the team does have Avonte Maddox and Christian Izien ready to step up to the plate, but it'd be such a disheartening change on the roster to go from at least one of Joseph and Brian Branch in Week 1, to neither.
Their cornerback room looks a lot more promising, though. Roger McCreary, Izien, and rookie Keith Abney II are all competing against Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. for starters snaps this season, while D.J. Reed doesn't seem like an odd man out in any respect thanks to his veteran status.
Nothing's a guarantee at that second outside corner spot, nor is it a guarantee at slot corner. But, on the bright side, these are all great options (when healthy) for Detroit and defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard, so it's a bit like choosing between a juicy steak or a buttery lobster as it pertains to figuring out who should be starting next to Reed in September.
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