Ahead of the Detroit Lions' Week 1 contest against the New Orleans Saints, there are definitely still positional battles ongoing.
Finding the best consistent starter next to D.J. Reed is going to be critical this season, in addition to figuring out the best starting slot corner for defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard's defense. The team is also still in the middle of figuring out their permanent starting left guard, and finding someone that matches the development of Tate Ratledge and their center room will be key.
Detroit has depth headed into this season that should allow them to experiment if things go awry with whoever they've tabbed to start. That's why the leash given at those three specific positional groups needs to be a lot shorter to begin the year.
3 positional groups still enmeshed in competition for 2026 season
Left guard
Main competition: Christian Mahogany, Ben Bartch, Miles Frazier
Mahogany is likely to start the year at left guard for the Lions, but he did not win out the job as strongly as second-year guard Tate Ratledge did at right guard in camp this year. That's a problem for Detroit with their line getting younger and younger. Mahogany has to take a leap this season in order to match the timeline of Ratledge, or risk sticking out for all the wrong reasons.
To his benefit, the competition behind him isn't very strong. Miles Frazier looked so-so in preseason, but definitely improved upon his first game where he just couldn't stop drawing penalties. Bartch is a wild card, as he was injured throughout the offseason but has a lot of potential as seen in limited games while with the San Francisco 49ers last season.
Detroit has to keep an eye on his development to begin the year, and shouldn't be afraid to try Bartch or Frazier in spurts if Mahogany isn't dominant on the line.
Nickelback
Main competition: Keith Abney II, Roger McCreary
This competition feels like it'll be not so much a competition, but moreso a rotating position where Abney and McCreary will share snaps throughout the season. The Lions have indicated that they're comfortable fielding both players depending on matchups, and that's not the worst idea.
Abney, a rookie who started to get starting looks at the nickel in preseason and look spry there and in camp, could end up being a steal if he can provide some strong run defense and turnover generation in pass coverage. Their secondary is so weak that any positives from a rookie will standout.
READ MORE: Lions have to walk a careful line with new-look defensive line
McCreary, on the other hand, was one of the strongest defensive backs in preseason. The veteran has been bouncing around the league a bit the last few seasons, and is hoping to stick with Detroit long-term with a great prove-it season. This tandem could end up being one of the Lions' most versatile on defense. The leash for either player is likely to be short as a result.
Outside corner
Main competition: Rock Ya-Sin, Khalil Dorsey, Ennis Rakestraw Jr.
We know that D.J. Reed is the starting CB1 for the Lions, but who is going to be slotted in next to him?
Rock Ya-Sin is the likeliest starter to begin the year, and that isn't necessarily a bad thing - he's sticky in coverage and had a pretty decent 2025 season to solidify a role with the Lions for 2026. But, they also are likely open to seeing what they have in Ennis Rakestraw Jr., who is finally starting the season healthy.
It shouldn't be surprising to see Detroit experiment a lot at this position. Whether it's to see if they need to make a trade for starting talent, or they need to replace Ya-Sin with Rakestraw or Dorsey, or even McCreary, they should be non-committal with Ya-Sin at CB2.
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