Tyler Lacy is not going to need to start for the Detroit Lions this year (most likely), as Alim McNeill is back full-time ahead of training camp. That's a great thing for the Lions' defense, with McNeill a former perennial issue for offensive linemen to deal with, and as the defensive tackle is a great addition to the teams' pass rush alongside Aidan Hutchinson.
Lacy, though, can still be a critical piece to the Lions' defensive line if he manages to out-duel players like Tyleik Williams, Levi Onwuzurike, and Mekhi Wingo for the other starting tackle spot.
Even if he doesn't win out the starting role, the added competition to the suddenly healthy tackle room is an excellent problem to have. Iron sharpens iron, and Detroit needs to add that kind of competitive fire back to its defense ahead of this season.
Lacy could create healthy competition for other starting tackle job
In 2025, Lacy posted a decent stat line of 21 total tackles and one sack through 10 games played, as he filled in throughout the season for the Lions' shaky D-line. Once McNeill returned, Lacy didn't really see much action, and understandably so.
Lacy is still only 26 years old and headed into his fourth year in the league, so he's likely got a bit more in the tank to provide in order to stick on this roster. He previously struggled to remain on the Jacksonville Jaguars' roster (where he was drafted back in 2023), and was cut to make room for undrafted free agents back in 2025.
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Lacy is a defensive lineman with size and a strong ability to pursue the quarterback, but he struggled against the run last season. In his defense, basically all of the Lions' defense struggled to stop the run, which was part of why they honed in so heavily on larger linemen and edge rushers this offseason. Head coach Dan Campbell told reporters during minicamp:
"The first look at it - it's like, 'Oh, it's changed over there.' That corner (of the field) you look at during individuals and there's a lot of big, long and tall," Campbell said of his revamped edge room. "The thing that stands out to me is length. That's something we kind of attacked and we saw we needed."
Lacy could make some noise in training camp for sure, with McNeill and potentially Williams being the only locks as starters for the line at tackle. But, he should not be overlooked as the teams' choice to backup one of them, especially as McNeill could be on shakier ground following his injury from 2024.
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