The 2026 season is the Detroit Lions' 97th in the National Football League (NFL) and their sixth under the tandem of general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell. The Lions are attempting to improve upon their 9–8 record from the previous season and return to the playoffs after a one-year absence.
Player movements Free agents PositionPlayerFree agencytagDate signed2026 team
Additions * = Practice squad signings
Pre-Season Position Player Previous team Date Contract Notes OG Juice Scruggs Houston Texans March 11 OT Larry Borom Miami Dolphins March 12 1 year, $2 million C Cade Mays Carolina Panthers March 12 3 years, $25 million RB Isiah Pacheco Kansas City Chiefs March 12 1 year, $1.8 million S Christian Izien Tampa Bay Buccaneers March 13 TE Tyler Conklin Los Angeles Chargers March 13 CB Roger McCreary Los Angeles Rams March 16 DE D.J. Wonnum Carolina Panthers March 18 LB Damone Clark Houston Texans March 18 1 year, $1.402 million WR Greg Dortch Arizona Cardinals March 18 1 year, $1.4 million DE Payton Turner New Orleans Saints March 20 1 year, $1.145 million QB Teddy Bridgewater Tampa Bay Buccaneers March 23 OG Ben Bartch San Francisco 49ers March 25 S Chuck Clark Pittsburgh Steelers March 31 LB Joe Bachie Tennessee Titans April 29 DT Jay Tufele New York Jets April 29 WR Cedrick Wilson Jr. Miami Dolphins May 20 WR Tarik Black Louisville Kings (UFL) June 17 WR Lucky Jackson Louisville Kings (UFL) June 17 WR Tay Martin Columbus Aviators (UFL) June 17 WR Lawrence Keys Houston Gamblers (UFL) June 18 LB Troy Reeder Los Angeles Rams July 27 TE Anthony Firkser Washington Commanders July 31 LB Devin White Las Vegas Raiders August 1 CB Bump Cooper Jr. Birmingham Stallions (UFL) August 9 LB Amen Ogbongbemiga Chicago Bears August 9 QB Joshua Dobbs New England Patriots August 9 1 year, $1.425 million https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25469751-josh-dobbs-lions-agree-new-contract-amid-teddy-bridgewaters-potential-retirement RB Trayveon Williams Cleveland Browns August 16 S Jason Taylor II Orlando Storm (UFL) August 24 RB Roydell Williams Indianapolis Colts August 24 OC Gus Hartwig New York Jets August 25 CB Eric Scott Jr. Kansas City Chiefs August 27
Regular Season Position Player Previous team Date Contract Notes OG Elijah Klein Tampa Bay Buccaneers August 31 CB Natrone Brooks Atlanta Falcons September 10 S Bishop Fitzgerald Pittsburgh Steelers September 22
Releases Pre-Season PositionPlayer2026 teamRelease dateSourceCGraham GlasgowMarch 2OTTaylor DeckerMarch 9DEJosh PaschalMarch 11WRKyre DuplessisSeattle SeahawksDenver BroncosJune 18CBTerrion ArnoldSeattle SeahawksJune 29DTJay TufeleJuly 28TEZach HortonDetroit LionsJuly 31WRTarik BlackDetroit LionsAugust 3WRLawrence KeysAugust 4CBDe'Shawn RuckerAugust 7TENick MuseAtlanta FalconsAugust 9TEMiles KitselmanDetroit LionsAugust 10TEAnthony FirkserAugust 10RBKye RobichauxAugust 16SLoren StricklandAugust 16DEAidan KeanaainaAugust 18WRCedrick Wilson Jr.August 26RBRaheem BlackshearAugust 26OCMichael NieseAugust 30QBLuke AltmyerDetroit LionsAugust 30WRTarik BlackAugust 30CBEkow Boye-DoeAugust 30CBAamaris BrownDetroit LionsAugust 30RTDevin CochranDetroit LionsAugust 30CBBump Cooper Jr.August 30WRMalik CunninghamAugust 30TEThomas GordonDetroit LionsAugust 30OCGus HartwigAugust 30TEZach HortonAugust 30OLBErick HunterNew England PatriotsAugust 30SDan JacksonAugust 30WRLucky JacksonDetroit LionsAugust 30WRDominic LovettDetroit LionsAugust 30DEAnthony LucasDetroit LionsAugust 30OGMason MillerDetroit LionsAugust 30OGMelvin PriestlyAugust 30CBEric Scott Jr.August 30DTChris SmithDetroit LionsAugust 30RTColby SorsdalAtlanta FalconsAugust 30SJason Taylor IIAugust 30DETyre WestDetroit LionsAugust 30CBNick WhitesideDetroit LionsAugust 30RBRoydell WilliamsAugust 30DTMyles AdamsAugust 30OLBJoe BachieDetroit LionsAugust 30TETyler ConklinDetroit LionsAugust 30WRGreg DortchBuffalo BillsAugust 30WRTom KennedyDetroit LionsAugust 30ILBAmen OgbongbemigaDetroit LionsAugust 30ILBTroy ReederNew York JetsAugust 30OLBBen StilleDetroit LionsAugust 30RBTrayveon WilliamsAugust 30
Regular Season PositionPlayer2026 teamRelease dateSourceCSeth McLaughlinDetroit LionsSeptember 2RBJabari SmallDetroit LionsSeptember 2DTLevi OnwuzurikeDetroit LionsSeptember 11DTTyre WestSeptember 11LBJoe BachieDetroit LionsSeptember 22 CBNatrone Brooks September 28
Players traded PositionPlayerNew TeamTrade dateSourceRBDavid MontgomeryHouston TexansMarch 11
Retirements PositionPlayerDate retiredSourceOTDan SkipperJanuary 22, 2026QBTeddy BridgewaterAugust 9, 2026OTJamarco JonesAugust 12, 2026
Draft
+ 2026 Detroit Lions draft selections Round Selection Player Position College Notes 1 17 Blake Miller OT Clemson 2 44 Derrick Moore EDGE Michigan From Cowboys via Jets 50 Traded to the New York Jets 3 81 Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars 100 Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars 2020 Resolution JC-2A selection 4 118 Jimmy Rolder LB Michigan 4 128 Traded to the New York Jets From Texans 5 157 Keith Abney II CB Arizona State 168 Kendrick Law WR Kentucky Compensatory selection 181 Traded to the Buffalo Bills 6 199 Traded to the Cleveland Browns 205 Skyler Gill-Howard DT Texas A&M From Jaguars 213 Traded to the Buffalo Bills From Seahawks via Jaguars 7 222 Tyre West DL Tennessee From Browns 233 Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars
Draft trades
+ 2026 Detroit Lions undrafted free agents Name Position College Ref. Luke Altmyer QB Illinois Aamaris Brown DB UNLV Kyre Duplessis WR Delaware Erick Hunter LB Morgan State Aidan Keanaaina DL California Miles Kitselman TE Tennessee Anthony Lucas DE USC Eric O'Neill DE Rutgers Melvin Priestly OL Illinois De'Shawn Rucker CB South Florida
Staff
Current roster
Preseason The Lions' preseason opponents and schedule was announced on May 14—in conjunction with the release of the regular season schedule. Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 at Cincinnati Bengals L 14–16 0–1 Paycor Stadium Recap 2 Washington Commanders W 17–13 1–1 Ford Field Recap 3 at Indianapolis Colts W 25–16 2–1 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap
Regular season Schedule Week Date Time () Opponent Result Record Venue TV Recap 1 September 13 1:00p.m. New Orleans Saints W 31–30 1–0 Ford Field Fox Recap 2 8:15p.m. at Buffalo Bills L 31–41 1–1 Highmark Stadium Prime Video Recap 3 September 27 1:00p.m. New York Jets W 31–24 2–1 Ford Field Fox Recap 4 October 4 8:20p.m. at Carolina Panthers L 26–32 2–2 Bank of America Stadium NBC Recap 5 October 11 4:25p.m. at Arizona Cardinals State Farm Stadium Fox 6 Bye 7 October 25 4:25p.m. Green Bay Packers Ford Field Fox 8 November 1 1:00p.m. Minnesota Vikings Ford Field Fox 9 November 8 1:00p.m. at Miami Dolphins Hard Rock Stadium Fox 10 November 15 9:30a.m. New England Patriots Allianz Arena Fox 11 November 22 1:00p.m. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Ford Field CBS 12 November 26 1:00p.m. Chicago Bears Ford Field CBS 13 December 6 1:00p.m. at Atlanta Falcons Mercedes-Benz Stadium CBS 14 December 13 1:00p.m. Tennessee Titans Ford Field Fox 15 December 20 8:20p.m. at Minnesota Vikings U.S. Bank Stadium NBC 16 8:15p.m. New York Giants Ford Field ESPN 17 January 3 4:25p.m. at Chicago Bears Soldier Field Fox 18 January 9/10 at Green Bay Packers Lambeau Field Notes Intra-division opponents are in bold text. Networks and times from Weeks 5–17 and dates from Weeks 12–17 are subject to change as a result of flexible scheduling; games in Weeks 10 and 12 are exempt. The date, time and network for Week 18 will be finalized at the end of Week 17.
Game summaries Week 1: vs. New Orleans Saints
In their season opener, the Lions hosted the New Orleans Saints. The Lions opened the scoring in the first quarter via a one-yard touchdown run from Jahmyr Gibbs. After a scoreless second quarter, Detroit led 7–0 at half-time. The Lions scored 14 points in the third quarter via a one-yard touchdown run from Gibbs and a 19-yard touchdown pass from Jared Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown. The Saints responded with 14 points in the quarter via an eight-yard touchdown run from Kendre Miller and a one-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Shough to Devaughn Vele. The teams exchanged field goals in the fourth quarter, first a 28-yard field goal by Daniel Carlson for New Orleans then a 23-yard field goal by Jake Bates for Detroit. The Saints scored the final points of the quarter via a nine-yard touchdown pass rom Shough to Juwan Johnson to tie the game and force overtime. During overtime, the Lions scored via a four-yard touchdown pass from Goff to St. Brown. The Saints responded with an eight-yard touchdown pass from Shough to Noah Fant, and failed their two-point conversion attempt, making the final score 31–30 in favor of Detroit.
Week 2: at Buffalo Bills
In week 2, the Lions visited the Buffalo Bills. The Bills scored 14 points in the first quarter via a one-yard touchdown run from Josh Allen and a 43-yard touchdown pass from Allen to Josh Palmer. The Bills extended their lead in the second quarter via a one-yard touchdown pass from Allen to Dawson Knox. The Lions finally got on the board via an 11-yard touchdown pass from Jared Goff to Jahmyr Gibbs. The Bills responded with a 16-yard touchdown pass from Allen to Dalton Kincaid. The Lions scored the final points of the half via a 31-yard field goal by Jake Bates, which made the score 27–10 in favor of Buffalo at half-time. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the third quarter, first a two-yard touchdown pass from Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown for the Lions, then a two-yard touchdown run from Allen for the Bills. The Lions opened the scoring in the fourth quarter via a one-yard touchdown pass from Goff to Sam LaPorta. The Bills responded with a one-yard touchdown run from James Cook. The Lions scored the final points of the game via a 27-yard touchdown pass from Goff to St. Brown, making the final score 41–31 in favor of Buffalo. This was Detroit's seventh loss to Buffalo since 2006.
Week 3: vs. New York Jets
In week 3, the Lions hosted the New York Jets, in what was the Jets' head coach Aaron Glenn’s return to Detroit after previously serving as the Lions' defensive coordinator. After a scoreless first quarter, the Lions opened the scoring in the second quarter via a 30-yard field goal by Jake Bates. The Jets responded with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Geno Smith to Kenyon Sadiq to take their first lead of the game. The Lions scored the final points of the half via a four-yard touchdown pass from Jared Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown, which made the score 10–7 in favor of Detroit at half-time. The Lions extended their lead in the third quarter via a 17-yard touchdown run from Jahmyr Gibbs. The Jets responded with a 42-yard field goal by Jason Sanders. The Lions extended their lead in the fourth quarter via a one-yard touchdown run from Gibbs. The Jets responded with 14 unanswered points to tie the game--a four-yard touchdown pass from Smith to Jeremy Ruckert, followed by a 23-yard touchdown pass Garrett Wilson with a two-point conversion pass from Smith to Sterling Shepard to tie the game. The Lions scored the final points of the game via an 11-yard touchdown pass from Jared Goff to Gibbs, making the final score 31–24 in favor of Detroit.
With their first home against the Jets since 1997, the Lions improved to 2–1.
Week 4: at Carolina Panthers