DAILYREPORT

🦁 Top Story

The Detroit Lions' 2026 training camp runs from July 25 to Aug. 27 at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, Michigan. GM Brad Holmes says there was a little more "fire" this year to get back on track after missing the postseason in 2025, with Holmes and coach Dan Campbell focused on adding players to reestablish Detroit's gritty identity.

📰 Headlines

• Detroit Lions place both starting safeties on PUP list ahead of camp—meaning Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch will start training camp on the physically unable to perform list, a significant injury-related storyline to monitor.

• The Lions will enter the 2026 season with a new-look offensive line: out are longtime left tackle Taylor Decker and center Graham Glasgow, and in are former Panthers interior offensive lineman Cade Mays and rookie offensive tackle Blake Miller, with Blake Miller sliding in at right tackle allowing All-Pro OT Penei Sewell to shift over to left tackle.

• The Lions fired former offensive coordinator John Morton after one season, and new OC Petzing spent the past three seasons as the Cardinals' offensive coordinator under coach Jonathan Gannon and enters a situation with St. Brown, Gibbs and numerous playmakers capable of exploding at any moment.

• The Detroit Lions find themselves navigating a challenging offseason after the release of former first-round pick Terrion Arnold, a development that has drawn criticism from beat writers.

• Detroit finished 9-8 last season and doesn't want to be watching this season's playoffs from home again.

🎙️ Podcast & Media Picks

• Pride of Detroit Podcast — Jeremy and Erik dive into Detroit Lions questions and discuss how the organization is applying lessons learned from the 2025 season, including the team's decision to release Terrion Arnold.

• Locked On Lions — Matt Dery questions if 11 wins is within reach given early bye week challenges, explores possible free agency fits, and discusses why the Saints are a sleeper threat and Lions playoff ambitions.

📊 Season Watch — Trenches Rebuild (Theme A)

The additions should equate to a net positive for the Lions' offensive line, which took a step back a season ago both in run-blocking and protecting veteran quarterback Jared Goff. Tate Ratledge's 73.5 Pro Football Focus run-blocking grade ranked 12th among all NFL guards and second among rookie guards last season, and over his last 12 games didn't allow a sack and gave up only four quarterback hits, with Detroit expecting him to be even better in 2026. First-round pick Blake Miller, much like his predecessor Penei Sewell before him, is not your average rookie, coming to Detroit after starting 54 consecutive games at Clemson, demonstrating sound technique and rock-solid durability with a school-record 3,778 career snaps from scrimmage.

🗓️ Lions History & All-Time Greats

Barry Sanders: The King of Lions Lore

The 1997 season was special for Sanders, who that season shared MVP honors with then-Packers quarterback Brett Favre, running for 53 yards during the season's first two games, then exactly 2,000 yards during the final 14 games while eclipsing 100 yards in each of those games and leading the Lions to the playoffs, finishing the season with 2,053 yards while averaging 6.1 yards per carry. Sanders is the first player in league history to rush for over 1,000 yards in each of his first 10 seasons. Sanders played 10 seasons and rushed for more than 1,000 yards in every one of them, with 1,500 yards or more in four consecutive seasons.

Career Rushing Yards — All-Time Lions Leaders:

1. Barry Sanders — 15,269
2. Billy Sims — 5,106
3. Dexter Bussey — 5,105
4. Altie Taylor — 4,817
5. Mel Farr — 3,072
6. James Stewart — 2,890
7. Doak Walker — 2,646
8. Theo Riddick — 2,238
9. Kevin Jones — 2,067
10. Jahmyr Gibbs — ~2,300+ (active, rising)

🔮 What to Watch

• Blake Miller will not be handed the right tackle job out of camp, with Larry Borom awaiting the rookie for what is sure to be an intense camp battle, and by the time the Lions travel to Cincinnati for the preseason opener on August 13, whoever wins that spot will be completely battle-tested.

• Ten dates in which fans will be able to attend training camp practices are available, with free tickets going very fast on the Lions' official website.

• How quickly Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch return to full participation, and whether the secondary can regain All-Pro form heading into the regular season.