Lions Daily Report โ April 28, 2026
Tuesday, April 28, 2026
๐ฆ Top Story
Brad Holmes and the Detroit Lions wrapped up the 2026 NFL Draft, selecting tackle Blake Miller with the 17th overall pick to address their battered offensive line. The team released veteran offensive linemen Taylor Decker and Graham Glasgow last month, making Miller's immediate availability crucial. "When you think about Blake Miller, you sleep easy," Holmes said after the selection, signaling confidence in the Clemson product's ability to stabilize the right tackle position.
๐ฐ Headlines
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The Lions traded up in the second round to select Michigan edge rusher Derrick Moore, sending picks No. 50 and No. 128 to the New York Jets, adding premium depth pass-rush depth behind Aidan Hutchinson.
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Offseason workouts continued Monday, April 27, 2026, at the Meijer Performance Center, with fresh draft class integration underway and veteran players ramping up for the 2026 season.
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Guard Melvin Priestly signed with the Lions following the draft; the Illinois lineman was a top guard in the Big Ten in 2025, finishing with a 71.5 pass blocking grade, adding depth to an offensive line still under construction.
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The Lions are adding quarterback Luke Altmyer as a UDFA signing, bolstering the backup QB room after the draft concluded.
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The Lions should be pretty active during the UDFA process; including this year's draft class, they have 76 players on their roster, with the NFL maximum currently set at 90, meaning they could potentially sign up to 14 UDFAs over the next few days.
๐๏ธ Podcast & Media Picks
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Locked On Lions (Apple Podcasts) โ Matt Dery examines why key Lions starters like Taylor Decker and DJ Reader remain unsigned and what that signals for Detroit's team-building philosophy, with a focus on fiscal responsibility and prioritizing homegrown talent like Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, and Brian Branch.
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Talking Grit: A Detroit Lions Podcast (Apple Podcasts) โ Hosts Jason Harwood and Jacob Litton share their thoughts on the latest Detroit Lions news and games, offering real football talk for real Detroit Lions fans.
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Detroit Lions Podcast (YouTube/Podcast) โ The longest-tenured Lions podcast continues breaking down draft day evaluations and offseason moves with live streams and weekly analysis.
๐ Season Watch
Theme A โ Trenches Rebuild: One of the Detroit Lions' major offseason goals this year was to fix the offensive line; last year, the retirement of Frank Ragnow took a huge chunk out of the unit's efficiency, and with injuries and youth along the interior, there was a lot of inconsistency and downright bad play. Detroit's response was to get involved in the center free agency market, signing Cade Mays to a three-year, $25 million deal, and to fill their big hole at tackle following Decker's release, they signed Larry Borom to a reasonable $5 million contract. With Blake Miller now in the fold at right tackle and Michigan edge rusher Derrick Moore adding versatile pass-rush depth, the Lions have prioritized reinforcement at the line of scrimmage across both sides of the ballโa critical foundation for 2026.
๐๏ธ Lions History & All-Time Greats
Thirty-Four Years of Waiting: The 1992 Playoff Win That Defined a Franchise
For more than three decades, one postseason game stood out as a touchstone for the Detroit Lions and their fans: the 1992 NFC divisional playoff victory over the Dallas Cowboys. The Lions defeated the Cowboys 38โ6 on January 5th, 1992, in what would become the most recent playoff victory for the Lions and the franchise's only playoff win since the 1957 NFL Championship Game.
Quarterback Erik Kramer completed 29 out of 38 passes for 341 yards and 3 touchdowns, helping Detroit to a dominant victory. The win was particularly poignant because the Lions were winners of a franchise-record 12 games; offensive lineman Mike Utley suffered a spinal cord injury during a Week 12 game and was paralyzed, but not before flashing his now iconic thumbs up to fans and teammates, who rallied to win for Utley.
That victory remains the franchise's last postseason triumphโa stark reminder of Detroit's 34-year playoff drought, one that current head coach Dan Campbell and the 2026 Lions roster must contend with as they look to forge a new legacy.
๐ฎ What to Watch
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Minicamp and May offseason workouts โ The Lions begin the critical integration phase with seven new draft picks and multiple UDFAs. Watch for any injuries, position flexibility, and how quickly Miller, Moore, and Rolder acclimate to Dan Campbell's system.
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Training camp battles โ Offseason workouts will begin with minicamp in May, and general manager Brad Holmes will have some tough decisions to make in the coming months as he has built a competitive roster with hopes of returning to championship contention in the 2026 season.
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Trenches camp narrative โ The litmus test for Detroit's offseason will be the offensive line and defensive line's performance in live team periods. If Blake Miller looks Day 1 ready and Derrick Moore can rotate productively, the 2026 season could pivot on the strength of the unit's cohesion.