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Craig Reynolds Craig Reynolds Leads ground game Thursday Thu, Jul 31, 2025, 11:12 PM Reynolds rushed 10 times for 38 yards and a touchdown and brought in his only target for 10 yards during the Lions' 34-7 preseason loss to the Chargers in Thursday night's Hall of Fame Game. Analysis: The veteran back got his preseason off to a strong start by leading the way for the Lions in rushing yards while also recording a three-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Reynolds continues to profile as an ideal No. 3/No. 4 back that sees very modest opportunity whenever both Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery are healthy, but that is well-versed in the offense and can contribute as both runner and receiver.
Kyle Allen Kyle Allen Pair of picks in preseason opener Thu, Jul 31, 2025, 11:06 PM Allen completed nine of 14 passes for 91 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions and rushed twice for five yards during the Lions' 34-7 preseason loss to the Chargers in Thursday night's Hall of Fame Game. Analysis: Allen, who's competing with Hendon Hooker for the No. 2 role behind Jared Goff, got off to an auspicious start by throwing interceptions on the Lions' second and third possessions. Allen did bounce back to helm a 15-play, 60-yard drive that culminated in a three-yard touchdown run by Craig Reynolds, finishing his night on a high note. Allen played the entire first half before giving way to Hooker, and it's possible the division of labor is the same for Detroit's next preseason game on Friday night, Aug. 8 against the Falcons.
Isaac TeSlaa Isaac TeSlaa Makes impact with both catches Thu, Jul 31, 2025, 10:57 PM TeSlaa brought in two of three targets for 46 yards during the Lions' 34-7 preseason loss to the Chargers in Thursday's Hall of Fame Game. Analysis: The rookie third-round pick flashed with both of his receptions, which came on consecutive plays during the Lions' third possession. TeSlaa recorded catches of 24 and 22 yards over the middle from Kyle Allen, flashing the speed and athleticism that prompted the Lions to make a somewhat controversial trade up in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft to select him. The Arkansas product is looking to make a case for a reliable reserve role on a talented receiving corps, and he should have plenty more opportunity to showcase his acclimation to the NFL game during coming preseason contests.
Kenny Yeboah Kenny Yeboah Dealing with leg issue Thu, Jul 31, 2025, 10:45 PM Yeboah suffered a leg injury during Thursday's Hall of Fame Game against the Chargers, Justin Rogers of DetroitFootball.net reports. Analysis: Yeboah will presumably undergo further imaging Friday, as little was known about the injury Thursday night. Nevertheless, he believes he avoided a serious issue.
Jared Goff Jared Goff Not in line to play in HOF Game Thu, Jul 31, 2025, 4:46 PM Goff is among the key starters who is not in line to play in Thursday's Hall of Fame Game against the Chargers, Jalen Williams of the Detroit Free Press reports. Analysis: With Goff not slated to play in the first of Detroit's preseason contests, fellow quarterbacks Hendon Hooker and Kyle Allen are are on track to lead the Lions offense Thursday. The Lions' next exhibition game is Friday, Aug. 8 versus the Falcons.
Sione Vaki Sione Vaki Handling individual drills Tue, Jul 29, 2025, 8:58 AM Vaki (leg) returned to practice Monday and participated in individual drills and walkthroughs, Benjamin Raven of MLive.com reports. Analysis: Vaki missed roughly one week of training camp activities due to a leg injury, but he's now returned to on-field work in a limited capacity. The 2024 fourth-round pick suited up for 16 regular-season games as a rookie but totaled just 51 yards on offense, though he also has the versatility to contribute at safety and on special teams, which boosts his odds of being able to secure a depth role.
Kyle Allen Kyle Allen In battle for No. 2 role Wed, Jul 23, 2025, 7:26 PM Allen has seen work with both the second-team and third-team offensive units at Lions training camp, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports. Analysis: Allen worked with the second-team offense to open training camp Sunday before Hendon Hooker replaced him with the second-team unit Monday. Allen signed with the Lions in the offseason, and he'll compete with Hooker for the backup quarterback role behind Jared Goff this season. The 29-year-old hasn't played in any meaningful action since 2022 with the Texans, when he completed 46 of 78 passes for 416 yards and two touchdowns, while also throwing four interceptions, in two starts with the team. Hooker spent the majority of the 2024 campaign as Goff's primary backup and likely has the early edge over Allen for the No. 2 role.
Hendon Hooker Hendon Hooker Competing for No. 2 role Wed, Jul 23, 2025, 6:37 PM Hooker took second-team reps at practice Monday, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports. Analysis: Hooker was operating with the third-team offense behind Jared Goff and Kyle Allen during Sunday's first practice of training camp. The quarterback stepped it up a notch Monday, but he appears to be in a direct competition with Allen for the backup role ahead of the 2025 campaign. Hooker operated in the No. 2 role for the 2024 regular season, but was moved to emergency QB in favor of veteran Teddy Bridgewater for the playoffs. Hooker has reportedly shown a strong early rapport with rookie wideouts Isaac TeSlaa and Dominic Lovett, according to Colton Pouncy of The Athletic, but Hooker will have to get some more work with the starters in order for Detroit to get a full read on him prior to his third year in Detroit.
Jared Goff Jared Goff Looking to build off career year Wed, Jul 23, 2025, 6:20 PM Goff is entering his fifth season in Detroit, operating as the team's starting quarterback ahead of Hendon Hooker and Kyle Allen, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports. Analysis: Goff compiled a career-high 4,629 passing yards and 37 passing touchdowns while completing 72 percent of his pass attempts over 17 regular-season games in 2024. The 30-year-old has been the picture of consistency, appearing in all 51 of the Lions' regular-season contests over the last three years. With offensive coordinator Ben Johnson leaving in the offseason to become the head coach with the Bears, Goff will work with new OC John Morton, who was a senior offensive assistant in Detroit in 2022 before spending two years with the Broncos as the team's passing game coordinator. Morton is considered to be a maestro with wide receivers, and Detroit added third-rounder Isaac TeSlaa to the fold in the 2025 NFL Draft. He'll join an already talented wide receiver room that includes Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Tim Patrick and Kalif Raymond. The wide receivers paired with impressive running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, as well as tight end Sam LaPorta, will provide Jared Goff with a wide array of options to once again have a productive campaign in the Motor City.
Hendon Hooker Hendon Hooker Working on details Wed, Jul 23, 2025, 2:59 PM Lions coach Dan Campbell said Hooker knows that it's time to "take the next step" in his career. Analysis: Campbell also mentioned being impressed by Hooker's urgency and footwork at the beginning of training camp. The 27-year-old spent all of last season as Detroit's No. 2 quarterback, ultimately attempting just nine passes with Jared Goff staying healthy throughout the year. Now entering the third year of his rookie contract, Hooker will face competition from Kyle Allen this summer. There was some thought Hooker might eventually replace Goff after the Lions made him a third-round pick in 2023, but Goff has since led offenses that ranked fifth and first in points scored, earning a four-year, $212 million extension in the process. The Lions essentially are tied to Goff through 2027, one year beyond the length of Hooker's rookie contract (2023-26).
David Montgomery David Montgomery Not worried about O-line losses Tue, Jul 22, 2025, 12:33 PM Montgomery recently said he has "no concern" about Detroit's offensive line changes and is confident in new offensive coordinator John Morton. Analysis: The Lions lost center Frank Ragnow to retirement and right guard Kevin Zeitler to the Titans, leaving a training camp competition between rookie second-round pick Tate Ratledge, 2024 sixth-rounder Christian Mahogany and 27-year-old Trystan Colon, among others, for the two open spots. Morton, who was Detroit's passing-game coordinator the last two years under former OC Ben Johnson, still has an elite tackle duo and one of the best groups of skill-position players in the league at his disposal. There's always some chance the new play-caller gives Jahmyr Gibbs a few more snaps and touches at Montgomery's expense, but wholesale changes are unlikely after the Lions scored a league-high 33.2 points per game last season.
Sione Vaki Sione Vaki Leaves practice due to leg injury Mon, Jul 21, 2025, 2:07 PM Vaki left practice Monday due to a leg injury, Nolan Bianchi of the Detroit News reports. Analysis: The exact nature and severity of the injury have yet to be determined. Vaki is competing for a depth role in Detroit's backfield after notching only 51 total yards on offense in his rookie regular season. The 2024 fourth-round draft pick can also play safety and is expected to contribute on special teams once healthy.
Amon-Ra St. Brown Amon-Ra St. Brown Participating in training camp Mon, Jul 21, 2025, 12:33 PM St. Brown (knee) participated in Sunday's training camp practice, Colton Pouncy of The Athletic reports. Analysis: Eric Woodyard of ESPN.com previously reported that St. Brown underwent an offseason knee procedure, "just to clean some stuff up," in the words of the wideout. At the time, Woodyard indicated that St. Brown was expected to be ready for training camp, and that is indeed the case, with no reports of the 25-year-old being limited at practice. St. Brown thus is set to reprise his high-volume role in Detroit's offense, after having racked up 115 catches (on 141 targets) for 1,263 yards and 12 TDs in 17 regular-season contests in 2024.
Sam LaPorta Sam LaPorta High hopes for new Lions OC Thu, Jul 17, 2025, 10:14 AM LaPorta said Wednesday that new Lions offensive coordinator John Morton has a "brilliant mind" and should do a great job calling plays, NFL.com's Kevin Patra reports. Analysis: This is LaPorta's first time working with Morton, who was an assistant on Ben Johnson's staff in 2022. Morton was Denver's passing-game coordinator the past two years, before circling back to Detroit to replace Johnson this winter. The Lions also lost starting center Frank Ragnow (retired) and right guard Keven Zeitler (Titans) this offseason, but they retained all their key skill-position players -- an impressive group led by LaPorta, RB Jahmyr Gibbs, RB David Montgomery, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown and WR Jameson Williams. The tough competition likely means LaPorta will see less volume than what he's capable of handling, after dropping from 120 targets as a rookie in 2023 to just 83 targets in 2024. He had six or fewer targets in each of his first eight games last season, but he then got six or more targets in nine straight contests to close out the year, with six TDs during that stretch.
Jahmyr Gibbs Jahmyr Gibbs Taking more reps out wide Tue, Jul 15, 2025, 9:40 AM Gibbs said last week that new Lions offensive coordinator John Morton has him splitting out wide "way more than I was the past two years," per WXYZ-TV Detroit. Analysis: Gibbs took 39 perimeter snaps during the regular season last year, eighth most among RBs, but his 16 slot snaps ranked just 22nd. He finished the year on a high note in terms of receiving involvement, with a career-high 11 targets in January's playoff loss to Washington, after catching at least four passes in each of the final five regular-season games. His receiving involvement spiked following David Montgomery's MCL injury, with Gibbs surprisingly having averaged just 2.3 catches on 3.0 targets per game in Weeks 1-13. There's a chance his pass-catching production becomes more consistent under a new playcaller, and also some chance Gibbs takes more of the workload away from Montgomery in general, but with the risk that Detroit's offense won't be as efficient in general after losing former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to the Bears this offseason. The Lions also lost starting right guard Kevin Zeitler to the Titans and center Frank Ragnow to retirement, but they're bringing back all their other 2024 starters on offense, including the elite tackle duo of Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker.
Amon-Ra St. Brown Amon-Ra St. Brown Recovering from clean-up procedure Thu, Jun 5, 2025, 1:10 PM St. Brown said Thursday that he hasn't been practicing at voluntary OTAs due to an offseason knee procedure undergone to "clean some stuff up," Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News reports. Analysis: St. Brown stressed that his surgery wasn't major, but that he's being cautious in his recovery. Per Eric Woodyard of ESPN.com, the start wideout expects to be ready for training camp. A minor offseason knee procedure shouldn't warrant any change to St. Brown's offseason ADP in early fantasy drafts, wherein he remains an essential lock to come off the board in the first round. More notable, though, is the attrition on offense Detroit has suffered throughout the offseason, especially with former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson having assumed Chicago's head coach position, and the surprising retirement of top-end center Frank Ragnow on Monday. Still, St. Brown has been one of the league's most consistent receivers since joining the Lions as a fourth-round pick in 2021, with three consecutive seasons over the 1,000-yard mark under his belt, plus back-to-back years scoring double-digit touchdowns. Even if Detroit takes a step back after scoring a league-leading 33.2 points per game in the 2024 regular season, St. Brown remains entrenched as one of Jared Goff's top playmakers in what still projects as a strong offense under new OC John Morton.
Malik Taylor Malik Taylor Pops up in Detroit Mon, May 12, 2025, 7:58 PM Taylor signed with the Lions on Monday. Analysis: The wide receiver was placed on injured reserve with an undisclosed issue by the Jets in August of last year and didn't appear in any 2024 regular-season games. His best season came in 2020 with the Packers, when he caught five passes for 66 yards and a score. Taylor faces an uphill climb for a roster spot behind established pros Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Tim Patrick and Kalif Raymond and 2025 draft picks Isaac TeSlaa and Dominic Lovett.
Jameson Williams Jameson Williams Gets fifth-year option Fri, Apr 25, 2025, 9:11 AM The Lions picked up Williams' fifth-year option Friday, Field Yates of ESPN reports. Analysis: As expected, Williams is now under contract through 2026, with a projected $15.49 million salary for the fifth and final season of his rookie deal. The Lions may be hesitant to discuss an extension after Williams' breakout third season in 2024, considering his first two NFL campaigns largely were defined by injuries and suspensions. He cleared 1,000 receiving yards on just 91 targets in 15 regular-season games last year, adding 11 carries for 61 yards and a TD, plus two touches for 80 yards and a score in one playoff game. Williams is safe in his starting job but may find it difficult to significantly improve on last year's 6.1 targets per game while sharing the field with WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, TE Sam LaPorta and RBs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery -- all of whom will be adjusting to new offensive coordinator John Morton, after Ben Johnson left for Chicago's HC job.
Jameson Williams Jameson Williams Should get fifth-year option Mon, Mar 31, 2025, 1:49 PM The Lions likely will exercise their fifth-year option on Williams this spring, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports. Analysis: The Lions have until May 1 to exercise an option that would guarantee Williams a salary around $15.49 million for 2026. That's well below market rate for a quality No. 2 receiver -- something Williams became in 2024 with a 58-1,001-7 line on 91 targets in 15 regular-season games. While unlikely to average more than 6-to-7 targets per game in an offense loaded with other talented playmakers, Williams should have a similar role this upcoming season under new play caller John Morton, who previously worked for the Lions in 2022 and then served as Denver's pass-game coordinator the past two years. Lions GM Brad Holmes said he'll likely pick up Williams' fifth-year option, but Holmes didn't mention a contract extension the way he did when discussing fellow 2022 first-round pick Aidan Hutchinson.
Shane Zylstra Shane Zylstra Staying in Motor City Tue, Mar 18, 2025, 12:19 PM Detroit will re-sign Zylstra for the 2025 season, Eric Woodyard of ESPN.com reports. Analysis: The Lions added Zylstra to the active roster from their practice squad in November of 2024, and over 13 games including the playoffs, he caught his only target for 22 yards. He also contributed on special teams, logging more snaps in that phase than on offense for the first time in his career. Barring injuries, his role on Detroit's offense is likely to be minor in 2025.