In the 2025 season, the Detroit Lions fell well below the standard that head coach Dan Campbell had set since taking charge of the squad five years ago. With an injury-riddled season, they didn’t have the required roster depth to keep the pace, which was why they went from 6-3 in Week 10 to a 9-8 finish in Week 18.
This season, however, the Lions are determined to ensure they will be better prepared when the regular season begins by strengthening the roster depth. The Lions general manager, Brad Holmes, recently made it clear that the franchise remains open to adding more players to the roster this offseason.
“Competition brings the best out of everybody. I think everybody knows that. We will just see how the chips fall,” said Holmes in a recent interview with the Woodward Sports Network. “We are not done adding still. We bring still guys bringing it for workout, so we are gonna continue to keep adding that competition. We are not done yet, but we wanna have the best competition possible for depth.”
Holmes hinted at the Lions’ offseason move while attending Detroit legend Calvin Johnson’s annual foundation event. It is clear that despite bolstering the roster through major free agency and NFL Draft signings, the organization is open to adding more suitable depth and possible late signings before the training camp in late July or when the regular season starts.
The Lions Still Have Enough Cap Space to Sign More Players
All the NFL teams are allowed to have 90 players in the offseason, who are permitted to participate in the offseason activities, including the training camps. Currently, the Honolulu Blues have 88 players signed to the roster, meaning two more players are allowed on the Lions squad before hitting the maximum limit.
Moreover, the franchise has enough cap space to make the move. As per Spotrac, the Lions have still $19 million in cap space, ranking 17th in the league. This allows Brad Holmes the breathing room to make more impactful training camp additions, late-stage free agents, or a blockbuster mid-season trade, who could become an immediate starter.
With this approach, this year’s Lions training camp is expected to see a strong internal competition for the final roster spots, making sure Dan Campbell adds the most dependable players on the roster to create a reliable depth, which was lacking last campaign.
The Lions’ Defensive Collapse in the 2025 Campaign Happened Due to a Lack of Depth
The reason the Lions’ 2025 campaign was derailed in the second half of the season was due to the defensive collapse and the injuries of several top defensive stars, as their shortage of reliable options showed.
GettyLions cornerback D.J. Reed.
The starting cornerbacks—D. J. Reed and Terrion Arnold were ruled out at the crucial time of the season. Additionally, the All-Pro safety Kerby Joseph missed 11 games of the season due to a knee injury. Another safety, Brian Branch, tore his Achilles tendon and was sidelined.
Ennis Rakestraw Jr and Levi Onwuzurike were the other key defensive stars to be ruled out for the 2025 season, leaving coach Campbell with a limited roster depth to compete at the highest level.
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