20 Lions on the defensive roster bubble entering training camp - Pride Of Detroit

What the report says

Pride of Detroit reported that its staff identified 20 Detroit Lions defensive players as being on the roster bubble ahead of the start of training camp, which was scheduled to open Wednesday. The analysis, published July 28, 2026 by Jeremy Reisman, follows a similar look at the offense and says the defensive picture appears less settled because of roster turnover and available rotational jobs.

According to the site’s staff predictions, several players were treated as likely roster locks by position, including Aidan Hutchinson, DJ Wonnum and Derrick Moore at defensive end; Alim McNeill, Tyleik Williams and Levi Onwuzurike at defensive tackle; and Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes, Malcolm Rodriguez and Jimmy Rolder at linebacker. Among bubble players, Payton Turner received six “in” votes at defensive end, while Ahmed Hassanein received three. Tyler Lacy was the only defensive tackle bubble candidate described as a unanimous choice to make the team, with Skyler Gill-Howard and Jay Tufele also drawing notable support.

At linebacker, Trevor Nowaske and Damone Clark were close in the staff vote, though the article noted the predictions were made before Detroit signed veteran Troy Reeder. At cornerback, Khalil Dorsey was seen as the leading sixth-cornerback option because of special-teams value, while Nick Whiteside received limited support.

The safety group was projected unanimously by the Pride of Detroit staff, with Avonte Maddox, Thomas Harper and Chuck Clark all predicted in, while Dan Jackson and Loren Strickland were not. The analysis cautioned that the outlook depends partly on Kerby Joseph’s health and Brian Branch’s placement on the physically unable to perform list.