The Detroit Lions finished 9-8 last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2022. It was a jarring fall for a team that went 27-7 over the previous two seasons with back-to-back NFC North titles.
Dan Campbell fired offensive coordinator John Morton after one season, the roster lost significant pieces in free agency and via trade, and the division around them only got tougher. None of that has shaken Amon-Ra St. Brown’s confidence in what this team still has.
Amon-Ra St. Brown Isn’t Concerned About the Changes Lions Made
Detroit’s offseason has been defined by subtraction as much as addition. The Lions traded running back David Montgomery to the Houston Texans, released longtime left tackle Taylor Decker, and watched 11 free agents sign elsewhere, including linebacker Alex Anzalone, cornerback Amik Robertson, and defensive tackles DJ Reader and Roy Lopez.
On the coaching staff, Morton was replaced by former Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, and he will be the team’s third OC in three years.
To offset the losses, general manager Brad Holmes countered by signing former Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco on a prove-it deal and adding center Cade Mays on a three-year, $25 million contract. The Lions also drafted offensive tackle Blake Miller in the first round to bolster their offensive line.
The concerns about the Lions’ chances of contending for the Super Bowl are legitimate. The Chicago Bears won the NFC North last season and also came close to defeating the Los Angeles Rams in the Divisional Round under former Lions OC Ben Johnson.
The Green Bay Packers remain dangerous with Jordan Love at quarterback, and the Minnesota Vikings added Kyler Murray this offseason, meaning Detroit is no longer the clear-cut best team in the division.
However, St. Brown still believes the Lions have their foundational players, and they will be a contender.
“I feel like our whole nucleus is still with us. A lot of our best players are still with us and have been with us, so I feel like when you’ve got the players that we have, I can go down the list of the guys — offensively, defensively, and special teams.” St. Brown told ESPN. “We’ve got a bunch of guys on our team, so when you’ve got the nucleus that we have, I think you always have a shot at the big one. So, we’ve just got to put it together.”
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“We’ve got some free agents, signed some good guys, drafted some good guys, so we’ve got the coaches,” he added. “We’ve got to put the work in. OTAs, training camp, end of season, it’s going to be tough things that happen throughout the season, but if you can overcome those, I think we’ll be fine.”
St. Brown’s optimism isn’t baseless, as the Lions’ core remains loaded. Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, Jameson Williams, and Penei Sewell are all back on offense. Defensively, Aidan Hutchinson is coming off a 14.5-sack season that earned him second-team All-Pro honors, and players like Jack Campbell, Brian Branch, Kerby Joseph, and Terrion Arnold will be ready to contribute.
The bigger question is health, as Sam LaPorta missed the final eight games of 2025 with a herniated disc, Branch tore his Achilles in Week 14, and Joseph dealt with a lingering knee injury. All three are expected back, but the timelines vary, and a slow start from any of them could put Detroit in a familiar hole.
According to PFSN’s Defense Impact Metric, the Lions’ defense ranked 14th in the league last season, and if their players are healthy, they can be a top-five unit like they were in 2024.
