The Detroit Lions have a lot to prove in the upcoming 2026 NFL season. Detroit stumbled last season, missing the playoffs and barely finishing the season over .500. But the Lions attacked the offseason with a sense of urgency the team hasn’t had since the early days of the Dan Campbell era. If the Lions can get back to their gritty ways, there’s no question they can get back to the playoffs this fall.
The Lions will hold their two-day mandatory minicamp from June 16-17th. It is the final portion of Detroit’s offseason workout program before training camp kicks off later this summer.
As such, the Lions need to make good use of those two practices. If they can answer one or two important questions, it will help figure out which players to give more reps in training camp.
But which positions will be most under the microscope at minicamp?
Detroit needs to answer a few burning questions during mandatory minicamp to set themselves up for success at training camp.
Who will be Detroit’s new starter at nickel cornerback?
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The Lions have a lot to figure out in their defensive secondary before the start of the 2026 season.
It starts with the nickel cornerback spot. Detroit lost veteran Amik Robertson to Washington during NFL free agency, losing their starting nickel over the past two years. Now the Lions need to figure out who can replace him in the slot, especially with Brian Branch banged up (more on him later.)
There are quite a few players who should be in contention for nickel snaps this fall.
At this point in the offseason, the frontrunner appears to be Roger McCreary. Detroit signed McCreary to a one-year contract during free agency after he spent time with Tennessee and Los Angeles in 2025. McCreary started his career as an outside cornerback. However, the Titans started using McCreary exclusively in the slot last season and it looked like a more natural fit. He even posted one of his best career coverage grades in 2025 per PFF.
The job is not automatically McCreary’s, but he certainly has the inside track.
The Lions also drafted Keith Abney II in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. He profiles as a physical nickel cornerback who could be an ideal fit if Detroit plays more zone coverage in 2026.
Don’t forget about Ennis Rakestraw Jr. either. The third-year cornerback’s career has been sidetracked by injuries, but he could compete for the starting job if he can stay healthy.
Finally, Christian Izien is a dark horse candidate. He should play a big role in Detroit’s secondary one way or another. However, it remains to be seen if he’ll primarily play at cornerback or safety.
Speaking of safeties…
The Lions need to figure out who will start the season at both safety spots
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Detroit’s safety situation is much more serious than nickel cornerback. It will be especially important during the early weeks of the regular season.
The Lions will be without both of their starting safeties, Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph, to start the 2026 season.
Branch suffered a torn Achilles late during the 2025 regular season. The normal recovery period for that kind of injury is often up to 12 months, which could put Branch out of action through early December. Campbell even jokingly told reporters Branch would not return until then, though that was likely his way of dodging the question so early in the offseason.
Meanwhile, Joseph has been dealing with a chronic knee injury. It has kept him out of action since Week 6 against the Chiefs. Unfortunately, the situation does not look good at all.
Campbell admitted earlier in June that he does not know when fans can expect Joseph to return this year.
“I don’t know, I honestly do not know,” Campbell said, per Jeremy Reisman of Pride of Detroit. “I know this: we’ve done everything we can do, and he’s done everything he can do to this point.”
The Lions need to figure out who will start at both safety spots to begin the season. It could be multiple weeks at least before reinforcements arrive, if they arrive at all.
Fortunately, Detroit has a few solid options to choose from.
At free safety, veteran Chuck Clark could be in the mix for a starting job. He’ll have to compete with Thomas Harper and Loren Strickland among others. Harper proved that he could handle the job on multiple occasions last season.
At strong safety, Avonte Maddox and second-year player Dan Jackson should be involved.
There’s also Christian Izien, who could be in the competition for either starting spot, depending on who plays in the slot.
Hopefully Detroit can discover some answers that make the early days of training camp even easier.
