4 big disadvantages the 2026 Lions have — and somehow nobody’s talking about them
We talked about the Detroit Lions’ advantages… now here’s the other side. These 4 disadvantages for 2026 aren’t getting nearly enough attention
Ok, I’m sorry, Detroit Lions fans. We talked about the good; now we have to talk about the bad. If you missed it, we discussed the four big advantages the Lions have going into the 2026 season. Now, here are the four big disadvantages they have.
A new offensive coordinator could come with bumps in the road early
Things don’t always click right away with a new offensive coordinator. Even Ben Johnson took half the season to find his stride in his first year. The hope here is that Drew Petzing is enough like Johnson that there could be a smooth transition. That, and he fits so much of what Dan Campbell wants to do. But will it click, and how long will it take?
That end-of-the-season schedule is pretty rough, right now
We say right now because we don’t know what those teams are going to look like at the end of the year. But right now, on paper, it looks rough. Two games in the cold, and I mean cold, Chicago and Green Bay. On top of playing the Vikings in their building, and a potentially tough Giants team at home. That is a lot.
The offensive line is going to take some time to gel
This is essentially a brand-new offensive line that the Lions are going into this season with. While there are many reasons to feel good about it, these guys have never played together like this before. Mays and Miller are new to town, Sewell is playing a new position, and we can’t say for certain who will win the left guard job. So you have to get ready for the possibility that they don’t hit the ground running, and there could be some early issues.
The players the Lions might not have to start the season
At this point, it feels safe to say that Brian Branch may not be on the field in Week 1. We can’t say it for certain, but history tells you it’s leaning this way. That’s a big deal for a defense that relies on what he can bring to the table. There are also questions about his counterpart, Kerby Joseph, and tight end Sam LaPorta. At this juncture, I feel way better about the latter two being on the field at the start of camp and playing Week 1, but like Branch, I can’t tell you for certainty that this is happening. That’s concerning at this juncture.
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