Projected Detroit Lions Week 1 starters who won’t be starters by Thanksgiving
Detroit Lions fans spend all summer projecting Week 1 starters. The more interesting question might be who is still starting by Thanksgiving. A rookie pass rusher, a fast-rising linebacker, and a surprise defensive back could change things.
We’ve got a long way to go before the Detroit Lions’ 2026 season starts. 81 days to be exact. We’ve got even farther to go before Thanksgiving. 155 days to be exact. But I’m still going to pull a Babe Ruth and point to the outfield and call my shot on this one. I’ve got three projected Week 1 starters who won’t be starters on Thanksgiving.
D.J. Wonnum
The thought process here is that Wonnum is the Lions’ starter at the beginning of the season and likely plays the early downs during drives. The run-stopping downs like first and second, and then rookie Derrick Moore comes in as sort of a pass rush specialist early.
The idea is that Moore takes time to work on his edge-setting game and get better against the run, and by Thanksgiving, the Lions should feel pretty comfortable with where he is, and his game should be a little more balanced. Then you see the snaps sort to change, and Moore sees more time on the field.
Malcolm Rodriguez
A similar situation, although if we’re judging based on the pajama party that was OTAs and mandatory minicamp, Jimm Rolder might be ready to go at the Lions starter Week 1. But just in case they’re not willing to throw him into the fire right away, Rodriguez would make sense as the starter at the beginning of the season until Rolder is ready to go. Maybe long before Thanksgiving.
Roger McCreary
A giant maybe on this one because McCreary looks pretty good right now. But Keith Abney, whom the Lions stole in the fifth round of the draft, might rise up and steal the job. Of all of these, this is the one I’m the most shaky about because again, McCreary is turning heads at the moment and has been mentioned by Kelvin Sheppard multiple times. But he is signed to just a one-year deal at the moment. Abney is the future of the slot corner position for Detroit.
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