There’s something very strange about the Lions’ secondary entering Week 1 that we never thought about
Detroit’s projected Week 1 secondary averages nearly 30 years old, an enormous contrast with one of the NFL’s youngest overall rosters. The context matters.
Earlier this week, I made my debut on our new AtoZ Sports podcast, 13 personnel to preview the Detroit Lions’ 2026 season. On the show, co-host Ryan Roberts brought up a stat I hadn’t even considered. The fact that the Lions may have the oldest secondary in the NFL.
I thought, “What?” But then I started thinking about it. Chuck Clark is 31-years-old, D.J. Reed is 29, Rock Ya-Sin is 30, Avonte Maddox is 30, and Christian Izien, assuming he’s the starter, is 26. That’s an average age of 29.6. But does that make them the oldest?
Is the Lions’ secondary the oldest
| Team | Average age |
|---|---|
| Minnesota Vikings | 29.9 |
| Detroit Lions | 29.6 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 29.6 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 29.5 |
| New England Patriots | 28.1 |
| Washington Commanders | 28.0 |
| Carolina Panthers | 27.8 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 27.8 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 27.4 |
| Chicago Bears | 27.3 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 27.2 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 27.1 |
| Denver Broncos | 27.1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 27.0 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 26.7 |
| Cleveland Browns | 26.7 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 26.6 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 26.6 |
| New York Jets | 26.3 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 26.3 |
| New Orleans Saints | 26.1 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 26.1 |
| Buffalo Bills | 26.1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 26.1 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 26.0 |
| Tennessee Titans | 25.9 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 25.7 |
| New York Giants | 25.7 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 25.7 |
| Green Bay Packers | 25.5 |
| Houston Texans | 25.4 |
| Miami Dolphins | 25.2 |
There you go, not the oldest, but the second oldest by a nose. The Vikings have the oldest. The most interesting part of this is that the Lions, as a team, are the eighth-youngest team in the NFL. All the age is in the secondary. The team has an average age of 26. Is this a problem? The short answer is no. Let’s talk about it.
The safety situation
The biggest variable in Detroit’s secondary is the absence of safeties Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch. Both are among the best at their position in the NFL, with an All-Pro and a Pro Bowl nod between them. Getting those two back as soon as possible is the priority, but in the meantime, the Lions have capable fill-ins.
Chuck Clark, a veteran who proved himself as a starter in Baltimore, slots in as a steady presence. Avonte Maddox brings experience of his own, including a start in the Eagles’ Super Bowl win. Plus, he was Pro Football Focus’ 10th highest-graded safety in 2025. Neither player is going to replicate what Joseph and Branch provide at their peak, but they can hold things down long enough for the Lions to weather the early portion of the schedule.
The cornerback outlook
The cornerback situation actually inspires more confidence than the safety spots. DJ Reed is the headliner, and there is real optimism that he can bounce back after a rough 2024 campaign. The belief is that Reed’s struggles last season stemmed from playing hurt the entire year, and reports out of this summer suggest he looks like his old self again. When healthy, Reed profiles as a legitimate top-tier corner.
Opposite him, Rock Ya-Sin continues to fill a sneaky-valuable role. He’s never going to be a superstar, and at this stage of his career, nobody expects him to become one. But Ya-Sin is sticky in coverage and fits exactly what the Lions want from that position. He gets the job done without flash, and sometimes that’s all a defense needs from its second outside corner.
The Lions didn’t get older; they got better.
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