By Mummy Grace 
Adding to the concerns, Detroit lost defensive line coach Terrell Williams, passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand, and saw star center Frank Ragnow retire. Despite these setbacks, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer believes the Lions remain one of the NFL’s most promising teams.
In his latest mailbag, Breer highlighted that Detroit is “loaded with ascending, young talent,” pointing to players like Jameson Williams, Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Terrion Arnold, and Brian Branch — all of whom have shown significant upside early in their careers. Breer also noted that Aidan Hutchinson and Alim McNeill are returning from injuries, which could greatly strengthen the defense.
“The roster is stocked with young players who are already good and have plenty of room to grow,” Breer wrote. He emphasized that the Lions prepared well in advance for the potential loss of both coordinators and have time before the season to get everyone up to speed.
With training camp set to ramp up at the end of July, head coach Dan Campbell and GM Brad Holmes will have a chance to fully assess the team’s progress. Breer remains optimistic, concluding, “Better health will mean a better defense, and natural growth could make the team more talented on both sides of the ball. They have until December and January to put it all together for a real playoff run — and I still think it’s possible.”