Here is the medical analysis for Joe Bachie which includes toe, groin, and hip issues. For a full breakdown of all the Lions free agents, visit my Lions 2026 Free Agency Page.

Medical concern level ranges from 0 (no concern) to 10 (extreme).

(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information and are unverified - subject to update. Games played data courtesy of pro-football-reference.com)

Joe Bachie, LB (28)

Contract: 1 year, $1.215M

Medical Concern Level: 5/10

• 2025: 15 games. Toe injury, to IR, and released. Later in season, signed with Titans and played 10 games.

• 2024: 12 games. Groin and hip injuries.

• 2023: 16 games. Oblique injury.

• 2022: 10 games

• 2021: 9 games. Torn ACL.

• 2020: 4 games

The 2025 toe injury is not of significant concern since he returned to play 10 games afterwards.

His 2024 groin and hip injuries are something to watch moving forward. Potentially, those are the same injury as a hip problem can cause groin pain. A hip joint or core muscle issue are possibilities.

The 2023 oblique is not a concern. The remote 2021 ACL also isn’t a concern at this point, although associated cartilage damage is a possibility.

Overall, it’s reassuring that he finished last season healthy, but there are reliability and residual concerns due to the many injuries accumulated over the past five years. His age is starting to approach 30 but is not a major issue on just a 1-year deal.

For the medical report on a Lions’ free agent LB who has overcome spinal fusion surgery…

Here are injury updates and 2026 outlooks for key starters like Terrion Arnold, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Penei Sewell… along with young hopefuls like Dan Jackson, Ahmed Hassanein, and Sione Vaki.

At the end of this article, I’ll analyze the significance of three suspected absences from the offseason workouts:

• Kerby Joseph

• Brian Branch

• Sam LaPorta

For a full team refresher of injury concerns with injury videos, view Detroit Lions 2026 Offseason Health Concern Meter: Returning Players.

Workout pictures via DetroitLions.com. (Age at start of 2026 season.)

Ennis Rakestraw, CB (24)

August 2025 - Shoulder surgery

March 2026 - Posted on Instagram…

May 2026 - Offseason workouts on his shoulders…

2026 OUTLOOK: Rakestraw will be fully healthy for the start of the 2026 season (source: him). Coming off two seasons ravaged by injuries, the hope is he can break that trend and reach his 2nd-round potential.

Terrion Arnold, CB (23)

December 2025 - 2 shoulder surgeries

February 2026 - Workout video posted on Instagram…

April 2026 - Note the impressive shoulder definition on this workout video posted on Instagram…

May 2026 - Arnold states that he expects to be available for training camp.

“Before I got hurt I was getting in my groove, figuring things out,” Arnold said. “Started playing my best ball and then just dealing with that injury, nagging it, so I’m just excited to see where I’ll be at with not having any injuries and just really looking forward to being out there with my team.”

2026 OUTLOOK: Arnold was expected to be ready well before training camp, and there appear to be no setbacks.

Dan Jackson, S (25)

August 2025 - Unspecified leg injury that ended his season.

May 2026 - Offseason workouts. No brace or wrap seen on his legs…

2026 OUTLOOK: Uncertain whether there may be residuals, but Jackson should be a full-go for the season.

Ahmed Hassanein, EDGE (24)

August 2025 - Right pec strain derailed his rookie year.

May 2026 - Offseason workouts…

2026 OUTLOOK: This Egyptian warrior will be fully ready to compete for a backup EDGE role.

Christian Mahogany, OG (25)

November 2025 - Left fibula fracture caused 6 missed games but able to return for final 3 games of season.

May 2026 - Offseason workouts…

2026 OUTLOOK: Fibulas heal well and there are no concerns for residuals for this incumbent LG starter.

Brock Wright, TE (27)

November 2025 - Trachea injury ended his season.

May 2026 - Offseason workouts…

2026 OUTLOOK: Totally healthy and ready to go. Wright’s health is very important given the uncertainty of Sam LaPorta.

Mekhi Wingo, DT (23)

November 2024 - Right knee meniscus injury with 2 subsequent knee surgeries.

2025 season - Limited to 2 appearances which could have been health related.

May 2026 - Offseason workouts…

2026 OUTLOOK: Residuals are possible with a meniscus. His health and usage are something to watch in preseason. He had a couple great plays in the final regular season game but likely is on bubble watch since the team drafted 2 DT’s.

Giovanni Manu, OT (25)

October 2025 - Unspecified knee injury in practice which effectively ended his season.

May 2026 - Offseason workouts…

2026 OUTLOOK: This could be a make-or-break year for Manu. Hopefully, his knee is fully healthy to give him the best opportunity to win a backup OT or “Skipper” role.

Malcolm Rodriguez, LB (27)

November 2024 - Right ACL tear which needed a second surgery.

November 2025 - Returned to limited action. Gradually ramped up defensive snaps the final two games of season.

May 2026 - Offseason workouts…

2026 OUTLOOK: There are concerns for residuals due to the need for a second surgery. Regardless, Rodrigo should be much more involved in 2025.

Sione Vaki, RB (25)

September 2025 - Hamstring, missed 2 games.

September 2025 - Groin, missed 4 games.

November-December 2025 - Minor ankle, thumb, and possible shoulder issue.

May 2026 - Offseason workouts…

2026 OUTLOOK: Vaki’s presence at workouts makes it less likely he needed surgery for any of his many injuries last season. He will be ready to compete for backup RB snaps behind Jahmyr Gibbs.

Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR (26)

September 2025 -Hand and/or wrist injuries may have led to an atypical number of drops for this All-Pro.

May 2026 - Offseason workouts…

2026 OUTLOOK: The hands are something to watch, but he should get back to his previous elite form.

Penei Sewell, OT (25)

November 2025 - Minor left shoulder injury.

December 2025 - Suspected left high ankle sprain. Missed final regular season game.

May 2026 - Offseason workouts…

2026 OUTLOOK: His presence at workouts isn’t a surprise, but is still really good to see after missing the final game of last season. It reduces the likelihood that his shoulder or ankle got any post-season surgeries. Sewell heads into the season healthy as he transfers his All-Pro play to the LT position.

Notable omissions from workout pictures

Just as important as the Lions who were featured on the official website are the Lions who were not. This includes the 3 most concerning health issues entering the 2026 season which are recapped below. The Lions first OTA (organized team activities) starts May 27, so we may learn more about these players then.

Kerby Joseph was not seen working out in any of the pictures. Any absence of workouts is disappointing but also unsurprising given what we know about his knee - described as a “wear-and-tear” and “load management” issue by Dan Campbell. That means the less stress he puts on his knee, the better. Joseph may not start putting the knee to the test until close to the regular season.

On a positive note, Joseph has been putting out optimistic messages on social media…

Brian Branch is 5 months post Achilles rupture (December 4, 2025), which means he’s only about halfway through his recovery. The lack of workout photos is not a concern at all.

Sam LaPorta had herniated disc surgery in November 2025. It’s certainly a possibility he could be working out by now. His omission is disappointing, but not a major concern at this point. Hopefully, we see him in action at OTA’s in a couple weeks.

For a recap of the Lions most impactful injuries from last season…

His excellent size at 6’ 5 1/8” and 251 lbs and his respectable 4.90 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine give him the opportunity to make an impact in the Lions TE room. However, he will need to overcome a couple medical concerns from 2025.

Below is the medical report for Miles Kitselman. For a full breakdown of the 2026 rookie class, visit my Lions 2026 draftees + UDFA page.

Medical concern level ranges from 0 (no concern) to 10 (extreme).

(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information and are unverified - subject to update. Games played data courtesy of sports-reference.com.)

Miles Kitselman, TE (23) - Tennessee

Medical Concern Level: 4/10

• 2025: 11/13 games. Pec surgery in March 2025, able to recover for start of season. Possible knee injury, missed final 2 regular-season games but able to return for bowl.

• 2024: 13/13 games

• 2023: 13/14 games. Opted out of bowl due to transfer.

• 2022: 6 games

The pec surgery is a significant injury, but his recovery was expedient and he has a full year of proof of recovery afterwards.

The knee injury in his final season was only a short-term issue but warrants further investigation. The mechanism of injury was a contact injury which makes something like an MCL sprain a possibility. If it’s an MCL, that’s an injury that generally heals well as long as there is no associated cartilage damage.

Overall, Kitselman was mostly reliable in his final three years of college, having missed only two games. His age is slightly older than ideal, but is fine for a UDFA.

He finished college with 50 receptions for 572 yards.

For the latest Sam LaPorta analysis…

At a college-listed 6’ 0“ and 195 lbs, Rucker has a nice build to play outside corner. Medically, he appears to be a low-risk prospect, which is important for a Lions’ CB room that was decimated by injury last season.

Below is the medical report for Rucker. For a full breakdown of the 2026 rookie class, visit my Lions 2026 draftees + UDFA page.

Medical concern level ranges from 0 (no concern) to 10 (extreme).

(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information and are unverified - subject to update. Games played data courtesy of sports-reference.com.)

De’Shawn Rucker, CB (23) - USF

Medical Concern Level: 2/10

• 2025: 13/13 games

• 2024: 11/13 games. Missed 2 games with unspecified injury.

• 2023 (Tennessee): 4/13 games. Unspecified injury in Game 1 and missed next 3 games. Returned for 3 games and then his season ended after Game 7.

• 2022: 8/13 games

• 2021: 12/13 games

Rucker had minor injuries in 2023 and 2024 with no reported details. His 2023 season was a short one which merits investigation as to whether he had an injury setback or if it was simply to preserve a year of eligibility.

What’s reassuring is he played a full, final season of college which means he should enter his rookie year healthy.

His age is a bit higher than ideal but is fine for a UDFA.

Rucker finished with 1 INT and 12 PBU in his college career.

For a review of the current CB room along with the rest of the Lions’ defense…

But first, my quick thoughts on what the Rams did to Matthew Stafford…

Why the LA Rams drafted Matthew Stafford’s successor

The Lions’ star QB-emeritus, Matthew Stafford, is suspected to be none too pleased with the outcome of the 2026 NFL Draft.

That’s because the Rams surprised everyone (including possibly head coach Sean McVay, who was visibly perturbed) by taking QB Ty Simpson at #13 overall. This is reminiscent of the Jordan Love selection during Aaron Rodgers’ final years with Green Bay.

The team has an older (Stafford age 38), MVP QB who might be getting difficult to negotiate with on a year-to-year basis. Drafting a 1st-round QB helps give the general manager some leverage against that star QB.

It reminds me of the old saying: “Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Sometimes, it gets replaced.”

Now, if Stafford is not being overly demanding behind-the-scenes, then he understandably could feel blindsided, and maybe even betrayed, by a Rams’ 1st-round pick that won’t help him win another Super Bowl.

Fortunately, the Lions are a long ways away from needing a QB successor, as Jared Goff is just 31 years old.

On to the recap of the 2026 NFL Draft red-flag players…

2026 NFL Draft Medical Red-Flag Results

These were many prospects with significant medical concerns heading into the NFL draft. The medical concern levels were scored pre-draft and are from my 2026 Draft Medical Reports Page.

Here are the prospects with their draft results - starting with the most concerning…

Jermod McCoy, CB: 10/10 concern - 4th round, #101 overall to Raiders

• The biggest fall of the draft was McCoy, who was a concern throughout the pre-draft process due to a knee that has already undergone a cartilage patching procedure. Both his short and long-term abilities are uncertain.

Caleb Banks, DT: 10/10 concern - 1st round, #18 overall to Vikings

• Banks surprisingly went higher than expected despite his multiple recent foot surgeries. As written in my NFC North Draft Roundup, the Vikings interim-GM may be willing to roll the dice for a short-term jackpot.

Francis Mauigoa, OT: 9/10 concern - 1st round, #10 overall to Giants

• Mauigoa went in the early 1st despite a spinal disc issue. He was the second OT taken behind the medically-clean Spencer Fano. It will be interesting to see if he ends up needing a disc surgery at some point.

Ahmaad Moses, S: 9/10 concern - Undrafted, unsigned

• A post-combine spinal fusion has Moses still unsigned after the draft. Once he recovers from the surgery (likely later this year), he may get a tryout if he chooses to continue his career.

Devin Moore, CB: 8/10 concern - 4th round, #114 overall to Cowboys

• Projected to go in the mid-rounds, Moore’s history of groin surgery, shoulder surgery, concussion, and back injuries didn’t scare off the Cowboys. The Lions had a suspected Top-30 with Moore probably to evaluate all those issues.

Mikail Kamara, EDGE: 8/10 concern - Undrafted, signed with 49ers

• Bilateral shoulder surgeries, among many other injuries, may have caused Kamara to slide out of the draft.

Jalen Hunt, DT: 8/10 concern - Undrafted, signed with Jaguars

• Age, knee, foot, and many other issues were of a significant concern for Hunt. The Lions had a Top-30 with him and may not have cleared him medically - instead drafting two lower-concern DT’s (Skyler Gill-Howard, Tyre West) in the late rounds.

Jalen Catalon, S: 8/10 concern - Retired from football

• Catalon retired pre-draft likely related to multiple major injuries including shoulder surgeries, knee meniscus, and ACL.

Caleb Downs, S: 7/10 concern - 1st round, #11 overall to Cowboys

• Downs had a potential knee concern that didn’t bother the Cowboys, who took a couple big risks in the draft. Jerry Jones earned his wealth taking big risks, and his draft philosophy seems consistent with his business philosophy.

Gennings Dunker, OG: 7/10 concern - 3rd round, #96 overall to Steelers

• Multiple surgeries including sesamoid, ankle, and shoulder likely prevented this very good lineman from going higher in the draft.

Billy Schrauth, OG: 7/10 concern - 5th round, #160 overall to Bucs

• Schrauth was projected to go higher but had a history of a recent MCL and bilateral ankle surgeries.

Oscar Delp, TE: 7/10 concern - 3rd round, #73 overall to Saints

• Delp may not have fallen much, if at all, but a foot fracture discovered at the combine is still something to watch going forward to see if he ends up getting surgery.

Deion Burks, WR: 7/10 concern - 7th round, #254 overall to Colts

• This was a steep drop for a player who ran a blazing 4.30 at the combine and could have gone in the mid-rounds. Multiple concussion/neck injuries were concerning for Burks.

Noah Whittington, RB: 7/10 concern - Undrafted, signed with Texans

• Age along with toe and ACL histories may have made Whittington too risky for NFL teams.

Mason Reiger, EDGE: 7/10 concern - Undrafted, signed with Dolphins

• Multiple recent leg/knee surgeries were a concern for Reiger.

Lorenzo Styles, S: 7/10 concern - 5th round, #172 overall to Saints

• For a player who ran a ridiculous 4.27 at the combine, the recurrent shoulder problems may have had caused hesitation for many teams.

Akheem Mesidor, EDGE: 6/10 concern - 1st round, #22 overall to Chargers

• The Chargers must have felt very comfortable with Mesidor’s age (25) and foot history, since a 1st-round pick gets a fully-guaranteed 4-year deal. If he plays well, the Chargers may have a tough decision on an extension that won’t kick in until he is 29-years-old.

Isaiah World, OT: 6/10 concern - Undrafted, signed with Chargers

• A January 2026 ACL (along with any possible associated damage) must have been too much risk for NFL teams, as World plays a premium position and was projected to go in the mid-rounds.

Jordyn Tyson, WR: 6/10 concern - 1st round, #8 overall to Saints

• A major knee injury in 2022 along with a lingering hamstring throughout pre-draft did not faze the Saints at all. Tyson was the 2nd WR taken behind Carnell Tate.

Chris Bell, WR: 6/10 concern - 3rd round, #94 overall to Dolphins

• A November 2025 ACL likely impacts his rookie season and may have caused Bell to slip a round.

Genesis Smith, S: 6/10 concern - 4th round, #131 overall to Chargers

• An active foot fracture may have caused Smith to drop a round or two. The Lions could have taken him at #118, but went with a cleaner Jimmy Rolder.

Josiah Trotter, LB: 6/10 concern - 2nd round, #46 overall to Bucs

• Multiple knee surgeries including an ACL did not seem to affect Trotter’s draft slot.

For the complete Detroit Lions 2026 draft recap…

Below is the medical report for O’Neill. For a full breakdown of the 2026 rookie class, visit my Lions 2026 draftees + UDFA page.

Medical concern level ranges from 0 (no concern) to 10 (extreme).

(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information and are unverified - subject to update. Games played data courtesy of sports-reference.com.)

Eric O’Neill, EDGE (23-24?) - Rutgers

Matt Miller’s #427 overall player.

Medical Concern Level: 1/10

• 2025: 12/12 games

• 2024 (James Madison): 13/13 games

• 2023: 11/11 games

• 2022: 11/11 games

• 2021 (Long Island University): 3 games

There are no reports of injuries for O’Neill, and he had an impressive 47 consecutive starts to finish his college career. The only slight bump in concern level is his likely older age, but he is medically clean.

In his final two college seasons, he had an impressive 15.5 sacks and 28 TFL.

For the full recap of the Lions’ medically low-risk 2026 NFL Draft class…

UNLV listed him at 5’ 10”, 190 lbs which might make him more ideal for a nickel role. Potentially, he could replace Amik Robertson who got a nice 2-year, $15M pay bump with the Commanders in free agency.

Below is the medical report for Aamaris Brown. For a full breakdown of the 2026 rookie class, visit my Lions 2026 draftees + UDFA page.

Medical concern level ranges from 0 (no concern) to 10 (extreme).

(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information and are unverified - subject to update. Games played data courtesy of sports-reference.com and gousfbulls.com)

Aamaris Brown, CB (24) - UNLV

Medical Concern Level: 3/10

• 2025: 13/14 games. Missed 1 game with unspecified injury.

• 2024 (University of South Florida): 4/13 games. Left team midway through season for unclear reasons.

• 2023: 12/13 games

• 2022: 11/12 games

• 2021 (Kansas State): 7 games

• 2020: 6 games

I didn’t find any significant injury history for Brown. It doesn’t help that search engines confuse his name with Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Let’s hope that AamB outplays his draft status as much as 4th-rounder ARSB. That’s a distinct possibility if Aamaris can build upon his final college season when he racked up INT’s in 4 straight games, two pick-sixes, 5 TFL, and 3.5 sacks.

His 2024 season deserves investigation as to why he only appeared in four games and then left the team. Some kind of injury during that season would need to be ruled out. Aside from that season, he was generally reliable and available in college.

Of some concern is his older age along with six years of college mileage.

Brown finished with 8 INT and 16 PBU in his college career.

For the breakdown of the Lions’ 5th-round CB, Keith Abney…

Priestly stands 6’ 4” and weighs 315 lbs which makes him the right size to work the interior offensive line.

Below is the medical report for Priestly. For a full health assessment of the 2026 rookie class, visit my Lions 2026 draftees + UDFA page.

Medical concern level ranges from 0 (no concern) to 10 (extreme).

(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information and are unverified - subject to update. Games played data courtesy of sports-reference.com.)

Melvin Priestly, OG/OT (22-23?) - Illinois

Matt Miller’s #474 overall player.

Medical Concern Level: 0/10

• 2025: 13/13 games. Missed a few plays with left knee injury in Game 1.

• 2024: 13/13 games. Briefly injured during 1 game but returned to the game.

• 2023 (Grambling State): 11//11 games

• 2022: 11/11 games

Priestly has a perfect record of availability (48 straight games) throughout his four college years. There were only a couple, very-brief injuries noted. His age is uncertain but is not expected to be advanced.

After two years playing LT at Grambling State, he moved to RT for his two years at Illinois. That versatility, along with his excellent reliability, could help him make the roster.

It’s possible his future in the NFL will be on the inside though. If so, he joins a large IOL group that includes Christian Mahogany, Miles Frazier, Juice Scruggs, and Ben Bartch, who all might be competing for the LG spot. Given the injury concerns of that group, it may turn out to be a smart move adding a clean player in Priestly.

For the medical concern level of the Lions 1st Round OT ironman…

His 4.48 40-time at the HBCU Combine likely made an impression on the Lions who hope to add depth to a LB unit that is solid now, but could use some long-term help.

Update May 5: Substack reader @jeffmerrill86 found this feature story on Hunter highlighting some of his off-field endeavors - including the ability to play multiple instruments like the violin and double bass…

Below is the medical report for Hunter. For a full breakdown of the 2026 rookie class, visit my Lions 2026 draftees + UDFA page.

Medical concern level ranges from 0 (no concern) to 10 (extreme).

(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information and are unverified - subject to update. Games-played data was obtained from the Morgan State official website.)

Erick Hunter, LB (23) - Morgan State

Contract: 3-year, $3,125,000 contract, $175,000 guaranteed

Medical Concern Level: 4/10

• 2025: 12/12 games

• 2024: Only played in final game of season. Missed almost entire season with shoulder surgery.

• 2023: 10/10 games

• 2022: 11/11 games

• 2021: 9/11 games

Hunter has a significant injury in his past with a 2024 shoulder surgery. But it’s reassuring though that he logged a reliable, productive year afterwards. In his final season, he led the conference with 102 tackles, 4 sacks, and 24 TFL.

A shoulder issue can be a problem for a LB, but not necessarily a limitation. Just look at recently-departed Lion, Alex Anzalone, who has overcome a right shoulder issue dating back to his college days to put together a lengthy, excellent career. Anzalone is still going strong at age 31.

Hunter’s age is slightly higher than ideal but is not a major issue as a UDFA.

In his full college career, he compiled 10.5 sacks and 35 TFL.

For the medical report on the Lions 4th-round linebacker, Jimmy Rolder…

Below is the medical report for Keanaaina. For a full breakdown of the 2026 rookie class, visit my Lions 2026 draftees + UDFA page.

Medical concern level ranges from 0 (no concern) to 10 (extreme).

(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information and are unverified - subject to update. Games played data courtesy of sports-reference.com.)

Aidan Keanaaina, DT (24) - Cal

Contract: 3-years, $3.12M with $267,500 guaranteed

Medical Concern Level: 4/10

• 2025: 13/13 games

• 2024: 13/13 games

• 2023: 6 games

• 2022: 1 game. ACL in March 2022 - able to return for a few plays in 1 game late in season.

• 2021: 3 games

• 2020: 1 game

The ACL in 2022 is not a concern at the point unless there was associated cartilage damage. He showed perfect availability in his final two college seasons which is very reassuring.

The fact that the Lions gave him a relatively high amount of guaranteed money as an UDFA signals that medical does not have much, if any, concern with the knee.

His older age bumps up his concern level, but teams can’t be too choosy in the UDFA pool.

In his 6-year career, he collected 3 sacks and 6.5 TFL. His listed size in college was a massive 6’ 3” and 320 lbs, which means he could serve as an anchor in the middle of the Lions defensive line.

The Lions added a couple of late-round defensive linemen in Skyler Gill-Howard and Tyre West. Here are their medical reports…

For the prospects I analyzed pre-draft, their medical concern levels and injury history are included. For the prospects I did not analyze pre-draft, only their age is included.

Medical concern level ranges from 0 (no concern) to 10 (extreme).

(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information.)

Green Bay Packers 2026 NFL Draft

• Round 2, #52: Brandon Cisse, CB (21): forearm, wrist, knee, upper-body - 4/10 medical concern

• Round 3, #77: Chris McClellan, DT (22)

• Round 4, #120: Dani Dennis-Sutton, EDGE (22): groin, dislocated elbow - 1/10 medical concern

• Round 5, #153: Jager Burton, C (24): leg injury, age - 3/10 medical concern

• Round 6, #201: Domani Jackson, CB (23)

• Round 6, #216: Trey Smack, K (23)

The Cheeseheads were without a 1st round pick this year due to the Micah Parsons trade.

From an age standpoint, only once did they dip into the 24-and-older pool of prospects. Three of their six picks were 22 and younger, suggesting youth may have been a priority for the Packers.

Their first pick of the draft, Brandon Cisse, has a moderate concern level. A quick review of their next pick, 3rd-rounder Chris McClellan, shows that he is very clean medically.

Their 4th-rounder, Dennis-Sutton, has a very low concern level and was projected to have been a consideration for the Lions given their EDGE needs. Instead, the Lions opted for LB Jimmy Rolder just two picks earlier.

Overall, the Packers appear to have had a medically low-risk draft. This safe strategy may have been influenced by the fact that their de-facto 1st-rounder, Micah Parsons, suffered an ACL tear last season.

Chicago Bears 2026 NFL Draft

• Round 1, #25: Dillon Thieneman, S (22): remote MCL - 1/10 medical concern

• Round 2, #57: Logan Jones, C (24): major knee, ankles, hand fracture, age - 5/10 medical concern

• Round 3, #69: Sam Roush, TE (23): clean, perfect reliability - 0/10 medical concern

• Round 3, #89: Zavion Thomas, WR (22)

• Round 4, #124: Malik Muhammad, CB (21)

• Round 4, #166: Keyshaun Elliott, LB (22)

• Round 6, #213: Jordan van den Berg, DT (24)

Da Bears stayed very medically safe with their 1st round selection in Thieneman. However, their 2nd rounder, Logan Jones, ratcheted up the risk to moderate levels in terms of injury history and age.

In the 3rd round, they grabbed a very clean prospect in Sam Roush, who I had hoped might fill the Lions’ TE need. A quick review of fellow 3rd-rounder, Zavion Thomas, shows that he is very clean as well.

From an age standpoint, the Bears were willing to draft a couple 24-year-old prospects, but four of their seven picks were 22 or younger.

Overall, the Bears appear to have prioritized a medically low-risk draft. Maybe Ben Johnson’s injury-filled experience (Aidan Hutchinson, Alim McNeill, et al) in his final year with the Lions was a factor.

Minnesota Vikings 2026 NFL Draft

• Round 1, #18: Caleb Banks, DT (23): 3 recent foot surgeries - 10/10 medical concern

• Round 2, #51: Jake Golday, LB (23): late unspecified injury, quad, core muscle? - 4/10 medical concern

• Round 3, #82: Domonique Orange, DL (22)

• Round 3, #97: Caleb Tiernan, OT (23): clean - 1/10 medical concern

• Round 3, #98: Jakobe Thomas, S (23)

• Round 5, #159: Max Bredeson, TE/HB (23): foot or ankle to end final season - 4/10 medical concern

• Round 5, #163: Charles Demmings, CB (23)

• Round 6, #198: Demond Claiborne, RB (22): possible dislocated patella, multiple minor injuries - 3/10 medical concern

• Round 7, #235: Gavin Gerhardt, C (24?)

The Skol gang entered the draft with an interim GM in Rob Brzezinski, which may have explained some of their draft philosophy. From an age standpoint, the picks leaned older, with 8 of the 10 draftees at least 23-years-old.

From a medical concern standpoint, the strategy was “high risk / high reward”.

Read more

Below is the medical report for Lucas. For a full health assessment of the 2026 rookie class, visit my Lions 2026 draftees + UDFA page.

Medical concern level ranges from 0 (no concern) to 10 (extreme).

(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information and are unverified - subject to update. Games played data courtesy of sports-reference.com.)

Anthony Lucas, EDGE (21) - USC

Matt Miller’s #194 overall player.

Medical Concern Level: 3/10

• 2025: 12/13 games. Missed bowl game with unspecified injury.

• 2024: 7/13 games. Season-ending ankle injury with surgery.

• 2023: 13/13 games

• 2022: 7/12 games

An ankle surgery is worrisome for an EDGE rusher (see James Houston), but Lucas has a full year of proof of recovery afterwards. He may have had an injury at the end of his college career, but participated in the Shrine Bowl suggesting the injury was minor.

His young age of 21 is excellent and presents nice upside. Lucas finished college with 3 sacks and 8 TFL.

For the medical report on the Lions 2nd Round EDGE…

Detroit Lions 2026 Draft Class

Here is the class with the estimated contract value per Spotrac. All are 4-year deals. The 1st-round contracts have been fully guaranteed for many years. Last year’s #44 pick had about 90% of his contract guaranteed.

• Round 1, #17: Blake Miller, OT (Clemson) - $21.87M total

• Round 2, #44: Derrick Moore, EDGE (Michigan) - $11.43M total

• Round 4, #118: Jimmy Rolder, LB (Michigan) - $5.40M total

• Round 5, #157: Keith Abney II, CB (Arizona State) - $4.74M total

• Round 5, #168: Kendrick Law, WR (Kentucky) - $4.75M total

• Round 6, #205: Skyler Gill-Howard, DT (Texas Tech) - $4.5M total

• Round 7, #222: Tyre West, DL (Tennessee) - $4.41 million total

How did the draft help the Lions salary cap?

The Lions salary cap is tight due to the expensive recent extensions of…

• Jared Goff

• Amon-Ra St. Brown

• Jameson Williams

• Penei Sewell

• Aidan Hutchinson

• Alim McNeill

• Kerby Joseph

Add in the likely extensions to Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell and possibly Brian Branch and Sam LaPorta, and you have a team that must find value at high-priced positions.

By adding two premium positions in the draft (OT & EDGE), the Lions are getting projected starters at an incredible value. At OT, Blake Miller’s yearly average is about $5.5M, while Taylor Decker’s contract averaged $20M yearly.

At EDGE, Derrick Moore’s contract averages less than $3M yearly, while the top free-agent EDGE this year, Jaelan Phillips, got $30M yearly.

These are enormous savings across multiple years if Miller and Moore pan out.

Did the Lions get healthier in the draft?

Here are the Medical Concern Levels along with age at start of 2026 season:

• 1/10 - Blake Miller (22)

• 2/10 - Derrick Moore (23)

• 3/10 - Jimmy Rolder (22)

• 0/10 - Keith Abney (21)

• 1/10 - Kendrick Law (22)

• 4/10 - Skyler Gill-Howard (23)

• 2/10 - Tyre West (23)

All the Lions’ draft picks were on the lower side of concern on my Medical Big Board, topping out at a 4/10 concern. Five of the seven were are 2/10 or less which is a low-to-minimal concern.

The Lions added a significant number of healthy players to the team and avoided taking any chances on high-risk prospects.

Did the Lions get younger in the draft?

All the Lions’ draft picks are 23 or younger, with four of the seven at 22 or younger.

The 2026 NFL Draft had a high percentage of prospects who were at least 24-years-old. According to Ravens GM, Eric DeCosta, 18% of the 2026 prospects were age 24+.

The absence of any older draftees by the Lions seems likely an intentional plan to prioritize youth.

How did the Lions’ draft philosophy mesh with free agency?

This draft result is consistent with what the Lions did in free agency, which was to dramatically reduce the team age and injury concerns.

Here is a re-print of charts from my Lions Offseason Health Review: Additions vs Subtractions that display the offseason roster changes. As you can see, there has been a noticeable shift in the roster towards younger, healthier players.

In favor of the roster additions was an age difference of 2.5 years and a medical concern level difference of 1.3.

Did the Lions address their positional needs?

Here was the order of my Positional Need Rankings entering the draft along with the actual picks.

1. OT - Blake Miller (1st round)

2. EDGE - Derrick Moore (2nd round trade up)

3. Safety

4. CB - Keith Abney (5th round)

5. TE

6. DT - Skyler Gill-Howard (6th round), Tyre West (7th round)

7. RB

8. IOL

9. LB - Jimmy Rolder (4th round)

10. QB

11. WR - Kendrick Law (5th round trade up)

The Lions nailed their top two needs early in the draft with the help of an aggressive trade-up in Round 2 for Derrick Moore.

After that, it looks like Brad Holmes eschewed need to go purely BPA (best player available). He even traded up for WR Kendrick Law which was my lowest positional need.

Later in the draft, I thought the Lions might target a TE, safety, & RB. Those positions have significant injury concerns among the returning players, and could have used long-term, healthy bodies.

Sometimes though, the board just doesn’t fall the way you want - as Brad Holmes expressed regarding the safety position.

Bottom Line for Lions 2026 Draft

The Lions filled their top two needs in this draft while also prioritizing youth and health. Looking at it from a medical and fan perspective, this was a successful draft.

For the full medical reports on the Lions picks…

Medical concern level ranges from 0 (no concern) to 10 (extreme).

(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information and are unverified - subject to update. Games played data courtesy of sports-reference.com.)

Luke Altmyer, QB (23) - Illinois

Matt Miller’s #234 overall player.

Medical Concern Level: 1/10

• 2025: 13/13 games

• 2024: 13/13 games

• 2023: 9/12 games. Concussion, missed final 3 games which may have been partially due to coach’s decision - injury video here.

• 2022: 4 games. Possible shoulder injury, played in the next game and the bowl game.

• 2021: 5 games

Altmyer had a possible shoulder injury in 2022 which is of course a concern for a QB. It’s uncertain if the injury was on his throwing side. Either way, there is minimal concern as he played in the next game, and has three years of proof of recovery since.

The concussion in 2023 appears to be isolated and thus is not a major concern. His age is young for a QB as that position can be played deep into the 30’s.

Altmyer got a lot of experience in his five years of college, throwing 660/1036 (64%) for 7924 yards.

The Lions could use a long-term solution at backup QB in case Teddy Bridgewater, age 33 on a 1-year deal, decides to return to high school coaching. Given his undrafted status, I’d expect Altmyer to safely stash on the practice squad for the entire season unless there are injuries ahead of him. Hopefully in 2027, he will be ready to compete for the backup role.

For the medical report on Lions backup QB, Teddy Bridgewater…

Holmes had no comments on the other major injury concern in Sam LaPorta. There was also no discussion on the overall low medical concerns and youth of all the draftees.

So let’s get right into Holmes’ comments on Branch & Joseph. As always, we need to read-between-the-lines.

View Brad Holmes full press conference here.

Regarding the lack of drafting a safety, and what it says about the health of Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph:

Holmes had a lukewarm response to the question of how he felt about the health of the Lions’ two star safeties. Saying they are trending in the right direction isn’t saying much of anything really. Even if things were going in the wrong direction for Branch or Joseph, he would not want to open up that public maelstrom in April.

What he implied is that neither player is ready right now. That’s totally expected for Branch who is less than five months post Achilles rupture (December 4, 2025). That’s concerning for Joseph whose injury is feared to be unfixable and chronic, with his last action over six months ago on October 12, 2025. It’s still early in the offseason though, so the hope is that there just isn’t any need to fully test things yet.

As far as not drafting a safety, Holmes implied that the safety position was absolutely on the board, but the right player simply didn’t fall to them in the draft. Based on my Positional Team Needs Rankings, I expected the Lions to have a strong interest in getting a young, healthy safety, and it sounds like the draft board just didn’t cooperate.

What if the Lions had a 3rd Round pick?

Holmes plainly admitted that the Lions were in the market for another safety, which brings up an interesting hypothetical. If the team had a 3rd Round pick and took one there, the perspective on the health of Joseph and Branch would look a lot different right now. (This is no criticism of using both of this year’s 3rd’s to trade up to get Isaac TeSlaa last year.)

What is the bottom line takeaway from Brad Holmes’ presser?

The bottom line is that Holmes’ statements did not move the needle either way in regards to my outlook of the injured safeties. While there wasn’t much optimism supplied, there also wasn’t anything definitively negative.

Branch is still expected to be ready to play around mid-season, while Joseph’s status is still highly uncertain.

For the full medical analysis and outlook of Brian Branch’s Achilles and Kerby Joseph’s knee…

Quick Summary of Lions Day 3 Picks

• Jimmy Rolder, LB (22): Multiple unspecified injuries, right elbow brace, mostly reliable final 2 seasons - 3/10 concern

• Keith Abney, CB (21): Possible hand injury, otherwise young and clean - 0/10 concern

• Kendrick Law, WR (22): Minor lower body injury, unspecified injury, mostly reliable - 1/10 concern

• Skyler Gill-Howard, DT (23): Left ankle surgery October 2025 - 4/10 concern

• Tyre West, DT/DE (23): Possible concussion, two unspecified minor injuries, mostly reliable - 2/10 concern

Medical concern level ranges from 0 (no concern) to 5 (might be worth the risk if the reward is high) to 10 (take him off your board, Brad).

(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information and are unverified - subject to update. Games played data courtesy of sports-reference.com.)

4th Round #118: Jimmy Rolder, LB (22) - Michigan

Matt Miller’s #100 overall player. Suspected Top-30 visit with Lions.

Medical Concern Level 3/10

• 2025: 12/13 games. Unspecified injury, missed 1 game.

• 2024: 12/13 games. Multiple minor injuries for “little stuff”

• 2023: 6/15 games. Unspecified injuries limited him to 6 games.

• 2022: 13/14 games.

Rolder showed nice flashes of playmaking ability at Michigan in his final season. However, last year he missed time due to an unspecified injury which has been a recurrent theme for him in college. He had missed games in the prior seasons as well due to multiple issues.

He wore a right elbow brace (see image below) during his final season which could explain some of his absences.

The multitude of various injuries needed to be clarified and evaluated by medical, which may have been the main reason for his Lions’ Top-30 visit. Given that the Lions took him in the 4th Round, it implies that there were no major concerns found.

His age is good, and he was mostly reliable in his final two college seasons, which keeps his concern level down. Rolder finished his career with 118 tackles, 9 TFL, 2 sacks, and 1 INT.

5th Round #157: Keith Abney, CB (21) - Arizona State

#43 on Jeff Risdon board Feb 19.

Medical Concern Level 0/10

• 2025: 12/13 games. Opted out of bowl. Possible hand injury.

• 2024: 14/14 games

• 2023: 8/12 games

There is an isolated report of a hand injury, but no corroborating information. Here is the game after the injury, where Abney does appear to have extra padding on the back of his left hand.

Even if the hand injury is true, that’s of minimal to no long-term concern for a CB. He missed no games with the issue.

His availability in his final two seasons has been perfect. Overall, Abney appears to be medically clean and is at an excellent age.

He finished college with 6 INT and 21 PBU.

Lions trade with Bills

• Lions give up #181 & #213

• Lions receive #168

5th Round #168: Kendrick Law, WR (22) - Kentucky

Medical Concern Level 1/10

• 2025: 12/12 games. Unspecified minor injury in camp.

• 2024: 10/13 games. Lower body injury, missed 2 games. Opted out of bowl due to transfer.

• 2023: 13/14 games

• 2022: 11/13 games

• HS: Ankle injury.

The Lions got aggressive in trading up for Law, even though WR wasn’t a position of much need. The team must have a vision for him, possibly as a returner.

Law appears to have only minor injury issues in his past. There are no specifics for his college injuries, but the concern for anything significant is low. His reliability has been generally good, and his age is young.

He finished with 86 receptions for 883 yards in college.

6th Round #205: Skyler Gill-Howard, DT (23) - Texas Tech

Medical Concern Level 4/10

• 2025: 6 games. Left ankle surgery October 2025 ended season - possible “leg-whip” mechanism.

• 2024: 12/13 games. Opted out of bowl due to transfer.

• 2023: 13/13 games.

Gill-Howard has the highest medical concern level of all the Lions picks, mainly due to the lack of proven game recovery following his ankle surgery. However, there were reports that he had a chance to return late in the season, which suggests the injury wasn’t too major.

If the leg-whip mechanism of the ankle injury is correct, something like a fibula fracture is possible. That’s the injury and mechanism we saw last season with Christian Mahogany, who was able to return in seven weeks. See Mahogany’s injury video below…

Another possible explanation is a tightrope surgery for a high ankle sprain, which can have a return-to-play within a few weeks.

Neither an isolated fibula fracture nor a straightforward high-ankle sprain are significant long-term concerns.

His slightly older age ticks the concern level up a notch but isn’t a major deal for a late-rounder.

He finished with 6.5 sacks and one spectacular INT…

7th Round #222: Tyre West, DT/DE (23) - Tennessee

Top-30 visit with Lions.

Medical Concern Level 2/10

• 2025: 12/13 games. Missed Game 4, unknown reason. Exited Game 9 with possible concussion.

• 2024: 12/13 games. Missed 1 game, unknown reason.

• 2023: 13/13 games

• 2022: 11/13 games

West has shown good reliability in his career, missing just two games in his final three seasons. The possible concussion isn’t a major concern as he doesn’t have a recurrent history. The Lions had him in for a Top-30 visit allowing them to medically review and presumably clear his minor injuries.

His age is a just tick higher than ideal, but overall he is a low-concern for a 7th Round pick.

For the medical reports on the Lions 1st and 2nd Round picks…

Here is the full recap of Day 2 along with a preview of Day 3.

Derrick Moore, EDGE (23) - Michigan

Contract: 4 years, $11.4M fully guaranteed

Concern level 1/10. Post-combine 2/10.

• 2025: 12/13 games. Opted out of bowl game

• 2024: 12/13 games. Missed game with unspecified injury.

• 2023: 15/15 games. Won national championship.

• 2022: 14/14 games.

Moore was very clean and reliable in college. However, there was a slight concern during the pre-draft process due to a strained hamstring prior to the combine. Assuming that was just a minor hamstring, there would be no concern going forward.

But sometimes a “hamstring” can be a cover for something else. With the Lions picking Moore in the 2nd round, it reassures that the medical team ruled out anything more serious that could have been going on.

The other slight concern was age, which is 1-2 years older than ideal. After the 1st round, a slightly older age is less of an issue. The Lions drafted 24-year-old Tate Ratledge in the 2nd Round last year.

Moore had 24.5 TFL and 21 sacks in college, and he should provide the juice off the EDGE that the Lions have needed for years.

Lions Draft Strategy Analysis

As has been the pattern this entire offseason, the Lions continue to add players on the lower end of medical concern. Both Blake Miller (1/10 concern) and Derrick Moore (2/10 concern) fit the profile of reliable, low-risk players.

While there is no guarantee that any player will stay healthy, the Lions are trying to stack the odds in their favor. Expect them to continue to favor young, healthy, reliable players the rest of the draft.

Expected Contract Details for Derrick Moore

Last year’s #44 pick, Donovan Ezeiruaku, got a 4 yr / $10.2M contract with $8.8M guaranteed. Expect Moore to get a slight bump up.

The 2nd-round guaranteed money percentage is around 90%, which is why drafting reliable, healthy players is extra important in the 1st and 2nd rounds.

Lions-Jets Trade Details

• Lions give up #50 and #128

• Lions receive #44

Giving up a 4th-round pick to secure a player they really like at a position of high need seems totally worthwhile. They didn’t have to give up any high future picks which is good.

What did Brad Holmes say about Derrick Moore?

Holmes acknowledges that pass rush is something that needs to improve with this team. Hopefully, this improvement involves not just better players, but better blitz packages as well.

While it might be true that he didn’t reach for a position, he traded up so that he didn’t have to reach.

It’s great to see Holmes acknowledge the high snap count for Hutchinson, and that there are desires to lower his snap count. I’ve been advocating for lowering Hutchinson’s snap counts for years, and will post a snap count analysis article on Hutchinson later this offseason.

This suggests that some of the Lions’ EDGE targets were taken before their pick. When looking at the board, three EDGE players with relatively low medical concerns were taken before the Lions #44 pick in the 2nd Round.

• #35 TJ Parker - 3/10 medical concern

• #40 R Mason Thomas - 3/10 medical concern

• #41 Cashius Howell - 2/10 medical concern

The good news is that the Lions ended up with one of the cleanest players of the group in Derrick Moore.

Lions Successfully Fill Positions of Need

The debate of BPA vs positional need doesn’t have to be either/or. By trading up, you can get both - at a cost of course. The Lions have had an EDGE need for many years, even after the addition of Aidan Hutchinson, so the trade cost was worth it.

The Lions clearly targeted their top 2 positions of need in this draft, which means that Brad Holmes can finally stop pretending that he was totally fine with Larry Borom and DJ Wonnum as starters.

Players to Target on Day 3 of the NFL Draft

Here are prospects sorted by position and medical concern level from 0-10. Only players with concern levels of 2/10 or lower are included from my full Positional Need Medical Big Board.

As you can see, there are lots of good options at safety and RB - two positions where the Lions could use some healthy, long-term players.

Safety

• 0: VJ Payne, Xavier Nwankpa

• 1: Michael Taaffe

• 2: Jalon Kilgore, Zakee Wheatley, Kamari Ramsey, Skyler Thomas

Tight End

• 1: Justin Joly

• 2: Matthew Hibner

Cornerback

• 0: Keith Abney, Chandler Rivers

Running Back

• 0: Emmett Johnson

• 1: Jam Miller, Mike Washington, Eli Heidenreich, Kaytron Allen

• 2: Roman Hemby

Interior Offensive Line

• 0: DJ Campbell, Brian Parker

• 1: Sam Hecht

EDGE

• 1: Dani Dennis-Sutton, Trey Moore

Defensive Tackle

• 2: Tyre West

Linebacker

• 0: Taurean York

Wide Receiver

• 2: Donaven McCulley

Should the Lions take a chance on CB Jermod McCoy?

The huge fall of Jermod McCoy was not unexpected given the details of his knee. See McCoy’s full pre-draft medical analysis here. It’s highly uncertain what level of player you are going to get, as it’s likely he will not return to his pre-injury 2024 form.

In the 4th round, you are expecting to get a reliable, valuable 53-man player, and there is a decent chance that McCoy won’t be that. The earliest I would consider drafting him is the 5th round.

Players of Higher-Risk on Day 3 of the NFL Draft

In the mid-late rounds, the risk/reward balance starts to shift. A risk you wouldn’t take in an early round may be worth taking in a later round. The contract value is less, and the alternative options (healthy players) are not as compelling.

Here are players the Lions should still be wary of due to their concern levels of 5/10 or higher on my Medical Big Board. If the player ceiling is high, the risk may be worth it.

• Mikail Kamara, EDGE (24): stinger, knee, bilateral multiple shoulder surgeries, multiple high ankle sprains

• Mason Reiger, EDGE (24): leg surgery, knee surgery

• Jalen Hunt, DT (25?): knee, foot, possible neck, other unspecified injuries, age

• Devin Moore, CB (22): groin surgery, shoulder surgery, severe shoulder injury, concussion, back

• Andre Fuller, CB (24-25?): core muscle surgery, age

• Jadon Canady, CB (23): ACL & meniscus tear 2022

• Jermod McCoy, CB (21): ACL January 2025. Bone plug to repair knee cartilage damage that may need additional surgery in future.

• Jalen Catalon, S (25): multiple shoulder surgeries, knee meniscus, ACL, unspecified leg injury

• Genesis Smith, S (21): active foot fracture?

• Lorenzo Styles, S (24): shoulder surgery plus recurrent shoulder issues, age

• Keionte Scott, S (25): recent foot/toe?, high ankle sprain surgery, age

• Louis Moore, S (25): ACL, multiple unspecified injuries

• Billy Schrauth, OG (23): recent MCL, bilateral ankle surgeries

• Connor Lew, C (21): ACL October 2025

• Deion Burks, WR (23): neck?, multiple concussions, thigh

• Noah Whittington, RB (24): turf toe, ACL, age

• Isaiah World, OT (22): ACL January 2026

• Michael Trigg, TE (24): knee, multiple minor injuries

For the recap of Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft…

Detroit Lions 1st Round - Blake Miller, OT (22yo)

Contract: 4-years, $21.8M fully guaranteed

The following is from my pre-draft medical report on Miller…

Projected round 1. #23 on Daniel Jeremiah board Jan 27.

Concern level 1/10

• 2025: 13/13 games

• 2024: 14/14 games. Wrist surgery in spring.

• 2023: 13/13 games

• 2022: 14/14 games

Miller has a history of a broken wrist during spring ball subsequent surgery. Any kind of fracture to the wrist joint could lead to arthritic issues down the road.

So far though, the wrist hasn’t affected him much, if at all. This ironman has a perfect track record of reliability in his 4-year career having played 54 games straight. He set the Clemson record for career snaps from scrimmage with 3,778. If the Lions want grit, Miller might be it.

Analysis of Lions 1st-round pick

Brad Holmes entered the offseason with the goal of getting younger and healthier. He’s off to a great start in the draft with Miller who is young with very low medical concern level and astounding reliability.

Was Monroe Freeling a consideration?

Many mocks had Freeling getting gobbled up by the Lions, as his availability at pick #17 was not even considered a possibility earlier in the draft season.

With the departing Lions OT, Taylor Decker, having had a career-altering shoulder issue (among other things), the Lions may have been dissuaded by Freeling’s history of shoulder surgery.

Freeling ended up going two picks later at #19 to the Panthers.

What other offensive tackles might have been in consideration at #17?

Max Iheanachor was drafted at #21 by the Steelers. Like Freeling, Iheanachor had shoulder surgery in his past as well as other issues leading to a 5/10 medical concern. There may have also been an age uncertainty there.

Caleb Lomu was my Low-risk Mock Draft projection due to being very young (21) and very clean (0/10 medical concern). The Lions must have liked Miller’s talent better. Lomu ended up going #28 to the Patriots.

What did Brad Holmes say about Miller?

After the 1st round, Holmes had these comments:

Holmes continues to stress that age is important in the construction of the roster. He previously went deep into age concerns in his pre-draft press conference.

With all the Lions injury woes the past two seasons, durability is clearly a major consideration for Holmes. Look for the Lions to continue to select young, reliable players in Rounds 2 and 3.

Update on Top Prospects with Medical Concerns

Francis Mauigoa, OT - #10 to NY Giants

The spinal concern was a big deal to me and possibly for the Lions considering all their back surgeries lately. Thus, having him go before the Lions pick was a good thing.

Caleb Downs, S - #11 to Cowboys

With the Cowboys penchant for drafting medical risks like Leighton Vander Esch, Jaylon Smith, and Shavon Revel, it’s hard to say if this early 1st-round selection dispels Downs’ knee concerns.

Caleb Banks, DT - #18 to Vikings

The multiple foot surgeries scared me, but did not scare off the Vikings at all. It will be interesting to watch Banks’ reliability over his career.

Akheem Mesidor, EDGE - #22 to Chargers

While many mocks had Mesidor going to the Lions, I never bought it due to the advanced age concern - not to mention a foot surgery in his past.

Jermod McCoy, CB - still available

The confirmation of significant articular cartilage damage in the knee could easily have him dropping past the 2nd round.

Lions 2nd & 3rd Round Wish List

If the Lions want to add low-risk players, these are good targets from my NFL Draft 2026 Medical Big Board. All the following players have 1/10 or less medical concern levels.

One position that is stocked with good options is CB, so it wouldn’t be a surprise for the Lions to address their sneaky need at CB.

EDGE

• Zion Young

• Gabe Jacas

• Dani Dennis-Sutton

Safety

• AJ Haulcy

Tight End

• Sam Roush

• Justin Joly

Cornerback

• D’Angelo Ponds

• Colton Hood

• Keith Abney

• Davison Igbinosun

• Chandler Rivers

• Avieon Terrell

Offensive Guard

• DJ Campbell

• Brian Parker

• Chase Bisontis

• Sam Hecht

Defensive Tackle

• Tyler Onyedim

Running Back

• Emmett Johnson

• Jam Miller

• Mike Washington

• Kaytron Allen

Linebacker

• Anthony Hill

• Taurean York

• Jaishawn Barham

Lions 2nd & 3rd Round Avoid List

If the Lions want to stay medically clean, they should avoid drafting these players who are considered 2nd and 3rd round talents. All the following prospects have 6/10 or higher medical concern levels.

• Jermod McCoy, CB (21): ACL January 2025. Bone plug to repair knee cartilage damage that may need additional surgery in future.

• Gennings Dunker, OG (23): sesamoid surgery, ankle surgery, shoulder surgery, knee

• Billy Schrauth, OG (23): recent MCL, bilateral ankle surgeries

• Oscar Delp, TE (23): active hairline fracture in foot found at combine

• Deion Burks, WR (23): neck?, multiple concussions, thigh

• Jalen Hunt, DT (25?): knee, foot, possible neck, other unspecified injuries, age

• Devin Moore, CB (22): groin surgery, shoulder surgery, severe shoulder injury, concussion, back

• Genesis Smith, S (21): active foot fracture?

• Josiah Trotter, LB (21): ACL, MCL, recent knee

  ---

For the medical report on the Lions 2nd-Round pick…

• Safety: 20 players

• EDGE: 18 players

• Cornerback: 13 players

• Interior Offensive Line: 13 players

• Tight End: 12 players

• Running Back: 12 players

• Offensive Tackle: 10 players

• Linebacker: 10 players

• Defensive Tackle: 6 players

• Wide Receiver: 6 players

This version of the Medical Big Board is sorted by position. For prospects sorted by concern level, see my NFL Draft 2026 Medical Big Board.

While the full collated Big Board is reserved for paid subscribers, you can find all the full medical reports for free on my NFL Draft Medical Reports Page.

What stands out to me when looking at the positional lists is the high number of CB’s and RB’s who have very low medical concerns. This may help out the Lions who are in need of backup and developmental players at both those positions.

Positions are listed starting with the Lions’ biggest needs per my Positional Need Rankings.

Offensive Tackle

• 0: Spencer Fano, Caleb Lomu, Markel Bell

• 1: Blake Miller, Caleb Tiernan

• 2:

• 3: Kadyn Proctor, Monroe Freeling

• 4:

• 5: Max Iheanachor

• 6: Isaiah World

• 7:

• 8:

• 9: Francis Mauigoa

• 10:

EDGE

• 0: Zion Young

• 1: Gabe Jacas, David Bailey, Rueben Bain, Dani Dennis-Sutton, Trey Moore

• 2: Derrick Moore, Cashius Howell, Max Llewellyn

• 3: TJ Parker, R Mason Thomas, Keldric Faulk, Malachi Lawrence

• 4: George Gumbs Jr

• 5: Romello Height

• 6: Akheem Mesidor

• 7: Mason Reiger

• 8: Mikail Kamara

• 9:

• 10:

Safety

• 0: VJ Payne, Xavier Nwankpa

• 1: AJ Haulcy, Michael Taaffe, Dillon Thieneman

• 2: Jalon Kilgore, Zakee Wheatley, Kamari Ramsey, Skyler Thomas

• 3: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Robert Spears-Jennings

• 4: Treydan Stukes

• 5: Keionte Scott, Bud Clark, Louis Moore

• 6: Genesis Smith

• 7: Lorenzo Styles, Caleb Downs

• 8: Jalen Catalon

• 9: Ahmaad Moses

• 10:

Tight End

Read more

2026 Lions Positional Need Graph

• Edge: 7/10 (Need 5 + Medical 2)

• Offensive Tackle: 7/10 (Need 5 + Medical 2)

• Tight End: 6/10 (Need 2 + Medical 4)

• Cornerback: 6/10 (Need 3 + Medical 3)

• Safety: 6/10 (Need 1 + Medical 5)

• Interior Offensive Line: 4/10 (Need 2 + Medical 2)

• Running Back: 4/10 (Need 2 + Medical 2)

• Defensive Tackle: 4/10 (Need 2 + Medical 2)

• Linebacker: 2/10 (Need 1 + Medical 1)

• Quarterback: 1/10 (Need 1 + Medical 0)

• Wide Receiver: 0/10 (Need 0 + Medical 0)

Lions Draft Needs Takeaways

While OT and EDGE are the biggest needs, what might be a bit surprising is that safety, CB, and TE are only a tick behind. This means we shouldn’t be surprised if any of those five positions are taken in the 1st or 2nd round.

For comparison, here is the 2025 Lions positional need ranking:

2025 Lions Positional Need Graph

• Defensive Tackle: 10/10 (Need 5 + Medical 5)

• Edge: 9/10 (Need 5 + Medical 4)

• Interior Offensive Line: 6/10 (Need 3 + Medical 3)

• Safety: 4/10 (Need 2 + Medical 2)

• Wide Receiver: 3/10 (Need 2 + Medical 1)

• Linebacker 3/10 (Need 1 + Medical 2)

• Offensive Tackle: 3/10 (Need 1 + Medical 2)

• Running Back: 2/10 (Need 0 + Medical 2)

• Quarterback: 2/10 (Need 2 + Medical 0)

• Cornerback 1/10 (Need 0 + Medical 1)

• Tight End: 1/10 (Need 0 + Medical 1)

And here is the comparison graph of the past 2 seasons…

2025 (red) vs 2026 (blue) Comparison of Lions Positional Needs

As you can see, the TE, CB, and OT positions have shot up in need in the past year. This is a good example of how quickly team needs can change, and it validates the BPA (best player available) drafting philosophy.

For the comprehensive breakdowns of the 2026 roster…

What top prospects should be on the Lions “Do Not Draft'“ List?

While the Lions will try to fill their needs in the draft, there are some very talented prospects at need positions who the Lions must avoid due to their injury concerns. You might wonder if these players have a big slide in the draft, should the Lions take the risk?

This is where the “Medical Catch-22” comes into play. If a player has a big slide, then that almost certainly confirms that the medical concerns are real… which means the Lions should NOT draft him.

Here are five 1st-round prospects who the Lions should avoid in the 2026 draft:

#1 Francis Mauigoa, OT - 9/10 medical concern (spinal disc)

A spinal disc issue that was symptomatic in his final college season is of major concern. Linemen hyperextend their backs when blocking, which causes repeated aggravation of the spine. Mauigoa may end up needing disc surgery in the future - a procedure that isn’t guaranteed to solve the problem.

The Lions may not want to take on another spine risk given their many back surgeries in recent years:

• Sam LaPorta

• Levi Onwuzurike

• Josh Paschal

• Halapoulivaati Vaitai

#2 Akheem Mesidor, EDGE - 6/10 medical concern (age, foot)

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