DETROIT — Another preseason game, another receiving touchdown for Isaac TeSlaa.

The rookie, after scoring in each of the Detroit Lions‘ two previous exhibitions, recorded a 33-yard touchdown in the first quarter of Saturday’s 26-7 loss to the Houston Texans at Ford Field. TeSlaa had one-on-one coverage with cornerback D’Angelo Ross, and quarterback Kyle Allen didn’t hesitate on first down, launching the deep ball down the right sideline.

TeSlaa hauled it in right as he was crossing the goal line.

“It was a very detailed route,” Lions head coach Dan Campbell said postgame. “That tells you that he’s taking the coaching, and he’s growing.”

TeSlaa, who moved the chains with a well-executed slant pattern on third down three plays prior to his touchdown, finished the preseason with 10 catches (13 targets) for 146 yards and three touchdowns. He’s shown the ability to do a bit of everything through four exhibitions, routinely showcasing his contested-catch ability and knack for explosive plays on crossing routes.

With every play he makes, he’s gaining the trust of not only the coaching staff, Campbell said, but also his teammates. All-Pro receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown said earlier this month TeSlaa’s tenacity as a run blocker has led to the former Hillsdale College and Arkansas standout receiving respect from the position’s veterans.

“That’s my ultimate goal,” TeSlaa said Saturday, when asked about earning that belief from his teammates and coaches. “Obviously, as a rookie, (I’m) still trying to find my role on this team. Just to be able to build that trust from the coaching staff and the offense as a whole, the play-callers, and then, ultimately, my teammates, I think is a super big thing for me as a rookie.”

TeSlaa said he’s still refining the “small details” it takes to play receiver on the outside. He spent most of his time in the slot while at Arkansas, but his measurables (6-foot-4, 214 pounds) certainly fit the profile of someone who can win near the boundary.

There’s still growth to be had, Campbell made clear. But considering how rapidly he’s developed since arriving for training camp last month, the coach is hopeful TeSlaa will be ready to help during the regular season, sooner rather than later.

“He’s going to continue to get better and better,” Campbell said of TeSlaa. “I’m very pleased. We’re very pleased with where he’s at after six weeks of camp because that’s really what it’s been. We just finished six weeks, so I’d say, if you took most receivers, he’d be in the upper echelon of those, as far as development. It’s pretty good. It’s not easy to develop as a receiver in this league and be ready to go.

“I think there’s a place for him to help us early in this season.”

The NFL is making sportsmanship and illegal celebrations by players a point of emphasis for its on-field officials this season.

The officials have stressed that to players and coaches during their visits to teams’ training camps, according to Walt Anderson, the NFL’s officiating rules analyst.

“It’s just one of those areas that the league wants to work actively on,” Anderson said during a video news conference Thursday. “There are plenty of ways for players to be able to celebrate. And they come up with some very unique and often entertaining ways. So we want them to focus on those and not the inappropriate areas.”

The NFL previously has eased its restrictions on some player celebrations in trying to address its reputation as the “No Fun League.” But it also has said it does not want those celebrations to be aimed at opponents in a taunting manner. And Troy Vincent, the NFL’s executive vice president of football operations, said player celebrations that include violent gestures have no place in the sport.

Infractions will result in 15-yard penalties.

“The sportsmanship is a point of emphasis and clarification for the players and the clubs this year,” Anderson said. “I know Troy addressed this in the annual video that all of the clubs see during training camp from the standpoint of our taunting was up, I believe, about 55 percent last year. Unsportsmanlike gestures, whether they were either simulating either shooting a gun or brandishing of a gun or inappropriate gestures like a throat-slash or unfortunate sexual gestures that were made, those were up almost 133 percent. … The officials have made it a point of emphasis to all of the clubs.”

Five things to watch before the season

1. Los Angeles Rams’ quarterback situation: Matthew Stafford resumed practicing, but his back issues have been concerning. The Rams badly need him in the lineup.

2. Contract disputes: The contract situations of Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin and pass rushers Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys and Trey Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals remain unresolved. And now the season is almost at hand.

3. New Orleans Saints’ quarterback decision: Coach Kellen Moore must choose between Spencer Rattler and rookie Tyler Shough for the starting assignment. Rattler starts the preseason finale Saturday against the Denver Broncos.

4. Rashee Rice suspension: The representatives for the Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver, the NFL Players Association and the league still could reach a settlement on the length of a suspension under the personal conduct policy ahead of Rice’s scheduled Sept. 30 disciplinary hearing.

5. Cleveland Browns’ quarterback depth chart: Coach Kevin Stefanski has named Joe Flacco the Week 1 starter but must decide what to do with Kenny Pickett and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.

NFL back in its offices

The NFL has bolstered the security at its offices in Manhattan with employees back at work there following last month’s shootings.

The changes were overseen by Cathy Lanier, the NFL’s chief security officer and formerly the police chief in D.C.

“We are working with the building and the other tenants within the building on building security,” Jeff Miller, the NFL’s executive vice president of communications, public affairs and policy, said Thursday. “We’re very lucky that our security chief Cathy Lanier … has tremendous experience in this space and that we have terrific partners in the building as we look for ways to make it even more secure than it was before.

“Our owners committee on security has met on a couple of occasions and will report out to the full ownership in the coming weeks on some further recommendations that they have, not just for 345 Park [Avenue] but obviously throughout the NFL and any increased security that can be recommended to make sure that we are all remaining safe or safer.”

Field conditions for Brazil game

The NFL is being mindful of the field conditions as it prepares to play a game in Brazil on the Friday of Week 1 for a second straight year.

The Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers are scheduled to play Sept. 5 at Corinthians Arena in São Paulo.

“Last year there was a lot of discussion around the field and the playing conditions,” said Dawn Aponte, the NFL’s chief football administrative officer. “And what we’ve done this year to address some of that was we have recently reseeded the entire field as well as restitched it. It is a hybrid stitch field. So we do think that there are measures that have been taken that will address some of the concerns that we did see last year.”

Ongoing discussions on the tush push

The tush push, the Philadelphia Eagles’ signature short-yardage play, remained legal for this season when the Green Bay Packers’ proposal to ban it fell two votes shy at the May owners’ meeting of the 24 needed for ratification.

The play is expected to generate ongoing discussions by the NFL competition committee and league health and safety officials in the coming months and perhaps beyond, Miller acknowledged Thursday.

“I am sure that it will continue to be an ongoing topic of conversation, both this season and in the offseason,” Miller said.

More cameras for replay rulings

The NFL says it plans to utilize a dozen fixed cameras installed in each stadium along the sidelines, goal lines and back lines of the end zones to assist this season with instant replay officiating rulings.

The additional camera angles will directly feed into the league’s instant replay center and will be made available to the on-field referee if needed.

“Those 12 cameras will be part of the instant replay process throughout the game for replay-assist, for coaches’ challenges as well as for booth reviews,” Anderson said. “And so those camera angles that we will have access to very often will help us be able either to either confirm or make decisions relative to reversing a play that in the past we just didn’t have those camera angles for. If we do use those camera angles to make a decision, then we have a process that we will send that view to our network [broadcast] partners so that they can share that view with the audience.”

Someone should notify Bill Belichick. The former New England Patriots coach said in 2014 that the league “could have a bake sale to raise some money” if needed for additional camera angles for replay

Fantasy football draft season has arrived, and every edge matters if you want to outsmart your league. That’s where we come in. Welcome to the 2025 edition of the Perfect Draft, your round-by-round road map to building the strongest possible roster from any draft slot.

Before we dive in, a quick reminder of what we mean by “perfect.” This isn’t about following average draft position blindly or chasing last year’s breakout stars. Instead, we optimize each pick by blending expert rankings with 2025-specific factors: injury risk, projected opportunity, positional scarcity and strength of schedule.

The result? Draft strategies that are built to outperform the average team week after week, positioning you to make a deep playoff run.

Our process begins with consensus expert rankings from FantasyPros and layers on our own projections, adjusted for injury probability and other context. This allows us to pinpoint where the real value lies. You can read more about the methodology here.

Keep in mind: This is the perfect draft based on our 2025 outlook, which may differ sharply from public average draft positions. That’s by design. When a player goes earlier or later than expected, it can give you an advantage. Use it.

(The draft grids below were crafted for a 12-team, point-per-reception league using the following starting lineup: one quarterback, two running backs, two wide receivers, one tight end, one flex player (RB/WR/TE), one defense, a kicker and seven bench players.)

Prioritize elite running backs early, chase upside late

When drafting in the top two rounds, only take a running back if you can land a true difference-maker. Bijan Robinson (Atlanta Falcons) remains the premier option, offering three-down volume, red-zone usage and receiving upside. Jahmyr Gibbs (Detroit Lions) is another ideal early-round target in point-per-reception formats, thanks to his elite explosiveness and pass-catching ability.

Saquon Barkley (Philadelphia Eagles), however, is a risk because of his age, injury history and previous workload. Draft him with caution.

Las Vegas Raiders rookie Ashton Jeanty is drafted higher here than most cheat sheets, thanks to a big expected workload under new Coach Pete Carroll. In the past two NFL seasons he coached, 2022 and 2023, the lead backs in Carroll’s offense averaged 57 percent of the team’s carries, per data from TruMedia, compared to the league average of less than 50 percent. Jeanty, the No. 6 overall pick in this year’s NFL draft, is poised for a big debut season.

If none of the elite backs are available, pivot to wide receiver and embrace Zero RB – a draft strategy in which you skip running backs early and load up on wide receivers, a top tight end and a top quarterback. You then draft late-round or waiver-wire running backs with breakout potential. Be warned, though, you need these late running backs to be productive or your whole season will fall apart.

Invest in wide receivers early, and stack depth throughout

From Rounds 1 through 7, focus on securing alpha wideouts who can anchor your weekly scoring. Ja’Marr Chase (Cincinnati Bengals) and Justin Jefferson (Minnesota Vikings) are the top options, but our projections like Brian Thomas Jr. (Jacksonville Jaguars) as the No. 3 option, followed by Nico Collins (Houston Texans) and Puka Nacua of the Los Angeles Rams. Even if you miss on the top options, though, you’ll find tremendous value in emerging breakout candidates such as the Falcons’ Drake London and the Giants’ Malik Nabers.

From Rounds 8 to 12, the goal shifts to depth and upside. Target slot specialists such as Josh Downs of the Indianapolis Colts or point-per-reception-friendly players such as Chris Olave (New Orleans Saints) who can deliver WR3 production. Also look for rookies with major roles (Tetairoa McMillan of the Carolina Panthers or Emeka Egbuka of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers).

In later rounds, stash wide receivers with WR3 or flex potential if things break right. That includes return-from-injury candidates such as Christian Watson (Green Bay Packers) or young wide receivers in unsettled depth charts such as Marvin Mims Jr. (Denver Broncos). These picks won’t win you the week early on but they could be difference-makers by November.

Overall, wide receiver is where you should be aggressive early and often.

Lock in a top tight end early, or wait for breakout candidates

For 2025, the optimal tight end strategy is simple, either secure an elite option early or wait for mid-to-late value – just don’t consider the middle tiers.

If selecting in Rounds 2 to 4 target Brock Bowers of the Raiders, Trey McBride of the Arizona Cardinals or George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers. Bowers dominated as a rookie with record-setting reception and yardage totals, earning all‑pro and Pro Bowl honors. McBride posted 111 receptions for 1,146 yards last season and projects as a high-floor, high-ceiling target monster. Kittle remains a volatile but elite playmaker with weekly upside in a potent offense.

In Round 13, make a TE2 dart throw, perhaps a rookie such as Colston Loveland (Chicago Bears) or the Colts’ Tyler Warren, players who carry major upside if given opportunity later in the season.

Be patient at quarterback and wait for value

The perfect quarterback draft strategy in 2025 hinges on patience and positional value. In Round 3, consider drafting a top quarterback such as Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow, the Washington Commanders’ Jayden Daniels, the Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson, the Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen or Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts.

However, the sweet spot for landing your QB1 is Rounds 6 to 10. This is where you’ll find high-upside options such as Justin Fields, now operating in a more modern New York Jets offense, and Brock Purdy, a steady, efficient producer in a loaded San Francisco scheme. In general, you should prioritize quarterbacks with either elite rushing upside or a high weekly floor tied to offensive efficiency.

If looking to round out your roster with a backup quarterback, take a shot on one playing in a new system or bounce-back situation, such as Las Vegas’s Geno Smith or the Seattle Seahawks’ Sam Darnold.

DETROIT — Here’s who we think stood out, either positively or negatively, in the Detroit Lions‘ 26-7 preseason loss to the Houston Texans on Saturday.

Stock up: S Loren Strickland

Three safeties entered Saturday’s game on seemingly similar footings: Strickland, do-it-all man Erick Hallett II and undrafted rookie Ian Kennelly. Strickland impressed most, finishing tied with linebacker Trevor Nowaske with a team-high nine tackles. He had a 4-yard tackle for loss in the third quarter, and he planted tight end Harrison Bryant to get off the field later on that same drive. He also had a shoestring tackle of receiver Cornell Powell, who brought in a quick pass on second-and-short and looked primed to rack up yards after the catch, only to be tripped up by Strickland’s outstretched arms.

Stock down: QB Hendon Hooker

Here we are again. Hooker’s development on the practice field is obvious, but he’s had four chances this preseason to prove those skills translatable. He went 0-for-4, finishing the preseason with a passer rating of 36.2. That doesn’t account for the two fumbles he lost in Atlanta. He completed six passes against the Texans, including three checkdowns and a screen. His worst throw came in the fourth quarter, immediately following cornerback Tyson Russell’s interception of Texans QB Kedon Slovis. Hooker gave the ball right back, sailing a pass intended for receiver Dominic Lovett right into the arms of safety Jalen Mills. The Lions preach patience and, in a vacuum, would presumably love to continue their development of Hooker. His play in the preseason, though, has made it difficult to justify keeping three quarterbacks on a roster aiming to win the Super Bowl.

Stock up: QB Kyle Allen, WR Isaac TeSlaa

We’ve opted to combine Allen and TeSlaa into one section. Both players were consistently impressive throughout the preseason, and there isn’t much to add to the conversation about either. Allen found TeSlaa, who scored against the Atlanta Falcons on Aug. 8 and the Miami Dolphins on Aug. 16, for a 33-yard touchdown in the first quarter. TeSlaa finished his first preseason with 10 catches (13 targets) for 146 yards and three touchdowns. Allen, securing his role as the top backup behind starter Jared Goff, wrapped the preseason 35-for-44 (79.5%) for 401 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions. That’s good for a passer rating of 123.6.

Stock down: CB Nick Whiteside

Whiteside hit the ground running after being signed as a summer addition, quickly moving up the depth chart and getting some first-team opportunities in practice. His performance against the Dolphins was lackluster, however, and his outing Saturday was his worst of the preseason. He was on the wrong end of multiple chunk plays, including a 24-yard reception by receiver Xavier Hutchinson on a crossing route and a 13-yard gain by rookie Jayden Higgins. Whiteside was also flagged for defensive holding on a third-and-long toward the end of the first half, giving the Texans an automatic first down. His rapid rise still likely justifies a spot on the practice squad. That’s a notable feat, given his late arrival to training camp.

Stock up: RB Craig Reynolds

Reynolds only had five carries for 12 yards, but he picked up a pair of receptions to move the chains in the first quarter, showing off some wiggle to collect 12 yards before he made linebacker E.J. Speed miss in the open field on an 8-yard gain. Second-year back Sione Vaki, dealing with an injury, didn’t play against the Texans. Reynolds, though his position on the roster never truly felt in jeopardy, took advantage of the early reps.

Stock down: Pass rush

The Lions are desperately thin at defensive end, with sixth-round rookie Ahmed Hassanein (pec) down for the foreseeable future and the timing of Josh Paschal’s return from the non-football injury list a bit clouded. There was opportunity to be had for some of Detroit’s depth pass rushers (namely, Nate Lynn and Isaac Ukwu) to prove themselves, and there were few moments in which they took advantage. Slovis and fellow QB Graham Mertz constantly sat comfortably in the pocket, even in obvious passing situations. The Texans faced third-and-7 or longer five times. They converted twice and benefited from Whiteside’s penalty on another. The Lions had no sacks on those plays. Al-Quadin Muhammad did get home on a second down to close the first half, in fairness, and Lynn had a couple pressures that series, including a hit on Mertz.

Stock up: DL Myles Adams, LB Trevor Nowaske

We’ll end with some recognition of a couple of veterans, in Adams and Nowaske. The former, on the heels of a recent shoutout from head coach Dan Campbell, was in on two run stops on Houston’s first drive. Nowaske, meanwhile, was active, often rallying to the ball and showing good pursuit. He teamed up with defensive end Mitchell Agude for a tackle for loss, and he had, alongside Strickland, a tackle of running back British Brooks for no gain midway through the fourth quarter. Nowaske also wore the green dot, relaying play calls to his teammates.=

DETROIT — The Detroit Lions will have a tough decision to make on third-string quarterback Hendon Hooker when compiling their 53-man roster early next week.

Hooker turned in another poor performance while playing the final three quarters of Detroit’s preseason finale, finishing 6-for-11 passing for 70 yards, no touchdowns and an interception in a 26-7 loss to the Houston Texans at Ford Field on Saturday.

Hooker entered the game on the third drive, after backup quarterback Kyle Allen started 5-for-5 for 66 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown pass to rookie receiver Isaac TeSlaa.

Hooker completed his first pass — a 14-yard checkdown to running back Jacob Saylors — and didn’t complete another pass until 6:44 remained in the third quarter on another checkdown to Saylors.

Hooker finally got in a minor groove near the end of the game, completing a pair of 18-yard passes to wide receiver Ronnie Bell and running back Deon Jackson. He finished that drive with four completions, the latter two being a screen and a checkdown. He was sacked on fourth down while trying to escape the pocket.

Over four preseason appearances, Hooker went 22-for-40 passing for 187 yards, three interceptions and two fumbles. Not only did he not throw a passing touchdown all preseason, the Lions did not score a touchdown of any kind with him at quarterback over four games.

Hooker’s ineffectiveness in Saturday’s game was to the detriment of a couple receivers who are on the bubble entering cutdown day (Tuesday at 4 p.m.). Neither Jackson Meeks nor Dominic Lovett, both of who are sitting firmly on the fence, ended up with a reception.

Houston took a 3-0 lead with 7:12 left in the first quarter. Lions defensive tackle Myles Adams came up with a critical stop on third-and-1, and Ka’imi Fairbairn put home a 53-yard field goal after the Texans took a false-start penalty before fourth down.

The Lions took their first and only lead of the game on TeSlaa’s third touchdown of the preseason. After TeSlaa moved the chains by crossing up a Texans defensive back on a slant route, he ran a go down the sideline and Allen put it right in the bread basket for a 33-yard connection to put Detroit up, 7-3, with 1:52 left in the first quarter.

The Texans regained the lead on running back Woody Marks’ score with 12:22 left in the second quarter. Lions lineman Keith Cooper Jr. got penetration but couldn’t get hands on the ball carrier, as Marks ran right by Cooper and edge defender Nate Lynn on his way to a 9-yard touchdown.

Ex-Lions receiver Quintez Cephus added to the Texans’ lead. He hauled in a fade route over Lions cornerback D.J. Miller Jr. for a 6-yard touchdown reception. Fairbairn whiffed on the ensuing point-after attempt, resulting in a 16-7 Texans lead with 4:46 remaining in the second quarter. Cephus had four catches for 51 yards.

Lions cornerback Tyson Russell came up with the team’s first pass defense of the day with 14:53 left in the fourth quarter. As Cephus struggled to haul in a throw with his helmet, Russell was in the right place at the right time to steal the ball off the bobble.

But Hooker gave it right back on the next play from scrimmage, overshooting Lovett on a ball that landed right in the hands of Texans defensive back Jalen Mills.

The Texans took a commanding 23-7 lead with 12:58 to go. After Cooper and Anthony Pittman teamed up for a 2-yard loss near the goal line, Texans receiver Daniel Jackson got lost in a sea of bodies and ended up wide open for a 3-yard touchdown reception.

Houston added a 48-yard field goal to make it 26-7 with 6:35 left in the game.

Starting lineup

• Offensive starters: QB Kyle Allen, RB Craig Reynolds, WRs Isaac TeSlaa and Tom Kennedy, TE Zach Horton, LT Giovanni Manu, LG Netane Muti, C Kingsley Eguakun, RG Kayode Awosika, RT Dan Skipper

• Defensive starters: DL Pat O’Connor, Chris Smith, Myles Adams, Al-Quadin Muhammad; LBs Trevor Nowaske, Zach Cunningham and Grant Stuard; CBs Nick Whiteside and Allan George; S Rock Ya-Sin and Erick Hallett II

Key takeaways from Detroit Lions’ loss against Texans

More observations

• At least three reserve players who would otherwise be expected to play were absent from the contest: Running back Sione Vaki, cornerback Luq Barcoo and offensive tackle Jamarco Jones. Vaki and Jones both suffered undisclosed injuries during Detroit’s joint practice against the Texans on Thursday.

• Eguakun, a bubble player who’s fighting for the reserve center job, started the game. He was knocked back on third down during Detroit’s opening possession, leading to a sack of Allen, but was relatively solid the rest of the way on first watch.

• Hooker’s biggest gain of the preseason, a 30-yard completion to receiver Bell in the third quarter, was called back for a holding penalty on offensive guard Zack Johnson. With Hooker turning in another poor performance over three full quarters, the wide receiver production struggled, too.

• Still, the Lions made a significant improvement in their discipline. Detroit was called for just five accepted penalties (47 yards) after being called for 13 penalties the week prior.

• Stuard reprised his role as the team’s kick returner to start the game and returned the opening kickoff 44 yards to Detroit’s 45-yard line. He was replaced by Lovett after the opening kick.

• The final impression from cornerback Nick Whiteside, one of the darlings of training camp, was underwhelming. He was the nearest defender on at least four big chunk plays and was later flagged for defensive holding on third-and-11 on the Texans’ final drive of the second quarter.

Photo gallery from the Lions’ 26-7 loss to Texans in preseason finale

• With plenty of jobs available on the defensive line, the Lions’ pass rush was relatively nonexistent outside of a two-play sequence near the end of the first half. Lynn registered a quarterback hit on a play that was ultimately called back for offensive pass interference. On the very next play, Muhammad sacked Texans quarterback Graham Mertz to end the half.

• Lions safety Loren Strickland, who made the team as an undrafted rookie last season, was all over the place in the second half. He finished with a team-high nine tackles, including one for loss. Nowaske also had nine tackles.

• With Vaki out of the lineup, none of the Lions’ running backs ran the ball particularly well. Reynolds had five rushes for 12 yards, Saylors had nine for 32 yards, and Jackson had two for 3 yards.

• In addition to his tackle-for-loss near the goal line, Pittman came up with another tackle-for-loss in the fourth quarter, stopping Texans running back British Brooks for a loss of 3 yards.

DETROIT — The Detroit Lions will add another name to the Pride of the Lions during the 2025 season, announcing Saturday that former defensive end Robert Porcher will join the team’s ring of honor.

Porcher, a three-time Pro Bowler who played 12 seasons in Detroit (1992-2003), is still the team’s all-time leader in single-season (15) and career sacks (95.5).

The team plans to do Porcher’s Pride of the Lions ceremony at halftime of the Week 2 game against the Chicago Bears.

“We are thrilled to cement Robert Porcher’s legacy as one of the all-time Lions greats,” Lions president & CEO Rod Wood said in a statement. “As someone who spent his entire 13-year career in Detroit and holds our franchise record for career sacks, he is incredibly deserving of this honor. He was a model of stability and tenacity as a player and will always be someone our fans and even current players can look up to.

“We look forward to welcoming Robert back to Ford Field for what will be an extra special celebration when we take on the Chicago Bears for our home opener.”

Porcher, 56, was a first-round pick (26th overall) out of South Carolina State by the Lions in the 1992 NFL Draft. He made the Pro Bowl in 1997, 1999 (when he had a franchise-record 15 sacks) and 2001. He played 14 or more games in every season and played all 16 games in eight of his 12 NFL seasons.

Porcher started 158 games, the second-most by a defensive player in Lions history and the third-most of any player in franchise history. Porcher also holds the record for the most double-digit sack seasons (five) in Lions history. He played in 12 seasons but is officially recognized as having played 13; in 2004, he retired midseason after not appearing in the team’s first seven games.

Recent Pride of the Lions inductees include wide receiver Calvin Johnson (2024), offensive tackle Lomas Brown (2023) and linebacker Chris Spielman (2021).

The Detroit Lions have drastically improved their roster since head coach Dan Campbell took over back in 2021.

With the floor raised, several members of the training camp roster have made it quite difficult for the coaching staff to decide their upcoming future.

Detroit’s battle at wide receiver and along the defensive line was quite competitive all throughout training camp.

Campbell expressed prior to the preseason finale against the Texans that the joint practice aided the team in learning and processing new information from a team that had a much different defensive philosophy.

“It was work that we were looking forward to. That’s a good opponent over there, they’ve got a really talented, young roster,” Campbell said during his pregame interview with Lions flagship radio. “Their scheme is a little different than ours, particularly defensively. It’s a little more penetrating up the field, and if you haven’t seen that in a while, that’s difficult. It’s great for us to get that, Green Bay is a little more like that. It was a really good test for us. I feel like we got better and learned a few things that we didn’t know before.”

Here are several takeaways from the Lions’ preseason finale against the Texans. Detroit ended up on the wrong side of the scoreboard, losing 26-7.

Kyle Allen gets start

It was pretty safe to assume that barring a drastic setback on Saturday, the veteran signal-caller had won the starting backup quarterback job.

His poise in the pocket and his play during the team’s four preseason games made it an easy decision for the coaching staff.

After the Texans took a 3-0 lead, Allen smoothly led the offense on a 10-play, 85-yard touchdown drive. Allen hit Isaac TeSlaa on his final pass of the game, as he exited after two drives. He finished 5-for-5 for 66 yards and a touchdown, with a 158.3 passer rating.

Hendon Hooker sputters again as Lions drop preseason finale to Texans

Isaac TeSlaa records touchdown in third-straight preseason game

One of the biggest stories that emerged from Detroit’s 2025 training camp was the strong play of its third-round draft pick.

Detroit’s front office and general manager Brad Holmes have credited the tall, sure-handed wideout with displaying his toughness, as well as his play-making abilities, all throughout the preseason.

Against the Texans, TeSlaa recorded a 33-yard touchdown grab in the first quarter. It was his third-straight preseason game with a touchdown reception. It gave Detroit a 7-3 lead heading into the second quarter.

Afterwards, the talented wideout broke out “the worm,” which represented his most expressive celebration after scoring.

Defense gashed in first half

Texans QB Graham Mertz was efficient, firing multiple strikes to Cornell Powell, as well as Xavier Hutchinson and Jayden Higgins. He would connect with former Lions wide receiver Quintez Cephus for a touchdown in the second quarter.

Running back Woody Marks also found the end zone, as he scored from nine yards out. Houston had 14 first downs in the first half compared to Detroit’s six, and outgained the Lions, 212 to 110.

Hendon Hooker does not spark offense in any meaningful way

Unfortunately, it appears the former third-round pick’s fate has been sealed in Motown.

All throughout the preseason, Hooker was unable to lead many meaningful drives. When he did make a play, it was often followed by a penalty or error that ended up negating a positive gain.

After the Lions recorded an interception, Hooker immediately turned the football over, tossing an interception to Texans cornerback Jalen Mills.

Photo gallery from the Lions’ 26-7 loss to Texans in preseason finale

Notes

1. Linebacker Grant Stuard started the game with a 44-yard return for the Lions.

2. Detroit’s starting defense included ends Al-Quadin Muhammad and Pat O’Connor, tackles Chris Smith and Myles Adams, linebackers Trevor Nowaske, Zach Cunningham and Stuard, cornerbacks Nick Whiteside and Allan George and safeties Rock Ya-Sin and Erick Hallett.

3. Detroit’s starting offensive line included Giovanni Manu at left tackle, Netane Muti at left guard, Kingsley Eguakun at center, Kayode Awosika at right guard and Dan Skipper at right tackle.

4. The Lions donned a uniform that featured all-white pants and a blue top. It had mixed reviews online, with some supporters hoping they do not ever again see that particular jersey combination.

5. The reported attendance at Ford Field was 49,017 on Saturday afternoon.

This article was produced by the staff at Detroit Lions On SI. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lions

The Detroit Lions wrapped up their preseason slate on Saturday with a 26-7 loss to the Houston Texans, as the positional battles went down to the wire.

Here are the highlights of Saturday’s loss, in photos:

Hendon Hooker sputters again as Lions drop preseason finale to Texans

Key takeaways from Detroit Lions’ loss against Texans

ALLEN PARK — Detroit Lions center Graham Glasgow left Thursday’s practice in Allen Park to be evaluated for a lower leg injury, according to an announcement from the team.

Glasgow, who answered a major question mark by winning the starting center job after Frank Ragnow’s retirement, was injured during the final period of the day. It was unclear how, exactly, he suffered the injury, but he was slow to get up after a completion to wide receiver Kalif Raymond and was later helped off the field by a pair of trainers.

Should Glasgow have to miss extended time, it would be a major blow to the rhythm Detroit’s offense has established throughout camp. No other projected starter has any sort of meaningful center experience, which means the team would likely have to turn to a reserve — Kingsley Eguakun filled in after Glasgow was hurt — in the here and now, or throw rookie Tate Ratledge into the fire. Ratledge spent the first three days of camp at center but has not repped there since.

More injury updates

• S Kerby Joseph: Joseph returned to practice after missing the last three sessions with a minor knee injury that also caused him to miss time earlier in camp. He was spotted wearing a left leg sleeve on Thursday and was a full participant.

• RB Sione Vaki: Vaki, who has missed time over two separate stints in camp, also left practice with what was presumed to be an injury, but the team did not provide an update. It’s unclear why he left practice.

• DE Josh Paschal: Lions coach Dan Campbell said the return of Paschal (undisclosed) will be later than originally thought after he said earlier in camp that he expected Paschal to start practicing in early September.

Paschal began training camp on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) list and will not count against the roster limit if he remains on NFI through cutdown day.

“I think Paschal could be a little later than we had hoped,” Campbell said Thursday. “That could sting a little bit. It also cleans (the roster construction) up, too. At least you’re not hoping and waiting and whatever else.”

• DE Ahmed Hassanein: The Lions already are set to be without rookie defensive end Ahmed Hassanein, who suffered a pectoral injury that will require significant time missed. Hassanein posted on his Instagram that he didn’t need surgery, but Campbell was hesitant to update his long-term outlook.

“I’ve got nothing else on him, to be honest with you,” Campbell said.

• C Trystan Colon: Colon, who suffered an elbow injury in a preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons, was spotted running on the side with a large elbow brace on his arm.

• S Morice Norris: Norris, who suffered a severe concussion in the preseason game at Atlanta, was also doing some light work on the side in a practice jersey. Campbell said earlier this week that his timetable is to be determined.

Injury designations

• Injured reserve (season-ending): CB Dicaprio Bootle (lower leg), OL Keaton Sutherland (knee), S Dan Jackson (leg), CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (shoulder), TE Kenny Yeboah (knee), OL Colby Sorsdal (lower body), Justin Herron (arm)

• Non-Football Injury (NFI): DE Josh Paschal

• Active/PUP: LB Malcolm Rodriguez (knee), DL Alim McNeill (knee), OL Miles Frazier (knee)

• Reserve/PUP: DL Levi Onwuzurike (knee)

ALLEN PARK — Roy Lopez still remembers the sequence.

It was third-and-12, and the Arizona Cardinals, down by seven points with 2:20 remaining, were one defensive play away from getting the Detroit Lions off the field, and giving their offense a chance to tie or win the game. The Lions, as they so often did in 2024, found a way, with quarterback Jared Goff hitting receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown over the middle for 18 yards. Another first down two snaps later slammed the door on the Cardinals, whose comeback bid in Week 3 last September fell short, 20-13.

Now, nearly half a year after signing with the Lions and one month into his first training camp with the team, Lopez understands how Detroit was able to get the job done in Arizona.

“The game was a little closer in my eyes than what they thought, to be honest,” Lopez said Monday. “We always joke around with it. … Going through these dog days — I’ve expressed that to this team, as well — you understand why they had a little bit more in the tank than us. St. Brown, the guy is staying after practice every day, catching the ball. You can count on him late in the game. I think that’s the biggest thing, is seeing it firsthand.”

Lopez signed with the Lions in March because he saw a group of kindred spirits, a collection of players and coaches who’ve built a team matching his style of play. The run-stuffing defensive tackle comes from a family of football coaches, and the opportunity to play for headman Dan Campbell, a former player turned coach, was too good to pass up.

A two-time state champion with a record of 113-3 at Mesquite High School in Arizona, Lopez credits his time as a wrestler for forging the mentality with which he plays football. Lopez, a sixth-round draft pick by the Houston Texans in 2021, has totaled 70 defensive stops (a tackle that constitutes a “failure” for the offense, per Pro Football Focus) in his career.

“Lining up across from somebody, I know you didn’t work as hard as I did,” Lopez said. “I know you didn’t put in seven days a week for the past 10 years. I just know you didn’t. You weren’t traveling at 7 years old, spitting in a water bottle with the heater on in the car and the sweatsuit on and dad (is) yelling at you. You didn’t do it like I did. That’s just something that was instilled in me at a young age. Now, it’s the fourth quarter or whatever it is — tough days in camp, dog days — I know I’ve got a little bit more in me.”

The Lions have been everything Lopez expected, and “maybe a little more.” He’s happy be on this side of it, and he hopes to now contribute to the culture that lured him to Detroit.

“I came into an organization, came into a room that loves ball, that understands everything about it,” Lopez said. “To be in a room that shares the same mental, shares the same love for getting better, for the game of football as a whole, it’s a blessing, man. To be able to see guys like (Aidan Hutchinson), guys like (DJ) Reader, (Marcus) Davenport, (Alex) Anzalone, Jack (Campbell), all these guys flying around every day, there’s no shortcuts, man.

“It’s an old saying, right? An old cliché saying: There’s no shortcuts. But here, it’s a true definition.”

Draft day in fantasy football isn’t just about picking stars. It’s about managing risk. Talent and stats matter, but injuries, aging and opportunity shifts can derail a player’s season. Just ask anyone who didn’t follow our advice on Christian McCaffrey last season.

To help you navigate that uncertainty, we’ve analyzed the top 100 names on draft boards through the lens of those three key risk factors. Keep in mind, though, that things move fast. Always check the latest reports before locking in your picks.

Perhaps the biggest risk in this year’s fantasy draft is Philadelphia Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley. He’s being selected as a top-10 overall pick and one of the first three running backs off the board on the strength of his outstanding 2024, but the data screams caution.

Barkley led the NFL with 345 carries last season, a workload topped by only Derrick Henry over the past decade, and the track record for running backs coming off that kind of usage is alarming. Since 2002, there have been 33 instances of a running back logging 340 or more carries in a season. The following year, 26 saw their production in point-per-reception leagues drop – by an average of 44 percent. Barkley also overperformed in the touchdown department in 2024, converting 13 scores on the ground when his expected number was closer to seven, per data from NFLverse.

Plus, he has endured injuries throughout his career, with varying degrees of severity. The most significant was a torn ACL, a partially torn meniscus and an MCL sprain in his right knee, suffered during Week 2 of the 2020 season, that sidelined him for the final 14 games of the year. The injury predictor for fantasy football site Draft Sharks rates him as a “medium risk” who is projected to miss 1.4 games in 2025.

And, finally, Barkley turns 29 in February. That’s an age when running backs are often in the declining stage of their career.

Given the mileage, the likelihood of regression and the cost, Barkley carries far more downside than his average draft position suggests. Here are other fantasy picks that should give you pause.

 

RB Derrick Henry, Ravens

First-round pick in 12-team PPR leagues

Concern: Age

Playing running back in the NFL is a young man’s game. The physical demands of the position lead to steep drop-offs in production, which can be seen in fantasy scoring as well – few players have maintained RB1 value past age 30, and even fewer have sustained heavy usage without injury.

While Henry, 31, has been remarkably durable and productive throughout his career, he has accumulated more than 2,500 touches. That kind of wear often precedes sudden decline, even for outliers such as the 6-foot-2, 252-pound Henry. It’s also worth noting that Baltimore could look to preserve Henry for the postseason and rotate in younger options such as Keaton Mitchell during the regular season.

 

TE Travis Kelce, Chiefs

Sixth-round pick in 12-team PPR leagues

Concern: Age

Kelce’s decline has become increasingly evident over the past few seasons. Once elite in this category, Kelce averaged just 3.5 yards after the catch last season and broke only four tackles, a steep fall from his decade-long average of 15.7. His red-zone usage also has regressed since a historic 2022, with fewer targets and less scoring efficiency inside the 10-yard line.

While his snap share rebounded in 2024, his production no longer matched the volume. After his years of elite fantasy output, finishing sixth in fantasy points per game in PPR leagues last season was the clearest sign yet that his dominance is fading.

 

RB Joe Mixon, Texans

Fifth-round pick in 12-team PPR leagues

Concern: Injury

Lower-body injuries can linger and often reduce explosiveness, which is especially concerning for a 29-year-old running back with more than 2,100 career touches such as Mixon. Even if he returns from his foot injury by Week 1, his workload and effectiveness could be limited – and the arrival of Nick Chubb could eat into his role. Add it all up, and it makes Mixon a risky RB2.

 

WR Chris Godwin, Buccaneers

Sixth-round pick in 12-team PPR leagues

Concern: Injury

Godwin’s spot on the physically unable to perform list with an ankle injury raises concerns about his early-season availability and fantasy reliability. Ankle injuries often take time to fully heal, especially for receivers who rely on sharp route running and quick cuts. Missing training camp reps also opens the door for other Buccaneers wideouts to earn larger roles – including first-round pick Emeka Egbuka, who has drawn praise from teammates during training camp.

 

WR Puka Nacua, Rams

First-round pick in 12-team PPR leagues

Concern: Opportunity

In Nacua’s two seasons alongside Cooper Kupp, the Rams rarely supported two high-end fantasy wide receivers simultaneously. Even though Nacua is clearly the team’s top target, the arrival of Davante Adams – still a productive possession receiver, even at 32 – could eat into Nacua’s league-leading target share. The Rams’ run-heavy approach and quarterback Matthew Stafford’s lingering back issues are further cause for concern.

 

RB Breece Hall, Jets

Third-round pick in 12-team PPR leagues

Concern: Opportunity

Hall has long been an enticing fantasy option because of his explosiveness, but the presence of fellow running backs Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis and the arrival of a new coaching staff bring uncertainty.

“I think all three [are] going to play,” offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand said. “Those top three guys, they’re all pretty darn good football players, and they all have a little bit of a different skill set. … We’ll see how the game plan goes, but they’ll all be involved in one way, shape or form.”

Mobile quarterback Justin Fields also is in the mix, raising more concerns about Hall’s ability to get consistent touches and receiving volume. He’s a true boom-or-bust RB2.

DETROIT — After poring over the 70 snaps he played last season, defensive end Isaac Ukwu made up his mind: He needed to get stronger.

Ukwu, an undrafted free agent in 2024 out of Ole Miss, spent most of his rookie campaign on the Detroit Lions‘ practice squad. He was elevated for two contests, one against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 6 and the other at the Minnesota Vikings in Week 7. As expected, neither performance was marred by mistakes or loaded with wins. As head coach Dan Campbell put it after Detroit’s throttling of the Cowboys, “I thought as the game went on, he got better, and it looked like it was his first NFL game. That’s just the truth.”

Looking back, Ukwu was disappointed with how he defended the run, particularly versus the Vikings. That led him to put on weight this offseason, so that he could set a firmer edge. He’s up to 270 pounds now, about 8-10 pounds heavier than he was as a rookie.

The bulked-up frame also has opened the door for Ukwu to be used in varying ways, including lined up on the inside shoulder of the offensive tackle across from him, more of an interior position than his usual role off the edge. That was his alignment on a fourth down late in the first half of Saturday’s preseason loss to the Miami Dolphins, when he brought down quarterback Zach Wilson for the first sack of the preseason.

“I kind of went outside because (the offensive tackle’s) momentum was going in,” recalled Ukwu, who had an earlier third-down sack taken away due to a teammate’s penalty. “And I was able to bend the edge.”

Ukwu spent his offseason in Detroit, spending time with strength and conditioning coach Josh Schuler and working with the team’s dietitians. Not much changed about his diet, in terms of foods added or removed, but he simply ate more, and matched the added intake with proper workouts.

The change is tangible, Ukwu says. He’s been stouter on the edge, and he feels his power rushes have looked better in Year 2. He seems more capable of deploying a long arm move, which, as the name implies, features a defender getting an arm into an offensive lineman’s chest and driving him back into the quarterback.

His one pressure against the Los Angeles Chargers in the Hall of Fame Game was courtesy of this move.

Ukwu’s showing against the Dolphins was his most impressive of the preseason so far. His overall defensive grade from Pro Football Focus (83.3) was second on the Lions, behind defensive back Erick Hallett II (91.1), who had three pass breakups. Ukwu’s pass-rush mark (79.2) is his best in any NFL game he’s appeared in, including last year’s preseason, where he posted three sacks over three games.

He has work to do if he’s going to push for a roster spot, but Ukwu, who’s had an up-and-down training camp, is trending positively. He has three more practices, including a joint practice with the Houston Texans, and a preseason finale at Ford Field on Aug. 23 before the Lions trim their active roster down to 53 players (cutdown day is Aug. 26) and fill out their 16-man practice squad in the days following.

“My mindset is to never get too high, never get too low. That’s what coach always preaches,” Ukwu said. “Just continue to steadily grow, and I think just being intentional with every rep. That’s one big thing — especially being on a team with (Aidan Hutchinson) and watching him every rep in practice and in all things, it’s like he’s very intentional with what he does. I feel like that shows with how he good he plays on the field. That’s something I feel like I really need to do, be intentional.”

The Detroit Lions on Thursday put cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. on injured reserve with a shoulder injury, sidelining him for the remainder of the 2025 season.

Rakestraw, a second-round pick in 2024, posted an Instagram story on Thursday morning that showed him either pre- or post-surgery with the caption, “Road to Be back starts soon.” The injury occurred on the first drill of Sunday’s training-camp practice in Allen Park. He went down on the very first rep of a one-on-one tackling drill and did not return.

Rakestraw wrote a message on his TikTok account on Thursday afternoon.

“I’ll be back soon. Been a rough 2 years (b)ut I’ll never question (G)od. Just want to play the game I love dearly. And show my people who I am and the kids who grew up like me it’s possible,” Rakestraw wrote. “So I’ll win in the end(,) just been a blurry road I’ve been on(,) just have to keep pushing.”

Lions coach Dan Campbell delivered a message of support when asked about the young cornerback on Monday.

“You hate it for the kid,” he said. “You hate it. It’s not his fault, just one of those tough deals. All you can do is try to get it better and rehab and come back stronger and move on. That’s all you can do.”

It’s yet another devastating blow to Rakestraw’s development and fortune since he entered the league.

Last season, Rakestraw appeared in just eight games and spent time on injured reserve with a hamstring issue. Cornerbacks Terrion Arnold, who should be returning from a hamstring injury soon, and Khalil Dorsey, who’s still rehabbing from a broken leg suffered at the end of last season, are also not currently practicing.

While Rakestraw’s indefinite absence is a blow to the team’s depth, it has gotten strong performances from veteran additions like Rock Ya-Sin and Avonte Maddox; the latter has played more safety this camp but carries ample experience as a nickel cornerback.

As of now, the Lions are still in good shape with their cornerback room.

Lions add tight end

In a corresponding move, the Lions added some competition to the tight end room, agreeing to terms with free-agent tight end Steven Stilianos, his management team announced Thursday.

Stilianos, 25, most recently appeared with the San Antonio Brahmas of the UFL. He caught 15 passes for 86 yards and a touchdown in nine games. He finished his college career with two seasons at Iowa, where he crossed over with Lions tight end Sam LaPorta during the 2022 season, after transferring from Lafayette (FCS).

In his final season with the Hawkeyes (2023), Stilianos caught eight passes for 96 yards. He was not drafted but briefly spent time with the Tennessee Titans, for whom he made three preseason appearances in 2024.

Ultimately, he has a steep hill to climb if he’s going to contribute for the Lions’ tight end room. LaPorta and Brock Wright are firmly entrenched as the top two choices. Shane Zylstra, who’s been with the team for multiple years, has impressed with his given opportunities thus far.

ALLEN PARK — Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell on Sunday issued updates on several players who suffered injuries last week.

The group was headlined by cornerback Terrion Arnold, who left a team scrimmage last Tuesday and is dealing with a hamstring injury, according to Campbell. It doesn’t appear to be serious, and he’s expected to return sooner rather than later.

“He’ll be down for a little bit. It’s not a major hamstring. This is a low-grade (injury), but we’re trying to be smart with it,” Campbell said. “We’re hoping to have him back by the middle of the week.”

• S Kerby Joseph: Joseph returned to practice Sunday and was full-go. He’s been dealing with a knee injury for the last week.

• CB Amik Robertson: Robertson returned to practice after missing the last two. The reason for his absence was not known.

• OT Taylor Decker: Decker returned to practice on Sunday for the first time this year. Decker is dealing with a shoulder injury stemming from an offseason surgery. While Decker won’t be a full-go right away, it’s expected he’ll be a full participant soon.

“He will be out there, individual (drills). Don’t see him doing any team (drills) right now, but he will be back out moving around, which is good,” Campbell said.

• CB Ennis Rakestraw: Rakestraw, who has missed several practices due to various injuries, suffered another one Sunday. He landed on his shoulder in a one-on-one tackling drill — the first rep of any kind for the team — and couldn’t get up. He is being evaluated for a shoulder injury.

• S Dan Jackson: Jackson, a rookie safety, left practice and is being evaluated for a leg injury. The source of his injury is not currently known.

• OT Dan Skipper: Skipper will miss “about a week” after he suffered an ankle injury in Detroit’s 34-7 preseason loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Thursday night’s Hall of Fame Game. Detroit signed offensive tackle Justin Herron on Monday to take over some offensive tackle reps in the meantime.

“Got his ankle a little bit. Shouldn’t be long term, but he’s going to need to lay off it for a little bit here,” Campbell said of Skipper.

• TE Kenny Yeboah: Rounding out the list of updates was Yeboah, who got rolled up on during a run play in Thursday night’s game and did not return. He won’t practice Sunday, but Campbell said it was for “something personal, in a good way. He’ll be back tonight. He won’t practice today. He’ll be back tonight.”

The NFL’s one-year experiment with the new kickoff rule becomes permanent this season with a new tweak that the league hopes will lead to a bigger increase in the rate of returns.

The league also approved changes to the overtime rule, expanded replay assist and made a few other technical changes for this season. Those were on display during the exhibition opener Thursday night between the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Chargers that also featured the NFL’s Hawk-Eye virtual measuring that replaced the old-time chains to determine first downs.

The league experimented with the so-called dynamic kickoff in 2024 in hopes of more returns while also making the play safer. Owners voted in April to make the change permanent while moving touchbacks on kicks that reach the end zone on the fly from the 30 to the 35, which is expected to lead to more kicks in play and more returns.

There was no change in the tush push play that Philadelphia used so successfully on the way to winning the Super Bowl last season.

Here’s an explanation of some of the new rules that will be in place.

 

What’s new with the kickoff?

The league was mostly pleased with the experimental kickoff put in place for 2024 that led to the rate of kickoff returns increasing from a record-low 21.8% in 2023 to 32.8% last season, while reducing the rate of injuries on what had been the game’s most dangerous play.

The rule made kickoffs more like scrimmage plays by placing the coverage players and blockers close together to eliminate the high-speed collisions that had contributed to so many injuries on the play. The league said the rate of concussions dropped 43% on returns, with a significant reduction as well in lower-body injuries.

The problem last season was many teams still opted to kick the ball in the end zone because the touchback wasn’t punitive enough. The average starting field position on a touchback was only 2.4 yards further than the average starting position after returns, which was the 27.6-yard line.

By moving the touchback to the 35, the league projects that the return rate will rise to somewhere between 60% and 70%, with a similar increase in long returns, adding more excitement to the game.

The league also approved a small tweak to how blockers on the return team are allowed to line up in the setup zone that could lead to longer returns.

In the game Thursday night, there were seven returns on the nine kickoffs — including a lost fumble by Detroit on the opening kick. There was one kick that went for a touchback and another that didn’t reach the landing zone in the air and was spotted at the 40.

How about onside kicks?

Teams will still need to declare their intention to try an onside kick because of the different formation. But a new change will allow trailing teams to try one before the start of the fourth quarter after Kansas City had to kick deep while down 28 points in the final minute of the third quarter in the Super Bowl.

Coverage players will also be allowed to line up one yard closer in hopes of increasing the rate of recovery from about 6% over the past three seasons to at least 10%.

How will overtime change?

The league approved a proposal to make the regular season overtime more like the postseason, with both teams getting a chance at a possession, even if the team that gets the ball first scores a touchdown.

The NFL added regular season overtime in 1974, adding a 15-minute sudden death period that ended on any score. In 2010, the rule was tweaked to a modified sudden death that required an opening possession touchdown to immediately end the game instead of only a field goal. That was in effect in both the regular season and the playoffs.

Overtime then was shortened for the regular season to only 10 minutes in 2017. A rule change in 2022 for the playoffs only gave both teams the chance to score even with a touchdown on the opening possession.

Now that will be the case in the regular season, after the improved field position on kickoffs made winning in OT on an opening possession TD easier.

According to Sportradar, six of the 16 overtime games last season ended on an opening-drive TD for the most overtime games ended on the first drive since the rule change went into effect in 2010.

In all, teams that won the overtime toss won 75% of the time last season, according to Sportradar, and have a .606 winning percentage in overtime since it was cut to 10 minutes.

The league kept the 10-minute overtime period instead of expanding it back to 15 minutes like was originally proposed by Philadelphia, which could lead to teams opting to go for 2 and a win if they match an opening-drive TD with one of their own since there might not be time for another possession.

Replay assist

The NFL expanded its replay assist system to overturn objective calls if there was “clear and obvious” evidence that a foul didn’t occur. The calls could include facemask penalties, whether there was forcible contact to the head or neck area, horse-collar tackles and tripping. Replay also would be able to overturn a roughing-the-kicker or running-into-the-kicker penalty if video showed the defender made contact with the ball.

The league has been using replay assist in recent years to overturn obvious errors on aspects like whether a pass is caught or where the ball should be spotted without the referee needing to stop the game for a review.

The Competition Committee says there’s no interest in allowing replay assists to call penalties on plays missed by officials on the field.

Other changes

Referees will no longer use the chains to determine first downs, opting instead for a virtual measuring system. This won’t eliminate the officials who manually spot the ball and use chains to mark the line to gain.

That was on display Thursday night for the first time after a 10-yard run by Detroit’s Craig Reynolds in the second quarter. The officials stopped the game for a measurement and instead of the chains coming on the field, everyone looked at the video board and saw that Reynolds got the first down.

There were some procedural rules changed in regards to injured reserve. Teams can place two players on injured reserve with the designation to return when rosters are reduced to 53 players instead of after. Playoff teams also will be granted two additional return from IR designations.

— By JOSH DUBOW, AP Pro Football Writer

Wins and losses in the preseason don’t hold much significance. However, if the Detroit Lions’ 2025 debut against the Los Angeles Chargers was an indicator of anything, it’s that this team has plenty of rust to shake off.

Detroit’s performance in its exhibition opener was, in a word, lackluster. It resulted in an ugly 34-7 loss for Dan Campbell’s squad in the NFL’s annual Pro Football Hall of Fame game Thursday night. Yet, more concerning was the lack of effort and execution from the Lions.

For a team that entered training camp with sky-high expectations coming off a 15-2, NFC North-winning campaign, its showing against the Chargers left much to be desired.

Let’s be clear: no one should overreact to a preseason result. These are glorified scrimmages, and the Lions did sit all of their expected Week 1 starters, including 2025 draft picks Tyleik Williams and Tate Ratledge.

However, that doesn’t excuse the Lions’ lack of discipline, energy or attention to detail Thursday.

Detroit committed eight penalties (gifting L.A. with 68 “free” yards) and five total turnovers. Plus, it went a dismal 1-for-11 on third-down conversions. That’s the kind of stat line that gets players cut and coaches irked, even in August.

Quarterback Kyle Allen, making his Detroit debut, didn’t exactly instill confidence with his play, either. He finished the first half nine-of-14 for 91 yards, but threw two interceptions and made several head-scratching decisions. His arm lacked the necessary velocity for some of the throws he attempted, and he repeatedly forced the ball into tight windows that didn’t exist.

For a veteran fighting for a spot on the Lions’ 53-man roster, it was an ultra uneven performance, and it did little to suggest he’s the right man for the team’s backup QB job.

The Lions’ offensive struggles didn’t end there, either.

Third-year pro Hendon Hooker replaced Allen under center in the second half, and didn’t fare much better. The 2023 third-round pick completed just three-of-six passes for 18 yards, and was responsible for a late-game interception. Additionally, the Tennessee product led the offense to only three first downs in four series, and was sacked twice.

As a whole, offensive coordinator John Morton’s unit mustered just 197 yards and failed to get into a flow. Whether it was a lack of protection from the offensive line, missed throws, or ineffective play-calling, Detroit’s offense looked rather vanilla and unprepared. That can’t be the case for a team with postseason aspirations, no matter who’s under center.

On defense, Detroit wasn’t much better. The unit gave up critical first downs and failed to generate momentum-changing plays. There were flashes of effort, but little consistency. And the inability to force takeaways only added to the frustration.

Campbell, never one to mince words, voiced his frustration in the postgame.

“You want to play really well,” Campbell said. “And we just, we didn’t do that.”

He’s right. Detroit didn’t just lose; it underperformed in all three phases. And while Campbell also expressed confidence that the film would provide coaching opportunities, there are no ifs, ands, or buts about it: the Lions failed to play a winning brand of football Thursday.

“We have our own standards, and it doesn’t matter if you just walked in the door or you’ve only practiced, you’ve had 10 practices,” the fifth-year Lions head man expressed. “Look, we’ve got to take care of the football. And it doesn’t matter if you’re wearing Lions gear, you got to take care of the ball, man. Or it’s going to be hard to keep you around.

“And so, it’s a hard lesson to be learned out here like that, but it’s also, we got to put a little pressure. We got to apply a little pressure in a good way, so we get better, man. We got to put some urgency on this. It is early, but it’s never too early to get better, right?”

The Lions are no longer the feel-good story of the NFL. They’re now expected to contend, to win the NFC North and to play meaningful football deep into January. And with those expectations comes a higher standard – a standard the Lions clearly didn’t live up to Thursday.

Luckily, there is time to rectify the issues. Preseason games are designed to be learning tools for teams, and Campbell’s staff now has plenty of tape to teach from.

Yet, the improvements must occur swiftly. The Lions cannot afford to let these bad habits linger into the start of the regular season.

Subsequently, it is of utmost importance for Campbell’s team to get back on track in its exhibition tilt with the Atlanta Falcons next Friday.

Will Detroit come out sharper, more composed and with a heightened sense of urgency? Plus, will its players fighting for roster spots show that they learned from their mistakes?

They’ll need to. Because while the preseason may not count in the win-loss column, how a team approaches it says plenty about its preparation (or lack thereof). And the Lions have plenty to prove after their preseason dud in Canton, Ohio.

This article was produced by the staff at Detroit Lions On SI. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lions

CANTON, Ohio — Not many things went according to plan for the Detroit Lions in a preseason loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday, but their concerted effort to put the ball in the hands of their rookie receivers did.

Heading into the Hall of Fame Game, the Lions wanted to give Isaac TeSlaa and Dominic Lovett ample amounts of opportunity. Neither receiver, drafted in the third and seventh rounds, respectively, lit the field on fire at Tom Benson Stadium, but they combined to account for more than 70% of the team’s receiving yards, and they were the only Lions with multiple targets; Lovett had nine, and TeSlaa had three.

TeSlaa, specifically, was impressive. He recorded back-to-back explosive plays on Detroit’s third drive, hauling in receptions of 24 and 22 yards. Exactly half of TeSlaa’s 46 yards came after the catch, as the physically gifted receiver caught both of his balls on the move. He appeared natural as a ball carrier, and he finished his first catch by attempting to run through a defensive back on his way out of bounds.

“It kind of felt good to drop my shoulder a bit on that DB,” TeSlaa said. “Definitely got hyped up about that one.”

TeSlaa, who played about 40% of Detroit’s offensive snaps, was wide open on both of his receptions. The Arkansas and Hillsdale product benefited from the off-ball coverage on each rep, but he was able to shake the cornerback off-balance on his second catch, aggressively attacking the defender on his vertical stem and faintly faking to the outside before he broke inside on an over route.

It was encouraging to see TeSlaa create separation. It hasn’t been a notable issue through the first couple of weeks of training camp, but most of his standout plays in practice were courtesy of his contested-catch ability. He didn’t need to use that against the Chargers.

“TeSlaa made some plays. … We wanted to get TeSlaa and Lovett the ball,” Lions head coach Dan Campbell said. “We wanted to get these receivers some throws. I wish we could’ve gotten all those guys some throws. But it was good to see. I did think those two guys showed up.”

TeSlaa admitted to having some pent-up emotion escape out of him after his first catch, but he tried to reel himself back in as the game wore on. “Football’s an emotional game,” he explained. “But you’ve gotta be able to tame those emotions.” To settle himself down, TeSlaa remembered this is the same sport he’s been playing since he was in the third grade.

“I typically don’t get too nervous,” TeSlaa said. “Obviously, this was definitely a big game for a lot of us, especially us rookies. It’s our first NFL action, so it was more of like nervous anticipation, I would say, than like jitters or anything. But it was good to get out there. Once I got out there and got in the flow of things, I definitely felt good.”

Nothing about TeSlaa’s unofficial NFL debut surprised him, but now he knows what it’s like to go up against professionals. That experience should help him continue his development, ahead of his first season on the team he grew up rooting for.

“When you get to this level, everyone’s gonna be bigger, faster and stronger. … Now that I’ve seen firsthand what it’s like, I’ll just continue to grow every single day,” TeSlaa said.

ALLEN PARK — The Detroit Lions’ hole at the center position was its most significant question mark entering camp, but some clarity has been provided after the first week of practice.

Lions veteran Graham Glasgow has been playing center for the last four practices — after rookie Tate Ratledge handled responsibilities for the first three practices — and reading between the lines on comments from Lions offensive coordinator John Morton, it seems that might be the team’s preferred course of action going forward.

Morton told reporters Monday that Glasgow is “at the center now” because “I think that’s more natural for him.” He noted the importance of trust between the center and quarterback, which is worth paying attention to since Glasgow has actually played center for quarterback Jared Goff in regular-season games.

“We’ve been in pads, what, for (three) days now. So that’s the real, true reading of where we’re going to be. I do like where we’re at right now,” Morton said Monday morning. “I think Ratledge has done a good job. I mean, we had him at center first and now we moved him to guard. Glasgow is at the center now; I think that’s more natural for him because that center and quarterback, that needs to be right.”

Campbell echoed those feelings Tuesday morning.

“Look, we just finished two days with Graham back at center in pads, and it’s looked pretty good. It’s looked pretty dang good,” Campbell said. “I think every day that it looks pretty dang good, it looks a little clearer. So it’s good to have him in there and it’s good for Tate, too, to get those right guard reps, so we’re holding tight right now.”

Over his nine-year career, Glasgow has primarily played guard. He has ample experience at center, though, having played center for an entire season in 2018 (Frank Ragnow’s rookie year), half of 2022 (with the Denver Broncos), and a few spot starts in Ragnow’s absence since returning to Detroit in 2023.

“I think things are going pretty well right now, to be honest,” Glasgow said after his fourth day of center work. “There’s a couple of little things to work out out there. I probably could’ve changed the protection today a couple times, maybe in the two-minute (drill), but other than that, today was a good day.”

Plus, Glasgow said that he actually likes playing center. If the Lions were to make him the starting right guard but still give him some center responsibilities to take a load off Ratledge, he’d rather just be the full-time starting center.

“I do like playing center. Center’s fun,” Glasgow told reporters. “I like the mental load that comes with it. I think there’s — it’s a challenge, but I think that’s something that I’m pretty good at, so I like to do it. If it came to me having to play center and make the calls or me be a guard and then think about the calls anyways just to make sure that the calls were right, I’d probably rather just play center.”

Asked how Ratledge had been doing late last week (the first day with Glasgow repping at center), Goff said, “It’s been great. Tate, I thought, was doing a good job, and Graham was in there today. I’ve been comfortable with Graham for quite some time. So whoever it ends up being, I’ll be good with.”

Of course, as it pertains to Morton’s comments, there’s still plenty of time for things to change. This time last week, it seemed the Lions believed Ratledge could be the guy — why else would they have put him there to begin training camp?

“I do like the way it’s going right now,” Morton said of the offensive line’s progress. “It’s still early, the more we do it, the better we’re going to get.”

ALLEN PARK — Here are some observations from Day 6 of Detroit Lions training camp.

• Saturday marked the first practice of the year with fans in attendance, and per usual, there was a noticeable change in the energy. Supporters in attendance gave Lions owner Sheila Hamp a standing ovation when she arrived, and later started a chant for linebacker Alex Anzalone, who returned to practice amid a contract dispute with the team.

• Ultimately, Anzalone didn’t partake much in team activities while continuing to work through rehabbing his hamstring. Neither did edge defender Al-Quadin Muhammad, who was spotted running the hill near the practice field alongside cornerback D.J. Reed. UDFA safety Ian Kennelly, who missed Friday’s practice with an undisclosed injury, did not practice again Saturday but was spotted working off to the side with trainers.

• Saturday was also the second day with pads, and the defense was feasting early on. Linebacker Jack Campbell dropped running back Jahmyr Gibbs for a loss on the second play of the day. Two plays later, edge defender Aidan Hutchinson brought down running back David Montgomery for no gain.

Defensive linemen Keith Cooper Jr. and Ahmed Hassanein immediately got a stop for the second team, and Roy Lopez, who returned to practice for the first time since suffering a foot injury on Monday, stuffed running back Jabari Small for no gain.

UDFA running back Kye Robichaux eventually snapped the drought for the offense, breaking off an explosive run after being sprung by UDFA tackle Mason Miller in the open field. Two plays later, Robichaux had another run of 10-plus yards.

• Rookie defensive tackle Tyleik Williams returned to practice on Saturday after missing Friday for personal reasons. On the first team’s second session of 11-on-11 reps, he and veteran DJ Reader teamed up to stuff Gibbs on a run. And on the very next play, Williams was at the front of another run stop for minimal or no gain. Hutchinson ended the set with a tackle-for-loss on Montgomery. A few plays later, Grant Stuard dropped Craig Reynolds for a loss, and Cooper and Chris Smith also teamed up for a stop for no gain.

• Fans hoping to see some plays from third-round receiver Isaac TeSlaa were treated to big plays from multiple rookie receivers.

UDFA Jackson Meeks ran a slot fade down the left sideline and got perfect placement on a ball from quarterback Kyle Allen, hauling the pass in with one hand while going to the ground. Seventh-rounder Dominic Lovett caught a tight-windowed pass between two defenders on another great throw from Allen for a touchdown in a 7-on-7 red-zone drill.

“I love being able to sit back and watch those guys work,” veteran receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown said of the rookie class. “It’s a lot of fun cheering them on. They make big plays. I mean, Meeks had a one-hand catch today, Dom had one the other day, Isaac’s ending practice with touchdowns, so it’s awesome to see.”

Between TeSlaa, Lovett and the rest of the veteran receiving core, the Lions have about six receivers who have a pretty good shot of making the roster. But if Lovett can uphold his production while remaining a factor on special teams, he’s going to have a huge opportunity to be a weekly contributor come this fall.

“You guys know, and they know, they’ve been told, ‘Man, if you can help on special teams and continue to develop at your role in your position, there’s a place for you,’” Lions head coach Dan Campbell said.

TeSlaa closed the practice with one of the plays of the day. He ran a slot fade to the end zone against cornerback Dicaprio Bootle and went up to haul in a throw from Jared Goff, going down at the 1-yard line and electrifying the crowd one last time.

“I would say, Lovett has…popped more early out on the field, but I thought TeSlaa had a really good day yesterday,” Campbell said before Saturday’s practice. “I can see the uptick now with him. He’s got to stack another good day, but that was good to see yesterday. And that’s the first day of pads, by the way.”

• For the third straight practice, veteran Graham Glasgow took reps at center while rookie Tate Ratledge played left guard. In addition to struggling with the interior defensive line on run plays, Ratledge also registered a false start early in the practice.

• Hutchinson’s 2025 Defensive Player of the Year campaign is officially on. He had another standout practice, sacking Goff in team period off a nasty spin move to beat offensive tackle Dan Skipper. Hutchinson also had another highlight-reel spin on Skipper during one-on-one drills.

“I see a player that is very confident in his abilities. I see a player that appears to bend even better than last year, and I see a player who was hungry that’s even hungrier,” Campbell told NFL Network after practice. “He’s gonna have a hell of a season for us.”

• Linebacker Zach Cunningham was the most noticeable player on the field Friday, but he got off to a rough start on Saturday. He bit on play-action on the first pass attempt of the day and got torched by tight end Sam LaPorta, who ran wild after making a catch to give the offense an early explosive play.

• The best reps from the offense came in 7-on-7 red-zone drills, with all three strings making light work of the defense.

The first team got things rolling with a first-play touchdown to receiver Jameson Williams, as Goff fed the ball into a tight window for the connection. Goff then had two really nice passes to receiver Kalif Raymond and fed the ball to tight end Shane Zylstra for a completion near the sideline. Goff finished things off with a dart to receiver Tom Kennedy in the end zone.

Kennedy connected with quarterback Hendon Hooker two plays later, going up to high-point a ball on a fade route and getting two feet down in the end zone while working against cornerback Tyson Russell.

Allen, meanwhile, went 5-for-6 on red-zone attempts, with his only incompletion coming on a ball to Lovett in the end zone where the receiver could only get one foot in.

• The first-team defense got its revenge after the 7-on-7 period during full-team red-zone drills. Cornerback Terrion Arnold defended a throw to St. Brown on the first play, followed by a sack in which Reader pressured first before the whole line converged on Goff.

• During the final 11-on-11 period of the day, Raymond caught a crosser from Goff and took it 45 yards to the house for a score. Shortly after, Hassanein pressured Hooker for a near-sack after beating tackle Giovanni Manu. TeSlaa ended the day with his phenomenal catch over Bootle.

• Manu had a tough day. He got beat cleanly twice in a one-on-one pass-rush drill, losing to edge defender Mitchell Agude on a speed rush and getting beat by defensive lineman Pat O’Connor on a swim move. He was almost beaten by Hassanein on a bull rush but recovered in time to anchor and stave off the rush.

Hassanein continues to stand out in a positive way. In addition to the win over Manu during one-on-ones, he used a Hutchinson-esque spin move to beat Miller. Cooper also had a terrific rep, using a push-pull move to beat veteran Trystan Colon.