The Detroit Lions' weaknesses are well-documented. Even though they have a deep and talented roster, many fans believe that the team needs more at pass rush and should add another cornerback.
GM Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell believe in this team and have been unwilling to swing big in splashy moves. While that is understandable, whether they will be proven right remains to be seen.
However, the Lions may have more weaknesses than the obvious ones. There are a few issues that have gone under the radar so far that may pop up during training camp.
QB2
The Lions have never been tested with an injury to Jared Goff over the last four seasons. The fact that the star quarterback has played in every game in that span, the Lions never had to prioritize QB depth.
This has continued this offseason. Teddy Bridgewater is on track to be the QB2 in 2026, with UDFA addition Luke Altmyer as his only competition in training camp. Altmyer has shown positive flashes during OTAs, but he has a long way to go before we can think of him as a threat to take Bridgewater's job.
Bridgewater hasn't started a game since the 2022 season. He appeared in relief in brief moments last season. We haven't seen him much under center in Detroit other than his preseason appearances in 2023. He has yet to throw the ball for the Lions in a regular-season game.
We simply don't know how good Bridgewater will be if the Lions were to depend on him for a multi-game stretch. This is concerning, and could get even scarier depending on how he looks in the preseason.
RB depth behind Jahmyr Gibbs
The Lions expect Gibbs to be their bellcow running back in 2026. After trading away David Montgomery, Detroit is putting all of its trust in Gibbs. The 24-year-old rusher is certainly capable of delivering elite production, but the Lions may still end up missing Montgomery.
Isiah Pacheco was brought in to be the D-Mo replacement, but he is unlikely to replicate his contributions. Despite having the benefit of playing behind Patrick Mahomes, Pacheco has averaged less than four yards per carry in back-to-back seasons. He didn't have a single rush over 16 yards in 2025.
Given his struggles in a favorable offensive ecosystem, Pacheco is a question mark heading into the training camp.
The problem is, the Lions don't have too much quality in their depth RB options. Sione Vaki is running out of time to prove himself after two disappointing seasons, and Jacob Saylors has only been trusted in the return game so far. If Pacheco seems like he still doesn't have the juice that he did earlier in his career, the running game may be an underrated problem in Detroit.
Kicker
Jake Bates is a good kicker. Even in his down 2025 campaign, he proved to be very clutch. He has yet to miss a game-tying or go-ahead kick in the final minute of regulation. He has come up big time and time again in his two years in Detroit.
At the same time, it's impossible to ignore his numbers from last season. Statistically, he was a bottom-tier kicker, missing seven field goals and making only 79.4% of his field goals. He was 4/9 on FGs from 50 yards or more.
More than any other position in football, kicking is about "what have you done for me lately?" If Bates continues to struggle in training camp and preseason, it behooves the Lions to bring in competition.
It may be difficult to find an upgrade right away, but the Lions may have to start looking. Things can get worse quickly for a kicker once they lose his confidence. If that is the case, this could become a bigger problem for the Lions than anyone foresees right now.
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