Now that the schedule release is officially behind us, it's time to look at the rest of the offseason schedule for the Detroit Lions. We are less than four months away from the first regular-season game of 2026. Over the next few weeks, teams will get together for the first time to start preparing for the grueling campaign.
The Lions, entering the season with heightened expectations following last season's disappointment, will have to hit the ground running in the competitive NFC North.
The first big date for the Lions will be at the end of May. The first week of organized team activities (OTAs) will begin on May 27. During these, teams are not fully padded and no live contact is permitted, but teams are allowed to run seven-on-seven, nine-on-seven, and 11-on-11 drills. Players are restricted to six hours a day during the OTA program, with a maximum of two on-field hours.
The Lions will have a total of nine days of organized team practice activity. Last season, Detroit only had two weeks of OTAs, likely because they played in the Hall of Fame preseason game. This year, they are back to a normal OTA schedule, under which teams aren't allowed more than 10 days of practice.
Interestingly enough, the Lions were the only team not to hold a rookie minicamp, so this will be the first real chance for the newcomers to impress the coaching staff.
May 27-29: OTA Offseason Workouts Week 1
June 2-4: OTA Offseason Workouts Week 2
June 9-11: OTA Offseason Workouts Week 3
Then comes the first mandatory phase of the offseason. On June 16, the Lions will likely have everyone on the field together for the first time.
June 16-17: Mandatory Minicamp
After the mandatory minicamp, players will go on their summer breaks before they reconvene for training camp.
Mid-July: Teams are permitted to open training camp for rookies, seven days prior to the team's mandatory reporting date for veteran players. The exact date for the Lions' training camp hasn't been announced yet. Last year, rookies reported on July 16, while the veterans arrived on July 19. During training camp, there will be several practices open to the general public.
August 6: Hall of Fame Game
August 13: Preseason Week 1: Lions @ Bengals
August 21: Preseason Week 2: Commanders @ Lions
August 29: Preseason Week 3: Lions @ Colts
September 9: NFL season opener
September 13: Saints @ Lions
After a three-game preseason slate, the Lions will have two weeks off before they host the New Orleans Saints for the first game of the season.
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