The Detroit Lions were slightly forced to keep the defense intact in 2025. Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn left to coach the New York Jets, but Kelvin Sheppard stayed true to his philosophy for the most part.
Notably, that meant using nickel formations sparingly. They ran their base defense more often than any other team in the league, according to Football Insights, and they run a single play with a dime defense.
That's why the young defensive coordinator knows he has to shake things up in his second year in charge. He hinted at running more nickel in 2026 (h/t Jeremy Reisman), and that's just what recently signed CB Roger McCreary wanted to hear.
The Lions will run more nickel in 2026
The Lions brought in McCreary to replace Amik Robertson. He didn't play much with the Los Angeles Rams, but he's one of the most underrated slot corners in the game. Pro Football Focus gave him a 69.2 grade last season, ranked 26th among 114 eligible cornerbacks.
The lack of depth at cornerback took a toll on Sheppard's ability to make adjustments last season. They had to move the often-erratic Robertson from the boundary to the slot, but that will no longer be the case in 2026.
The Lions now have promising rookie Keith Abney II as another option, with Terrion Arnold returning from injury and D.J. Reed. They also have more depth at safety, and while Brian Branch might miss some time, Christian Izien and Avonte Maddox should give Sheppard more options to handle stuff in the slot.
That said, McCreary should be the primary beneficiary of this new approach. He's a natural nickel cornerback who can also make a big impact against the run. His physicality and blitzing skills will give Coach Sheppard a true workhorse to contain the NFC North's plethora of playmakers.
With the likes of Tucker Kraft, T.J. Hockenson, Colston Loveland, Josh Jacobs, D'Andre Swift, and dangerous slot receivers like Jordan Addison on the other side of the field twice a year, McCreary will be crucial to this team's road back to the top of the division.
As for Sheppard, he often got the benefit of the doubt in his first year because the defense didn't regress as much as the offense. But now that he has a full season of experience as a defensive playcaller, the fans won't cut him any slack; there's no more margin for error in Detroit.
Add us as a preferred source on Google