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Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch addressed his suspension upon his return to the team before facing the Minnesota Vikings in Week 9.

The talk around the Detroit Lions‘ offseason has been centered around their offensive changes, but the defensive re-shuffling might be what puts the team back into Super Bowl contention, according to Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report. The group does not look significantly different on paper, but a few notable additions, along with more experience on the roster, could put the group over the edge.

Detroit Lions Defense Taking a Step is a Perfect Dream

The discussion has been around the offense because that is where a lot of the changes have occurred this offseason. Still, the word “retooling” is fair to describe the Lions defense this offseason. The group did not see sweeping changes, but they are very clearly a different group, and some of the shifts might have been what was needed.

The biggest change the Lions made was at edge rusher. They shifted out Al-Quadin Muhammad and Marcus Davenport after the two did not quite live up to expectations across from Aiden Hutchinson. In place of them are D.J. Wonnum, who is coming from the Carolina Panthers, and a rookie, Derrick Moore, who went in the second round of the NFL draft.

Wonnum has a couple of eight-sack seasons on his resume, and if he can get to that level in Detroit, it would be impactful. More than that, they have not had the combination of youth, potential, and athletic upside across from Hutchinson since he was drafted. So, the addition of Moore has real potential to be underrated.

Other notable shifts include adding Jimmy Rolder in the draft to push Malcom Rodriguez, drafting Keith Abney to beef up to the cornerback room, and signing Roger McCreary and Chuck Clark to fill in just in case Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch take longer than expected recovering from injuries.

When you add in players such as Jay Tufele, Skyler Gill-Howard, and Tyre West, giving them more depth than usual on the defensive front, it is easy to make the statement that the team made minor adjustments with the hopes of seeing major results.

Current Lions Defenders Will Impact the Group More than Newcomers

While the new additions are nice, the players on the current roster, either taking a step or struggling to get back to full health, will be what defines this team. Hutchinson was recovering from an ACL last offseason and should be expected to take a step after a healthy offseason.

Brian Branch, Kerby Joseph, and Terrion Arnold all had serious injuries last year. Can their secondary handle the ups and downs with these two returning, or do all three hit the ground running?

Tyleik Williams is entering his second NFL season. The team also has Alim McNeil, who should be healthy after a few issues over the years, and Levi Onwurzurike, who is playing for a contract.

There are a lot of high draft picks and potential impact players on that list of make-or-break Lions in 2026. As much as the defensive adjustments matter, this will decide their 2026 season.