Dan Campbell said Kelvin Sheppard is “more comfortable” in his second year as Lions defensive coordinator.
“He has a much better grasp of how he wants it to look,” he said. “I love where Shep’s at right now.”
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Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
The Detroit Lions defense is looking for notable improvement in year two. They might get improved health and better play from the roster, but Dan Campbell expects a much better defensive coordinator in 2026. The team retained Kelvin Sheppard, who is going from his first to his second year as the team’s coordinator. Campbell was adamant that his comfort level has improved, and he is happy with where the Lions’ defense is during OTAs.
“I think he’s got a much better grasp of how he wants it to look,” Campbell said. “Now he’s coaching all 11. He’s coaching the front, he’s coaching the backers, and he’s coaching the back end. He sees it all. That’s what happens when you’re able to do it: you go through a season, you go through the practices, you diagnose yourself as a play caller and say, this is where we can get a little bit better.”
Dan Campbell said Kelvin Sheppard is “more comfortable” in his second year as Lions defensive coordinator.
“He has a much better grasp of how he wants it to look,” he said. “I love where Shep’s at right now.”
Sheppard took over in 2025 for Aaron Glenn, who left to be the head coach of the New York Jets. Glenn was a success in Detroit, so it was not easy to follow him. The Lions’ defense saw a bit of a dropback statistically in the transition.
They ranked seventh in expected points added per play and eighth in success rate in 2024 under Glenn. Then, in 2025, they dropped to 15th in EPA/play and 11th in success rate. The unit was not as good. Campbell believes they can get back to the 2024 stats.
GettyDefensive Coordinator Kwelvin Sheppard
It is tough to come in and take the place of a successful coordinator who has only left for a head coaching job. You feel as though what was working should stay, but you also want to put your new twist on things.
It is easy to think that it would take a year to see things from the point of view of the coordinator and then come back in the next year with more control over exactly how you want the defense to look.
Some of this will come down to Sheppard being more comfortable, but a good bit might just be that the defensive personnel has a chance to be better in 2026 than it was the year prior.
The Lions went out of their way to add length across from Aidan Hutchinson in an effort to bring out the best in him. They are also getting Levi Onwuzirike healthy after he missed all of last year due to an ACL issue.
Alim McNeil was on the field last year, but he was just recently removed from his ACL injury, and he did not look like nearly the same player. Between the upgrades at edge and the healthier defensive front, there is a lot going in favor of Sheppard upfront.
The team will have to manage the injury questions to Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph, but they did sign Christian Izien and Chuck Clark. This gives them depth and experience that they did not have last year.
Finally, at cornerback, the team is looking for fully healthy seasons from Terrion Arnold and D.J. Reed after injury-plagued years from both. They also have two new names competing to start in the slot, potentially giving them a much better cornerback room.
Sheppard can help a lot, but getting these players on the field and letting them grow with each other is going to go a long way in 2026.
Parker Hurley Parker Hurley covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also covers the Chicago Bears, and San Francisco 49ers on various outlets. A veteran NFL writer and editor, his work has also appeared at FanSided, Full Press Coverage, Last Word on Sports, USA Today, and Sports Illustrated affiliates. More about Parker Hurley
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