Lions Special Teams Unit Undergoing Major Change in 2026?
The Detroit Lions have seen some major changes thus far in the offseason. After a disappointing year that ended with the team finishing last in the NFC North and missing the playoffs, fans knew change was coming for the team. A new standard was set by head coach Dan Campbell after the team won its first playoff game since 1991, three years ago. The Lions’ changes to the team so far have included running back David Montgomery being traded to the Houston Texans and linebacker Alex Anzalone joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They’ve, however, acquired players like running back Isiah Pacheco and offensive lineman Juice Scruggs. The part of the team that has been overlooked, however, is the special teams unit.
Most recently, safety and special teamer Daniel Thomas signed with the Cleveland Browns and departed from Detroit after spending just one year with the team. While their time was short, Thomas appeared in 12 games for Detroit mainly as a part of the special teams unit. His impact was felt, as he also played some snaps at safety and earned 23 tackles on the season. The team also lost linebacker and special teams captain Grant Stuard, signing with the Los Angeles Rams. Stuard being sent away not only affects the linebacker depth, but also is a huge factor in their special teams. He earned 19 tackles on the season and was the team's kick returner before eventually being moved to other spots on the unit. Their biggest change, however, is wide receiver and special teamer Kalif Raymond.
Raymond was not only a great depth piece at wide receiver, earning nearly 300 yards and having one touchdown, but a major factor at kick returner. The former Lion is now off to their division rival, the Chicago Bears, where he will seemingly fill that same role he had. Since Detroit started seeing positive results in 2022, they’ve always been able to have a strong special teams phase, which has led them to a lot of their success. They’ll now be a bit of a question mark going into the 2026-27 season, with some major players on the unit saying their goodbyes to the Motor City. There’s still plenty of time for the team to fill these roles, as the offseason has only just begun.
