Detroit Lions News

Veteran free-agent quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is signing an undisclosed deal with the Detroit Lions on Tuesday, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Bridgewater will return to Motown after serving as Jared Goff's backup in 2023 and 2024. The 33-year-old 11-year NFL veteran hasn't started a game since 2022 with the Miami Dolphins and has gone 8-for-15 passing for 62 yards in five appearances over the last three seasons. Bridgewater was the backup to Baker Mayfield with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2025. The former first-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2014 out of Louisville has plenty of experience in the league, but the Lions' offense will have very limited upside if Goff gets injured and Bridgewater is forced into a starting role. He's completed 66.3% of his 2,082 pass attempts in his career since entering the league in 2014.

The Buffalo Bills have signed quarterback Kyle Allen to a two-year, $4.1 million deal that is worth up to $6.1 million, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Allen most recently backed up Jared Goff in Detroit, and now he'll join Buffalo to back up his close friend, Josh Allen. The 29-year-old instantly slots into the No. 2 role on the depth chart after the Bills watched Mitch Trubisky depart for the Tennessee Titans in free agency. Buffalo will hope that Josh Allen stays healthy for all of 2026, but if he needs to miss any time, they'll feel comfortable about plugging Kyle Allen into the offensive system. The Houston product mostly just handled kneel-down situations for the Lions in 2025, but back in 2019 with the Panthers, he appeared in 13 games with 3,322 passing yards, 19 total touchdowns, and 23 total turnovers.

Detroit Lions left tackle Taylor Decker announced on his Instagram account on Friday that he requested and will be released by the team, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Decker and the Lions were unable to agree on a contract restructure, and now the 31-year-old veteran is free to sign with any team. Decker was due to make $18.2 million in 2026. The former 16th overall pick in 2016 out of Ohio State was a first-time Pro Bowler in 2024. All 10 of his NFL seasons have been with the Lions, and he has started all 140 games that he's appeared in. By releasing Decker, the Lions will save $17.9 million in salary cap space this year and $21 million next year. It will be a big change for the Lions offense, as Decker has been a cornerstone left tackle for the franchise since 2016. Decker will attract plenty of interest on the free-agent market.

The Detroit Lions tendered a contract to exclusive-rights free-agent kicker Jake Bates, ensuring that he returns for the 2026 season, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Bates has gotten off to a nice start to his NFL career in two seasons with Detroit, making 84.1% of his 63 field-goal attempts while making 118 of his 123 extra-point tries in 34 games played. The 27-year-old Arkansas product has led the NFL in extra-point attempts and extra-point makes in each of the last two years while playing in one of the best offenses in the league. In 2025, he went 27-for-34 on field goals (4-for-9 from 50-plus yards) and 54-for-56 on extra points in 17 games played to finish as the No. 6 fantasy kicker in overall points. The Lions will have a new offensive coordinator in 2026, but they should still have a favorable offense, making Bates a clear top-10 fantasy target at the kicking position.

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (back) missed the final eight weeks of the 2025 regular season, and when he returns in 2026, he'll find himself in a new-look offense. The strong supporting cast remains in place (minus David Montgomery), but we expect to see a new offensive scheme and style of play after Detroit made a coaching staff change. The Lions hired former Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing to the same role, indicating we could see even more emphasis on the tight end position next year. Petzing helped pepper Trey McBride with targets last year; the 26-year-old was the TE2 in PPR leagues in 2024, and the TE1 last season. LaPorta is looking to return to that type of elite form. He was the TE1 himself as a rookie in 2023, but he dropped to TE8 in 2024 and TE27 in his injury-shortened 2025 campaign. When healthy last season, LaPorta averaged 4.4 catches, 54.3 yards, and 0.3 touchdowns per game. If Petzing places an emphasis on getting the tight end even more involved, he'll make a strong push to be a top-five fantasy option at the position in 2026. Because he's coming off an injury, he's an intriguing buy-low option in dynasty leagues, as well as an underpriced draft pick at his ADP in redraft formats.

The Detroit Lions announced on Monday that they released offensive lineman Graham Glasgow. The move to cut Glasgow will save the Lions around $5.6 million in salary cap space for the 2026 season. The 33-year-old veteran was taken in the third round (95th overall) in 2016 out of Michigan by Detroit. He spent the first four years of his career with the Lions before joining the Denver Broncos from 2020 through 2022. Glasgow returned to the Lions in 2023 and spent the last three seasons with them. He played in 15 games (14 starts) a year ago but will now head to the open market. The veteran offensive lineman's best days are likely behind him at this point, but his experience alone should make him plenty attractive on the open market for team's looking for interior O-line depth.

The Detroit Lions acquired offensive guard Juice Scruggs, a fourth-round pick, and a seventh-round pick on Monday from the Houston Texans in exchange for running back David Montgomery, a source told Dianna Russini of The Athletic. Scruggs, 26, was originally selected 62nd overall in the second round of the 2023 NFL draft by the Texans out of Penn State. He played in a career-high 17 games in 2025 in Houston, but he started just one game and wasn't very efficient on the offensive line for the Texans. In his new home in Detroit, Scruggs will most likely serve as offensive-line depth as he enters his fourth year in the league. Scruggs has started 20 of the 37 games he's appeared in over his first three seasons in the NFL in Houston.

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs already entered this offseason atop the depth chart. Now, he essentially has the backfield all to himself after the Lions traded veteran running back David Montgomery to the Houston Texans. Gibbs played exactly 67% of the Lions' snaps last season, while Montgomery played 37.1%. A significant portion of the veteran's vacated snaps and touches will go to Gibbs, who has consistently impressed as a ball-carrier and receiver. He was the overall RB1 in full-PPR leagues in 2024, and he finished 2025 as the overall RB3. Through 17 games last season, he tallied 1,223 rushing yards, 77 catches, 616 receiving yards, and 18 total touchdowns. We would expect the Lions to sign or draft another running back who can offer a decent change of pace behind or alongside Gibbs, but there's a strong chance it won't be anyone of Montgomery's caliber. Therefore, this trade is great news for Gibbs, who is once again trending up. The young running back has a chance to be the overall RB1 in fantasy football leagues during 2026.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler writes that Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery "wants out." Montgomery is owed only $6 million in 2026 and is still on the right side of 30 years old, which should make him attractive on the trade market. The "word out of Indy" is that the Lions would "want a decent Day 3 pick" (potentially a fifth-rounder) in exchange for Montgomery. Fowler adds that the Seattle Seahawks would make a lot of sense for Monty if they don't re-sign impending free-agent RB Kenneth Walker III. The 28-year-old has seen his role shrink in Detroit in each of the last two seasons behind do-it-all back Jahmyr Gibbs. In 17 games in 2025, Montgomery had a career-low 158 carries for a career-low 716 rushing yards and eight touchdowns while catching 24 passes for 192 yards as a receiver. If he finishes out his contract in Detroit, he'll most likely be a distant No. 2 behind Gibbs again.

Three seasons into his NFL career, Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs has established himself as one of the premier players at his position. Across 17 games in 2025, the 23-year-old recorded 1,839 yards from scrimmage and 18 touchdowns on 320 touches. Gibbs is averaging nearly six yards per touch for his career and has recorded back-to-back seasons with at least 1,800 scrimmage yards and 18 scores. 2025 also brought about a couple of notable changes in Gibbs' profile. After starting just seven of his first 32 NFL games while sharing the Lions' backfield with veteran back David Montgomery, Gibbs started all 17 contests in 2025 and established himself as the team's clear RB1. Gibbs also saw the heaviest receiving workload of his career, setting single-season highs in targets (94), receptions (77), and receiving yards (616). In 2026, Gibbs appears likely to once again be relied upon as a heavily featured piece in the Lions' offense. Gibbs' ability to rack up fantasy production as both a rusher and receiver makes him an elite dynasty running back option heading into the prime years of his career.

Detroit Lions offensive tackle Taylor Decker announced on his Instagram account on Tuesday that he will return for an 11th NFL season in 2026 after contemplating retirement, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. The 32-year-old veteran has missed some time due to injuries in recent seasons, but the former 16th overall pick in 2016 out of Ohio State is still a well-above-average left tackle who was named to his first Pro Bowl in 2024. The news of Decker returning for another season is a win for Detroit's entire offensive line, most importantly for quarterback Jared Goff. Decker has started all 140 games that he's played in with the Lions over his 10 seasons in Motown.

Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes said that he's "been in touch" with running back David Montgomery and his agent and that they've had "healthy dialogue," according to Eric Woodyard of ESPN. "Those conversations are still fluid, and we'll just see how it goes," Holmes said during the NFL combine. Releasing the 28-year-old would save the team $3.5 million. Monty's role has shrunk in each of the last two years, and he really saw his involvement evaporate down the stretch in 2025. In 17 games played, the former third-rounder by the Chicago Bears in 2019 out of Iowa State had a career-low 158 carries for a career-low 716 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. He added 24 catches for 192 scoreless yards as a receiver. Montgomery might be more of a distant No. 2 behind Jahmyr Gibbs in 2026 if he sticks around, but a RB-needy team might be willing to trade for him this offseason.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams got off to a slow start to the 2025 season, recording just 16 catches for 289 yards and two touchdowns on 17 targets across the first seven weeks of the year. However, the 24-year-old emerged following Detroit's Week 8 bye, hauling in 49 receptions for 828 yards and five scores over his final 10 games played. Williams became a bigger focal point in the team's offense once Lions head coach Dan Campbell took over play-calling duties from former offensive coordinator John Morton, who was fired after the season. At the same time, Williams' production surge can also be correlated to the absence of Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (back), who went down for the season in Week 10 with a back injury. If LaPorta can make a healthy return in 2026, it's fair to wonder if Williams may fall back into a low-volume role in a Lions' offense that also includes star wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown. Still, Williams has continued to make small steps up in production in each of his four NFL seasons, and he remains an explosive playmaker with fantasy upside in dynasty formats.

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff had another strong season in 2025, completing 68% of his passes for 4,563 passing yards, 34 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He also lost five fumbles. Goff ranked as the overall QB9 in fantasy football, delivering his fourth consecutive top-10 finish. The Lions dealt with a lot of adversity last season, including the departure of superstar offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, and Detroit ultimately missed the playoffs. However, from a fantasy perspective, Goff appeared unaffected. He turned in his lowest interception total since 2022, though his increased fumble total wasn't ideal. Part of Goff's fantasy success can be attributed to the superstar group of offensive weapons around him, but he deserves plenty of credit, too. The veteran quarterback has learned how to protect the football while still making aggressive passes that rack up yards or result in a touchdown. Goff doesn't have the rushing upside that makes so many fantasy quarterbacks great, but his talent as a passer keeps him in the top-10 range for 2026 redraft leagues. Dynasty managers might consider selling high on Goff, because he is a candidate for regression over the next few seasons, even if it doesn't happen right away.

Since signing with the Detroit Lions as a free agent before the 2023 season, running back David Montgomery has been a key cog in the team's offensive resurgence. However, the 28-year-old saw a definitive downturn in his production in 2025, as star Lions back Jahmyr Gibbs took over a true lead role in the Detroit backfield. Across 17 games played, Montgomery recorded 716 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 158 carries. Over his last eight contests of 2025, Montgomery recorded more than eight rush attempts just once. At the conclusion of the regular season, Lions general manager Brad Holmes mentioned the possibility that the team could look to move on from Montgomery. While a change of scenery could help Montgomery's playing time outlook, he may no longer be able to handle a true RB1 workload as he enters his age-29 campaign. If Montgomery remains with the Lions, he likely profiles as a touchdown-dependent running back option with a limited upside for fantasy managers, unless Gibbs suffers an injury.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa got off to a slow start in 2025, but he seemed to turn a corner near the end of the regular season. Over the final three weeks of the season, he caught eight of 12 targets for 119 yards and two touchdowns, ranking as the overall WR17 in half-PPR leagues during that span. It was an encouraging end to his rookie campaign, and while anything could happen during the upcoming offseason, it seems like he's trending toward being the Lions' established No. 3 receiver in 2026. If TeSlaa remains the third receiver behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, he could have occasional WR3/flex appeal while also being an appealing injury handcuff. Managers in dynasty leagues should hold TeSlaa for now, but there could be an opportunity to buy low before free agency gets underway.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown posted another excellent season in 2025, recording 117 receptions for 1,401 yards and 11 touchdowns on 172 targets across 17 games played. The 26-year-old has established himself as one of the most consistent pass-catchers in the NFL, logging three straight seasons with at least 115 catches, 1,200 receiving yards, and double-digit touchdown grabs. Heading into 2026, St. Brown will be entering his age-27 season and should remain locked in as the top pass-catcher in the Lions' offense. Detroit should get tight end Sam LaPorta (back) back from the back injury that sidelined him for a significant part of 2025, and the Lions have other talented receiving options in wideout Jameson Williams and running back Jahmyr Gibbs. Still, St. Brown has proven to be the number one option for Detroit quarterback Jared Goff. St. Brown remains a high-end wide receiver option for both dynasty and re-draft fantasy managers as he continues his prime seasons.

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta was on a 17-game pace of 76 receptions for 924 yards and six touchdowns before a back injury prematurely ended his season. Expected to be healthy for the 2026 season, LaPorta should see heavy involvement in new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing's tight end-friendly system. With Petzing calling plays in Arizona for the past three seasons, Cardinals tight end Trey McBride has emerged as a fantasy superstar. While target competition in Detroit will be significantly stronger than McBride faced in the desert, LaPorta already has a TE1 season under his belt and is an obvious dynasty buy until his market recovers to its pre-injury form.

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs posted another excellent season in 2025, recording 1,839 yards from scrimmage and 18 touchdowns on 320 touches across 17 games played. While Gibbs' efficiency dropped slightly from his standout 2024 season, he still averaged 5.0 yards per carry and 5.7 yards per touch. The 23-year-old also set career-highs across the board as a receiver, finishing the year with 77 catches for 616 yards and five touchdowns on 94 targets. Perhaps most importantly for Gibbs' future outlook, he fully moved past fellow Lions running back David Montgomery on the team's depth chart. After the team's Week 8 bye, Montgomery played fewer than 40% of Detroit's offensive snaps in eight out of 10 contests. As long as Gibbs can stay healthy, he profiles as an elite fantasy running back for both 2026 and beyond.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams was slightly more productive in his fourth year in the league in 2025 despite the loss of offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Williams, the 12th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, set new career highs in catches (65), targets (102), and receiving yards (1,117) while scoring seven times for the second straight season in 17 starts. The 24-year-old only played in six games in his rookie campaign in 2022 as he recovered from an ACL tear, and Detroit struggled to find a role for him in Year 2. But Williams has reached his true potential over the last two years with 1,000-yard seasons, and he could have an even higher ceiling in new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing's scheme in 2026. Williams finished as a top-12 fantasy wideout in half-PPR scoring and will definitely have WR1 upside again for the Lions in 2026 as a big-play threat all over the field.