3 Lions Who Will Have Bounceback 2026 Seasons

Examining three Lions who will have bounceback years in 2026.

Oct 20, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions defensive tackle Alim McNeill (54) reacts after a tackle against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions will head into the upcoming season relying upon several key contributors to rebound from disappointing 2025 campaigns. 

Injuries and inconsistent play stymied a few important pieces last season, but there’s reason to believe multiple Lions are in store for improved production.

With that said, here are three players who could return to form in a significant way in 2026.

DL Alim McNeill

McNeill experienced a rough 2025 campaign after returning from a torn ACL that prematurely ended his 2024 season. 

Quite notably, his pass-rush success fell off in a significant fashion, as he finished with zero sacks and just two QB hits. And for his efforts, he earned a 61.3 pass-rush mark from Pro Football Focus, ranking 72nd among 134 qualified interior defensive linemen. 

He also struggled stopping the run, finishing with a dismal PFF run-defense grade of 47.2. 

The Lions need him to bounce back in a big way this upcoming season. And if he reverts to his 2024 form (he earned a 79.6 PFF overall grade), Detroit would be in good shape. 

I believe McNeill will get back to being a reliable contributor on the interior of the line in 2026. 

LB Malcolm Rodriguez 

Rodriguez suffered an ACL ailment late during the 2024 campaign, which forced him to miss all of training camp and delayed his return even further due to a setback. When he finally got back onto the field, it was clear he was still working his way back from the injury.

Still, Rodriguez – a fan favorite among Lions fans – provides valuable depth and experience at the linebacker position. 

And with Alex Anzalone now gone, Rodriguez could play himself into a starting role in Kelvin Sheppard’s defense.

Consequently, Rodriguez has a legitimate shot to get his career back on track heading into his age-27 season.

G Christian Mahogany 

Mahogany regressed and battled injuries in 2025, his second NFL season. 

He especially struggled as a pass-blocker, allowing six sacks, five quarterback hits and 27 total pressures across 407 pass-blocking snaps. For his efforts, he earned a paltry 40.7 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus, the fifth-worst mark among qualified guards. 

Additionally, he posted a PFF overall mark of just 59.1, a season after recording an overall grade of 81.6 (albeit across just 75 total snaps).

I believe that Mahogany still has room to grow and possesses the necessary intangibles to be a solid offensive lineman at the NFL level. And I believe that the Lions will get a better season out of the Boston College product in 2026.