Biggest Takeaways From Day 1 of Detroit Lions 2026 Mandatory Minicamp

The Detroit Lions are growing closer to the official start of the 2026 NFL season.

With organized team activities in the rearview mirror, the Lions took the field Tuesday for the start of mandatory minicamp.

Head coach Dan Campbell noted that the coaching staff is entering these workouts with an open mind and are eager to see who owns their opportunities and makes a statement in these workouts.

"Listen, our eyes are open," Campbell said. "Every year, whether it's free agency or draft or any of these, you're acquiring competition. The more you invest in somebody, you're saying you feel like that's the guy that's probably gonna take that spot, but it's not a guarantee.

"There have been guys in this league, it happens more than you would think, that are overlooked or things happen or it's injury," Campbell continued. "All of a sudden they get their confidence up, they start making plays and they earn a role, they earn a spot. Our eyes are open."

Here are the biggest takeaways from the first day of mandatory minicamp.

Early scrum

In a lighthearted moment before practice, offensive line coach Hank Fraley noted that he had told former player turned assistant Dan Skipper to avoid the scrums. Skipper, who had been a player known to not back down from a challenge, has taken on the role of peacemaker.

Ironically, some tensions boiled over at the beginning of practice in a moment that tested Skipper's resolve. Newly minted as an assistant, Skipper was part of the effort to separate the players involved.

There was some early action between the offense and defense despite the practice being non-padded. An early back-and-forth broke out between undrafted free agent defensive end Anthony Lucas and offensive tackle Devin Cochran.

Speaking to Lions OnSI after practice, Cochran had praise for Lucas and the effort and energy he's brought to practice throughout offseason workouts.

"(Lucas) is awesome, he pushes me every day, he pushes all of us," Cochran said. "He's probably the one guy we've got on this hit list. You're always gonna have one. Today it just got a little chippy, a little fiesty and (you) just start throwing hands."

Cochran understands the effort and intensity that comes with trying to make the team as an undrafted free agent like Lucas is now. He quipped that he wouldn't mind mixing it up with the defender again.

"I love it. He's a UDFA, reminds me of myself. He's super hungry," Cochran stated. "I would come out here and fight him every day if I could."

Pesky defense

During team drills, the defense had plenty of answers for the offense throughout the day. Kelvin Sheppard's group was swarming, and was active in taking the ball away.

All three of the Lions' quarterbacks threw interceptions Tuesday. Jared Goff was picked off by safety Chuck Clark on a pass intended for Amon-Ra St. Brown. Rookie linebacker Jimmy Rolder picked a pass from Teddy Bridgewater in 7-on-7 drills, and undrafted free agent Aamaris Brown picked off Luke Altmyer.

Had practice been padded, linebacker Jack Campbell may have had a sack on Goff during a team drills after a nice pass-rush. Goff almost had another pass picked off by Khalil Dorsey. Veteran linebacker Joe Bachie also tipped a pass, upping the tally of possible takeaways.

Safety Loren Strickland also had an opportunity to generate a takeaway when he jumped a crossing route in the direction of Greg Dortch. However, he was unable to corral the ball as it hit him in the chest.

While the offense struggled in team drills, it was a better showing in seven-on-seven drills. Amon-Ra St. Brown had some success, while Jameson Williams beat Rock Ya-Sin in coverage for a nice gain. Isaac TeSlaa also had a strong showing with a good catch, holding onto the ball despite Ennis Rakestraw trying to punch it out.

Terrion Arnold Inside Allen Park at Detroit Lions Minicamp pic.twitter.com/HpULIqCc67
— DetroitSportsPodcast (@DetroitPodcast) June 16, 2026

Left guard competition

Campbell was straightforward in his press conference that the team is entering camp with an open competition at the left guard position.

Christian Mahogany, who was last year's starter for most of the season despite missing some time with a knee injury, is back but will have to earn the job. He's proven his ability throughout the first two seasons of his career, but the team has veteran Ben Bartch and 2025 Day 3 pick Miles Frazier also in the mix.

"It's open. Look, Mahogany is very much in that," Campbell said. "He played a couple of games for us in '24, he started for us until he had the injury (last year) and then came back and started again. So we know he's got ability, he's got potential. But there's a reason why we brought in Bartch, there's a reason Frazier's here. There's a reason why all those guys are in there, we may try Manu a little bit. We're gonna let this thing go and see what happens.

Bartch is a free agent addition who has been out throughout offseason workouts while recovering from a Lisfranc injury, while Frazier was intriguing throughout his late-season audition as a rookie in 2025.

"It'll be good for all of them," Campbell explained. "When you have somebody nipping at your heels and you're having to compete and push and you're all competing for the same thing, it's good for everybody. We expect him to compete and we expect him to put his best foot forward and play some of his best football."

Lions QB Coach Mark Brunell still has great ACCURACY pic.twitter.com/b2xWlVYZDW
— DetroitSportsPodcast (@DetroitPodcast) June 16, 2026

RB to monitor

The Lions made some moves at the running back position this offseason, trading David Montgomery to Houston and signing Isiah Pacheco as a free agent while annointing Jahmyr Gibbs as the bell-cow ahead of a possible contract extension.

However, Sione Vaki remains a player to watch in the room. A college safety who dabbled at running back while at Utah, Vaki's ability to contribute offensively has been very limited throughout the first two years of his career.

Campbell acknowledged the ability he has at the position, but was honest about the lack of production over his first two seasons.

"He's got ability. He is another guy, pound-for-pound he's one of our best athletes. He is explosive, he's strong, he's quick," Campbell said. "There's things about him, but the running back position is a little raw. Yes, he's been in there, he did a little bit in college, this is year three, but he hasn't played running back. A lot of it is injury, and then the other two guys have been ahead of him."

Heading into a pivotal third year, Campbell is eager to see if Vaki can contribute in some capacity to the offense potentially as the team's third running back.

"He's another guy, our eyes are open. If we feel like the protections are something he can do, and he can do a few things out of the backfield, then he proves that, then yeah," Campbell said. "We want to move the football and we want to win, so if he helps us do that, we're gonna find a way to put him on the field."

Quick hitters

1.) Sheila Hamp and Bill Ford were both in attendance for Tuesday's practice.

2.) The Lions showed off some new equipment for different drills Tuesday, with one being an elevator net. The quarterbacks used this to work on touch throws, with even quarterbacks coach Mark Brunell displaying that he still has some skill left in the tank from his playing days. Additionally, the team has a machine that throws multiple balls at once.

3.) Undrafted free agent Miles Kitselman got some work in with the first-team offense as Sam LaPorta continues to be limited and Tyler Conklin was out once again.

4.) With Terrion Arnold back in action but still limited, the team has given more first-team opportunities to veteran Khalil Dorsey.

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