Isaac TeSlaa Has Lofty Goals, Ready To 'Punish' Defenses in 2026

Lions Isaac TeSlaa believes team will wreak havoc on opposing defenses.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac Teslaa (18). | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Detroit Lions second-year wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa is expected to be a big part of the offense in 2026.

Last season, TeSlaa scored six touchdowns on 16 total receptions as a rookie. Now, after a strong offseason, it's anticipated that he'll be featured more heavily in his second season.

It's worth noting that the Lions have a number of talented playmakers at the skill positions, with Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta all among the mix. TeSlaa believes this will create problems for opposing defenses, and he expects to make teams pay.

“It’s exciting for me, it’s exciting for the whole offense. With the weapons that we have, I don’t know how you’re gonna guard all of our skill positions," TeSlaa said during mandatory minicamp. "If you want to try to double a guy, you’re just leaving another extremely skilled person wide open. I think it’s a great opportunity for the whole offense. They’ve got to worry about a lot of guys, and we’re excited to punish them on the field.” 

With offseason workouts in the rearview mirror, TeSlaa seems to have made a strong impression on the coaching staff. Head coach Dan Campbell had high praise for the Michigan native and his consistency, as well as his performance in bigger opportunities late in his rookie year.

"I felt like – when you go back, you step back and look it’s like, ‘Man, there is so much more meat on the bone, I almost wish we could have gotten TeSlaa some more touches than he did get.’ But it wasn’t because of him," Campbell said. "His growth took off, and he did, he got a little bit better every week, he became a guy – would tell you by the end of the year we had a lot of trust in. We believed he could do a lot of jobs. He is just steady, he’s steady, he is consistent for a young guy, he doesn’t get frazzled."

Throughout the team's various rounds of OTAs and most recently mandatory minicamp, TeSlaa admitted that he has become more comfortable within the offense. This has been on display throughout practices, as he feels as though he's playing faster and thinking less.

"I mean this as a compliment, what he is done out here is in the spring, Phase II, OTAs and all of that, it has just been very – there’s been nothing like flashy about and that is a good thing," Campbell noted. "I mean he is just consistent and where we expected him to be at this point this time for year two is exactly where we want him and I would say probably even a little bit more, you are impressed, He feels like a veteran right now.”

High hopes

TeSlaa told reporters that he spent some of his offseason training back home, and also spent some time training at X3 in Fort Myers, Florida. He had done pre-draft training at that facility prior to last season, and enjoyed his time there.

Prior to last season, TeSlaa had the approach of doing whatever it took to earn a role and make a contribution. With a year under his belt now, he has higher aspirations for the upcoming campaign thanks to the comfort his rookie year provided.

“Last year, I came in not really knowing what to expect," TeSlaa said. "I didn’t know how much playing time I was going to get, I was really just working on earning my role. This year, now that I feel like I’ve got a little more comfortable, I have some pretty lofty goals for myself.”