One Lions Player Who Helped Roster Chances Most at Minicamp

The Detroit Lions entered organized team activities and minicamp with a number of positions still up for grabs, including multiple roster spots along the defensive line.

However, during these aforementioned offseason practices, arguably nobody helped their chances of cracking the Lions’ season-opening, 53-man roster more than defensive lineman Tyler Lacy.

Whenever the Lions needed a “big end,” as in a 4i or a 5-tech, in OTAs and minicamp, Lacy was consistently the first lineman tabbed, notably ahead of 2021 second-round pick Levi Onwuzurike.

While Onwuzurike is returning from an ACL injury that caused him to miss the entire 2025 season and could simply be being eased back into action, Lacy's extensive workload should hardly be overlooked.

Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that Detroit head coach Dan Campbell views Lacy’s size as a plus in that “big end” role. His physical attributes, particularly his combination of size and length, should pay dividends for him in defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard's scheme.

“We have got some length now, we have got some size and length and athletic ability on the perimeter,” the sixth-year Lions head man said. “You know Lacy is that, but he’s a little more of that big end, big stack, but we are big, we are long and so you can’t wait for training camp, you know, you just can’t wait.”

Lacy – a post-roster cutdown acquisition by the Lions in 2025 – suited up for 10 contests, making four starts, in his inaugural campaign in Detroit. In those games, he compiled 21 tackles and a sack for Sheppard’s unit.

Campbell has made it known he’s a fan of Lacy’s versatility to play both inside and on the edge, and Lacy has garnered a solid amount of reps in both spots throughout the offseason. It'll be interesting to see if that trend continues in training camp this summer.

Lacy’s ability to line up in more than one spot on the line should absolutely bode well for him in his attempt to make the Lions’ season-opening roster.

Subsequently, he’s a darkhorse candidate to be part of Detroit’s defensive line room entering the 2026 season. And with a strong performance in training camp, he could very well solidify his status as a member of the team’s roster to open the season.

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