Detroit Lions – Lions Lowdown

Detroit Lions 2026 schedule released; includes 4 prime-time games

Showcase games are for the NFL contenders so count the Detroit Lions in once again. In the 2026 schedule, which was released Thursday night, the Lions will play in at least four prime-time games — one at home and three on the road. That number could climb to five, but the day and time for the Week 18 game at Green Bay has not been set.

The Lions open at home against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Sept. 13. Connections can be found on both sides. Lions coach Dan Campbell spent five seasons as assistant head coach/tight ends coach with the Saints. New Orleans head coach Kellen Moore was with the Lions as Mathew Stafford’s backup from 2012 to 2014.

Detroit won’t have much time to prepare for Week 2 which is a Thursday night game at the Buffalo Bills. The other prime-time games are: Oct. 4 at the Arizona Cardinals, Dec. 20 at the Minnesota Vikings and Monday, Dec. 28 hosting the N.Y. Giants.

As previously announced, the Lions will play the New England Patriots in Munich, Germany, on Nov. 15 at 9:30 a.m.

The bye week in Week 6 isn’t ideal coming in the first third of an 18-game season. Neither is scheduling Week 2 on a Thursday night. Also, teams that play in Europe often get the next week as a bye but that won’t happen for the Lions. They’ll be home to the Tampa Bay Bucs on Nov. 22.

Here is the complete schedule:

WEEK	DATE	OPPONENT	TIME	TV
1	Sunday, September 13	vs. New Orleans Saints	1:00 p.m.	FOX
2	Thursday, September 17	at Buffalo Bills	8:15 p.m.	PRIME
3	Sunday, September 27	vs. New York Jets	1:00 p.m.	FOX
4	Sunday, October 4	at Carolina Panthers	8:20 p.m.	NBC
5	Sunday, October 11	at Arizona Cardinals	4:25 p.m.	FOX
6		BYE WEEK
7	Sunday, October 25	vs. Green Bay Packers	4:25 p.m.	FOX
8	Sunday, November 1	vs. Minnesota Vikings	1:00 p.m.	FOX
9	Sunday, November 8	at Miami Dolphins	1:00 p.m.	FOX
10	Sunday, November 15	vs. New England Patriots (Munich)	9:30 a.m.	FOX
11	Sunday, November 22	vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers	1:00 p.m.	CBS
12	Thursday, November 26	vs. Chicago Bears	1:00 p.m.	CBS
13	Sunday, December 6	at Atlanta Falcons	1:00 p.m.	CBS
14	Sunday, December 13	vs. Tennessee Titans	1:00 p.m.	FOX
15	Sunday, December 20	at Minnesota Vikings	8:20 p.m.	NBC
16	Monday, December 28	vs. New York Giants	8:15 p.m.	ESPN
17	Sunday, January 3	at Chicago Bears	4:25 p.m.	FOX
18	TBD	at Green Bay Packers	TBD	TBD

Lions add pair of defensive tackles in final 2 rounds of draft

ALLEN PARK — The Lions wrapped up the 2026 NFL draft by selecting a pair of defensive tackles — Skyler Gill-Howard in the sixth round (205th) and Tyre West in the seventh (222nd) on Saturday.

GM Brad Holmes said he likes their ability to apply pressure as sub-rushers.

Gill-Howard, 6-8 and 280 pounds, played at Texas Tech his senior year after starting collegiate career at Northern Illinois. In 2025 he started the first six games (13 tackles, 2.5 TFLs with 0.5 sacks, INT-returned for TD, PBU) and then missed the second half of the year with an ankle injury. In his junior year at Northern Illinois he played in a dozen games with one start.

He has only played on the defensive line since 2022.

“I feel like I’m a great player with no ceiling, meaning that I can improve each and every year in whatever aspect I need to. I feel I can go out and make an impact immediately or do what the team needs me to do, it doesn’t matter. There’s still a long way to go.’’

The Lions hat he was wearing during a Zoom call came from his grandfather who is a big Lions fan and was wearing it at the draft party. It was the only hate in the room. “It was meant to be,’’ Gill-Howard said.

“Gill-Howard is a relentless defensive lineman who has climbed from the Division II level to a starting role in the Big 12,’’ per CBS Sports analysis. “Despite being undersized for the interior, he plays with incredible energy and leverages his wrestling background to overpower larger blockers.’’

NFL analyst Lance Zierlein said: “He needs to major in disruption and chaos to find a long-term home as a rotational, upfield tackle.’’

In the seventh round, the Lions drafted Tyre West, who started just five games in four seasons at Tennessee.

Zierlein wrote: “West’s snap and start counts are unusually low for a draftable prospect. He has the bone thickness of an interior defender, but a chunk of his collegiate reps came at 5-technique and even-front defensive end. He’s a solid athlete with good quickness but below-average hand usage. He appears capable of sinking and anchoring but will be tested against interior double teams on the next level. West’s ability to pressure the pocket could earn him an opportunity at the next level.’’

Lions draft LB Jimmy Rolder in 4th; 2nd Michigan defenseman in 2 days

ALLEN PARK — The Detroit Lions drafted a second straight Michigan Wolverine, when they selected linebacker Jimmy Rolder with their only pick in the fourth round (118 overall) on Saturday.

On Friday, Detroit drafted EDGE Derrick Moore (Michigan) in the second round.

Rolder said it’s going to be “awesome” to play again with Moore. Those two join EDGE Aidan Hutchinson who was drafted out of Michigan in 2022.

What makes the Michigan defense stand out? “I think just the way we play at Michigan. The way we play defense,’’ Rolder said. “We held our hat on playing physical, playing tough, playing with high effort.’’

In 2025, his first year as a starter, Rolder led Michigan with 73 tackles. He 11 starts in 12 games (7 TFLs with 2 sacks, INT, 2 PBUs).

“I just really started coming into my own. I think I’m really just getting started,’’ Rolder said on a conference call on Saturday. “I had that one year of starting and as I was playing I was playing with more and more confidence each week. I think the ceiling is way way high now. I’m excited to take it to the next level and keep working on things.’’

NFL analyst Lance Zierlein said Rolder’s instincts and run-game consistency make it hard to believe he was only a one-year starter in college.

When Rolder was getting recruited out of high school he particiapted on a Zoom call with Lions LB Jack Campbell who was playing for Iowa at the time.

“Reconvening with him, playing with him at the next level it’s going to be awesome,’’ Rolder said. “Then obviously coming in, competing with other guys in the room, pushing each other to get better everyday in practice.’’

Rolder was a multi-sport athlete at Marist High School in Orland Park, Ill., where he helped the football team to an appearance in the Class 8A State semifinal. He had committed to play Division I baseball at Illinois. But it was during COVID, a tumultuous time. In the end football won out.

“I like baseball, but I love football,’’ said Rolder, who also enjoys playing golf.

When he got the call from Lions GM Brad Holmes Saturday, Rolder was sitting on a golf cart working with his stepdad, Scott Kehoe (Illinois, Miami Dolphins) at the Champions 4 Children charity golf outing in Fort Myers, Fla.