Detroit, MI
MOCK DRAFT WATCH: Defense dominates early predictions for Lions
Josh Edwards, CBS Sports: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama (No. 29)
Why: A year ago, Detroit plucked defensive back Brian Branch out of Tuscaloosa. Dan Campbell identifies another Nick Saban protégé in the first round to upgrade the secondary.
Tom Fornelli, CBS Sports: T.J. Tampa, CB, Iowa State (No. 29)
Why: This might not be the ideal fit for Detroit, but whomever the Lions take here, I’d put money on it being a defensive back. As for Tampa, he’s a tall and long corner who is better in zone coverages right now than man. He showed excellent ball skills at Iowa State thanks to his ability to dissect routes quickly.
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA Today: Ennis Rakestraw Jr., CB, Missouri (No. 29)
Why: Stifling in man coverage, Rakestraw Jr. is exactly the kind of tenacious yet savvy cornerback that Dan Campbell would appreciate. He could help provide needed stability to a secondary that has been repeatedly reshuffled in recent years and still gave up 411 passing yards per game over the last six games of the season.
Middlehurst-Schwartz’s full mock
Ben Solak, The Ringer: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
Why: I’d rather see the Lions spend big money on a free agent, as early-round cornerbacks can bust like crazy, but if they do indeed make the pick, a high-upside player in Nate Wiggins makes sense. Wiggins needs to get bigger in the NFL, but he has length, ball skills, and speed.
Joel Klatt, Fox Sports: Ennis Rakestraw Jr., CB, Missouri
Why: What a great playoff run it was for the Lions, but it was clear that they needed to help their secondary. Their pass rush is pretty good, but they need to help it out with a better secondary.
Nick Baumgardner, The Athletic: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama (No. 29)
Why: The Lions are in dire need of CB help, although they also need to address the edge spot opposite Aidan Hutchinson. McKinstry, Arnold’s running mate at Alabama, was the higher-rated recruit due to his terrific combination of size (6-1, 195), length and athletic balance. A very patient player, McKinstry could help Detroit right away.
Baumgardner’s full mock
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: Ennis Rakestraw Jr., CB, Missouri (No. 29)
Why: The Lions’ big issues with downfield cornerback coverage finally burned them for good against the 49ers in the NFC championship game. Rakestraw, a rising prospect worth watching in the pre-draft process, will be attractive to Aaron Glenn because of aggressive, fearless, and physical man-to-man coverage.
Detroit, MI
Detroit Fire Department brings Christmas joy to family who lost everything in house fire
DETROIT (WXYZ) — Christmas came early for a Detroit family of 10 after the Detroit Fire Department surprised them with a truck full of gifts, nearly a year after they lost their home and all belongings in a devastating fire.
On Jan. 6, Raychelle Womack and her family were living in their home on Santa Rosa Drive near Fullerton Street when it caught fire. All their possessions were destroyed in the blaze.
Watch Demetrios Sanders’ video report below:
Family’s Christmas saved after fire
“You try buying everything for a new baby and then you lose it all, on top of the other seven kids that you’ve got — that’s everything,” Womack said.
As the family continued recovering from the fire, questions remained about what Christmas could look like this year.
“Whatever we could make happen, that’s what we’re going to make happen,” Womack said.
WXYZ
That worry disappeared when the Detroit Fire Department and community partners visited the family’s new east side home with a truck full of Christmas gifts.
“To lose everything and then slowly but surely gain everything, it means a lot,” Womack said.
This marks the fourth year the Detroit Fire Department has brought Christmas cheer to families in need during the holidays.
WXYZ
“We know people lose everything in these fires, so if we can do anything to make their lives better, to make their lives easier, especially around the holiday season, we’re willing to do it,” said Chuck Simms, executive fire commissioner with the Detroit Fire Department.
Simms said the effort is driven by donations and brings joy not only to the families impacted but also to the first responders who participate.
“It’s just a great thing and nice thing for us to do,” Simms said.
WXYZ
With a Christmas tree now surrounded by gifts, Womack’s children are definitely looking forward to Christmas.
“It was nice and we appreciate it,” one child said.
WXYZ
For Womack, only one challenge remains.
“Now it’s making sure everything (gifts) stays closed until Christmas,” Womack said.
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This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Detroit Tigers sign Kyle Finnegan, Kenley Jansen in MLB free agency
The Detroit Tigers signed relievers Kyle Finnegan and Kenley Jansen to upgrade their bullpen. Evan Petzold and Chris Brown evaluate on “Days of Roar.”
Kenley Jansen is destined for the Baseball Hall of Fame.
The 38-year-old right-handed reliever is fourth on the all-time saves list, first on the active saves leaderboard, 24 saves away from the 500 milestone and just signed a one-year contract that guarantees $11 million.
But he hasn’t received the closer role from the Detroit Tigers for the 2026 season.
“Will we label Kenley the closer?” Tigers president baseball operations Scott Harris said Wednesday, Dec. 17, deferring to manager A.J. Hinch. “I don’t know. That’s going to be for A.J. to figure out. I’m just going to try to give him as many options as possible.”
Entering 2026, Jansen – a four-time All-Star in his 16-year MLB career – trails only three relievers on the saves list, all three of which are Hall of Famers: Lee Smith (478), Trevor Hoffman (601) and Mariano Rivera (652).
Before signing Jansen, the Tigers connected him with Hinch for an important phone call. For context, Hinch hasn’t named a full-time closer since left-hander Gregory Soto in 2021-22, instead favoring a bullpen that operates without defined roles.
Early signs suggest Jansen has already embraced the Tigers’ approach.
“From that conversation, we learned Kenley is all about winning,” Harris said of Jansen, who won the 2020 World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers. “He’s willing to pitch in any spot. He just wants to be in a winning environment. And he was really attracted to Detroit as a destination, which is a huge step forward for this organization.”
Celebrate 125 epic seasons with the Tigers!
With three more saves, Jansen will move into sole possession of third place.
He has secured at least four saves in each of his 16 seasons, along with 25 or more saves in each of the past 13 full seasons, not counting the coronavirus pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign.
“We liked a lot of things,” Harris said. “First of all, he’s one of the best to ever do it. I’ve admired him from afar – and up close for a few years. He brings a ton of success in the highest-leverage moments of games in the regular season and postseason.”
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In 2025, Jansen registered a 2.59 ERA with 19 walks and 57 strikeouts across 59 innings in 62 games for the Los Angeles Angels, racking up 29 saves in 30 opportunities.
His 8.1% walk rate ranked in the 46th percentile, while his 24.4% strikeout rate ranked in the 63rd percentile.
Many indicators foreshadow regression coming soon – most notably the lowest strikeout rate of his career, driven by his third-worst in-zone whiff rate and worst out-of-zone whiff rate over the past four seasons – but the Tigers believe in their future Hall of Fame reliever.
“The cutter still really plays,” Harris said. “He also has a two-seamer that misses bats, as well as a curveball. We think he’s going to miss plenty of bats for us. We think there are some things that we can do with sequencing and refining some of the shapes of his mix.”
The Tigers have pursued Jansen several times.
There was interest during the 2024-25 offseason, when he ultimately signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Angels, then at the 2025 trade deadline, when the Angels opted not to move him, and once again in the 2025-26 offseason, when the Tigers finally signed him to a one-year, $9 million contract, which includes a $12 million club option for 2027 (with a $2 million buyout).
“I’ve admired him from afar and up close,” Harris said.
With Jansen, the Tigers now feel confident using four relievers in save situations. The other three: right-hander Kyle Finnegan, right-hander Will Vest and left-hander Tyler Holton.
Of those four relievers, three of them produced more than 20 saves during the 2025 season, led by Jansen’s 29 and followed by Finnegan’s 24 and Vest’s 23.
“I think it was really important for us to add to the bullpen and be able to protect the leads that we know we’re going to get,” said Harris, who re-signed Finnegan on a two-year, $19 million contract earlier this month. “Whether we can find other opportunities to make our bullpen better, I’m not quite sure yet, but I like the bullpen as it is right now.”
For Jansen, his sights are set on reaching 500 saves.
It’s likely to happen in 2026.
But Jansen isn’t the Tigers’ closer.
Not yet.
“It’s going to be A.J.’s call on that,” Harris said.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
Listen to our weekly Tigers show “Days of Roar” every Monday afternoon during the season and Tuesday afternoon during the offseason on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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