Detroit, MI
Which Lions player has the most to prove in 2026?
As a team, the Detroit Lions have a ton to prove this season.
After taking a step back in 2025 for the first time in the Dan Campbell era, doubt is starting to creep in both within Detroit and from the national audience. It hasn’t been a splashy offseason, and with some drama surrounding the departures of Alex Anzalone, Taylor Decker, and Terrion Arnold, the vibes have certainly been off.
Proving the doubters wrong starts at an individual level, and there are plenty of Lions players who must use this season to turn their career around or show that they belong in Detroit.
So today’s Question of the Day is:
Which Lions player has the most to prove in 2026?
My answer: On offense, one name jumps to the top of the list for me: Christian Mahogany.
After his rookie season, it looked like the Lions may have found a gem in Mahogany. While he only played a handful of games, the fifth-round pick finished the season on a high note, projecting to be the team’s left guard of the future. Unfortunately, 2025 was filled with injuries and subpar play. Mahogany will have to compete with Ben Bartch and Miles Frazier just to win back his starting job, but the bar should be higher than that. He needs to prove he can be a potential high-end starter again, because the bar is very high when it comes to offensive line expectations in Detroit.
On defense, the list is much longer, but I think the most pressure is on Derrick Barnes. With Anzalone now gone, Barnes will be expected to not only be a full-time starter, but take on multiple roles. He needs to take his pass rush, coverage skills, and even edge setting to a new level and justify the three-year, $24 million extension he was given. If he succeeds, the Lions defense has a chance to bounce back in 2026. If he fails, it seems unlikely Barnes will reach the final year on his contract, which includes a hefty $6.145 million option bonus.
Which Lions players do you think have the most to prove in the 2026 season? Share your answers in the comment section below.
After being selected No. 53 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft, Ugonna Onyenso signed a two-way deal with the Detroit Pistons.
Amid speculation of a possible Jalen Duren departure, the Detroit Pistons signed recent No. 53 overall pick Ugonna Onyenso to a two-way contract following the 2026 NBA Draft. Considering Detroit finished atop the Eastern Conference last year, playing time may be tough to come by for Onyenso; however, that doesn’t change his status as an intriguing prospect.
Despite nearly falling out of the draft entirely, the Virginia product was viewed as one of the top shot-blocking prospects, standing at 7’0″ with a 7’5″ wingspan. Last season in the ACC, Onyenso had a block percentage of 17.4 and averaged 2.9 blocks in less than 20 minutes per game. In the ACC Tournament, Onyenso gained notariety for his defensive prowess, averaging seven blocks per game in a three-game span, including nine blocks against Cameron Boozer and Duke.
For these reasons, Onyenso has potential to carve out a solid career as a defensive specialist if given the opportunity.
Taylor police are investigating after a man was found dead with stab wounds outside of a vehicle early Thursday morning.
Police responded to the 11000 block of Elm Street around 4:15 a.m. Thursday for a report of an unresponsive man lying on the ground next to a vehicle. Medics pronounced the man dead at the scene.
Detectives identified a former girlfriend of the victim, and an investigation led police to the area of Telegraph and McNichols roads in Detroit, where authorities say they found her vehicle.
When detectives attempted to make contact with the woman, they say she fled in her car.
The woman’s vehicle was later found abandoned in a field in the 15000 block of Salem Street.
With help from Detroit police and the Michigan State Police K-9 Unit, authorities tracked down the woman hiding behind a bush and took her into custody without incident.
Taylor police have not identified the victim or the suspect.
An investigation is ongoing.
A.J. Hinch on Tigers win vs Yankees: ‘Gutsy’ game by Keider Montero
Manager A.J. Hinch on Detroit Tigers win vs Yankees in New York on Wednesday, July 1: ‘Gutsy’ game by Keider Montero
ARLINGTON, TX – The Texas Rangers pounded Detroit Tigers starter Framber Valdez and then kept the onslaught going against the Tigers bullpen in a 10-4 victory at Globe Life Field on Thursday, July 2.
The Rangers scored five runs off Valdez in five innings – and it would have been far worse but the Tigers played some great defense behind him.
Meanwhile, Texas starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi looked like he was going to have a no-hitter, retiring the first nine Tigers and not giving up a hit until the fifth.
Then, everything switched. Colt Keith, who broke up the no-no, and Hao-Yu Lee homered off Eovaldi, as the Tigers tried to come back. The Tigers (37-50) had several chances late against the bullpen of the Rangers (45-43), but they couldn’t get the big hit at the big moment, stranding five runners in the sixth and seventh innings.
At the plate: Cold start in Texas heat for Tigers
Eovaldi came into the game with wins in his last three starts.
Make it four.
Eovaldi baffled the Tigers early, striking seven of the first nine Tigers. It was a masterful start of the game for someone who came into the game with a season-high of nine strikeouts. Eovaldi’s no-hitter lasted into the fifth inning until Keith hammered an 0-2 cutter for his sixth homer of the year.
That seemed to loosen things up for the Tigers. Zach McKinstry slapped a single. Then, Lee blasted a ball to left field. Alejandro Osuna, the Rangers left fielder, jumped up at the wall and appeared to rob it. But he couldn’t hold onto it, as Lee had a two-run homer.
Suddenly, the Tigers cut the Rangers lead to 5-3.
The Tigers loaded the bases in the sixth, but right-handed reliever Peyton Gray struck out Lee.
The Tigers threatened again in the seventh, putting two on but couldn’t score.
On the mound: Defense helps out Framber Valdez
The Rangers came out swinging against Valdez. And they didn’t miss many. Only three in fact.
Valdez gave up five hits in the first two innings, not to mention a walk with the bases loaded, a sacrifice fly and a homer by Elias Díaz.
It would have been far worse, but Kerry Carpenter came to the rescue with his defense. In the first inning, the Rangers had runners on first and second when catcher Kyle Higashioka drilled a ball into the right-center gap – 102.2 mph off the bat. It looked like two runs. Easy.
But Carpenter played it perfectly. He broke on the ball, sprinting full speed toward the wall, covered a country mile (OK, maybe it just looked that way), reached out at the last second with his backhand and snagged the ball, just as he reached the warning track.
It was a fantastic play, stranding two runners and saving two runs.
Then, the Rangers stranded two more in the second inning.
So, even though Texas had a 3-0 second-inning lead, it could have been far worse.
Then, Carpenter made another fine play in the third inning. He ran up on a blooper, fielded the ball and threw out a runner at second, preventing another big inning.
In fact, the Tigers’ defense was great all around. There was McKinstry, diving for a line shot followed by Lee making a great play at second. And Kevin McGonigle had a fantastic play at third.
Right-hander Beau Brieske, who was called up on Wednesday when Will Vest was placed on the injured list, pitched the sixth. He gave up a monster homer to Josh Smith, who pounced on a first-pitch fastball.
Then, the Rangers put up three more runs against lefty Drew Sommers, who didn’t record an out.
Next up: Taking a break for soccer
The Tigers are off on Friday because of a World Cup game across the way at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, with Australia –.which had a vocal contingent of fans in the Globe Life stands Thursday – facing Egypt in the Round of 32 in the afternoon.
The Tigers’ series vs. the Rangers resumes Saturday (4:05 p.m., Detroit SportsNet) with right-hander Jack Flaherty (1-8, 4.97) on the mound for the Tigers, while right-hander Kumar Rocker (2-6, 3.83) will start for the Rangers.
The game will be played indoors, much to the chagrin of Hinch.
“I think our players should have to play outside in Texas one time in their career, so they know what it was like,” Hinch said before the game. “There’s nothing like coming here in the middle of the summer. Now we have a nice little push roof to keep everybody cool.”
The Rangers played outdoors in Arlington from 1972 (when they moved to Texas from Washington) to 2019, when Globe Life Field opened.
Contact Jeff Seidel at jseidel@freepress.com or follow him @seideljeff.
-
Wyoming3 minutes agoAudit spots some errors, but gives Wyoming Business Council passing grade
-
Crypto6 minutes agoZcash Price Climbs 13% in a Week as Network Preps Ironwood Upgrade
-
Finance11 minutes agoFormer top Treasury adviser warns that HMRC plans to track personal finances with AI
-
Fitness18 minutes agoThe Fitness Secrets of Wimbledon’s Top Tennis Pros
-
Movie Reviews26 minutes ago1986 Movie Reviews – About Last Night, Big Trouble in Little China, The Great Mouse Detective, Howling II, Psycho III, Under the Cherry Moon | The Nerdy
-
World31 minutes agoTurkey's Erdogan Says Israel Must Not Scupper US-Iran Deal
-
Lifestyle1 hour agoYou know the Mayflower. What about the White Lion? Here’s the story of ‘Two Ships’
-
Technology1 hour agoFlatbush Zombies’ Erick the Architect misses his BlackBerry keyboard
