The Detroit Lions Podcast

Why Tackle Tops the Lions’ Offseason ListSenior Bowl week set the tone in Mobile. The Shrine Bowl wrapped the other night. Scott Bischoff and Russell Brown are deep in practice tape on the Detroit Lions Podcast. The conversation zeroed in on offensive tackle and how it drives every Detroit Lions decision.Offensive tackle is the biggest need for this roster. Outside of Penei Sewell, the future at left or right tackle is unclear. Decker’s status is not defined. That uncertainty elevates tackle above every other position.You can patch the interior with a veteran and a younger center. Graham Glasgow remains in place. That worst case is manageable. The priority is tackle.Sewell at Left or Right: Where the Value LivesIn a perfect world, you would not move what might be the best right tackle in football. Sewell fits that bill. Disrupting that matters.Yet it is easier to find a right tackle than a premium left tackle in the NFL. Sewell can be a strong left tackle. The best team-first move could be shifting him left if the rookie fits better on the right.Conversely, if pick 17 yields a true college left tackle, keep Sewell at right tackle. Let the rookie learn and possibly sit behind Decker for a half season. The player dictates the plan. The larger question remains whether you should move a foundational piece at all.Draft Board at 17 and BeyondAt pick 17, a few intriguing tackles could reach Detroit. One or two at the very top likely will not. The board will decide how aggressive the Lions must be.This offensive line class looks deeper than expected. There may be fewer elite names at the top, but there is quality through the first two rounds. Options exist at 17 and again around pick 50. The further down the list you go, the more developmental tackles you can target.Interior paths also exist. The mix could include Chris Mahogany, Kate Ratlitsch, and Mills Frazier, with Graham Glasgow in the room. That flexibility allows a rookie tackle to grow while the line holds together opposite Sewell.Senior Bowl practices are on day three, technically day four of the week. Shrine Bowl work is in the books. Those sessions shape the board and the fit at tackle. A fuller recap of both events comes next week. #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #nfl #seniorbowl #shrinebowl #pick17 #peneisewell #decker #righttackle #lefttackle #interioroffensiveline #grahamglasgow #offensivelineclass #offensivetackle #practicetape Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff Risdon welcomed Tyler Brown of Best Available after a long, weather-chopped week inside The Star in Frisco. The Detroit Lions Podcast zeroed in on access, evaluation, and Detroit Lions offensive line priorities. All 32 NFL teams showed up. The vantage points were elite. The stories were close to the grass.The Star Delivers Rare Access and AnglesBrown’s first trip to the facility impressed him. He called The Star absurd in the best way. The complex felt brand new. Frisco is its own scene, and it shows. He understood why they host state championships there.Weather shut down much of what surrounded the event, but the on-field work kept rolling. Media access stood out. Credentialed reporters could walk up and talk to people without stigma. Brown even spent about twenty minutes chatting with Dante Corleone during practice while the defensive tackle was hurt. The week ended with a brutal exit from Dallas for Brown. Two days. Twenty-seven hours. One flight day. He still called it worth it.Scouts Pack the Sideline as All 32 EvaluateScouts were everywhere. The setup allowed personnel and media to stand right on the sideline, only a couple feet from one-on-one drills. You could slide into the stands and jump to the end zone for a different look in seconds. That flexibility mattered when team periods started.Both Brown and Risdon prefer the end zone view for team work. Risdon even noted he leaves the press box at Western Michigan to watch from the end zone front row. The Star let them simulate that angle for NFL-caliber talent. It felt like the same sightline scouts used.Lions Notes: OL Search and Dan Skipper’s Next StepThe Detroit Lions need offensive line help. Everyone does, but this roster needs both tackles and guards. The conversation was set to start inside. Interior linemen drew attention during the week. The proximity to drills made it simple to focus on hand placement, anchor, and recovery in live reps.One Detroit note stood out. Dan Skipper was on the field as one of the Lions coaches just days after he retired. Brown caught up with him on the sideline. Skipper sounded energized about coaching and eager to get started. That is a notable development for a locker room that values continuity and voice in the trenches.The week at The Star offered uncommon clarity. Sideline access. End zone angles. Scouts elbow to elbow. A quick chat with Dante Corleone. And a sharpened picture of the Detroit Lions’ offensive line priorities as the NFL calendar turns to team-building. #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #nfl #thestarinfrisco #all32teams #sidelineaccess #one-on-onedrills #endzoneview #offensivelinehelp #interioroffensiveline #danskipper #dantecorleone #credentialedmedia #westernmichiganendzone #scoutseverywhere Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Senior Bowl film, defensive front focusJeff Risdon is not in Mobile, but he is deep in the Panini Senior Bowl practice film. The Detroit Lions Podcast zeroed in on five defensive players who stood out on the first day. The lens stayed on the defensive front. Think day two or day three targets, with one possible first-rounder in the mix.The Senior Bowl staff set up on-demand practice cutups for those not on site. That access matters. The tape shows pace, drills, and assignments without the noise. The Detroit Lions need disruption and discipline up front. Day 1 offered both, and the film backed it up.TJ Parker’s measurements and Lions fit at 17TJ Parker of Clemson checked in at 6-foot-3 and three-quarters, 263 pounds, with 33.25-inch arms. That falls within the Detroit Lions’ edge profile, even if it is smaller than Josh Paschal and lighter than Hutch by 10 to 15 pounds. The game is power to speed. He does not flash the same speed to power you see from Hutch or Micah Parsons, but he carries force through contact.Parker plays the run on the way to the pass. On Day 1, the team drills told the story. He stacked and shed on the edge. He got into the backfield and stayed assignment-sound. No freelancing. No lost contain. That backside contain matters in the Kelvin Sheppard defense. He must improve his get-off and block deconstruction, but the traits align with what Detroit wants.If the board falls a certain way, Parker fits the conversation at number 17 overall. The measurements are close enough. The role is clear. The tape shows a defender who can set an edge, disrupt, and finish within structure.Senior Bowl meeting reality checkEvery single player in Mobile meets with every NFL team. It is scheduled. It runs 10 to 15 minutes per club. Do not get swept up in “met with” posts. That is the format. Informal chats still happen after practice, like when Ray Agnew once spoke with Hendon Hooker, but those are not the only touchpoints. The universal meetings keep players engaged in the process and give teams baseline exposure.Derek Moore brings a big Day 1Michigan edge Derek Moore delivered a whopper of a first day. The clip made the rounds on social media. The key is that it was not a one-off flash. The first look showed power, urgency, and finish from a Big Ten frame. As the week continues, the team periods will confirm whether that surge holds when the offense hits back. For a Detroit Lions front seeking reliable force and clean edges, Day 1 put Moore firmly on the radar.The Detroit Lions Podcast will keep grinding the cutups as the practices roll. Day 1 gave Detroit clear defensive front options. The tape will decide who sticks. #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #seniorbowl #paniniseniorbowl #tjparker #clemson #derekmoore #michigan #kelvinshepparddefense #teamdrills #backsidecontain #number17overall #joshpaschal #hutch #micahparsons Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kafka's Arrival and Why It MattersDetroit moved on offense. Yesterday the Detroit Lions hired Mike Kafka to an unspecified but prominent role. He is the former Giants interim head coach and offensive coordinator. He also coached quarterbacks in Kansas City under Andy Reid with Patrick Mahomes. His calling card is aggressive creativity and adaptability. He has shown he can build an attack around the talent on hand, not just the playbook. With backups at key spots, no Malik Nabers, and a battered line, his offense still put up points. The concepts were fresh. The execution fit the personnel.Petzing's OC Role and the Scheme BlendDrew Petzing is the offensive coordinator. He is most notable for work with tight ends in Cleveland. In Arizona, his plans were limited by personnel, but the structure was sound. Petzing comes from the Kevin Stefanski tree. Kafka arrives from a different West Coast branch. The Detroit Lions are rooted in West Coast principles. Timing and spacing in the passing game matter. So do route combinations, gap and duo runs, and a little zone. Kafka is experienced in aggressive play calls. Petzing can marry that with tight end usage and practicality.The staff must correct a 2024 problem. After injuries, the offense often ran like Sam LaPorta and Frank Ragnow were still in the huddle. Brock Wright is not Sam LaPorta. Anthony Firkser is not Brock Wright. Yet the calls asked them to be. Dan Campbell eventually took over play calling, and the buck landed on him. Now the buck will be shared. Two proven offensive coordinators sit on staff. That should drive faster adjustments and better fits when injuries hit.How Kafka Could Be Deployed if Roles ShiftOne reason Kafka's title is not set yet: Scotty Montgomery, the assistant head coach and wide receivers coach, is in Baltimore interviewing for the Ravens OC job under Jesse Minter. There is a real chance he gets it. If he leaves, Kafka can step into a senior offensive assistant role that leans into the passing game and receivers. Quarterbacks are covered with Mark Brunell. Another option is passing game coordinator. David Shaw holds that post as of this recording. He came to Detroit through his connection with John Morton after working together in Denver. Shaw's son just transferred to Stanford from UCLA. That could pull him west. It would not be a surprise if the title board changes again before the combine.The Detroit Lions Podcast framed it plainly. The Lions added two sharp minds who value fit, spacing, and flexibility. That should raise the floor on Sundays in the NFL and sharpen the ceiling when everyone is healthy. #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #mikekafka #drewpetzing #dancampbell #westcoastoffense #gapandduo #samlaporta #brockwright #anthonyfirkser #frankragnow #markbrunell #scottymontgomery #jesseminter #davidshaw #patrickmahomes #passinggamecoordinator Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Interview with Shrine Bowl's Owen RieseThe Daily DLP from the Detroit Lions Podcast features Jeff Risdon interviewing Shrine Bowl assistant scouting director Owen Riese. The two break down former Lions offensive lineman Dan Skipper's quick change into coaching at the Shrine Bowl this week after retiring from Detroit last week. Skipper and the other coaches in Frisco have some interesting potential NFL Draft prospects to work with during the practices and Tuesday night's game at The Star. Among the players Riese provides excellent insider information on is Penn State offensive tackle Nolan Rucci, which leads into a good conversation about the point of diminishing returns for height on the offensive line. Some of the other prospects at the Shrine Bowl practices covered include the interior offensive line duo from Kentucky, Jager Burton and Josh Brown. Burton is a particularly good scheme fit for the Lions as a center. Duke's Brian Parker is transitioning from tackle to center and is off to a good start this week. Notre Dame's Aamil Wagner and Wyoming guard Caden Barnett also get their skills broken down, among some other NFL Draft prospects who have stood out. It's a lively conversation that goes into scouting talk and what teams might be looking for in different positions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMtuGNnPK-o #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #nfl #eastwestshrinebowl #danskipper #offensiveline #specialteams #swingtackle #uw-platteville #assistantdirectorofcollegiatescouting #ericgalco #turnersanger #arizonacardinalsassistantquarterbackscoach #pennstatetackle #nolanruchi #passprotection Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Five Years After a Franchise PivotFive years on, the Detroit Lions trade that sent Matthew Stafford to the Rams and brought Jared Goff and draft capital to Detroit still defines the arc of both franchises. The timing mattered. Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes had just arrived. Candidates for those jobs were warned that Stafford might not be a Detroit Lion for long. Stafford had back concerns at the time and no interest in grooming a successor. Detroit’s roster had been stripped by the end of the Quinntricia era. The team needed a reset. Stafford wanted to win right away. The deal marked the end of an era and a clean break.Los Angeles sought a quarterback who could maximize Sean McVay’s offense. Goff’s run there had crested. Detroit accepted Goff and the picks and turned the page. It was bold. It was necessary. It was an NFL trade that changed two locker rooms overnight.Winners on Both Sides, Different PathsBoth sides got what they needed. The Rams won a Super Bowl. In year five after the trade, Stafford just won the MVP. The Rams are still playing, with an NFC championship game ahead and a chance at another Super Bowl. That is validation.The Detroit Lions gained, too. Goff’s trajectory in Detroit has risen. The offense stabilized. The team culture grew under Campbell and Holmes. The trade created space to build and compete without clinging to a fading timeline. It was not about declaring a single winner. It was about fit and timing, and both teams found theirs.Goff’s Detroit Arc by the NumbersThe numbers tell the Detroit Lions story. Goff’s overall winning percentage dipped slightly from 60% to 58%, but removing the first seasons in each stop makes the rates nearly identical. His first year in Los Angeles included only seven starts. His first Detroit season ended 3-13-1. Since then, the results track closely.Accuracy improved. His completion rate in Detroit is up 4.4 percentage points, from 63.4 to 67.9. The touchdown-to-interception ratio is better. Average yards per attempt is higher. Yards per completion is slightly lower. Yards per game is almost unchanged. The passer rating jump is stark: 91.5 across five Los Angeles seasons to 101.3 across five in Detroit.Goff has authored 15 game-winning drives and 12 fourth quarter comebacks with the Lions. He has made two Pro Bowls in Detroit. He finished sixth in Comeback Player of the Year voting in 2022. In 2024, he received MVP consideration and finished ninth for Offensive Player of the Year. These are concrete gains, not vibes.Five years later, the Detroit Lions are stronger for the reset, and the Rams achieved the immediate payoff they pursued. That is the lasting impact of a blockbuster that reshaped the NFL and still reverberates on the Detroit Lions Podcast. #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #matthewstafford #jaredgoff #losangelesrams #dancampbell #bradholmes #seanmcvay #nfcchampionship #game-winningdrives #fourthquartercomebacks #completionpercentage #qbrating #comebackplayeroftheyear #offensiveplayeroftheyear Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

OC hire and the trust question The Detroit Lions Podcast rolled into Episode 601 with Chris, Michael Grey, Scott Bischoff, and Jeff Risdon. The talk centered on the Detroit Lions choosing their new offensive coordinator. He stayed put. He did not chase other interviews. He is in the building. He is working. That matters. The room tackled a harder topic next. Trust. Fans feel burned over the last year and a game. Campbell and Holmes have spent some of that trust capital. The hosts heard the backlash and did not dismiss it. People can feel how they want. The decision to hire the OC landed in that climate, which colors every reaction. What the offense will look like Play calling is the big unknown. No one on the show pretended otherwise. We will find out what it looks like when the games arrive. The panel did outline fit. The run concepts mesh with what the Lions do. Under center looks, play action, and the timing of the pass game align with the current build. That continuity matters for the quarterback room and the line. It also tracks with how Detroit wants to win inside the NFL calendar. The hosts kept the focus tight. No sweeping promises. No grand projections. Just a clear statement of the pieces on hand and how they fit the current identity. The new OC aligns with that identity. The trust conversation sits beside it. Senior Bowl coverage adjustment Listeners asked about Senior Bowl plans. The crew addressed it head on. They will not be on the ground this year. Chris flies out to the snow tomorrow. Riz has a family affair. It is regrettable, and they owned it. Still, coverage is not going dark. Daily DLPs are coming. Virtual interviews are on the table. One daily show will go live from Mobile with a draftnik most fans will recognize, with a clear Detroit Lions lens. Riz noted this is only his second missed Senior Bowl since 2008. He missed 2018 and will miss this year. It stings, but the plan keeps listeners informed through the week. There was some early banter and laughs, but the core was football. Episode 601 put the OC decision, the trust conversation, and the Senior Bowl plan in plain view. It is a clear snapshot of where the Detroit Lions Podcast stands today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwZq3SyuUlk #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #nfl #offensivecoordinator #playcalling #undercenter #playaction #rungame #seniorbowl #mobile #draftnik #campbell #holmes #goff #lionsfans Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On January 22, the Detroit Lions Podcast paused to salute Dan Skipper. The veteran offensive lineman hung up his cleats today. A remote episode, a rough travel day, and a clear purpose. Honor a singular NFL story.Dan Skipper Calls It a CareerSkipper retires after battling health problems. Back issues. Knee issues. Foot issues. He fought through all of it and kept showing up for the Detroit Lions. His transaction log tells the tale. Sixty-six official NFL transactions. Fifty-seven with the Lions since 2019. He had a brief stint in Houston and an earlier dalliance with the Cowboys, but Detroit was home.He was the tallest player in the NFL at a legit 6-9 and around 330. Not quite athletic enough to lock down tackle. Too upright to be a full-time guard. Yet he stayed valuable. Practice squad, elevations, special teams, spot duty. He bridged some bad Lions teams to the best Lions teams in recent memory. He maximized his career and never lost the room.Sixth Lineman, Third Tight End, Fan FavoriteSkipper carved out a niche as the sixth lineman and extra tackle. In 2025, he logged 228 offensive snaps. Eighty of those came as a third tight end in heavy packages. The Lions led the NFL in using a sixth lineman in three of the last four seasons, and Skipper was almost always that piece. He was eligible. They even threw him the ball. It worked.The appeal went beyond snaps. Training camp showed the person. A giant who signed for kids. Jovial and patient. His own kids ran around and tackled dad after practice. Fans noticed. Teammates noticed. That energy made him a Detroit Lions favorite.The 2017 Wright Game Punt MomentThe origin story includes the 2017 Wright game in Saint Pete. Practice moved outside on a grass field. Skipper dominated drills that day. Coaches set a challenge to juice the session. The other side picked a player to field a punt. If he caught it clean, practice ended and the offense won. They chose Skipper. The punt was not easy. He secured it. Practice over. Offense got the win. It was a perfect snapshot of focus under pressure and why people gravitated to him.What Comes NextSkipper retires for medical reasons and moves straight into coaching. He will coach tight ends and the offensive line at the Wright game this week. That fits his path. Detroit Lions fans will miss him at camp, but his influence carries on. Sixty-six moves. One city that kept calling. A career that mattered. #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #danskipper #nfltransactions #sixthlineman #extratackle #thirdtightend #fieldedapunt #2017wrightgame #specialteams #backissue #kneeissue #footissues #cowboys #houston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A surprising hire, a clear philosophyThe Detroit Lions have their new offensive coordinator. Drew Petzing is in. On the Detroit Lions Podcast, Russell Brown and Scott Bischoff sifted through first impressions and got to the substance. Initial reactions felt muted. The shiny name wasn’t coming. But the more they worked through scheme and personnel, the more the hire fit what the Lions want to be in the NFL.They pushed back on the noise. Fans cherry-picked stats. Few considered what Petzing had to work with. The conversation stayed on the grand picture: what this offense needs to do on Sundays and how Petzing can get it there.Lessons from Arizona that matter in DetroitPetzing’s Arizona run offered useful clues. In 2023 he split the year between Kyler Murray for eight games and Josh Dobbs for eight. Dobbs looked good in that structure. In 2024 Murray played the full season. The offense was fine, not great, but functional. In the most recent season, Murray played about four or five games. Context mattered across all three years.Usage stood out. James Conner was highly productive despite not being a super explosive athlete. Arizona created touches for him as a runner and receiver. That detail resonated with Detroit. Think Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. Creative throws to backs. Turn easy completions into first downs. That is bankable offense when games tighten.The fit: second-and-4 footballThe hosts kept returning to down-and-distance. This is the point of the Detroit Lions offense. Get to second and four. Open the playbook. Run play action. Move the chains. Control the clock. Petzing aligns with that identity. The expectation is a coherent ground attack that puts Jared Goff and the passing game in favorable spots.They contrasted that with the allure of Mike McDaniel. Fun idea, but not a clean fit. Shotgun-heavy. Wide zone as a base. That would force major changes to what Detroit does. Petzing’s approach blends easier with the current core and the way the Lions want to play in the NFL.Framing the 2026 NFL DraftThe discussion acknowledged uncertainty around how this hire touches the 2026 NFL Draft. The lens is clearer than the board. Build an offense that lives in manageable downs. Lean on play action. Feature backs in the passing game when the coverage picture invites it. Those are guideposts for roster planning, not predictions.It was cold outside. Snow piled up. Inside the Detroit Lions Podcast, the thesis warmed up fast: the name might not sparkle, but the fit makes sense. That is what matters for Detroit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jp037jHNnn0 #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #drewpetzing #arizonacardinals #offensivecoordinator #kylermurray #joshdobbs #jamesconner #jahmyrgibbs #davidmontgomery #rungame #playaction #shotgunoffense #widezone #bradholmes #2026nfldraft Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new OC with familiar rootsThe Detroit Lions hired Drew Petzing as offensive coordinator. The hire ties Detroit to the Kevin Stefanski tree and a system built on timing and detail. Petzing coached tight ends in Cleveland in 2020 and 2021. Those Browns made the playoffs and won a playoff game for the first time in more than thirty years.His Cleveland work stands out. Petzing helped turn David Njoku from a talented but inconsistent former first rounder into a much better pro. The improvement started with focus. Route depths got precise. A nine-yard out was nine yards, not seven or ten. The blocking jumped too. Njoku became a Pro Bowl caliber tight end. Harrison Bryant arrived as a glorified big wideout and improved as a blocker and in the finer points of spacing. The common thread was attention to detail.Scheme overlap that fits DetroitPetzing comes from the Stefanski offense that traces back through Minnesota and the Norv Turner and Shanahan Kubiak family of ideas. It is a timing and precision attack. It aims for yards after the catch and hits weak points. It mixes in deep shots from base looks. That is also the foundation Ben Johnson used in Detroit. The language changes, but the structure aligns.In Cleveland, the core pieces were Nick Chubb at running back, Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry at wide receiver, and Njoku with Bryant at tight end. Baker Mayfield ran the show. The line was strong aside from a sore spot at left tackle. The results were a middle-of-the-pack offense, about fourteenth, that strung together long drives. It was not an all-or-nothing unit. It generated explosives out of its core formations.Landry was a draft comp for Amon-Ra St. Brown. St. Brown is the better athlete now, but the play style echoes. If you frame J-Mo as the OBJ role from that one good Cleveland year before injuries, the parallels are easy to see.Tight ends and 12 personnel on deckThe Lions need more help at tight end. The head coach played tight end in the NFL and is a former tight ends coach. He likes 12 personnel, with one back and two tight ends. Petzing’s track record with Njoku and Bryant pairs with that preference. Coincidentally, Njoku is a free agent this offseason.Petzing also served as quarterbacks coach in Cleveland in 2022. That matters for Detroit. Jared Goff is different from Baker Mayfield. Goff is more careful, less mobile, and a better decision maker. That profile fits the Stefanski-style approach. Within a familiar NFL framework, the Detroit Lions can carry over what already works and sharpen the edges under their new offensive coordinator. This is a continuity bet with clear intent. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTkpjtwbT84 #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #drewpetzing #detroitlionsoffensivecoordinator #kevinstefanskioffense #tightendscoach #davidnjoku #harrisonbryant #12personnel #benjohnson #shanahankubiakstyle #jarvislandry #odellbeckham #nickchubb #bakermayfield #amon-rast.brown #jaredgoff Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices