Lions 2026 draft slot, fourth-place schedule opponents set
CHICAGO, IL - JANUARY 04: Head Coach Dan Campbell of the Detroit Lions walks off the field after an NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field on January 4, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Ben Hsu/Icon Spo
FOX 2 - The Lions closed out the season by sweeping the Bears and finishing third in the NFC North
By winning, the Lions are set for the 17th pick in the NFL Draft this spring and are set for a fourth-place schedule, meaning we know who the home and away opponents will be.
Adding to what we know, the NFC North will be crossing over with the NFC South and the AFC East.
Dig deeper:
The official schedule comes out in May, but not counting NFC North games, the Lions' home schedule will include the Patriots, Saints, Giants, Jets, Buccaneers and Titans.
Road games in addition to the NFC North foes include the Cardinals, Falcons, Bills, Panthers and Dolphins.
When it comes to the NFL Draft, the last time the Lions picked in the 17th slot it was the last ride for infamous GM Matt Millen who took right tackle Gosder Cherilus.
Prior to that, Detroit took linebacker standout Reggie Brown in 1996, whose career ended early with a spinal cord injury in 1997.
In the past five years, the No. 17 spot has yielded:
- Cornerback Byron Murphy by the Seahawks in 2024.
- Cornerback Christian Gonzalez by the Patriots in 2023.
- Guard Zion Johnson by the Chargers in 2022.
- Offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood by the Raiders in 2021.
- Receiver CeeDee Lamb by the Cowboys in 2020.
The Lions go into next year with numerous offensive line and secondary question marks.
Detroit will not have a third round pick this year, have traded it and a compensatory third to move up last season in selecting receiver Isaac TeSlaa.
The Source: Information for this report is from NFL.com and previous reporting.