The Detroit Lions have banked three training camp practices so far in 2026, and after a day off on Saturday, they’ll stack another six practices in consecutive days while welcoming fans into their Allen Park training facility starting on Sunday.
For the most part, things have gone pretty much as expected, but despite being very early in camp, there have been a few surprises (both good and bad) that have resulted from unexpected performances/circumstances.
Here are a few examples that have stood out to me.
Which leans us to today’s question of the day:
Which Lions player has been the biggest surprise in camp?
My answer: CB Nick Whiteside leveling up his game.
On Day one of training camp, Whiteside was arguably the most impactful player on the field, forcing three pass breakups while showing great range and closing burst in coverage.
“He’s improved,” coach Dan Campbell said at the following morning’s press conferecne. “And what you like about Ironsides (Whiteside) is that when we brought him in, gave him an opportunity, he fought, made some plays, man earned the right to stay, pulled him up, needed him, did some good things for us. We get him back with us here and look, he’s all about business. It’s not too big for him, he’s all about business and he’s going to maximize everything he’s got. And he looks like he wants a spot and he wants a job, that’s what he looks like. I mean, I know it’s day one, but he made more plays than anybody out there. So that’s encouraging, it’s good to see.”
At this time, I feel pretty solid about my CB rankings, but Whiteside’s performance has me wondering if I could make room for him on my next 53-man roster projection.
So what do you think? Which player storyline has surprised you and caught your attention? Let us know why in the comments below.