As we creep up in our 2026 Detroit Lions roster ranking, we\u2019re starting to reveal players who will undoubtedly play a part in writing the story of this year\u2019s squad. We\u2019re on players we ranked 70-61, and while that is not considered the true \u201croster bubble,\u201d considering Detroit\u2019s 53-man squad + 16-man practice squad equals 69 total players\u2014it\u2019s safe to say several of the names below will end up playing meaningful snaps for Detroit this year.<\/p>\n
So let\u2019s take a look at who eight people on the staff ranked between 70 and 61 on the Lions\u2019 2026 roster.<\/p>\n
Players ranked 90-81<\/a>Players ranked 80-71<\/a><\/p>\n 70. DT Jay Tufele (Highest: 63; Lowest: 70)<\/p>\n Last year\u2019s ranking: N\/A<\/p>\n Tufele was a late signing this offseason to help navigate the nose tackle position after letting DJ Reader and Roy Lopez walk in free agency. The job won\u2019t handed to Tufele, but he does has seven starts, 46 games, and over 760 defensive snaps of experience\u2014including 473 in the last two years combined.<\/p>\n 69. iOL Seth McLaughlin (Highest 62; Lowest: 78)<\/p>\n Last year\u2019s ranking: N\/A<\/p>\n McLaughlin is a fascinating young player. Just two years ago, he won the Rimington Trophy for college football\u2019s best center in the country. But a torn Achilles late that season derailed his chances of getting drafted. And while he was cleared to practice shortly after the Cincinnati Bengals signed him as a UDFA, he didn\u2019t make the team and spent his rookie season on the practice squad.<\/p>\n There was a path toward him making the roster here in Detroit, but it\u2019s much more complicated after the Lions signed Cade Mays and traded for Juice Scruggs. He\u2019ll likely start training camp on the outside looking in.<\/p>\n 68. OL Colby Sorsdal (Highest: 60; Lowest, 78)<\/p>\n Last year\u2019s ranking: 64<\/p>\n Sorsdal has dropped now for two consecutive seasons after ranking 40th on our 2024 list<\/a>. The tough truth of the matter is that Sorsdal looked like he was going to miss the roster last year before an injury landed him on injured reserve.<\/p>\n This year, he\u2019s getting work at offensive tackle, but that is going to be a tough path to the roster with Penei Sewell, Blake Miller, Larry Borom, and Giovanni Manu likely all ahead of him right now.<\/p>\n 67. DT Myles Adams (Highest: 64; Lowest: 71)<\/p>\n Last year\u2019s ranking: 66<\/p>\n Adams pretty much stays where he was last year after spending all of 2025 on the practice squad with no call-ups. He\u2019s got an outside chance to make the roster given Detroit\u2019s relatively thin depth at defensive tackle, but at 28 years old and limited experience, time is running out for him to make an impression.<\/p>\n 66. EDGE Anthony Lucas (Highest: 58; Lowest: 73)<\/p>\n Last year\u2019s ranking: N\/A<\/p>\n Lucas made an impression at Lions minicamp by getting into a fist-throwing scuffle<\/a>, but even before that, there was some hype of his potential as a rookie UDFA. Of Detroit\u2019s entire UDFA class, he was the highest-ranked player according to the Consensus Big Board. He was a five-star recruit, as well. While he never lived up to that billing, the Lions are hoping they can tap into his athletic potential.<\/p>\n 65. QB Luke Altmyer (Highest 57; Lowest: 72)<\/p>\n Last year\u2019s ranking: N\/A<\/p>\n Altmyer has already been praised for his smarts and overwhelming confidence. Personally, I was impressed with some respectable arm strength, as well. But before we start anointing him a spot on the 53-man roster, Altmyer will have to show he can command an NFL offense during what is likely going to be a lengthy preseason stint.<\/p>\n 64. S Loren Strickland (Highest: 63; Lowest: 70)<\/p>\n Last year\u2019s rankings: 62<\/p>\n There was some hope that Strickland could develop into an impactful special teams player, but he\u2019s been the victim of an overloaded depth chart. In the past two years alone, Detroit has added Dan Jackson, Thomas Harper, Avonte Maddox, Chuck Clark, and Christian Izien. That may be too much to overcome.<\/p>\n 63. DT Tyre West (highest: 56; Lowest: 75)<\/p>\n Last year\u2019s rankings: N\/A<\/p>\n This is the first appearance of a player from the Lions\u2019 2026 draft class and it\u2019s appropriately their final pick. It\u2019s probably a good sign that a draft pick is this low on the countdown, pointing to strong depth. Draft picks have rarely been cut in their first year under Brad Holmes, but West will have to work for it.<\/p>\n 62. WR Jackson Meeks (Highest: 55; Lowest: 72)<\/p>\n