The Grey Area: the Offseason Begins With Jeff Risdon

The cold offseason is here. The Super Bowl sits in the rearview. The Detroit Lions have work to do. Michael Grey cuts straight to it with fellow DLP'r Jeff Risdon: interior pressure wins.

The big game dragged more than it dazzled, but it did spotlight roster building truths. Talent needs a plan. When there isn’t one, a player and a team both suffer. Defensive structure set the tone.

Playoff blueprint: interior pressure rules January

The teams that reached the conference championship games ranked one through four in pressures from the defensive line. Interior rush was the separator. Big-name quarterbacks didn’t swing it. Units led by Sam Darnold and Drake May advanced because they could rush, squeeze, and dictate. That’s the NFL copycat code for 2026. The Lions have bodies who can do it. They delivered too little of it compared to the top groups.

Detroit’s front must level up

The defense needs its edge star to nudge from excellent to takeover. He’s been fantastic, but he isn’t at the Parsons, Watt, or Garrett tier yet. Help matters. The interior defensive line was disappointing. Allen had one fantastic game on his return, then went quiet. He has to earn his money. There is optimism about Mills, another year removed from the ACL, but it must show up on Sundays. Tully Williams flashed in the final two weeks. Before that he looked a little too big and unsure. Year two should raise the floor and the ceiling. That’s the expectation. It has to be reality.

2026 plan: waves inside, smarter bets

Seattle’s model is the target: waves of interior rushers who can collapse pockets all game. The Lions tried that approach. It hasn’t clicked yet. It needs to in 2026 and beyond. The offensive brain trust keeps growing as Dan Campbell collects coaches like Pokemon. That’s good. But the pivot is defense. Interior pressure feeds takeaways, hides coverage warts, and turns third downs into punts. Build the room, trim what doesn’t fit, and unleash fresh legs in series. Do that, and the Lions turn January from survival to control. That’s the job this Goff season.

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