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One of the best and most comprehensive features we offer every year is our Footballguys Preseason Updates. Every week this month, Dave Kluge, Clayton Gray, and their team of Footballguys Staffers cover every player that matters from every NFL team. It's 32-plus pages of some of the most comprehensive coverage you'll find. It's probably worth the Footballguys Premium Subscription by itself.
Updates from Week 1
Preseason Updates: Quarterbacks
Jared Goff's 2025 was arguably an MVP-caliber season. He completed 68 percent of his passes while throwing for 4,564 yards, 34 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. Yet all of those stats were below his 2024 results, the last season Ben Johnson served as offensive coordinator, and Detroit's offense scored five fewer points per game. OC Drew Petzing praised Goff's "understanding of the game and where windows are going to be and how to throw people open" in an interview with ESPN's Kevin Clark. The coaching staff views Goff as an elite quarterback surrounded by top-tier talent. Veteran Teddy Bridgewater and rookie Luke Altmyer had been vying to be Goff's backup. Bridgewater, who has been with the Lions for three seasons, decided Sunday to step away from football for the second time, having come out of retirement in late 2024 to rejoin the team. HC Dan Campbell said Bridgewater meant a lot to him and the team, and that the quarterback was most worried that "he was letting us down." Altmyer has demonstrated arm speed, accuracy, and an ability to run the two-minute drill, but he needs "tons of reps." Expect to see a lot of Altmyer in the preseason opener against Cincinnati. Although free agent Joshua Dobbs, who played for Campbell in Detroit and Petzing in Arizona, was signed Sunday night and could get up to speed before the game.
Preseason Updates: Running Backs
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Jahmyr Gibbs is being ramped up into team activities following the end of his hold-in. He signed a three-year contract extension with $51.5 million guaranteed on Aug. 6. The Lions signed former Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco to be his backup following the departure of David Montgomery. In Gibbs's absence, Pacheco and Sione Vaki split first-team reps. Some of Vaki's best moments came in pass protection, but he was poked in the eye and broke his nose, costing him practice time. Pacheco showed "more bursts" and picked up yardage after the catch as a checkdown option for Goff. Pacheco has also missed time due to an undisclosed condition, opening opportunities for Jacob Saylors and Jabari Small. Saylors "continues to impress with his speed and one-cut style of running." Small "ran with impressive strength, particularly between the tackles during red zone drills," observed Jeremy Reisman. The Lions signed Raheem Blackshear for depth after trying out several backs.