As draft analyst Trevor Sikkema explained, "The Lions will have several intriguing options in the middle of the first round, including cornerback, interior offensive line and defe

The Lions hadn’t participated in the postseason since 2016 and reaching the need for a tiebreaker with the Seattle Seahawks before missing the playoffs provided a rare buzz of excitement for Detroit that would become the norm in 2023 and 2024.

Detroit announced Tuesday it parted ways with offensive coordinator John Morton. Morton was the Lions' choice to replace Ben Johnson after the latter left to become the head coach of the Chicago Bears, but he lasted just one season.

Detroit Lions place kicker Jake Bates (39) celebrates with his team after making the kick to give the Lions a, 19-16, win over the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field, Jan. 4, 2026 in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)

In 2025, Muhammad had a career year with 11.5 sacks, which finished second on the team behind Aidan Hutchinson. The veteran signed a one-year deal to provide the team with depth in the offseason, and wound up playing a crucial role.

The Bears dropped the regular season finale to the Lions, but still secured the No. 2 seed in the playoffs. Here is how social media reacted.

Kickoff from Soldier Field is set for 4:25 p.m. ET. The Bears are 4.5-point favorites in the latest Lions vs. Bears odds at DraftKings, and the total is 51.5. Before making any Bears vs. Lions picks of your own, make sure to look at the top NFL picks from the SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times.