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The Detroit Lions are set to kick off training camp next week, and the team will have a plethora of position battles to keep an eye on.
Detroit will hold a competition for the starting left guard spot between Christian Mahogany, who was the starter last year, Juice Scruggs, and Ben Bartch. 2025 fifth-round pick Miles
Frazier is also in the mix, but Mahogany, Scruggs, and Bartch seem to be the primary options for the starting role.
The Lions will also have an open camp battle for the No. 2 corner spot. With the franchise cutting Terrion Arnold due to off-the-field legal issues, Detroit will trot out Rock Ya-Sin, rookie Keith Abney II, and 2024 second-round pick Ennis Rakestraw Jr. to compete for the starting gig opposite D.J. Reed on the boundary.
Though the guard and cornerback competitions will dominate headlines during Lions' camp, neither is as important as the battle between D.J. Wonnum and rookie Derrick Moore for the No. 2 edge rusher role.
Why the No. 2 EDGE Competition Will Define Lions' Training Camp
Aidan Hutchinson will return as Detroit's primary pass rusher in 2026, as the two-time Pro Bowler is coming off a 14.5-sack campaign in 2025 and played all 17 games after missing most of the 2024 season due to a broken tibia and fibula.
However, the rest of the edge rusher group behind Hutchinson is pretty uncertain, especially the other starting spot as the Lions look to replace Al-Quadin Muhammad, who departed for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency. Wonnum and Moore will likely compete for that title, and it's hard to declare a clear favorite right now.
Wonnum was a 15-game starter for the Carolina Panthers in 2025, but wasn't super productive, tallying just three sacks and 29 quarterback pressures before signing a one-year deal with Detroit. The 28-year-old did post eight sacks in two separate seasons with the Minnesota Vikings in 2021 and 2023, but it remains to be seen whether the veteran can regain that form.
As for Moore, the rookie out of Michigan had 10 sacks in his final college season in 2025 and was selected in the second round of April's draft by the Lions. It would be awesome to see two Wolverines as the starting edge rushers for Detroit, and Moore could win the job with his powerful pass-rushing skill set, though his run defense does need some work.
Overall, Wonnum's experience could give him the slight edge in this position battle, but you can't count out Moore, as the Lions invested a Day 2 pick in him for a reason. A lackluster pass rush outside of Hutchinson has been a glaring issue for the Lions in recent years, and they can't afford to have that mistake plague them again. That's why head coach Dan Campbell and defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard will need Wonnum or Moore to step up as a viable starter at edge rusher to take pressure off Hutchinson and solidify Detroit's pass rush for a hopeful bounce-back season in 2026.
