Lions Vs Bengals: 7 Defensive Players To Watch

DETROIT LIONS 7 ON 7: SEVEN DEFENSIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH VS. CINCINNATI AUGUST 13TH, 2026

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Detroit Lions — Training camp injuries has created movement throughout Detroit’s defensive depth chart. Several players enter Thursday night with an opportunity to strengthen their case for a larger role.

Ahmed Hassanein, Nick Whiteside and Erick Hunter have emerged as legitimate camp risers. Skyler Gill-Howard has started generating pressure inside, Tyler Lacy has been one of the more surprising performers along the defensive front, and Ennis Rakestraw enters the preseason needing consistency in an increasingly competitive secondary. Damone Clark also gets an important opportunity to show how his experience and coverage ability fit into Kelvin Sheppard’s defense.

These seven players represent different stages of the same evaluation: determining who can turn training-camp production into dependable defensive snaps.

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1. EDGE AHMED HASSANEIN

Ahmed Hassanein has gone from developmental edge rusher to one of Detroit’s strongest camp stories after moving into the big-end role. The 6-foot-2, 275-pound defender produced 22 sacks and 33 tackles for loss over his final two seasons at Boise State, and his combination of power and relentless effort has translated into pressures and backfield disruption during camp.

Campbell has noticed.

“He has had a really good camp. He is all out all the time.”

The next step is discipline. Hassanein must control the edge, squeeze rushing lanes and maintain rush-lane integrity rather than simply chasing sacks. If he can handle those assignments while continuing to generate disruption, Detroit may have found another legitimate rotational piece.

2. CB NICK WHITESIDE

Few Lions have improved their standing more than Nick Whiteside. After playing primarily on special teams in 2025, Whiteside has repeatedly produced interceptions and pass breakups during camp and earned first-team opportunities while D.J. Reed has dealt with a groin injury.

Campbell’s assessment has been direct.

“He is rising. It is not too big for him.”

Whiteside also has limited regular-season evidence, recording three passes defended on 40 defensive snaps against Tampa Bay last season. Cincinnati will provide a broader test of his leverage, route recognition, tackling and eye discipline. Training camp earned Whiteside more opportunities. A strong preseason can establish him as legitimate defensive depth rather than simply a special-teams player.

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3. CB ENNIS RAKESTRAW JR.

Ennis Rakestraw Jr. enters Year 3 needing something simple but important: consistent football. Injuries limited the former second-round pick to eight games as a rookie and cost him the entire 2025 season, leaving him in a competitive cornerback room with limited NFL tape.

There have been encouraging camp reps, including tight coverage against Jameson Williams and work both outside and in the slot. The inconsistency remains.

Campbell summarized the situation clearly.

“He’s had some ups and downs. He needs to string a few days together here of some good stuff.”

Cincinnati gives Rakestraw an opportunity to do exactly that. Detroit needs reliable leverage, tackling and coverage discipline over an extended series—not one splash play surrounded by avoidable losses.

4. EDGE TYLER LACY

Tyler Lacy has quietly become an important piece of Detroit’s defensive-front flexibility. At roughly 6-foot-4 and 300 pounds, Lacy can play big end on early downs and reduce inside when Detroit changes personnel. He appeared in 10 games with four starts last season, finishing with 21 tackles and one sack.

Campbell values the reliability.

“He’s a football guy. He’s a professional. He prepares, practices hard and will do whatever you ask him to do.”

The next step is adding more pass-rush value. Lacy already has the size to anchor the edge and absorb physical run-game assignments. If he can consistently compress the pocket from inside, his role expands beyond early-down run defense.

5. LB DAMONE CLARK

Damone Clark brings something most players fighting for linebacker depth cannot: substantial NFL experience. Clark has appeared in 55 games with 26 starts, including a 109-tackle season with Dallas in 2023.

His value changed last season when he emerged as one of the league’s most productive special-teams tacklers, finishing with 18 special-teams stops.

Detroit’s linebacker room is crowded, so Clark may not need to win one specific defensive job. His roster value comes from being useful across several roles. Cincinnati will test his run fits, coverage spacing and ability to finish in space, but his special-teams snaps may be equally important. Veteran defensive experience combined with legitimate kicking-game value gives Clark a clear path to staying in the conversation.

6. DT SKYLER GILL-HOWARD

Skyler Gill-Howard has started flashing the interior quickness Detroit drafted him for. After working back from the ankle injury that ended his 2025 college season, the sixth-round rookie produced his strongest practice on Day 9, generating multiple pressures and eventually earning first-team opportunities late in the session.

Gill-Howard finished his final college season with a 90.0 PFF pass-rush grade, but his NFL evaluation involves more than penetration.

At roughly 6-foot and 280 pounds, he must keep larger guards from controlling his chest and moving him off the football. Cincinnati will test his pad level, hand placement and ability to anchor against double teams. Pressure gets noticed. Holding his gap earns defensive snaps.

7. LB ERICK HUNTER

Undrafted rookie Erick Hunter has given Detroit reasons to keep watching. The Morgan State linebacker finished 2025 with 102 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and four sacks, then carried that activity into training camp.

His biggest defensive play was an end-zone interception of Jared Goff during a team scrimmage, but Hunter has also produced on special teams—an important pathway for any reserve linebacker.

Campbell has praised the rookie’s approach.

“He’s athletic and he takes notes, he listens, he works his tail off in practice.”

Hunter’s challenge is playing fast without losing assignment discipline. Detroit needs clean run fits, reliable tackling and coverage awareness. If those traits hold up alongside his special-teams work, Hunter can make the roster decision considerably more difficult.

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ROCK’S THE 7 ON 7 READ

Detroit’s defensive roster decisions may ultimately come down to more than who makes the most splash plays in August.

Kelvin Sheppard is building a defense expected to use more zone coverage, interchangeable personnel and multiple fronts. That places a premium on defenders who can handle more than one assignment without forcing Detroit to substitute every time the situation changes.

That is where these preseason evaluations become important. A corner who can play outside and inside, an edge defender who can reduce into the interior, or a linebacker who can contribute in coverage and on special teams carries additional value when the defense is trying to remain unpredictable.

The roster will absolutely look different this season—not because the talent level has changed, but because the type of player Sheppard needs has changed.

Thursday night begins the process of finding out which players fit that vision.

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