Over the last month, the Detroit Lions defense has seen several new faces join the squad. The team’s pro personnel department has been working tirelessly to ensure the Lions can manage the defensive injury crisis, and they’ve done an excellent job. Despite losing nearly half of their starting defenders, along with several depth players, the Lions have maintained an 11-game winning streak, with their defense playing admirably.

However, looking ahead to next year, players like Al-Quadin Muhammad, Pat O’Connor, and Ezekiel Turner have all stepped up as replacements. The question now is whether any of them have done enough to earn a long-term role with the Lions. This is one of the topics discussed by myself and Erik Schlitt on this week’s Midweek Mailbag podcast. Here’s a snippet from that conversation.

“The one who has stood out the most is Muhammad,” Schlitt mentioned. “Muhammad has been outstanding. He really has. He’s been with the team for almost two months now, and he’s found his rhythm, carved out his role, and fits the scheme perfectly while playing at a high level. Even with Josh Paschal and Levi Onwuzurike returning, Muhammad should still stick as EDGE four and remain a crucial part of the rotation.”

“Turner was going to be my answer,” I replied. “It’s his special teams ability. If he enters 2025 as the Lions’ linebacker six or seven, there will still be a role for him. The Lions have shown this in the past. But, of course, there will be stiff competition, especially with Derrick Barnes entering free agency and Jalen Reeves-Maybin likely under contract for one more year. Turner has done everything he can to earn a contract for next year.”

It certainly helps when your positional coach, Kelvin Sheppard, publicly endorses you, as he did with Turner this week.

“I’ve learned that he’s not just a special teams linebacker, and I want that known throughout the league,” Sheppard stated.

This discussion starts around the 21:15 mark in this week’s episode.

Other topics covered in the show include:

4:50 — Why is Dan Campbell receiving criticism for a strategy that worked?

10:40 — Are the Lions too conservative on third down offensively?

15:20 — How concerning is the future of the Lions’ offensive line given its aging players?

29:00 — Are people underestimating the difficulty of the final three games (@ Bears, @ 49ers, vs. Vikings)?

35:10 — What would be more surprising down the stretch: 4-0 or 2-2?

41:20 — What does the Lions’ starting 11 on defense look like in the playoffs?

51:15 — Which team would you like the Lions to face in a theoretical Super Bowl?