Dan Campbell controversial penalty Steelers Dan Campbell Jared Goff Dan Campbell Lions preseason starters
Dan Campbell controversial penalty Steelers Dan Campbell Jared Goff Dan Campbell Lions preseason starters
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For most of Dan Campbell’s tenure with the Detroit Lions, his approach to preseason football has been pretty easy to understand.
If you are one of Detroit’s established stars, chances are you are watching from the sideline.
That could change Saturday.
After sitting Jared Goff and most of his proven starters in Detroit’s preseason opener against the Cincinnati Bengals, Campbell has been pointing toward the Lions’ matchup with the Washington Commanders as the game where some of the big names could finally see the field.
If he follows through, it would mark a noticeable shift from the way Detroit has handled the preseason in recent years.
Dan Campbell Ahmed Hassanein Dan Campbell Isaac TeSlaa Dan Campbell Lions preseason warning Dan Campbell Lions preseason starters
Dan Campbell Ahmed Hassanein Dan Campbell Isaac TeSlaa Dan Campbell Lions preseason warning Dan Campbell Lions preseason starters
Campbell Has Been Pointing Toward Washington
Campbell did not hide the possibility before the Lions even faced Cincinnati.
Detroit made the decision to sit Goff and several established starters against the Bengals, but Campbell made it clear that Washington could be different.
“I think more of mine are the questions will be coming next week, when we start getting into the Washington week, because that was kind of where I always targeted like, alright, this may be where we need to play our guys,” Campbell said as quoted by Pride of Detroit. “That’ll be the first one is kind of where I was thinking.”
That does not guarantee Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, Aidan Hutchinson and every other Detroit star will suddenly play meaningful preseason snaps.
But Campbell has clearly had this game circled.
And this idea did not just pop up after Detroit’s preseason opener.
Earlier this offseason, Campbell acknowledged that the Lions’ decision not to hold joint practices could force him to reconsider how much preseason action his established players receive.
“Maybe we play some of these guys in the preseason more than we have, that’s where they get some of it,” Campbell said.
Now the Lions are approaching the game Campbell identified as the potential testing ground.
Detroit Has Protected Its Stars for Years
Campbell has not exactly been eager to throw his most important players into meaningless August games.
Goff has not appeared in the preseason since 2022, when he played one series in Detroit’s opener.
Gibbs played during the preseason as a rookie in 2023 but has largely been kept on ice since becoming one of the NFL’s most dangerous offensive weapons.
Detroit has followed the same philosophy with several other cornerstone players.
And it is easy to understand why.
There is almost nothing to gain from watching an established All-Pro dominate somebody’s second-team defense for eight snaps.
There is plenty to lose if that player gets rolled up on from behind and suddenly misses meaningful games.
Campbell has understood that risk.
But Detroit’s circumstances are a little different this summer.
No Joint Practices Changes the Equation
The Lions do not have joint practices this preseason.
That matters.
Joint practices have traditionally given Detroit’s starters an opportunity to work against unfamiliar opponents in a controlled environment. The intensity increases, the looks change, and players get something much closer to regular-season competition without the full risk of an actual game.
Without those practices, Detroit has fewer opportunities to get that kind of work.
That is why Campbell has already discussed potentially giving his starters preseason snaps.
It also makes Saturday’s game against Washington much more interesting than the average exhibition.
Detroit is still working through combinations along the offensive line. Players are adjusting to different roles. New pieces are being incorporated on both sides of the football.
At some point, Campbell has to decide whether practice reps are enough.
Cincinnati Did Not Exactly Change His Mind
Detroit’s 16-14 loss to Cincinnati was not something anyone should panic about.
It was preseason football.
The Lions rested many of the players who will determine whether this team is playing meaningful football in January.
Still, Campbell was not thrilled with the overall execution.
“We were really sloppy,” Campbell said after the game.
Detroit committed turnovers, dropped passes and repeatedly made life more difficult on itself.
“We shot ourselves in the foot,” Campbell said in the same postgame comments.
Those mistakes were mostly made by players fighting for roster spots, not Detroit’s established starters.
But they still reinforce why Campbell may want his regulars to experience a little live action before the games actually count.
Practice is practice.
A preseason game is still the closest thing Detroit can get to September football.
Tyler Conklin PUP Jahmyr Gibbs Lions practice Lawrence Keys injury settlement Lions sign Ben Stille Detroit Lions defensive workouts Detroit Lions sign Josh Dobbs Lions sign Trayveon Williams
Tyler Conklin PUP Jahmyr Gibbs Lions practice Lawrence Keys injury settlement Lions sign Ben Stille Detroit Lions defensive workouts Detroit Lions sign Josh Dobbs Lions sign Trayveon Williams
The Biggest Question Is Who Actually Plays
Playing starters sounds simple until you start going down the roster.
There are certain players who could clearly benefit from game reps.
Detroit continues to experiment along the offensive line, including giving Tate Ratledge work at center during Sunday’s practice. That group may need as much live work together as possible before the regular season.
The same can be said for several younger defensive players competing for significant roles.
But Goff?
St. Brown?
Gibbs?
Hutchinson?
That is where Campbell’s decision becomes much more complicated.
Nobody needs to see Goff complete six passes against Washington to know he can operate Detroit’s offense.
Nobody needs to see Gibbs break a 20-yard run in August to know what he brings to the backfield.
The value for those players comes from rhythm, timing and experiencing live football again.
The risk is obvious.
Campbell Has to Find the Sweet Spot
There is a middle ground here.
Campbell does not have to choose between sitting every starter and treating Washington like Week 1.
Maybe Goff gets a series.
Maybe the starting offensive line gets a couple of possessions.
Maybe certain defensive starters play while Hutchinson remains safely on the sideline.
The Lions can pick their spots.
That is probably the most logical approach.
Detroit does not need preseason wins.
It needs to arrive at the regular-season opener healthy, sharp and ready to play.
Saturday could give Campbell one final opportunity to accomplish the second part without jeopardizing the first.
Bottom Line
Dan Campbell has been warning us this could happen.
The Lions have protected their stars throughout most of his tenure, but the lack of joint practices has created a different situation in 2026.
Washington has been the game Campbell pointed toward.
Now we are about to find out how serious he was.
Giving Detroit’s starters a handful of snaps could help knock off some rust and allow new combinations to work together under real game conditions.
It could also leave every Lions fan watching through their fingers every time Goff drops back or Hutchinson hits the turf.
That is the balance Campbell has to strike.
Nobody cares who wins a preseason game.
But for the first time in years, some of Detroit’s biggest stars may actually have something riding on one.
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