The Detroit Lions’ 2024 season felt like a tale of two defenses: dominant through the first five weeks, then held together with duct tape after injuries wiped out half the starters. Fast-forward to 2025 and the buzz in Allen Park is that Aaron Glenn’s unit (now called by Kelvin Sheppard) can get back to top-10 form—or better. Here’s why.
1. Aidan Hutchinson Is Healthy—and Still Angry
Remember the panic when Hutch snapped his leg in Week 6 last year? At that moment he was a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate, pacing the NFL in sacks (6.5) and total pressures (25). The Lions survived, but the pass rush never really recovered. Now the former No. 2 overall pick is fully cleared, posting workout videos that look more Marvel superhero than rehabbing edge rusher. Detroit added bodies inside (DJ Reader, rookie Tyleik Williams), but the edge room is thin behind Hutchinson. Getting 17 healthy games of his chaos-creating bend is the single biggest upgrade the Lions could make.
2. The Secondary Took a Real Step Forward
Detroit didn’t chase a splashy corner in free agency; it chased a better one. D.J. Reed arrives from the Jets with sticky man-coverage traits and an every-snap chip on his shoulder. Simply put, he’s an upgrade over Carlton Davis III, who left in March. Pair that with Year 2 of Terrion Arnold and the picture gets fun. Arnold’s rookie season was a roller-coaster—penalties, a few blown coverages, but also glimpses of shutdown potential. Word around the building is that he’s “keeping receipts” for 2025 critics and has looked smoother in every OTA rep. If Reed gives the Lions a true CB1 and Arnold levels up to CB1-b, Kelvin Sheppard can play press-man without crossing his fingers.
3. Derrick Barnes + Kelvin Sheppard = Run-Defense Upgrade
Yes, Aidan Hutchinson is the headline, but Derrick Barnes might be the glue. Detroit quietly handed the old-school linebacker a three-year extension even as he rehabs a late-season knee injury, proof of how integral he is to freeing up Hutchinson on the weak side. With Alex Anzalone angling for a new contract and Malcolm Rodriguez still working back from ACL surgery, Barnes becomes the every-down steady hand next to Jack Campbell. The twist: he’ll now be coached (and schemed) by former LB coach Kelvin Sheppard, promoted to defensive coordinator. Few coaches know Barnes’ strengths—downhill thump, sideline-to-sideline hustle—better than Sheppard. Expect to see No. 55 featured in blitz packages and early-down alignments that clog running lanes before they start.
Bottom Line
The Lions don’t need miracles to field a top-tier defense in 2025; they just need health, incremental growth, and a bit of new blood in the secondary. With Hutchinson terrorizing tackles again, Reed and a mature Arnold locking down receivers, and Barnes patrolling the second level under Sheppard’s watch, Detroit’s D should look a lot more like the group that started last season—and a lot less like the one patched together down the stretch.