Detroit Lions nix rookie minicamp as offseason adjustments continue

Allen Park — The Detroit Lions opted against having a local day ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, and GM Brad Holmes skipped the league's owners meetings so he could better focus on pre-draft preparations.

And now, the latest we've learned: The team has nixed rookie minicamp.

All of these offseason alterations are the result of what Holmes described as a "long, hard look at every single thing from top to bottom" by himself and coach Dan Campbell following the 2025 campaign, Detroit's first without a playoff berth since 2022.

"We’re not doing things just to do it just because you feel like you have to do it," Holmes said Saturday, shortly after he capped his 2026 draft class with a couple of defensive linemen in the sixth and seventh rounds. "You can’t be scared when you want to try something new that you think is going to be better for the football team, and so that’s what we did, and that’s why some things ... from a calendar standpoint, look like they’re removed. But there are other things that are going to take their place that we feel are going to be more beneficial for us."

More: Who did Detroit Lions pick in 2026 NFL Draft? See all 7 selections

As for what's being subbed in for rookie minicamp, which is traditionally held two weeks after the draft, Holmes declined to reveal, perhaps protecting a competitive advantage he believes the Lions have by keeping it a secret.

"I just can’t say it," Holmes said. "We’re not just removing (rookie minicamp) just to use it as idle time to twiddle our thumbs. It’s something that we’re utilizing to put in place of that, that we feel is going to be more efficient and better for us."

Rookie minicamp is usually comprised of three days of practice for rookies (both drafted and undrafted) and players on tryouts. There were 19 players on a tryout in Allen Park last year, including eventual signees Luke Deal, Malik Taylor, Raequan Williams, Tyson Russell and Keith Cooper Jr.