The Detroit Lions kick off the 2025 preseason tonight in Canton, Ohio against the Los Angeles Chargers in the annual Hall of Fame Game.
It's an opportunity for general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell to get their first look at some of their young players and depth pieces on the 2025 roster. After eight practices against each other to begin training camp, the Lions are looking forward to lining up and hitting someone else for a change.
Here are five things to look out for in tonight's preseason opener:
1. QB BATTLE
Hendon Hooker and Kyle Allen are competing in camp to be Jared Goff’s backup. The two have traded second-team reps every other day throughout the first eight camp practices and will get equal opportunity to win the job based on performance.
Hooker, who the team drafted in the third round in 2023, was Goff's backup during the regular season last year but was moved to an emergency quarterback role in the playoffs as the Lions opted for the more experienced Teddy Bridgewater.
Hooker has had a nice start to camp and looks much more comfortable in the huddle and running the offense than he did last year when it was essentially his first camp after rehabbing a knee injury as a rookie.
Allen is a seven-year veteran with 19 starts and 31 games under his belt. He's looked like an experienced player to begin camp with his command and accuracy.
"Make the right decisions. Don't try to do anything flashy, don't try to make plays, you just do what you're asked to do and wherever the defense dictates that the ball should go, that's where it should go and then let those guys make a play," Campbell said this week of what he wants to see from both quarterbacks Thursday.
"If it's supposed to go down to the back, put it to the back, he's got to make a play, and we'll see what happens. Even if that means we've got to punt, that's OK, you just do what you're asked to do, run the offense, stay cool, stay calm, stay collected, run that huddle, make sure there's clear communication and that's all I'm looking for. It's all I care about."
2. YOUNG EDGE RUSHERS
Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport are having a terrific start to training camp and the Lions feel really good about that starting duo on the edge of their defensive line.
How the depth and playing roles stack up behind those two is very much an open competition, and that should be something Lions fans have an eye on when the defense is on the field against the Chargers tonight.
"It's a great opportunity for those guys to go in and show what they're able to do," Campbell said of some of his young edge rushers. "If you're going to go make your plays and I'm going to go get all these sacks and you're rushing high and behind the quarterback, I don't even see it. It's not even worth talking about anymore. It's not worth it.
"But if you do what you're asked to do and what (D-line coach) Kacy's (Rodgers) teaching you to do and (Kelvin Sheppard) Shep, and you set it up and you push the quarterback and you're even with him and you crush it or you make a move there, great. Yes these guys, they've got a great opportunity to showcase what they can do and play within the defense and show their worth."
Players like Al-Quadin Muhammad, Isaac Ukwu, Ahmed Hassanein, Nate Lynn, Mitchell Agude, Keith Cooper Jr. and others are all battling for edge depth roles. Who will catch the eyes of Lions coaches this evening?
3. ROOKIES
After initially thinking top two draft picks Tyleik Williams and Tate Ratledge would play in tonight's game when asked last week, Campbell said the staff has since talked about it and both players are now unlikely to play as both have been getting consistent first-team reps – Williams alongside DJ Reader in the middle of Detroit's defensive line and Ratledge at right guard.
"We talked about it as a staff and it's like, 'Why don't we just wait? Maybe play him in Atlanta?'" Campbell said. "So I think we'll hold tight, make sure they get plenty of reps out here (in practice)."
We could see wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa, Hassanein, safety Dan Jackson and wide receiver Dominic Lovett. There's also a group of nine undrafted free agents that will get their first taste of NFL game action. Among that group are Cooper and running back Kye Robichaux, both of whom have made splash plays the first week of camp.
Some rookies are battling for playing roles while others are competing for roster spots. It's the first of four opportunities for these first-year players to make a good impression.
4. KICKOFF CHANGES
The NFL made the dynamic kickoff format, introduced in 2024, permanent for the 2025 season, with a key change voted on this offseason at the league meetings. The spot for a touchback was moved from the 30-yard line to the 35-yard line. This change aims to encourage more kickoff returns as teams will be less willing to just give the offense the ball at the 35-yard line by kicking it into the end zone.
Kicker Jake Bates has been working hard in practice to consistently land the football in the landing zone between the 20-yard line and the end zone.
The rule change is expected to significantly increase the numbers of returns. Detroit was a team that opted for the touchback on nearly 78 percent of their kickoffs last year. Both Campbell and special teams coordinator Dave Fipp are excited for the play to factor more into winning and losing on a weekly basis.
"Yeah, Fipp and I are looking forward to this," Campbell said this week. "This will be pretty fun to see what it is going to look like and kind of watch our guys out there block it up but also cover down on it. And then what they do, what the Chargers do too. So yeah, this is good. It's kind of your first exposure to it, so we're excited."
View photos from Day 8 of Detroit Lions training camp on Tuesday July 29, 2025.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Tom Kennedy (85) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Dominic Lovett (19) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Dominic Lovett (19) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Tate Ratledge (69) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson (97) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Chris Smith (90) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Ahmed Hassanein (61) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive coordinator John Morton during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Grant Stuard (15) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions center Kingsley Eguakun (65) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Tim Patrick (12) and Detroit Lions cornerback Morice Norris (26) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) and Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) and Detroit Lions cornerback Morice Norris (26) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker (2) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates (39) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions long snapper Hogan Hatten (49) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions senior defensive assistant/outside linebackers coach David Corrao and Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates (39) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad (96) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson (97) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Tyleik Williams (91) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Tyleik Williams (91) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions center Kingsley Eguakun (65) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Roy Lopez (51) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Dan Jackson (28) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Shane Zylstra (84) and Detroit Lions linebacker Trevor Nowaske (53) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback D.J. Reed (4) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson (97) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) and Detroit Lions cornerback D.J. Reed (4) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Roy Lopez (51) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center on July 29, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
5. NEW SCHEMES
Teams are pretty vanilla in the preseason with their schemes, but there are still core concepts and fundamentals that show through.
This will be our first look at new offensive coordinator John Morton and new defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard in a game environment running the offense and defense, respectively.
Can Morton isolate his playmakers in space with all the different formations and pre-snap motions we've seen so far in camp? Will Sheppard play mostly man coverage and how aggressive will he be blitzing?
It will be fun to get our first look at the offense and defense under two new coordinators for the first time this season.
