Linebacker Jimmy Rolder (fourth round) and wide receiver Kendrick Law (fifth), along with the rest of Detroit's rookies, joined the veterans at the Meijer Performance Center for the offseason training program last week as they begin their journey for what they hope are early playing roles with the Lions.

Rolder joins a veteran-laden linebacker group led by Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes and Malcolm Rodriguez. Law will try to make his mark in an established wide receiver room that features Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Isaac TeSlaa, plus the addition of veteran Greg Dortch in free agency.

When training camp starts in late July, both Rolder and Law will attempt to earn roles on offense and defense, but where both could make their biggest impact early on in their NFL careers is on special teams.

A one-year starter at Michigan, Rolder cut his teeth on special teams and could make an immediate impact there as he competes for a role on defense.

"Really thrilled to get him," Lions general manager Brad Holmes said of Rolder after the draft. "He's a four-core special teams player.

"When you start talking about football player, man, some guys they don't want to play special teams. Those guys that just want to play offense or just want to play defense and don't want to play special teams. That says something about you as a football player.

"The guys that are just relentless on special teams. That's what special teams is, man. Yeah, you have to have a certain body type on certain positions on special teams, so there's some traits you like to have, but at the end of the day it's about your attitude and Jimmy Rolder has that."

Rolder said on the Twentyman in the Huddle podcast this week he values any role that allows him to get on the field and contribute to winning and that certainly includes any potential special teams role.

"Special teams in the NFL is different than college," Rolder said. "You take pride being on those units. That's exactly what I'm going to do. Whatever role I have, I'm going to do at the best of my ability whether that's starting linebacker, backup linebacker, special teams. Whatever it is I'm going to go out there and play hard for the team and play for my teammates and do it to the best of my ability."

Law played 537 career special teams snaps as both a gunner and returner in college at both Alabama and Kentucky. He's got great short-area quickness with terrific speed and has proven to be dynamic with the ball in his hands.

The Lions are looking for a new returner after Kalif Raymond left in free agency, and Holmes was also really impressed with Law's college tape as a gunner.

"He's going to be a really cool chess piece to have offensively," Holmes said of Law. "But you said it, I love his special teams. He's got the attitude. He will go and play gunner and run down there.

"It fits the theme of when we picked Jameson Williams. Everyone talks about how fast he is as a wide receiver. Yes, he is that. He's electric and dynamic as a wide receiver. But turn on that Alabama tape and he's at gunner running down there. He has the attitude. Law just kind of fits that football player."

Law understands the importance of special teams and hopes to earn a role there in Detroit.

"I feel like special teams is the biggest part of the game," Law said. "It's where games can be won or lost. It's where field position can be taken or lost. I feel like without special teams, football isn't football."

The Lions had a goal this offseason to get younger, deeper and more athletic across the roster. One of the benefits of that is how much it can impact special teams coordinator Dave Fipp's units and make them stronger overall.

Detroit's special teams finished 13th in Sports Illustrated's annual ranking based on net punting average, opponent net punting average, opponent starting field position after a kickoff, starting field position after a kickoff and field-goal percentage last season.

With the depth Detroit has built throughout the roster this offseason, along with some of these rookies like Rolder and Law coming in with impressive special teams resumes, we could see some significant uptick in production for Detroit in 2026.