After entering the 2025 NFL season with Super Bowl aspirations, the Detroit Lions walked away from their 2025 campaign outside of the playoffs with a middle-of-the-pack first-round pick.
It was a very disappointing result, and with the #17 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, it's easy to feel weary that the right talent the Lions need will be waiting for them at that pick. It's why there was a segment of Lions fans who wanted to tank down the stretch, or simply lose to the Chicago Bears in Week 18, which alone would've jumped them to the #14 pick.