ESPN released early predictions for the 2025-26 NFL season on Friday, some liking the Detroit Lions to make it further while others don’t have such high hopes.
ESPN’s Matt Bowen predicted the Lions would not only make it to the Super Bowl but also win it over the Baltimore Ravens. Eric Moody, Aaron Schatz, and Mike Tannenbaum all predicted the Lions would reach the big game but lose to either the Bills or Ravens.
Tannenbaum also threw into his prediction that Lions edge superstar Aidan Hutchinson would win Defensive Player of the Year.
DraftKings Sportsbook had the Lions +900 to win the Super Bowl next year as of Saturday.
ESPN analysts also made predictions for MVP, offseason wishes, breakout candidates, and regression candidates. No Lions garnered any MVP buzz, but Tannenbaum’s offseason wishlist pushed for the Browns to trade edge rusher Myles Garrett to Detroit.
Despite those high hopes, multiple analysts predicted the Lions to have a season of regression. Pamela Maldonado, Lindsey Thiry, and Field Yates all predicted the Lions wouldn’t have as much success next season.
Maldonado and Thiry both cited the team’s mass coaching shakeup as a primary concern for seeing the same successes. Yates acknowledged the Lions will still be very good, but perhaps not 15-2 good.