The Detroit Lions dedicated significant offseason assets to improving the defensive line. First, they signed veteran DJ Wonnum in NFL free agency and added rookie Derrick Moore in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
But the Lions might have found a diamond in the rough at the position group too — undrafted rookie Eric O'Neill.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell received a question about which players was he most proud of after the team finished its preseason schedule. Campbell answered a "number of guys" had left him impressed. But the head coach only specifically mentioned one by name — O'Neill.
"The first one I think of is O'Neill. You talk about a guy that was kind of on the outside looking in from the time he got here in the spring that had to kind of defy all odds," Campbell told reporters Monday. "He had to find his way. He had to make plays every day, he had to catch our eye every day, and he did that every day. Whether it was special teams or defense, he did something every day.
"There's not a coach on any given day that's not saying something good about O'Neill … You just can't ignore it. So, he's the most obvious.
"Rookie free agent comes in and earns his right. It's awesome. That's what we're about."
The Lions signed O'Neill as an undrafted free agent following the 2026 NFL Draft. The Rutgers product is one of five edge rushers Detroit has on its 53-man roster to begin the 2026 regular season.
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