What happened: Yahoo NFL broke down which Detroit Lions players took part in the first week of organized team activities and which sat out due to injury. OTAs are voluntary, non-contact practices, so any absences at this stage are typically precautionary rather than serious. The report frames who was on the field as Detroit opens its on-field offseason program ahead of the 2026 season.

Why it matters: Early-spring participation offers the first read on how the Detroit Lions are positioned coming out of the winter, with injury recoveries and roster competition the storylines to track. Who practices and who is held back can hint at depth-chart battles and the health of players returning from prior setbacks. None of it is binding in May, but it sets the baseline for training camp.

What to watch: Watch whether any held-out players return to full work in the coming OTA sessions and ahead of mandatory minicamp, the next checkpoint before training camp.