The Lions Have 4 Defensive Players Nobody Is Talking About...

The Detroit Lions' defense has taken plenty of criticism through the first two weeks of the 2026 season, but Mike Payton believes there are four defensive players who aren't getting nearly enough attention for how well they've played. Tyleik Williams is the first name on the list. Through two games, Williams has played 82 defensive snaps and owns an 81.3 Pro Football Focus grade, according to Mike. He's been strong against the run while also generating pressure as a pass rusher. Mike then breaks down sixth-round pick Skyler Gill-Howard, who has already played 71 snaps and has been thrown into a much larger role than expected. Gill-Howard has four pressures and a quarterback hit, and Mike expects the rookie to start producing more as a pass rusher. Derrick Barnes may be the biggest surprise of the group. Barnes currently has an 83.6 coverage grade, an interception, a pass breakup, five pressures and two sacks through the first two games. Mike explains why Barnes is playing like the linebacker Lions fans hoped he would become. The final player is D.J. Reed, who Mike knows will be a controversial inclusion. After a difficult Week 1, Reed was targeted just once against Buffalo. Mike explains why he believes the Bills intentionally stayed away from Reed and why the Week 3 matchup against Reed's former team, the New York Jets, will be an important test. Mike also explains the bigger picture for Detroit's defense: he believes the defensive line and linebackers are in a good place, but the secondary still needs more help. Which Lions defensive player deserves more attention? Let Mike know in the comments. Subscribe to A to Z Sports Detroit for Detroit Lions news, analysis, roster updates, game reactions, film breakdowns and daily coverage throughout the 2026 season. #DetroitLions #OnePride #Lions #NFL Make A to Z Sports your preferred source on Google: https://google.com/preferences/source?q=atozsports.com Play A to Z Sports Daily Games: https://atozsports.com/games For more LIONS coverage: https://atozsports.com/nfl/detroit-lions-news/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LionsFans4Life Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atozsportslions/ Twitter/X: https://x.com/AtoZSportsNFL TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@atozsportsdetroitlions 0:00 The Lions Have Defensive Bright Spots 1:35 Tyleik Williams Is Flying Under The Radar 2:15 Williams' PFF Grade & Pass Rush 3:07 The Play That Won The Saints Game 4:25 Williams Needs More Pass-Rush Opportunities 5:06 Skyler Gill-Howard Is Being Thrown Into The Fire 6:18 Gill-Howard's Biggest Area To Improve 7:32 Derrick Barnes Is BALLING 8:00 Barnes' Incredible Coverage Numbers 9:28 D.J. Reed Is Better Than Lions Fans Think 10:03 Why Buffalo Avoided D.J. Reed 10:57 Reed Gets His Former Team Next 11:36 The Lions Still Need Secondary Help #detroitlions #lionsnation #lionsfootball #detroitlionsnews