Which Detroit Lions player should play more vs. Bears?

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Based on the Monday press conference from coach Dan Campbell, the Detroit Lions appear to be treating their regular season finale against the Chicago Bears mostly like any other. Despite the fact that the Lions have already been eliminated from postseason contention, Campbell wants the team to compete.

“We’re not playing for the playoffs but there are still things we can find out. And I expect the guys that we have here to give it what they’ve got one more time. That’s the expectation,” Campbell said.

While he said the team may play things a little more cautious with players dealing with an injury, Campbell made it relatively clear he wasn’t about to just play young players to get them some reps. They’ll only get playing time if they’re the next player up on the depth chart.

“I think if guys can’t go because of injury, then the next guy up will go,” Campbell said. “Young or old—or young or veteran, I should say—next best guy available.”

But as the Lions’ final game of the season approaches, we can hope and root for the Lions to play any players they want—even if it’s not likely to happen. So today’s Question of the Day is:

Which Lions player do you want to see play vs. the Bears?

My answer: I could go in a lot of directions here. Detroit could throw out fan favorite rookie Ahmed Hassanein out there and see what he provides. Maybe it would be neat to see rookie receiver Dominic Lovett play some offensive snaps. Or maybe you want to see the continued development of offensive tackle Giovanni Manu.

But the first name that comes to mind for me is Mekhi Wingo. The 2024 sixth-round pick showed a little bit of promise in limited play his rookie season before he suffered a season-ending injury. There was some hope entering 2025 that he would take a second-year jump and provide some much-needed pass rush from the interior.

Instead, the Lions invested in defensive tackle this offseason, drafting Tyleik Williams in the first round and signing veteran Roy Lopez in free agency. As a result, Wingo has played in just one game this year—a 37-snap performance all the way back in Week 2 against the Bears.

Wingo is a bit undersized for an interior defender, so I’m sure Detroit was afraid of how he’d impact their run defense. And while stopping the run will be an important key this week against the Bears, why not throw Wingo out there and see what he can do? Maybe he surprises the staff with his ability to get upfield quickly and make plays in the backfield.

What most frustrating about Wingo’s situation is that he’s making a ton of buzz in practice. Per the offensive line, via Justin Rogers, Wingo has been a “pain in the ass” this year to deal with. And when Lions coaches talk about him, they seem happy with his progress.

“He’s doing a good job, this is nothing on him, he’s just got to continue to keep working and improve his craft,” Campbell said about Wingo and the crowded defensive tackle room in October.

“This guy, for me watching him, has really, really been impressive,” DL coach Kacy Rodgers said earlier this month. “The thing that he’s able to do athletically. […] I’m telling you, he’s right there, and I’m glad he’s here with us.”

Time to see some of that athleticism flash on the field. Let’s get a taste and make sure Wingo can take that next step in development—which can only really be achieved through game reps.

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