Lions vs. Chargers: Detroit storylines to watch in the Hall of Fame game

Football is finally back! The Detroit Lions and the Los Angeles Chargers are set to kickoff the summer by playing in the Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio. We all know that there won't be many starts, if any, at all play in the game tonight. It's already been confirmed by Lions head coach Dan Campbell that we won't see many starters playing tonight, if any at all.

That doesn't mean there won't be talent on the field for either team tonight. Specifically for the Detroit Lions, they'll have difficult decisions to make when trimming their roster from 90 players to 53 players. Specifically on the defensive side of the football, they've got a lot of players and they're going to end up having to let go of some talented players that may stick with another team.

That's a good problem to have for the Lions. Back when the times of the cupboards being bare, that's no longer the case. Let's dive into some players and storylines that are worth monitoring for the Lions first preseason game of the 2025 season.

Hendon Hooker and Kyle Allen compete for QB2 spot

This has been something that's been discussed and monitored a bunch already this summer. Starting tonight, the speculation comes to an end and the only thing that matters are the results. From what Pat McAfee reported on his show, it sounds like Kyle Allen will be starting at quarterback for the Lions. That would mean we should see a heavy dosage of Hendon Hooker in the second half of the game.

Up to this point of training camp, it feels as if Hooker has been the better quarterback between the two. He's taken a huge step forward when working through progressions and it looks like he's finally healthy. That should lead to Hooker playing with more confidence but as we know with any position, it does take time. Fortunately, there will be plenty of time for Hooker to seize the opportunities he's given this summer.

The same can be said about Kyle Allen as he enters his 8th season with his 6th team in the NFL. Praised for his intelligence and ability to learn quickly, he's got the experience needed to make the quarterback room better. Which it feels like he's done up to this point. Regardless of what happens on the field tonight, it wouldn't be surprising if the Lions end up carrying three quarterbacks (Goff, Hooker and Allen) this season.

Impact and development of rookie WRs Isaac TeSlaa and Dominic Lovett

From watching the Lions YouTube series, Inside the Den, it's evident the organization thinks highly of Isaac TeSlaa. Selected in the 3rd round of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Arkansas, it feels like there's already a role and higher expectations developing for TeSlaa in Detroit.

Through a few weeks of training camp, there's been steady growth from the rookie wide receiver. He's stacked good practices on top of each other. Meanwhile, he continues to impress with acrobatic catches downfield. It's unclear how much TeSlaa will play tonight but he's had steady rapport with Hendon Hooker during camp so that's certainly worth monitoring tonight.

On the field, there won't be just one rookie wide receiver drafted by the Lions playing. We should see a heavy dosage of Dominic Lovett from Georgia. The 7th round pick was labeled as a "slot, gadget-type player" from GM Brad Holmes during the 3rd day of the 2025 NFL Draft. However, he may get an opportunity to play all over the field for the Lions tonight. It's been a relatively consistent camp from Lovett this summer. Consistently showing fluidity and good change of direction skills, it wouldn't be surprising if offensive coordinator John Morton forces some touches to Lovett so we can see what type of playmaking ability he possesses.

John Morton and how the offense will look

Bringing it full circle on the offense, I'll be honest, it's going to be tough to gauge what the Lions offense looks like under John Morton. Specifically a preseason game, there will be a lot of basic concepts ran from the Lions tonight. I'd imagine that it'll be tough for Morton to get "into his bag" without having Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta and David Montgomery to his disposal.

That said, it'll be important for Morton to get comfortable with the flow of calling a game. Meanwhile, how will he respond when put into tough situations such as 3rd and long or pinned deep into his own territory?Most importantly, can the offense execute without so many starters on the field? Those are questions that should start to get answered tonight.

Rookie safety Dan Jackson will get his chances

When the Lions drafted Dan Jackson out of Georgia, I watched his film and immediately saw the Lions vision with him. It will take time for it all to come to fruition but needless to say, it should happen. There's so much talent with Jackson and he plays faster than most people would think.

Whether it be on special teams or playing multiple series on defense, I'd expect to see a heavy dosage of Jackson throughout the preseason. Starting with tonight, we should see him playing near the box or even aligned as a single-high safety. When he plays special teams, it'll be worth monitoring which units he plays on because he's got experience on all of them from his time at Georgia.

Three key defensive players to watch

• Ahmed Hassanein -- Easily a fan favorite after video surfaced from his call with the Lions during the 2025 NFL Draft. Hassanein told Dan Campbell that he "would die on the field" for him and he quickly won fans over for his love and passion towards the opportunity of playing in Detroit. Playing with power and a relentless motor, Hassanein fits exactly the type of player the Lions love on defense. With Hutchinson, Paschal and Davenport all listed in front of him on the depth chart, we may see a heavy dosage of the rookie out of Boise State tonight.
• Brodric Martin -- Since Brad Holmes became the General Manager of the Detroit Lions, he's had a ton of success through the NFL Draft. Sure, every player hasn't been a home run but there's been a lot of singles and doubles into the gap for the players he's added to Detroit. One of the players that may be a swing and miss is Brodric Martin. Selected in the 3rd round of the 2023 NFL Draft, his status on the roster has become cloudy. He's only played in 5 games in his career and he's battled through knee and foot injuries but time is starting to run out for him. Buried on the depth chart, he's got to have a strong summer to make the Lions 53-man roster.
• Trevor Nowaske -- Bouncing between the Detroit Lions and the Arizona Cardinals, it's been a decent start to the career of Nowaske. Entering his 3rd season in the NFL, Nowaske has been relatively consistent in his role. More of a depth linebacker and special teams contributor, he provides the defense plenty of versatility. Whether he's aligned as the MIKE, WILL or SAM, he can play any of them at a decent level. However, the depth chart at linebacker is getting relatively full in Detroit and Nowaske may be on the outside looking in. With Jack Campbell, Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes, Malcolm Rodriguez and Grant Stuard all listed above him, it'll be tough sledding to earn the 6th linebacker spot. After all, the team has to commit to having that many linebackers. Starting tonight, Nowaske can prove his worth for the Lions coaching staff.

This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Lions vs. Chargers: Detroit storylines to watch in Hall of Fame game