By this time Wednesday, the Detroit Lions will take the field for the start of training camp, and what they hope will be a return to form after a disappointing 2025 season.It’s a pivotal year for coach Dan Campbell and company, who’ve quietly gone about their business this offseason. They had a meat-and-potatoes free agency and draft, emphasizing depth and positions of need. Don’t expect to hear this group openly talk about the playoffs, Super Bowl or anything beyond the immediate. That’s not where their focus is. They have to earn the right to have those convos again.Right now, it’s all about the work — and that work begins Wednesday.Storylines to watchTraining camp changes?If you’ve been following along this offseason, you might’ve heard some of the changes Campbell plans to make in training camp that differ from previous seasons. If not, allow us to catch you up to speed.Should Detroit Lions be considered favorites to win NFC North?Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen• Campbell said he expects this to be the most competitive training camp the Lions have had since he’s been here. That was a goal for him and GM Brad Holmes, and it’s reflective of their offseason additions. Campbell wants to get back to the early days of his tenure, when competition got the best out of his players.• Campbell said the Lions will “be smart” about getting his players ready for the 2026 season. He said, “We’re going to push it. We’re going to push, that’s what we do, but we’ll do it smart. We have got to get these guys ready for a season. … I’m going to do what I think is best to prepare these guys for 17 weeks, but also understand that we have got to be smart about it and we can’t break them in training camp.”• The Lions will not conduct joint practices for the first time since 2021.• Campbell said the Lions could play starters in the preseason.It’ll be interesting to see what other changes come about. But that’s a good baseline of what to expect, as Campbell looks to evolve without getting away from what got him here.Can Drew Petzing help the offense return to form?Campbell’s lengthy OC search this offseason after moving on from John Morton led him to Drew Petzing — a man who wasn’t on many radars. He’d spent the last three seasons overseeing an average Cardinals offense. The head coach who hired him, Jonathan Gannon, was fired. It wasn’t a flashy choice. But is it the right one? Campbell believes it is.Petzing is a teacher. People you talk to about him say he can coach the veteran quarterback down to the late-round rookie from a small school. He can make complicated terminology and concepts digestible — no matter your experience level. Beyond that, though, he’s a coach who looks to exploit weakness, isn’t afraid to zag when others zig and will bring variety to the run game. In Detroit, he’ll have weapons he’s never had at his disposal. We saw a glimpse of the eye-candy motions in OTAs, and should see more of it in training camp. Between Petzing and an improved offensive line, the offense has a chance to return to form in 2026.What’s in store for Kelvin Sheppard’s defense in Year 2?The Lions’ defense is under construction. Multiyear starters Alex Anzalone, DJ Reader and Amik Robertson are no longer here. Former first-round pick Terrion Arnold was released in June. Detroit’s starting safeties are both managing serious injuries and won’t be ready for the start of camp. All that to say, there are a lot of moving parts here. That alone presents challenges for Lions second-year DC Kelvin Sheppard.When this defense was relatively healthy last season, it was starting to look like a top-10 unit. But will the injury bug be too much to overcome again? Can Sheppard navigate the lack of continuity in 2026 with a year of experience under his belt? How will the new pieces fit? Will Sheppard’s offseason deep dive of the defense with Campbell lead to better results? Or will this season look similar to 2022 and 2023 — when the offense had to carry a defense that didn’t have the juice? The season will yield those answers, but training camp will be the first look.Position battles to watch CB2: After the release of Arnold, the Lions have questions at cornerback. D.J. Reed is back for Year 2 of his three-year, $48 million contract, and the hope is that a healthy season leads to more consistency. The Lions need him to play like a CB1. Then we have the CB2 job, one that could come down to Rock Ya-Sin vs. Ennis Rakestraw Jr. Ya-Sin is the early favorite. He filled in admirably for Arnold and Reed when they missed time last season, and the Lions brought him back on a one-year contract for the depth he provides. Will he offer the same caliber of play in a full-time starting role? Or is it time for Rakestraw, a 2024 second-round pick, to win the job?RT: The Lions seem higher than most on veteran tackle Larry Borom, and believe he’s coming off one of his better seasons manning right tackle for the Dolphins. That said, you have to think the Lions would love nothing more than for their first-round pick, Blake Miller, to win the job. That the Lions drafted Miller in the first round — over prospects like Monroe Freeling and Max Iheanachor — speaks to them favoring a more NFL-ready tackle. Miller started 54 games in four seasons at Clemson and has a strong work ethic. He fits the profile of a tackle who can step in and provide serviceable play at right tackle, even if there are growing pains along the way.The Lions would like it if rookie first-round offensive tackle Blake Miller steps in and takes over at right tackle. (Lon Horwedel / Imagn Images)LG: The early sense is this is Christian Mahogany’s job to lose, but the fact the job is in question in ways it wasn’t last year speaks to the improved depth at guard. Mahogany struggled in pass protection and missed time with injury in his first season as a full-time starter. There’s hope he can improve with better health, natural growth and playing between Cade Mays and Penei Sewell. If not, the Lions can turn to Ben Bartch and Miles Frazier. Those are the three names to watch here.LB: The Lions let Anzalone walk in free agency and need to find a new starting linebacker. The Lions will likely turn first to Malcolm Rodriguez. Back on a one-year deal, Rodriguez fits the run well and has a natural feel for the ball carrier. He leaves a bit to be desired in pass coverage, but the Lions can make up for that by playing more nickel. If this ends up becoming a battle, it’ll be because 2026 fourth-round pick Jimmy Rolder made it one. While he lacks experience, Rolder’s instincts and size could make him an intriguing option if he continues to impress like he did in OTAs.Safety: The Lions will be without Kerby Joseph (knee) and Brian Branch (Achilles) when training camp begins, with both placed on the PUP list. Not entirely surprising news, but it will give us a look at the next men up. Based on OTAs and minicamp, it seems like Chuck Clark and Christian Izien, a pair of free-agent additions, will get first crack at it. Clark made plays in OTAs, picking off Jared Goff in one of the highlights of June practices, and Izien is a physical, versatile DB the Lions know well from their battles with the Bucs. We’ll see if Avonte Maddox or Thomas Harper can push for starting reps.Final thoughtsAs you can tell, the Lions have work to do. Show me a team that doesn’t, though. This is training camp — the time to work out kinks and prepare yourself to have the best possible season. In many ways, the Lions are set up for a bounce-back.They’ve addressed the majority of their needs head-on, return one of the league’s most talented rosters and have a favorable schedule that sets up for early success. But making the playoffs isn’t the primary goal. Whether or not the Lions have what it takes to win a championship will be settled long after training camp, but this period should offer a good first look as we evaluate this team and how far it can go.Stay tuned.