Team: Detroit Lions
Division: NFC North
Record: 3-13-1, 4th place NFC North
Playoffs: what is this vague concept you speak of?
This is the Lions write-up of the 32 Teams / 32 Days series, put together by u/ehhhhhhhhhhmacarena. Much thanks to each of you fellow writers who have and will be putting together similarly informative pieces. Here's my attempt breaking down the Lions.
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General Season Review
After moving on from the failed Patriots experiment of Bob Quinn (2016-2020) and Matt Patricia (2018-2020), the Lions cleaned house, bringing in New Orleans Saints assistant Dan Campbell as a leader of men, and Rams front office assistant Brad Holmes as general manager to right the ship. The Lions 2021 offseason was highlighted by a massive trade, sending franchise QB Matthew Stafford to the Rams for QB Jared Goff, a 2021 third-round pick, and two future first-round picks, the first of which will come into play this year following a Rams Super Bowl win with Stafford.
The first-half of the 2021 season was pretty rough, as Detroit started off 0-8, including some heart-breaking losses to the the Ravens on a 66-yard field goal from Justin Tucker, the Vikings on a 54-yard field from goal from Greg Joseph, and get clobbered by the Packers, Bengals and Eagles. Hope was restored a bit when the Lions managed a tie against the Pittsburgh Steelers in week 10, and after two miserable weeks of offensive output following that (just 24 points over two games), the Lions landed their first win under Dan Campbell, a 29-27 victory over the Minnesota Vikings thanks to a game-winning touchdown pass from Jared Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown.
The Lions went on to win two more games, a surprising beatdown of the Arizona Cardinals in week 15, and then a good ole fashion meaningless win over the Packers to end the season. Detroit finished 3-13-1 on the season, but the strong(er) finish of 3-5-1 over the final eight games has given the program some optimism entering Year Two of Campbell's tenure.
Recapping 2021 Offseason Additions
2021 NFL Free Agency
The Lions were smaller spenders in free agency, with only one larger contract being given out, and all other signings being one-year flier type deals.
EDGE Romeo Okwara was supposed to be a focal point of the defense this season.
- EDGE Romeo Okwara: The biggest deal of the offseason, the Lions extended Okwara at 3-years, $37 million. However, his season was cut short, as he tore his Achilles in week four against the Chicago Bears.
- RB Jamaal Williams: The Lions snagged a popular running back from their rivals in Green Bay. Originally thought to be a partner for D'Andre Swift, injuries to Swift led to an increased role for Williams, setting career highs in carries and yards this season. Quality year.
- WR Tyrell Williams: Williams was the Lions biggest ticket addition at WR, but played just one game in Detroit (2 catches, 14 yards) before being released. Bust of a signing ultimately.
- ILB Alex Anzalone: Detroit brought Anzalone in as someone who had scheme familiarity with Aaron Glenn from New Orleans. He had some really strong games, and some others that were pretty brutal. He's been inconsistent most of his career and this year was no different.
- QB Tim Boyle: Boyle ended up making a pair of starts when Goff was dinged up. He was brutal in relief, throwing 3 touchdowns to 6 interceptions, costing the Lions a chance at a win in Cleveland and managing their losing efforts against Atlanta and Seattle.
- EDGE Charles Harris: This one was certainly a gem, a great move by GM Brad Holmes. Harris, a former first-round pick, had been a bust till this point, but experienced a breakout season in Detroit, tallying 7.5 sacks in 2021 and playing the best football of his career.
- WR Kalif Raymond: The only other one worth spending much time at all on, Raymond was the Lions return-specialist, but also became a surprisingly big part of the Lions passing attack early on, putting together 48 catches for 576 yards and 4 touchdowns, all career highs by quite some ways.
2021 NFL Draft
Detroit selected Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell in the first-round last season.
The Lions 2021 Draft was universally hailed as a surprisingly strong one in year one for new GM Brad Holmes. Detroit also brought in former Browns GM John Dorsey as a senior advisor, and built a very collaborative approach with Holmes, Campbell, Dorsey, Ray Agnew and Chris Spielman as well. NFL.com's Gennaro Filice & Nick Shook re-ranked the 2021 NFL Draft classes after one season out, and the Lions made an appearance at #4 overall, which matches what many expected it to look like. We'll break down each prospect:
- Round 1, Pick #2: OT Penei Sewell, Oregon // Sewell stepped in at left tackle right away thanks to an injury to Taylor Decker, and has some up-and-down performances there. He swapped back to right tackle once Decker returned and was dominant for the Lions the remainder of the season, playing so well as to make PFF's list of the top 101 players of 2021, coming in at #66 overall. An excellent start in Detroit.
- Round 2, Pick #41: DT Levi Onwuzurike, Washington // Another PAC-12 North lineman, Onwuzurike came along slowly, not being rushed into the lineup with Michael Brockers taking snaps ahead of him. His season was more up-and-down, with plenty of good flashes but also some struggles.
- Round 3, Pick #72: NT Alim McNeill, NC State // McNeill looked like a very solid pick, stepping in early and often to man the nose tackle position, tallying a couple of sacks, and putting together a pretty solid rookie season all things considered. He played well enough to be considered a future building block for this defensive front, but still will need to continue developing.
- Round 3, Pick #101: CB Ifeatu Melifonwu, Syracuse // "Iffy" ended up seeing more time than anticipated year one, being thrust into action after the Achilles injury for Jeff Okudah in week one, but was subsequently injured himself, and looked a bit rusty coming back from that injury. But like with Onwuzurike, there were some really positive flashes shown, giving hope for the future.
- Round 4, Pick #112: WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, USC // The later-round gem of the class, St. Brown stepped into action right away and after a slow start, he really found his rhythm, exploding for a 90-catch, 912 yard, 5 touchdown season, including the aforementioned game-winner against Minnesota. He finished the year on fire, catching at least eight passes in every single one of the Lions last six contests and looking like an emerging star.
- Round 4, Pick #113: ILB Derrick Barnes, Purdue // The Lions played it slow with Barnes as well, working him in behind some older veterans, not wanting to rush him onto the field. When he was there, however, he looked very promising, with great instincts against the run, and a better-than-anticipated ability in the passing game. He'll likely be assuming more responsibility in year two with a couple of the Lions LBs hitting free agency.
- Round 7, Pick #257: RB Jermar Jefferson, Oregon State // Jefferson didn't feature much at all, getting just 15 carries on the season, and not overly productive aside from one 28-yard run against Pittsburgh and a touchdown run in a blowout loss to Philadelphia. He was behind former UDFA RBs Craig Reynolds and Godwin Igwebuike in Detroit's rotation.
- UDFA: CB Jerry Jacobs, Arkansas State // One of the biggest hits of the class, Jacobs found a home early (week five) as the Lions starting slot cornerback, starting the remainder of the season until an ACL tear cut it short in December. He posted a quality 65.8 PFF grade, and overall was a quality find in the UDFA ranks.
- Other UDFA finds worth mentioning:
- G Tommy Kraemer, Notre Dame // Made his way into the two-deep right away and started a couple of games after some injuries forced him in.
- TE Brock Wright, Notre Dame // Same story here, was the Lions starting tight end after T.J. Hockenson's season was cut short.
- CB A.J. Parker, Kansas State // Another UDFA who was forced into starting duties due to injuries, Parker snagged an interception of Browns QB Baker Mayfield this season.
- K Riley Patterson, Memphis // Not Detroit's UDFA originally, but he ended up with the Lions this year and was very solid at kicker, going 13-14 on field goal attempts, with a long of 49-yards.
Other Additions
The Lions made two pre-season additions, claiming WR KhaDarel Hodge from the Cleveland Browns off of waivers. He was a solid special teams piece and put up some minor stats for Detroit, 13 catches, 157 yards.
Detroit also made a trade for Broncos WR Trinity Benson, which was a ridiculously overpay that the time, as they sent 2022 fifth- and seventh-round selections to Denver for Benson and a sixth. I say ridiculous because to that point, Benson had never played a snap of NFL football. He made little contributions this season as well, just 10 catches on 22 targets with only 103 yards. Brad Holmes made very few mistakes in his first year, but wasting late-round picks on Benson was certainly one of them, despite Holmes' defense that Benson will be a contributor in 2022.
Making a section to mention WR Josh Reynolds, who was claimed by the Lions after being waived by the Tennessee Titans in early November. Reynolds, formerly of the Rams, saw his numbers increase, hauling in 19 catches for 306 yards and 2 touchdowns in half-a-season's work.
STATS
Offensive Stats:
| STATE | VALUE | AVG. | League Rank | 2020 Rank (avg.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Points Scored | 325 pts. | 19.1 | 25th | 20th (23.6) |
| Total Yards | 5,484 yds. | 322.6 | 22nd | 20th (350.2) |
| Passing Yards | 3,597 yds. | 211.6 | 18th | 12th (256.5) |
| Rushing Yards | 1,885 yds. | 110.9 | 18th | 30th |
Defensive Stats
| STATE | VALUE | AVG. | League Rank | 2020 Rank (avg.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Points Scored | 468 pts. | 27.5 | 31st | 32nd (32.4) |
| Total Yards | 6,457 yds. | 379.8 | 29th | 32nd (419.8) |
| Passing Yards | 4,160 yds. | 244.7 | 23rd | 31st (284.9) |
| Rushing Yards | 2,297 yds. | 135.1 | 28th | 28th (134.9) |
Quite inspiring how Detroit can make some pretty significant leaps of improvement in nearly every defensive category and still be one of the worst defenses in the NFL. Got to hand it to Rocket Scientist Matt Patricia, a true defensive genius.
Game-By-Game Reviews
Big shoutout to u/mart182 here, as he's the man behind these Game-By-Game Reviews, which can be found in the comments (to accommodate for character limits).
Overall Roster Review
Let's take a look at the current Lions roster. Obviously this will change as we hit free agency and the Draft, but for now, we'll survey what Detroit has to work with.
STRENGTHS
Looking at the Lions roster and there's one spot that genuinely sticks out as a very good unit: Detroit's offensive line. Take a gander at the talents assembled.
- LT Taylor Decker - a good pass protector and solid run blocker in his prime (28 years old)
- LG Jonah Jackson - A Pro Bowl alternate this season as a 25-year old former third-round pick.
- C Frank Ragnow - One of the best centers in the NFL, he was an All-Pro last season, also 25-years old.
- RG Hal Vaitai - He's not great, and often injured. The one weak spot on the OL. But positionally quite versatile with experience at LT/RT and now at guard.
- RT Penei Sewell - Again, while it may not have been as highly-regarded as Rashawn Slater's year, Sewell had an excellent rookie season and looks like a future All-Pro.
They have some other quality pieces around the OL on offense as well, TE T.J. Hockenson is a Pro Bowler at just 24-years old, a former first-round pick himself. And of course they have two solid running backs in D'Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams, though Swift has struggled to stay healthy. Hockenson too has some durability concerns, but not as major.
Defensively, not much to be excited about, but CB Amani Oruwariye had a breakout season.
On defense, there are no positions that would be genuinely considered a strength relative to the rest of the league, but a few players do stick out. Notably...
- CB Amani Oruwariye - An underrated cornerback, Oruwariye produced 6 interceptions this season and has started to get the attention of some media people.
- EDGE Romeo Okwara is an above average pass rusher as of late, having a couple of really productive seasons in Detroit from 2018-2020, but then suffering an Achilles injury this past season. That recovery will be a determinant for sure, but prior to that he's certainly a strength.
- As mentioned, NT Alim McNeill and LB Derrick Barnes both flashes a lot of good stuff as rookies and will be in line for larger roles in 2022. Whether they elevate to genuinely good players remains to be determined, but they're making good progress.
WEAKNESSES / NEEDS
Let's start by talking about the quarterback position first and foremost, because this is a QB-centric league. Jared Goff is not a good QB. He's not awful, but he's certainly in the bottom half of all starters in this league. But that does not mean Detroit will force a move at QB just for the sake of it. Brad Holmes, Dan Campbell and other members of Detroit's decision-making group do still like Jared Goff. I'm sure they all know he is not the long-term answer, but until the right guy comes along, they're entirely comfortable letting Goff manage the ship for now.
And to his credit, Goff has shown himself fairly serviceable when the Lions can run the ball a bit better, scheme guys open a little more, and reduce him to a little bit more of a secondary distributor role. For example, when Dan Campbell took over play-calling for the second half of the season, Goff's numbers went up, throwing 126-186 (67.7% completion) for 1,250 yards, 11 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. The Lions went 3-2-1 in that stretch. Again, this isn't to say Goff is the answer, or even that Detroit wouldn't take a QB, just rather that the Lions are understanding that they are in a rebuild, and Goff at least is a lower-end starter that can suffice until they find someone with a definitively higher ceiling.
The Lions have been very involved in Malik Willis, coaching him at the Senior Bowl and doing a lot of homework on him. Several Lions insiders have even said he remains in discussion (don't read anything further into that) for the Lions selection at 1.02. Otherwise, do not expect the Lions to really be major players in the QB market, but if they like someone, they'll pull the trigger. But again, this team understands it has significant needs around the QB position, and won't be eager to replicate the mistakes they made with Matthew Stafford.
So, with that caveat on the QB position mentioned, I'll list the other positions as needs:
Top Tier Needs
| Wide Receiver | Safety | Pass Rusher |
|---|
These three positions stick out as the most pertinent. At wide receiver, Detroit will be looking for more of an outside wide receiver (X-WR), as they already have Amon-Ra St. Brown in the slot. St. Brown is somewhat versatile enough to work outside at times, but he excels on the shorter, in-breaking routes that tend to come with the slot position. So an outside wide receiver, likely someone who can stretch the field for Goff, like Brandin Cooks did in the Rams 2019 season, or go up and win some contested throws. I scouted some Lions-centric scheme fits at WR in this post here.
Detroit needs multiple safeties. They operate a two-high split safety scheme, meaning they want well-rounded players who can do a variety of different roles. The Lions could fill one of those spots by re-signing FS Tracy Walker, a former third-round pick who has had a relatively solid career in Detroit. He played some decent football and is a decent, but not great starter. I scouted some Lions-centric scheme fits at S in this post here.
At pass rush, the Lions are likely cutting DE Trey Flowers, a failed mega signing from the New England Patriots (surprise!) who couldn't sack the QB with regularity or stay healthy. Romeo Okwara returns, and the Lions have two solid secondary/rotational rushers in Julian Okwara and Austin Bryant, but they need a premier EDGE rusher like Aidan Hutchinson or Kayvon Thibodeaux to generate pressure. I scouted some Lions-centric scheme fits at EDGE here.
Second Tier Needs
| Inside Linebacker | Quarterback |
|---|
I'm only listing these two spots in the next tier. The Lions have a very large need talent-wise at inside linebacker, but their defense has a lesser emphasis on the position, similar to some other teams like the Browns and Eagles recently. Looking at the names who compile the Lions operational brain trust, you get people from the Rams organization, the Saints, and then John Dorsey as well. None of those guys really went linebacker early, despite higher level of what we'd call "need", unless the LB also had OLB pass rushing capacities, like the Lions interest last year in Micah Parsons and the Saints drafting Zach Baun in the first-round when Campbell & Glenn were there. So while the Lions do need an upgrade, they are looking more for a true off-ball ILB, which is not something that has been heavily valued by their current decision-making apparatus. Thus ILB's status as a second-tier need.
The Lions have mostly deployed two starting inside backers, one more of a traditional MIKE inside linebacker who is instinctive in plugging rushing lanes and such. That's likely Derrick Barnes' role heading into 2022 after flashing early as a rookie. The other position is a bit more of a WILL/pass coverage role, mostly aligned atop tight ends and running backs to cover them. Since this is a more distinctly off-ball LB role, expect Detroit to wait a little bit longer than most Lions fans probably want, myself included.
And of course, I mentioned QB above. Detroit can certainly upgrade, but again, they aren't likely to force the issue unless they think they're getting an exceptional deal. The Athletic's Chris Burke has suggested that Liberty QB Malik Willis remains in discussion with the second overall pick. I'd be a bit surprised if that happens, but the Lions got to work with him up close at the Senior Bowl, so they likely have a decent feel for how well they can coach him.
Detroit also could select a QB at the end of the first-round, but I'd be a bit surprised if they did. The Lions brass has a higher opinion of Jared Goff than most of us here, and the guys who consistently fall to the end of the first do not tend to have a significantly higher ceiling than Goff does. So for now, the Lions are a team to monitor the QB position, but they're well suited to be patient, with Goff under contract for awhile longer as a bridge QB, and multiple first-round picks in 2023 to get aggressive in landing a QB in that class if they prefer.
Third Tier Needs
| Tight End | Guard |
|---|---|
| Another WR & S | Cornerback |
For this tier, I'm adding a second scoop at both WR and S. Again, the Lions need multiple players there. So while that may not be drafting two wide receivers in the top-100, it does mean the Lions should look at signing a starting caliber WR, drafting a starter, and then maybe even drafting an upside/special teams WR in the later rounds. Same for safety.
Detroit could use a backup tight end behind T.J. Hockenson, largely because they like to use multiple TE sets. They cycled through a lot of younger guys, and will likely keep some in the mix (Brock Wright, for example, was just brought back on an ERFA tender), but do need to add another talented player here that can contribute.
I add guard because as mentioned Hal Vaitai has been a weak link, and the previous GM, Bob Quinn, signed him to a horrendously bad deal that is most certainly going to resolve in Vaitai being cut, if not this season, then definitely next season unless he steps his game up. Grabbing a replacement behind him to develop for a season before stepping in would be useful.
As for the need at cornerback, the Lions could certainly use someone, but I would actually make a hard distinction between the Draft and free agency here. The Lions currently have a very young group of CB's, with Amani Oruwariye (26), Jeff Okudah (23), Ifeatu Melifonwu (22), A.J. Parker (24), and Jerry Jacobs (24). However, Okudah is returning from an Achilles tear, and is thus far not proven in the slightest. The Lions do need to add another cornerback, but adding an experienced veteran at the position is the more likely route for this, as the Lions have already have a young CB room with some upside to work with.
Fourth Tier Needs
- FB: The Lions signed FB Jason Cabinda to a 2-year extension. They could explore adding someone like FB/TE Connor Heyward from Michigan State in the Draft, but there's minimal need for a true fullback.
- RB: Again, Detroit has two quality backs, and two solid former UDFAs who have become contributors.
- OT: The Lions are set with starters, and have an experienced backup in Matt Nelson. They could improve the OT3 position as Nelson's mediocre, but not a major factor.
- C: Frank Ragnow's a star, though backup Evan Brown is an RFA. If Detroit doesn't re-sign him that becomes a bit higher need, but non-existent currently.
Other Draft Trends
Shameless plug, but would recommend ya read a post I did on the Lions reddit page breaking down some of the frequencies, tendencies, and trends that Lions GM Brad Holmes has been a part of throughout his tenure in the NFL. That post can be found here.
It provides some basic thought and framework on Holmes' tendencies and tries to marry those tendencies to scheme fit and historic trends to project the Lions 2022 NFL Draft Class.
If you'd like to read more on the Lions and their oddities and scheme and such, I have a couple of pieces to direct you to:
- A Mock Offseason for Detroit, featuring free agent signings, trades, and the NFL Draft.
- Lions specific scheme fits at QB, RB, WR, and TE.
- Lions specific scheme fits at OT, iOL, iDL, and EDGE.
- Lions specific scheme fits at LB, CB, FS, and SS.
- Scouting Reports & Rankings for top-6 QBs in NFL Draft.
- Lions specific free agency preview.
- A "What Would Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia Do?" Mock Draft
2022 Resources
2022 Draft Picks - projected via Tankathon
- Round 1, Pick 2 (#2 overall)
- Round 1, Pick 32 (#32 overall) - via Stafford trade with LAR.
- Round 2, Pick 2 (#34 overall)
- Round 3, Pick 2 (#66 overall)
- Round 3 compensatory pick (#97 overall) - via NYG signing of Kenny Golladay.
- Round 5 compensatory pick(#176) - via JAC signing of Marvin Jones Jr.
- Round 6 compensatory pick (#218) - via NYJ signing of Jarrad Davis
- Round 6, Pick 2 (#179 overall)
- Round 7, Pick 13 (#232 overall)
- Round 7, Pick 21 (#240) - via NE from trade of CB Michael Jackson
**- compensatory picks are not finalized. As mentioned, the # next to those picks are the estimates from Tankathon's website.
Potential Cap Cuts:
The Lions, just yesterday, cut EDGE Trey Flowers, who was constantly injured and not very productive since joining the Lions from New England on a 5-year, $90 million free agency deal.
- G Halapoulivaati Vaitai could also be cut. He only frees up $3.5 mil as a standard cut, but frees up $7 million as a post-06/01 cut with just under $2 mil in dead cap. He's underperformed his contract and also dealt with constant injuries.
- The only other one worth mentioning is iDL Michael Brockers. The Lions traded for him last offseason then extended him with a raise, but he struggled in 2021. Cutting him doesn't save much (just $1 mil as a standard cut, and only $3 mil post-06/01), but probably the only other one to even mention.
Cap Space:
The Lions initially are scheduled to have just $19,676,647 in cap space according to OverTheCap, but with cuts of Flowers and Vaitai, and some restructures (Decker, Okwara, Ragnow), they could push north of $45 million in cap space this year. Would recommend reading my Lions mock offseason (trades, FA signings, cuts, restructures, NFL draft) to get a fuller look at this.
Short to say, the Lions have some moves to get there, but they'll amongst the more cash rich teams this offseason with some money to spend.
2022 Roster Decision
Key Upcoming Free Agents
Offense:
- WR Kalif Raymond: Also mentioned, Raymond was a surprise factor at WR and is a solid kickoff and punt return man as well, so could easily see him back.
- C Evan Brown: When Ragnow went down, Brown stepped in and played quite well. He's a restricted free agent, so essentially an ORT/RFR tender at 1-year, $2.4 mil seems fairly reasonable for quality OL depth.
The Lions already made a decision to ink WR Josh Reynolds to a two-year extension, worth up to $12 million total. He was a midseason addition after being released by the Titans, and instantly stepped in and became a solid contributor. He and Jared Goff have a very solid connection with one another.
Defense:
- S Tracy Walker: A good, not great safety, Walker had a quality year under defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and is a leader for the team and in the locker room. Likely back with the Lions in '22.
- EDGE Charles Harris: Tougher decision as Harris played well in his breakout season, but likely has priced himself out of Detroit, where he'll likely be a rotational edge rusher once again after they draft someone ahead of him.
- ILB Jalen Reeves-Maybin: Backup linebacker who has been a special teams ace for them. Could easily see Reeves-Maybin back in that same role in 2022.
- ILB Alex Anzalone: Would expect Detroit to move on, but Anzalone has tons of familiarity with the coaching staff, and is a veteran presence at linebacker.
There's a few others you could talk yourself into, but ultimately, I would not be overly stressed to see multiple players from a 3-win team depart. Don't get too attached to mediocre results.
Additionally, Detroit has atendered a handful of ERFAs who made some solid contributions last season, notably K Riley Patterson, P Jack Fox, LS Scott Daly, RB Godwin Igwebuike, WR Tom Kennedy, TE Brock Wright, OT Matt Nelson, G Tommy Kraemer, CB Mark Gilbert, EDGE Jesse Lemonier, and
2022 Coaching Staff & Front Office Review
Head Coach Dan Campbell (2nd season): Confidence in Dan Campbell's leadership is very high in Detroit. Much of this has a lot to do with the off-field culture, as there were constant reports of tensions, fights, and a joyless experience under Matt Patricia. That's changed as much as it possibly could, as everyone in and around Detroit speaks volumes to Campbell's leadership. He also showed some significant promise as a play-caller, after taking the reigns from Anthony Lynn midseason and leading the Lions to a 3-5-1 finish after an 0-8 start.
Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson (1st season): After being relieved of play-calling, Lynn and the Lions parted ways. Ben Johnson, formerly the Lions tight ends coach, was the de facto passing game coordinator for Detroit, and stepped in big time as Campbell's right-hand man on the offensive side of the ball. Johnson's gotten some buzz as a rising star from Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, and now gets elevated to offensive coordinator, though the question remains whether Campbell continues calling plays or hands things over to his protégé entirely.
Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn (2nd season): As you saw in the defensive stats, Glenn oversaw some noticeable improvements for Detroit's defense. A more varied, aggressive system, Glenn's unit saw countless injuries but responded to each and every one of them valiantly. He's done such a nice job in changing the trajectory of this group that he was even a head coaching candidate for the New Orleans Saints, where he coached previously with Campbell. Lions fans are quite happy to see him back, but don't anticipate it being for very long.
General Manager Brad Holmes (2nd season): Overall, myself and nearly all other Lions fans who follow the personnel moves are quite pleased with the start that Holmes is off to. He hit on multiple players in his first draft, didn't tie the Lions into any poor decisions long-term, and managed the first-year of the rebuild appropriately, a controlled collapse of sorts that sets the team up to evaluate young players and create space for new players. Holmes is only a full-year in, but so far, so good! Only real mistakes have been pretty minor ones.
Two other names to give some credit to. AHC/RB coach Duce Staley has played a major role for Detroit's run game (which saw major turnarounds as well) and was the Lions appointed head coach for the 2022 Senior Bowl. He's a name on the rise and done an excellent job in year one. DB coach Aubrey Pleasant is also in the same mold, as he was even considered a top candidate for the Vikings defensive coordinator position under another former Rams assistant in Kevin O'Connell. His group was hit by injuries hardest, yet still managed to improve Detroit's secondary production despite starting multiple rookie UDFAs throughout the season. Valiant work being done by the staff.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Why YOU Should Root for the Detroit Lions:
- Honestly, no one has been more downtrodden in the NFL than the Lions. We are the truest underdog in professional sports. It's David vs. Goliath. It's Detroit vs. Everybody.
- Excellent offensive line play. If you're an OL guy like myself, the Lions are absolutely a team to check out.
- Go to r/Lions for some elite meme game and a whole lot more fun than any other sub is having, especially the Packers.
- Our head coach is an absolute stud. Like seriously. Dude is wild and awesome and inspiring and emotional and passionate and everything that's right about the game of football.
- You get to learn a lot about really obscure rules in the NFL rulebook, largely after the obscure rule costs the Lions a shot at a win or three. We may be the most educated fanbase in terms of obscure NFL rules. Learning is fun!
Other Questions and Storylines for the Lions in 2022:
- What does year two look like under Dan Campbell? Detroit was excellent against the spread in 2021, implying a very competitive attitude, but the overall talent/ability is still very much lacking. He'll need to convert to actual wins within a year or two.
- How patient do the Lions remain at the QB position? Goff is a placeholder for now. Do they get aggressive in free agency? The Draft? Biggest storyline to watch.
- Added into there is how much does the shift in offensive responsibility from Anthony Lynn to Dan Campbell and Ben Johnson help there?
- Can Brad Holmes build off of a strong 2021 Draft Class with another one to reset this team's foundations?
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