The Detroit Lions
The one time laughing stock of the NFL. The team that is always plagued. Whether it be star players retiring far too early, to going 0-16 in 2008, to failing to do anything in a constantly evolving NFL. 2022 is the year of change.
Quarterback - The Lions are expecting massive growth from second-year Quarterback James Friday. The 6'6, 235 QB has all the tools to win the division. He works best in the short to intermediate passing games but has the ability to hit a deep ball once in a while. He can throw while on the run, and under pressure, and has a great base to become the Lions next franchise QB. After they moved on from Matthew Stafford in the offseason, the season lives or dies on James Friday's shoulders.
Runningback - It has been a long time since the Detroit Lions had a dependable running back. They went through a period of lack of talent at the RB position. Ameer Abdullah, Theo Riddick, Kerryon Johnson. All running backs who had super high ceilings but never lived up anywhere close to that. Rafael Cooper isn't anything like those backs. He has the size (6'1, 200). He has the speed (94 Speed, 90 Accel, 89 Agility) He has the power (77 Strength, 62 Trucking). He can catch out of the backfield (70 catching, 71 Short Route Running). He has all the talent to be a difference maker in the Lions backfield.
Wide Receiver / Tightend - Long tenured wide receiver Golden Tate III was released in the offseason as they wanted to go a separate way. Kenny Golladay is currently on the trading block and has reportedly asked for a trade. Lions fan should not blame him as he spent his whole career in Detroit and doesn't want to waste his prime on a rebuilding team. If they move on from Kenny, they have 2 possession wide receivers in Trequan Smith and Dre Williams, and 2 slot receivers who provide YAC ability, named Sharif Lewis and Kenny Tyler. They also have Deon Cain who can play all over the offense as well. It is a group without a big name but can help unlock James Friday's full potential.
At Tightend, they have 4 young, but full of potential tight ends. Head Coach Calvin Johnson Jr, recently reached out to the Commissioners and asked if they would approve WR to TE switch. The WR that was Qudarius Short, the 6'5 232 Athletic Freak. He proved speed and route running at the tight end position that was lacking originally. Like the wide receiver position, there are no massive names at the position, but enough depth and ability to help unlock James Friday.
Offensive Line - The Offensive Line is the position that has the most experience on the roster. Left tackle Taylor Decker and left guard Frank Ragnow have been with the team for 6 and 4 years respectively. Recently signed Taylor Lewan returns to the state where he played and was a dominant college left tackle. Moving from the left side to the right side will be a change for him, but he is willing to do it to make the team better. The team spent their first round pick on Richard Carden, a 6'3 316 pound center from Notre Dame. At right guard, the Detroit Lions have seen the potential in second-year player Tyler Trammell as he moves from left tackle to right guard to fill the offensive line. A decently skilled and very experienced offensive line will help the team tremendously.
Defensive Line - A thin and inexperienced defensive line might be the downfall of this defense. Josh Sweat was signed to a record deal in the offseason, as the team likes his athleticism and potential to get after the QB. Second-year player Robert Childress is one of the most experienced players in the system and the team is relying on him to help coach, and be a mentor to the other young players. He was named a captain in the offseason. Another player who has been mentioned in trades is Defensive Tackle, A'Shawn Robinson. The 27-year-old Defensive Tackle doesn't want to spend his prime on a rebuilding team and has asked for a trade. Obviously, it would be a huge loss for the already inexperienced defensive line to lose their best player, but sometimes, you have to make a move in respect of the player.
Linebackers - The theme of this offseason for the linebackers is to add speed and athleticism. Jarrad Davis was moved from middle linebacker to outside linebacker, as the team wants to expand his role as a player. They signed extremely athletic linebacker Kendall Donnerson, a long time player of the division rival Green Bay Packers. In addition, they traded Linebacker Craig Gotcher to the AFC South Jacksonville Jaguars for Luther Lavay, a third-year player from Miami, who offers sideline to sideline speed and good ability in zone coverage to find and attack the ball. The Detroit Lions also received a 3rd round pick in the trade.
Corners - The longest-tenured player on the roster Darius Slay returns for his 9th season. Although his name was in the trade rumors this offseason, he has stated numerous times, he wants to stay in Detroit and try and win a Superbowl with this team. It is his #1 goal as a player and one he would like to accomplish. The Lions were very close to pulling a trigger on a trade that would have sent Darius Slay to the Chiefs, but at the last minute, the Lions decided against it. The Lions also broke the bank for 27-year-old corner Parry Nickerson. The speedy corner works best in zone coverage and will compliment Darius Slay perfectly.
Safety - The Detroit Lions recently pulled the trigger on a trade that sent Offensive Linemen Luke Warford to the Chicago Bears for Dre Pamphile. Dre Pamphile is a massive, 6'4 220 safety from Iowa. He has good speed, hit power, and he is developing his zone coverage. He will be a very nice back end piece for the Lions.L Lining up next to him, is fan favorite Andrew Davison. Many teams came calling for Andrew Davison in the offseason, but Calvin Johnson Jr quickly turned down the phone calls as he saw the amazing potential of Andrew. In a recent interview, Coach Johnson Jr compared Andrew Davison to Troy Polamalu and his ability to make plays all over the field
In conclusion, this Lions team is extremely young and hungry. They don't have much to lose as a team and don't want to be the team sitting at home when playoffs start. They know they are in a tough division but think they can grind out enough wins to secure at least a wildcard spot