This is the Gridiron Review’s grading and breakdown series of every team’s offseason. This article is the offseason in review of the Detroit Lions

Players Retained:

Offense: Tim Boyle, QB; David Blough, QB; Godwin Igwebuike, RB; Jason Cabinda, FB; Josh Reynolds, WR; Kalif Raymond, WR; Tom Kennedy, WR; Brock Wright, TE; Ryan McCollum, C; Evan Brown C; Tommy Kraemer, OG; Matt Nelson, OT

Defense: Charles Harris, DE; Alex Anzalone, LB; Shaun Dion Hamilton, LB; Josh Woods, LB; Anthony Pittman, LB; Tracy Walker, S; C.J. Moore, S; Juju Hughes, DB

Specials: Riley Patterson, K

Key Losses:

Offense: Steven Montez, QB; Khadarel Hodge, WR; Javon McKinley, WR; Jordan Thomas, TE; Hunter Bryant, TE; Jared Pinkney, TE; Nick Eubanks, TE; Matt Sokol, TE; Tyrell Crosby, OL

Defense: Nick Williams, DT; Joel Heath, DT; Trey Flowers, DL/OLB; Rashod Berry, OLB; Jalen Reeves-Maybin, LB; Curtis Bolton, LB; Tavante Beckett, LB; Jessie Lemonier, LB; Parnell Motley, CB; Dean Marlowe, S; Jalen Elliott, S

Specials: Aldrick Rosas, K

Key Free Agent Pick-ups:

Offense: DJ Chark, WR; Garrett Griffin, TE; 

Defense: John Cominsky, DL; Jarrad Davis, LB; Natrez Patrick, LB; Chris Board, LB; Mike Hughes, CB; Deshon Elliott, S

Trades(If Applicable):

None

Draft Class:

• Round 1, Pick No. 2: Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan
• Round 1, Pick No. 12: Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama
• Round 2, Pick No. 46: Josh Paschal, EDGE, Kentucky
• Round 3, Pick No. 97: Kerby Joseph, S, Illinois
• Round 5, Pick No. 177: James Mitchell, TE, Virginia Tech
• Round 6, Pick No. 188: Malcolm Rodriguez, LB, Oklahoma State
• Round 6, Pick No. 217: James Houston, EDGE, Jackson State
• Round 7, Pick No. 237: Chase Lucas, CB, Arizona State

Our Offseason Grade: Continuing the rebuild the right way

Record Prediction(Division Rank): 9-8(2nd in Division)

Summary:

Offensively, the Lions stayed intact plus added some big time weapons for Jared Goff. The Lions backfield will continue to be Goff and a committee of running backs led by Swift and Williams. They also brought back FB Jason Cabinda. At receiver they were able to retain depth piece Josh Reynolds and role player Kalif Raymond. They were also able to add DJ Chark from Jacksonville on a really good one year prove it deal as well as trade up 20 spots with the division rival Vikings to draft Alabama receiver Jameson Williams. At tight end, Hockenson will continue to be the starter when healthy. The Lions did bring in Garrett Griffin via free agency and James Mitchell in the 5th round of this year’s draft as insurance though. Goff’s offensive line will be the same, starters and backups alike with the exception of Tyrell Crosby. 

On the defensive side, the changes start with the defensive line. The Lions will be missing Nick Williams and Trey Flowers from last year’s team, but were able to retain Charles Harris who seemed to finally have a breakout season under Dan Campbell. The additions to this group are huge. They were able to add John Cominsky from Atlanta off waivers and then in the draft added Aidan Hutchinson and Josh Paschal. The defensive end group should be super strong with a rotation of Hutchinson, Paschal, Romeo and Julian Okwara, and Charles Harris. The interior of the defensive line will be McNeill and Brockers with Onwuzurike, Penisini, and Cominsky rotating through. The interior group with the exception of Brockers is young, and you hope that they can take a step forward this year. At linebacker, they were able to bring back Shaun Dion Hamilton and Alex Anzalone. They re-united with 2017 first round pick Jarrad Davis in free agency, and also added Natrez Patrick and Chris Board who are nice depth and special teamers. In the draft they added Malcom Rodriguez and LB/EDGE James Houston in the 6th. The Lions are now pretty deep at EDGE, so I expect Houston to be practice squaded or trained more as an off ball linebacker similar to what they are doing with Julian Okwara. On the other hand, when I scouted Rodriguez I liked him. I thought this was a great value pick in the 6th. He may not be a 3-down starter off the bat, but I think he could fight for some nice play time. None of the linebackers in the room were pro bowlers or all-pros and there are injury concerns in the whole room which to me means there’s room for someone like Rodriguez to push the starters. In the secondary, they were able to re-sign Tracy Walker and did not lose much more than depth pieces and special teams players. In free agency they added nickel back Mike Hughes and safety DeShon Elliott. In the draft they added safety Kerby Joseph in the 3rd round and cornerback Chase Lucas in the 7th round. The corner room now has Okudah, Oruwariye, Hughes, Jacobs, Melifonwu, and Lucas which is probably the most depth they’ve had at the position in a very long time. Oruwariye stepped up and had a nice season last year, and they hope Okudah will finally stay healthy and breakout to have a season proving why they took him third overall in 2020. At safety, we expect Elliott and Walker to start with Joseph fighting to play some meaningful snaps and they still have Will Harris. 

Overall, if Jared Goff can pick up where he left off last season, the Lions have the opportunity to take a huge leap forward on the offensive side of the ball. The offensive success will also depend on their ability to stay healthy. Swift, Hockenson, and Chark all missed time last year with injuries and JaMo is coming off a torn ACL from January’s National Championship game. Defensively, I worry about how they will hold up against the run. Their ends are more known for their pass rush than their ability to stop the run, and the interior of the line is questionable. I think they could take a huge step forward against the pass though. They finally have a pretty strong secondary with solid depth. Take that and put it on top of one of the deeper pass rush rotations in the league… There is a lot of potential there. The question is how will the linebackers play? Will Davis help the room? Will Barnes take the next step? We have the Lions going 9-8, which would put them second in the division, but we also think they are a sleeper to take the division from the Packers (especially if Green Bay has a bigger regression than we anticipate). Either way we love what Dan Campbell is doing with the roster and think they are trending in the right direction.