Detroit Lions Mailbag: Are the Lions about to be more conservative now that they're better?
Welcome back to another Detroit Lions mailbag. We got a lot of questions to sift through this week. Let's waste no time and jump right into it. This is a very interesting question. I think the answer has to be most of the team's rookies. You hope that Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw hit the […]
Welcome back to another Detroit Lions mailbag. We got a lot of questions to sift through this week. Let's waste no time and jump right into it.
This is a very interesting question. I think the answer has to be most of the team's rookies. You hope that Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw hit the ground running, but after them, it's ok if some of these guys take some time to really find their footing. The Lions are a good enough team to where they don't need all of their rookies to make an impact right away. That's going to be really good for their development.
I wouldn't expect to see any of that change any time soon. The aggressiveness is what got the Lions as far as they got in 2022 and last season. This is just part of their identity.
With that said, it's expected of them now. So the Lions do have to find new and creative ways to be aggressive since everyone will be on the lookout for the old stuff.
It's a bit of a hard pill for Lions fans to swallow after he had eight sacks in his rookie year, but the big question about him now is the same as it was then. Can he bring more to the table than just being a pass rush guy. That stuff matters. Ideally you would like to see Houston never leave the field, but so far we haven't seen anything from him that would keep him out there for every down.
The injury hurt his development last season when the Lions were trying to get him in place as a SAM linebacker. We'll see how things go with him at camp. This is going to be a big one for him.
The possibilities seem endless. Even this early into his career. He will definitely be on special teams because that's where he can excel the most right away. On offense I have him picked to be the Lions third running back and Ben Johnson is probably going to eye using him in the backfield and in a receiving role. This guy can fly down field.
On the defensive side of the ball, I'm not really sure at the moment. There's always a chance they can put him at safety a little bit, but so far it looks like they see most of his contributions coming from special teams and running back.
Hooker was always meant to be a premium backup option. The best teams always have a solid backup in case things go bad. Goff's play and his big extension just further solidified that this was the plan for Hooker for the long term.
I would say so. Taylor Decker, Graham Glasgow and Kevin Zeitler aren't going to be here forever. Mahogany is someone that could be a starting guard as early as next season. As for Sorsdal, the Lions have already moved him back to tackle during OTAs. Once Decker retires, the thing that makes the most sense is putting Sewell at left tackle and starting Sorsdal at right.
As for now, they can be solid depth guys and come in when needed.
Right now it's at a nice 65%. We're still waiting to see what James Turner can do at camp. Lions special teams coach Dave Fipp noted that Turner has big leg potential that he never really got to show at Michigan.
If the Lions wind up with Michigan Panthers' kicker Jake Bates or St. Louis Battlehawks' kicker Andre Szmyt, then that percentage is likely to plumet to like 25%.
I'm looking at Donovan Peoples-Jones. His game is so similar to Josh Reynolds and he has a chance to come in and play that role and make an impact right away. I think the Lions still look to add another receiver before it's all said and done, but Peoples-Jones will surprise some this year.
I haven't seen a lot of people putting the Packers over the Lions. I have seen a lot of people suggesting that the Lions are one of the few Super Bowl contenders this year though.
As far as Packer love, the NFL and the national media want the Packers to be good just like they want the Cowboys to be good. These a recognizable teams with larger markets. They tend to play to those more often than not.
The Packers will be good in 2024, but the Lions are still the better the team.
According to Lions GM Brad Holmes, there's a chance that the Lions will look to add another receiver at some point during or just before training camp. How big that receiver will be for the Lions is another question though.
Seeing if any of the Lions 11 remaining free agents should get another shot in Detroit at training camp
The dust has really settled on everything at this point. The acquisitions phase of the offseason is done for the most part. The Detroit Lions had a ton of their own free agents this offseason. More than usual. 39 players in total. Most of those guys have either remained with the Lions on new contracts […]
