The Detroit Lions are about to face difficult questions as their hopes of winning the Super Bowl have been crushed and replaced with the lethargy of the offseason.
The Lions had a lot of success this season, but they also had a lot of failures. This roller coaster was perfectly captured in the game’s finale versus the San Francisco 49ers: a brilliant first half that was destroyed by Detroit’s own stupidity. This is not to suggest that the Lions had a poor season; on the contrary, it was a really historic one that should be honored.
But as we put one NFL season behind us, we start to focus on the next. There are a lot of unanswered questions regarding the Lions. These solutions might appear within a week, a month, or even a year, but they will always be there.
How will the Lions replace their coaches who are leaving?
This offseason, the Lions run the risk of losing a key leader. Only the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders had head coaching openings as of this writing, but both Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson might yet be hired away. Johnson is slated to speak with the Seahawks, and the Commanders are examining both
Favorite to become the head coach, Johnson has been crucial in building one of the most lethal attacks in the NFL, which features a rebirth from quarterback Jared Goff and outstanding rookie campaigns from Sam LaPorta and Jahmyr Gibbs. A play caller can only do so much from the sidelines, but Glenn has been a vital leader alongside Dan Campbell. Despite all the criticism his defense has received this season, he was executing crucial blitzes and coverages that kept the Lions in games.
Although there are several internal candidates to succeed Glenn, nothing is confirmed. Kelvin Sheppard is a strong contender to take Glenn’s spot because the Lions’ linebacking group performed well under his leadership and because coaches and players adore him. Another option would be senior defensive assistant John Fox, who has a wealth of NFL coaching experience. If Mike Vrabel is ready to return to his defensive coordinator role and is unable to find a head coaching position, the Lions may even look outside the organization at the former Titans head coach.
Some of the existing coaches are also vying for the role of offensive coordinator. The front-runners for the position are probably wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El, passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand, and running backs coach Scottie Montgomery. While Randle El is interviewing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers opening, Engstrand has drawn interest from the New England Patriots for their offensive coordinator post. If Johnson is hired, offensive line coach Hank Fraley is reportedly a top contender to take over as offensive coordinator in Washington.
In addition to losing their best coordinators, the Lions run a serious chance of losing their positional coaches to other teams. Even if Dan Campbell still owns the Lions, it would be unfortunate to lose so many lieutenants.
Which athletes will have their contracts extended?
Although the Lions have enough cap room going into the offseason to make some noise in free agency, a sizable portion of that money may end up in the pockets of players who are already under contract. Amon-Ra St. Brown and Penei Sewell, who were selected in the 2021 draft class, are first-team All-Pros who will soon be taking home a substantial salary. Given the early stages of their careers, the Lions would be well advised to sign them before free agency opens up. The cost will only go up in the long run.
Jared Goff is the big problem in the room. His contract expires in 2024, and considering how crucial his performance was to the Lions’ postseason run, there’s no doubt the team will start him in the starting lineup the following year. The issue is how to assign a value to him. While most of us can agree that he is not as good as Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes, it is debatable who the next best quarterback is. It’s rumored that Kirk Cousins, who turns 36 in August, is looking for a deal worth between $40 and $50 million a season, but it’s unclear if he will be able to secure one. What will be considered a fair price by Goff and the Lions?
Given the likelihood of Goff landing with a different offensive coordinator, how much money are the Lions willing to spend on him?
Which free agents should be reinstated?
For the Lions, there is no shortage of notable players who will be available in free agency. With the contracts of Jonah Jackson, Graham Glasgow, Matt Nelson, Dan Skipper, and Halapoulivaati Vaitai expiring, the offensive line may see some changes. Josh Reynolds, who had a terrible NFC Championship game, is set to enter free agency. Donovan Peoples-Jones was acquired by Brad Holmes in the final year of his rookie deal, but it’s unclear if he made enough in his brief time with the Lions to warrant interest from the team again.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Kindle Vildor, Romeo and Julian Okwara, Charles Harris, Benito Jones, and Jalen Reeves-Maybin are among the players on the defensive side of the ball who are seeking new contracts. For better or worse, the Lions may have to deal with a redesigned defense in the upcoming campaign.
How many of these unrestricted free agents are locks to return to the Lions? Obviously at the top of my list are Jackson, Glasgow, and Reeves-Maybin, but will Brad Holmes agree?
How are the cornerbacks going to be covered?
The secondary for the Lions was lacking from the beginning to the end. Positioned as the starting wide receiver, Cameron Sutton failed, giving up a league-high 889 yards during the regular season and earning his lowest PFF rating since his rookie year of 2017 with 113 receptions. More importantly, he allowed a league-high 284 yards in the postseason. Throughout the season, there was a rotation at the CB2 position, with Kindle Vildor, Khalil Dorsey, Emmanuel Moseley, and Jerry Jacobs all receiving starts.
With the exception of Moseley, who played just two snaps before to suffering an ACL injury that ended his season, none of these players stood out. With 260 yards, Vildor tied for second place in the postseason yardage allowed category—the best cornerbacks for the Lions surrendered 544 yards overall during the playoffs. Nick Bolton of the Kansas City Chiefs, a linebacker, came the closest among non-Lions with 176 yards allowed in three postseason contests.
The Lions need a starter to replace Sutton in addition to overhauling their cornerback depth. Brian Branch is a great defensive back for the Lions, but they don’t have much else. The Lions, more than any other NFL club, are in desperate need of a lockdown corner.
What steps will be taken to ensure safety?
Moving on to the secondary, the Lions have a lot of depth at safety this year, albeit with varying degrees of success. Due to injuries, C.J. Gardner-Johnson missed most of the season and garnered more attention for his remarks than for his play. Despite recording a team-high four interceptions, Kerby Joseph’s performance declined from his stellar rookie campaign. Tracy Walker was a healthy scratch the whole playoff season, despite being perceived as the other safety in the starting lineup.
To complement Joseph and Ifeatu Melifonwu in the secondary, the Lions will need to acquire a piece or two, as Gardner-Johnson is a free agency and Walker is a cut possibility (more on that later).
What approach will be taken to the defensive line?
To notice how disorganized the Lions defensive line is, all you have to do is glance at PFF’s final pressure totals. Aidan Hutchinson concluded the season with an astounding 121 pressures, which was the most in the NFL. Who is the Lions’ next closest player? Alim McNeill, a defensive tackle, scored 43. The ridiculous disparity emphasizes how Hutchinson was the only one who really contributed to the pass rush. Actually, with six sacks apiece, McNeill and Melifonwu were the guys on the squad with the second-highest number.
By the end of the season, well-executed blitzes were the main source of pressure for the Lions. The pass rush is the first line of defense for the Lions to get better. The Lions’ sack totals might soar if they are able to acquire another defensive end. Far too often, they have been in near proximity to a sack but were unable to bring the quarterback down.
Is now the right moment to fully commit to trades and free agency?
Even though the Lions had a fantastic season in 2023, the team’s talent level was insufficient to make up for their errors. Though several positions still lack stars, Detroit finds itself on the verge of having an outstanding roster.
As previously said, the Lions require a cornerback to move Sutton into a more comfortable CB2 position and a pass rusher to support Hutchinson. Even with Brad Holmes’ incredible selection record, a star at those positions is far from guaranteed with the 29th pick in the 2018 draft. The Lions may need to spend in free agency or advance in the draft to acquire their game-changing player.
Will they be prepared to put everything on the line, even in terms of pay or draft capital?
Will somebody lose their cap?
Although the Lions do not face a severe cap scenario, the salaries of certain players will be heavily influenced by their performance on the field. The most obvious name in this situation is Tracy Walker, whose removal would save the organization $5.5 million in cap expenses. Levi Onwuzurike ($1.7 million) and John Cominsky ($4.6 million) are two more names they might take into consideration.
How much of their depth the Lions are willing to cut in order to save money is the question. Could Walker accept a wage reduction similar to what Romeo Okwara and Halapoulivaati Vaitai did during the previous offseason? Cominsky may be overpaid for his output, but does it really make sense to cut someone who has played more than 600 plays on a defensive line that is already thin?
To what far would they go to further their kicker skills?
In the 49ers’ NFC Championship loss, Dan Campbell made two dubious decisions, both of which had to do with their kicking technique. Essentially, these are simpler decisions to make if the Lions have a more proficient and consistent kicker. The Lions’ 50-yard field goal range was a dead end; it was too close to punt, too far for Michael Badgley or Riley Patterson to feel comfortable, and it made the offense try to go for it more often than they likely wanted to.
It is highly unlikely that the Lions will not acquire a new kicker this summer, but what is their budgetary threshold? Would they shell out several million dollars for a kicker such as Wil Lutz or Ka’imi Fairbairn? How early in the process would they be willing to part with a draft selection for the kicker of their choosing?
Is Hendon Hooker prepared to take over as backup?
With a healthy Goff, it didn’t really matter that the Lions signed Teddy Bridgewater late in training camp to secure their backup quarterback place. However, quarterback injuries are a constant worry moving ahead (just look at Aaron Rodgers or Joe Burrow), and the Lions are facing a challenging situation with their own.
Even though Hendon Hooker’s college ACL injury was more than a year ago, he hasn’t played a single game on the field. His first professional snaps will come in the 2024 preseason. Although he has a great ceiling, how much faith will the coaching staff place in him to cover quarterback Andrew Luck? The value of having a strong backup was demonstrated by this NFL season; the question now is whether Hooker can be that player or if the Lions will look elsewhere for a dependable veteran.
When will Jameson Williams make his offensive debut?
Jameson Williams became an increasingly important component of the Lions offense as the season went on. He was taking more snaps and every week he was making big plays. The issue is that Williams was typically a tertiary component of the offense, save from the huge plays. By the end of the season, he had only 30 catches on 51 targets; by comparison, Sam LaPorta had 144 and St. Brown had 190 targets. Though he has the potential to be a great player, will 2024 be the year he establishes himself as a reliable member of the Lions passing attack?
Is Ifeatu Melifonwu a good place to start in 2024?
The Lions secondary was greatly surprised by Ifeatu Melifonwu’s late-season outburst. Now, the question is if he performed well enough in the second part of the season to guarantee a starting spot the following year. Melifonwu’s health issues and the change from cornerback to safety have been his struggles, so this season was genuinely his first to shine in the position. Walker might be cut, and Gardner-Johnson is a free agent, so the full-time position is up for grabs. Will the Lions add a rookie or free agent to compete with Melifonwu for the starting position or just to add depth?
Who is going to support Frank Ragnow?
Even though Frank Ragnow is one of the hardest players in the league, the Lions were severely lacking in depth at center. The fact that Graham Glasgow could play center for the Lions was crucial, but it also required switching up positions when Ragnow was injured. Colby Sorsdal had to take over for Glasgow at right guard, forcing him to move to center. This offseason, the Lions ought to select a committed backup center in the draft or through free agency.
Is a fullback needed for the Lions?
This season, Jason Cabinda was moved around the roster, spending time on the injured reserve, getting waived, then signing back to the practice squad before receiving a promotion. It’s unclear, though, if the Lions will still use fullbacks in the upcoming campaign. This season, Cabinda appeared in seven games on 56 snaps, recording one reception for 0 yards. He was also not a particularly effective run blocker.
In 2023, the Lions attack was so explosive and had such a strong offensive line that it seemed unnecessary to add a fullback. Although Cabinda is valuable on special teams, it’s unclear if he’ll stay on the roster.
In what ways might the Lions build on their historic campaign?
This question can be used to sum up all of the previous ones. This season, the Lions made history. Will they be able to surpass it next season? The stakes have increased in Detroit, but it’s not like it’s Super Bowl or bust for them the following season. The team has a lot to prove now that they are in the national limelight following a dismal season finish. There is no assurance that the Lions will win the NFC North again, much less the NFC Championship, especially with so many tough choices to be made this summer. The agony, in the words of Jeremy Reisman, is not knowing if you’ll ever get back.
There are two perspectives on the topic, “How can the Lions improve upon their historic season?” One could interpret it optimistically. How can the Lions improve as a team and learn from these mistakes? On the other hand, pessimism exists. With all the changes that are coming, how could the Lions top their 2023 campaign?
I have a question for you: was this merely another advancement or the pinnacle of the Detroit Lions era?
