The Lions have a chance to have the greatest special teams unit in the NFL by 2024 if they obtain a couple more components.
The Detroit Lions have developed their club in a variety of ways this offseason. The defensive line will be stronger, the offensive line is ready for the future, and, of course, the secondary will be virtually brand new following a major revamp. However, there is one area where the Lions have improved to the point where they may be the greatest unit in the league: special teams.
The Lions already have the finest special teams player in the NFL, first-team All-Pro linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin. They made sure to sign him to a hefty contract early in the offseason before free agency, and he’ll be here for a few years.
The squad also welcomed back C.J. Moore, who had been reinstated by the league following his ban for NFL betting. He was a key member of the Lions’ special teams unit in 2021 and 2022, and he was excellent at his job. Having him back is a huge victory for the group.
The Lions selected running back/safety Sione Vaki in the 2024 NFL Draft, and Lions General Manager Brad Holmes believes Vaki was the finest special teams player in the draft this year. There are many options with him.
Then there’s Jack Fox at the kicking end of things. He’s been one of the league’s greatest and most consistent punters for years. Speaking of punts, Kalif Raymond has been an excellent punt returner for this club.
The Lions have some pretty great components here, but they’re still a couple pieces shy of being the best group in the league, and they still have a chance to grab those pieces.
The first one is a kicker. The Lions require a consistent kicker who can hit from distance and help the squad continue to score points. Yes, they will continue to be aggressive and go for it on fourth down, but some circumstances need kicking, and the Lions haven’t had a reliable kicker since Matt Prater in 2020.
The apparent target for everyone’s attention is Michigan Panthers kicker Jake Bates. We’ll see whether the Lions decide to go that route after the UFL season ends in a few weeks. We already know they’ve expressed some interest.
Another position in need is kick returner; don’t be surprised if the Lions and the rest of the NFL follow the UFL approach in that regard, given that the new kickoff system is based on the one used by the UFL, XFL, and USFL. It makes logical to target players who have previously worked in and understood the format.
The Lions may already have that player on their roster. Kaden Davis, a receiver, was one of the best return men in the USFL in 2023 while with the Michigan Panthers. He has a chance to make it. Maurice Alexander led the USFL in return yards in 2022, and he’s already made some impressive returns for the Lions in the preseason. He has a great chance of making it as well.
If the Lions can get those two places rolling, they’ll need the top special teams unit in the NFL, which would assist them enormously in field position and scoring. Dave Fipp, Lions special teams coach, must be ecstatic about this.
