The Detroit Lions have finally, FINALLY, gotten out of their "Dark Ages' of having a losing record, no expectations from fans, and being an easy win for the contenders. Last season, the city of Detroit was given a team that beat the reigning Super Bowl Champions in the Kansas City Chiefs in the first regular season game of the 2023 season, ranked 1st in the NFC North, and was the runner-up in the NFC Championship game. Detroit fans were finally able to cheer for their team, not for winning a game, but for being a legitimate contender in the NFC.
The Lions' hiring of Dan Campbell as head coach in 2021 has been a massive factor in their turnaround, with Campbell bringing the Lions from a 2-14 record in 2021 to an impressive 12-5 record in the 2023 season. Campbell's success comes from a contribution from Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson, who was promoted to OC in 2022 after several coaching staff positions on the Lions for three seasons prior. In addition to Ben Johnson's contribution to the offense, Dan Campbell has received support from Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn in the Lions' turnaround. Glenn has offered many years of defensive coaching experience from his time on the Browns during the 2014 season as an assistant defensive backs coordinator, the Saints defensive backs coach from 2016 to 2020, and getting hired as the Lions DC in 2021. The coaching staff surrounding Dan Campbell has excelled in their coordinating positions.
Detroit's main goal this offseason was simple: dish out contract extensions to their core and make those final few key free agency moves. They did just that. Quarterback Jared Goff signed a four-year, $212 million extension with $170 million guaranteed. Wide Receiver Amon Ra St. Brown was signed to a 4-year, $120,010,000 contract, including a $16,500,000 signing bonus, $77,000,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $30,002,500. Offensive Tackle Penei Sewell signed a four-year, $112 million extension, including $85 million guaranteed. In addition to the extensions, the Lions were able to snag D.J. Reader, Carlton Davis, Marcus Davenport, and Kevin Zeitler in the free agency to recover from the loss of C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Jonah Jackson.
Honestly, the Lions' going to the NFC Championship last season was a little bit of a surprise to many. I had predicted the 49ers vs. Cowboys rematch (again) in the NFC Championship, with the Lions squeaking into the Wild Card. But the Lions proved me wrong and fellow NFL fans wrong. What is wrong with predicting the Lions finally make it to the Super Bowl? They have the talent and staff to achieve it.
2024 Detroit Lions
Coaching Staff and Front Office
-Head Coach: Dan Campbell (4th season as Lions Head Coach)
-Offensive Coordinator: Ben Johnson (4th season as OC)
-Defensive Coordinator: Aaron Glenn (4th season as DC)
-Special Teams Coordinator: Dave Fipp (4th season as STC)
-Notable Assistant Coaches: Tanner Engstrand (Passing Game Coordinator), Antwaan Randle El (Wide Receivers Coach), Steve Heiden (Tight End Coach), Scottie Montgomery (Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs Coach), Kelvin Sheppard (Linebackers Coach), Deshea Townsend (Passing Game Coordinator/Defensive Backs Coordinator), Jim O'Neil (Defensive Assistant Coach)
Free Agency Recap
-Notable Losses: Jonah Jackson (G), C.J. Gardner Johnson (DB), Josh Reynolds (WR).
-Notable Additions: Kevin Zeitler (G), D.J. Reader (DT), Amik Roberton (CB), Donovan Peoples-Jones (WR, but was recently released after the preseason cuts).
Draft Recap
1 (24): CB Terrion Arnold, Alabama
2 (61): CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Missouri
4 (126): T Giovanni Manu, University of British Columbia
4 (132): S Sione Vaki, Utah
6 (189): DI Mekhi Wingo, LSU
6 (210): G Christian Mahogany, Boston College
2023 Lions Offensive Rankings
Points/Game: 27.4 (#5)
Yards/Game: 394.0 (#2)
Pass Yards/Game: 259.7 (#3)
Rush Yards/Game: 134.3 (#6)
3rd Down Conversion %: 41.70% (#8)
Passing Completion %: 67.64% (#4)
2023 Lions Defensive Rankings
Opp Points/Game: 23.8 (#25)
Opp Yards/Game: 348.0 (#23)
Opp Yards/Play: 5.7 (#29)
Opp TDs/Game: 2.8 (#24)
Opp Rush Yards/Game: 91.1 (#2)
Opp Pass Yards/Game: 257.0 (#31)
The Passing Game
The passing attack of the Lions has proven to be a force to be reckoned with after the 2023 season. Look at Jared Goff: 4,574 passing yards (2nd) and 30 passing touchdowns (4th) in the 2023 season. Under Ben Johnson, Jared Goff has made huge strides as the Lions quarterback. He has found his stride in the passing game, ranking 2nd in the league under Miami Dolphins Tua Tagovailoa (who, let's be honest, has the best wide receiving core in the league with Tyreek Hill and Jalen Waddle leading the charge). Thanks to Goff's success, the Lions granted him a contract extension worthy of a top-caliber quarterback.
Goff has his leading wide receiver to thank for his success in the passing game: Amon Ra St. Brown. St. Brown finished the 2023 season with 1515 receiving yards (3rd in the league) and 10 receiving touchdowns (tied for 4th in the league). St. Brown has been a massive part of the Lions' offensive attack since he was drafted to the Lions in 2021. His development as the number 1 wide receiver on the Lions has granted him a massive contract extension and will help be a leading factor in the offensive assault against other contenders in the NFL.
The Rushing Attack
The rushing attack on the Lions has also been a stressor for any defensive coordinator tasked with holding the line. This is due to the two-punch combo of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, the two leading backs on the Lions. Montgomery, the veteran running back, had impressive stats with 1,015 rushing yards, which he had not broken the 1,000 threshold since the 2020 season when he played for the Chicago Bears, and 13 rushing touchdowns, a career-high for him. Gibbs was a rookie during the 2023 season and exceeded all expectations for his play. Gibbs ran for 945 yards and 10 touchdowns, proving beyond doubt that the Lions made the right choice in drafting him in the 2023 Draft. For this upcoming season, expect Montgomery and Gibbs to share the load more, confusing defenses on how to stop two running backs with different play styles.
Terrion Arnold
Losing C.J. Gardner-Johnson had the Lions fanbase questioning how the Lions would address the hole they now had in the backfield on defense. Sure, the Lions have Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph to cover the safety positions, but who will they add to the defense to bolster the shield? Enter cornerback Terrion Arnold as the Lions 1st round draft pick. An Alabama product, Terrion Arnold was one of the top defensive prospects going into the 2023 NFL Draft, and he did not disappoint during his last season in Alabama. Arnold tied for tops in the SEC with five interceptions, totaled 17 passes defended to tie for the league lead, averaged 1.2 passes defended per game to tie for the SEC lead, recorded 63 tackles to rank fifth on UA, and even one sack for a loss. Arnold held the Alabama backfield on lockdown whenever the ball was thrown his way. With the Lions drafting him, expect Arnold to be a significant part of Glenn's defensive schemes heading into the 2024 season.
The Bottom Line
The Lions have the talent and coaching staff to pull off what seemed impossible for many years finally: go to the Super Bowl. They almost got there last season, losing to the 49ers in a stellar game, proving to the NFL they had dug themselves out of the trenches and into the limelight as one of the most feared teams in the NFC and the entire NFL. With the free agency additions and draft, the Lions have made moves that were much needed for the Lions, removing any weaker positions that other NFL teams could exploit.
The issue is with Dan Campbell. Campbell loves to take risks and loves to go for it on fourth down, even if the Lions are in field goal range. Instead of taking the easy three points, Campbell has called for a fourth down play to get closer to that endzone. Campbell is heavily criticized for this by NFL fans and analysts alike, especially after the NFC Championship game, where there were multiple scenarios where Campbell could've taken the field goal to add points to the score and gambled on fourth down and lost. Let us hope that Campbell knows when to play it safe and not risk an entire game to gamble on a fourth-down conversion, especially in a sudden-death playoff game.
Lions' Seasonal Outlook
Record Ceiling:13-4
Record Floor: 8-9
NFC North Finishing Position Prediction: 1st
Team MVP: Amon Ra St. Brown
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