No love for Jared Goff and Jamaal Williams? Don’t anticipate Alex Anzalone or Breshad Perriman bringing more wins to Motown? You’re not alone.
The Detroit Lions, despite an offseason overhaul, still rank among the league’s worst rosters to just about anyone making those lists.
New general manager Brad Holmes has been busy, leaving no position group, maybe outside of tight ends, untouched. But the folks at ESPN find Detroit as the least talented team in the NFC and the second-least talented in the NFL (Houston, you have a lot of problems). Using Pro Football Focus grades for each projected starter as well as other PFF statistics, teams were ranked from top to bottom.
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The Lions finished last in the NFC North in 2020 then fired their general manager and coach. Holmes was hired in January and received rave reviews for his draft performance — but taking away Matthew Stafford and Kenny Golladay from a five-win team doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.
“While the offensive line is in good shape for new starting quarterback Jared Goff, his pass-catching options leave a lot to be desired,” ESPN’s Ben Linsey writes. “Tyrell Williams and Breshad Perriman … both entered the league in 2015, but they’ve combined for just one season with at least 750 receiving yards.”
Chances are we’ll see a lot of second-year running back D’Andre Swift and free agent signee Jamaal Williams, as the Lions lean on ball control and the run game to keep games management. And they may have the offensive-line talent to do that.
Linsey lauded the team for building through the trenches. He praised Frank Ragnow as one of the league’s best centers but is particularly excited about first-round draft pick Penei Sewell.
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“Sewell ended his 2019 true sophomore season at Oregon with a 95.8 PFF grade, which was higher than any offensive lineman in the PFF college era at the time,” Linsey wrote.
And the defensive line — and pretty much the rest of that side of the ball — needed revamping after a historically bad 2020. Detroit gave up the most points and yards in franchise history behind a largely ineffective front seven.
Holmes responded by drafting a linebacker and two defensive linemen and trading for another in Michael Brockers. The team also re-signed Romeo Okwara who enjoyed a breakout 10-sack 2020 season.
Still, they’ll be relying on a linebacking corps without an obvious playmaker and new-look secondary plagued by inconsistency.
Speaking of the back-seven, Linsey said cornerback Jeff Okudah is the team’s X-factor. Okudah has the tools to be a weapon, he wrote, but must shake off an ugly rookie year.
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“His 2.3 yards allowed per coverage snap were the most of any qualifying cornerback in the NFL last season, and he had issues through injuries and Matt Patricia’s defensive scheme en route to a 30.9 coverage grade,” Linsey wrote.
Those rated a 90 grade or higher are elite, 80-89 are high quality, 70 is about average and anything less is below average. For context, the defending champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers had five players 80 or higher and 13 rated 70 or higher and are ranked No. 1 in this exercise.
Ragnow, Taylor Decker and Trey Flowers were each rated higher than 80 and six total Lions were rated higher than 70. The Chicago Bears have similar numbers, but rank No. 23 thanks to an elite grade for Khalil Mack and a near-elite grade for Allen Robinson. The Green Bay Packers, even if you leave out Aaron Rodgers, have four players rated 80 or higher and 11 rated 70 or higher. They’re ranked sixth in the league.
The Minnesota Vikings have the ninth-best roster in the NFL, with 80 or higher grades for Kirk Cousins, Dalvin Cook, Justin Jefferson, Adam Theilen and Eric Kendricks to go along with a host of 70-grade performers.
Regardless, there is reason for optimism in Detroit thanks to a seemingly strong draft and a trade of Matthew Stafford that didn’t leave the team decimated at the most important position. But if PFF, and Vegas — which has pegged the Lions at five wins in a 17-games slate — are right, the Lions could eyeing the top pick in the draft next April.
Follow the Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for more news. Tyler Davis can be contacted at tjdavis@freepress.com or on Twitter @TDavisFreep.
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