Detroit Lions season preview: Jared Goff has 17 games to prove he’s not just a bridge QB

Three story lines that will define the Detroit Lions offense in 2021:

What do the Lions have in Jared Goff?

Winning games is always most important in the NFL, but if we’re being honest, wins will be hard to come by for the Lions this fall. They are in Year 1 of a rebuild, with one of the league’s thinnest rosters, and how long that rebuild takes will depend a lot on what happens at the quarterback position.

The Lions acquired Goff this offseason in a trade with the Los Angeles Rams hoping he would benefit from a change of scenery but knowing they could move on easily if that wasn’t the case. At 26 years old, there is plenty to like about Goff. He is the second-winningest quarterback in the NFL over the past four seasons, is three years removed from a Super Bowl appearance and has shown desirable leadership traits in his new locker room and within the offense. From a talent standpoint, however, Goff is a notch or two below his predecessor Matthew Stafford. He’s more risk averse but just as turnover-prone. And the Lions are in a similar place contractually.

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The Lions passed on two promising quarterbacks in this year’s draft, Justin Fields and Mac Jones, and there is a good chance they are in position to take a top signal caller for the third straight year next spring. More than anything, they need to come away from this season with a firm plan: If they’re not 100% convinced Goff is the quarterback to build around, they need to turn over every rock to find a replacement who is.

What will T.J. Hockenson do for an encore?

Bob Quinn left the Lions with a couple good building blocks on offense: Frank Ragnow and Taylor Decker on the offensive line, and Hockenson at tight end.

Hockenson was a worthy Pro Bowl selection in his second NFL season last year, when he just about doubled his rookie totals in catches (from 32 to 67), yards (367 to 723) and touchdowns (2 to 6). He may not make quite the same leap statistically this fall, but in an expanded 17-game regular season — and given the Lions’ dearth of other weapons on offense — I see another significant jump coming.

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Hockenson injured his shoulder in training camp and did not play in the preseason, but when healthy he was Goff’s favorite target. He’s a savvy route runner who’s a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses and should be the Lions’ go-to weapon in the red zone. Just 24, Hockenson is on the cusp of joining the Travis Kelce-George Kittle group of elite tight ends. Don’t be surprised if he catches 90 passes for 1,000 yards and leads the Lions in all major receiving categories this fall.

How good will the running game be?

The Lions have not finished in the top half of the NFL in rushing since Barry Sanders’ last season in Detroit, and if they don’t break that streak this year their offense may not look functional at times.

D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams give the Lions their best running back tandem since at least the Reggie Bush-Joique Bell years. Swift is a lightning bolt in the open field who will, for the first time, open the season as a feature part of the offense. Williams is more steady than spectacular, but severely underrated after four seasons as a backup in Green Bay. And the Lions do have the makings of a very good offensive line.

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Still, I don’t envision the Lions having the type of tone-setting ground game that ranks among the NFL’s best. Swift’s biggest contributions may come as a receiver. Williams averaged 1.7 yards on nine carries this preseason. The line is young and thin. And the Lions seem rather one-dimensional on offense given their shortcomings in the passing game. As often as they will be playing from behind this fall, I suspect the Lions will average more than 100 yards rushing per game for just the third time in past eight seasons, but not much more.

3 newcomers to watch

RT Penei Sewell — The Lions celebrated wildly when the best offensive tackle prospect in several years fell to them with the No. 7 pick of April’s draft, and now are preaching patience with their young right tackle’s development. Sewell is undeniably talented, but he is learning a new position after playing exclusively on the left side at Oregon. He had an inconsistent preseason in pass protection, and will be tested early this fall by a string of accomplished rushers. The Lions have a good offensive line overall, so they can afford to slide help Sewell’s way. But they need the rookie to come along quickly for the unit to be the strength everyone expects it to be.

RB Jamaal Williams — Swift is the Lions’ No. 1 back and will get the majority of work as long as he stays healthy, but the Lions have big plans for Williams in their offense. He’s a downhill runner who has averaged 4 yards per carry for his career. He’s an above-average receiver who should help the pass game. And he’s the best blocking back on the team, which means he will have a significant role on third downs. In his four seasons in Green Bay, Williams averaged about 155 touches per year. He should see that number tick up in Detroit, as he was the only free agent addition who signed a multi-year deal with the Lions this offseason.

WR Kalif Raymond — The Lions’ receiving corps is almost entirely new, and thus full of newcomers to watch. Tyrell Williams will be the team’s No. 1 receiver so long as he stays healthy, and rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown seems poised for a big role. But Raymond gets headline billing here as the Lions’ No. 2 receiver, which is a huge step up from his previous roles in the NFL. Signed to be the Lions’ primary kick and punt returner, Raymond enters the season with 19 career catches in five seasons with four different teams. He had a strong camp, though, and has an emerging connection with Goff. “I’ve loved him,” Goff said. “He’s been tremendous. Works hard, hard every day. Does his job. Works hard, shows up. Is consistent. We can rely on him, we can trust him, and that’s kind of the bottom line for a quarterback. If you can trust a guy, if you know where he’s going to be, put him on the field and we feel pretty good about it.”

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