The Detroit Lions' defense has been nothing short of abysmal for the better part of the past decade. Last season Detroit ranked 23rd in opponent points per game, 19th in opponent yards per game, and 23rd in total sacks. Brace yourself for an Olympic-sized leap.
Time will tell, but 2024 could easily go down as Brad Holmes's best offseason in his tenure as the Lions General Manager. In his 4th offseason, Holmes transformed flaws into strengths, doubled down on previous dominance, and found a pair of rookies who can help contribute to a Super Bowl-contending roster from Day 1.
Finishing as a Top-10 defense isn't off the table.
Hutchinson on Brink of Superstardom
Aidan Hutchinson wasn't drafted 2nd overall in 2022 to be a good EDGE. He was drafted to be the anchor of a defense capable of winning a Super Bowl, and that's the exact situation he finds himself in heading into 2024.
Last season Hutchinson finished the regular season with 11.5 sacks. The 23-year-old made life hell for opposing QBs during the final stretch of the season, recording eight sacks in the final five games including playoffs. He led the league in QB hits (23) while finishing 2nd in pressures (101) and hurries (67) in 2023 according to PFF. He's knocking on the door to the EDGE 'Superstar Club,' and Brad Holmes propped the door open this summer by signing DJ Reader.
DJ Reader signed a two-year, $22 million contract this offseason with Detroit. Reader is one of the league's best run-stuffing defensive tackles who frequently draws double teams. Last season the Lions allowed just 88.8 rushing yards per game, the second-best mark in the NFL. Granted, teams more frequently opted to attack the dreadful secondary. Still, Detroit only allowed 3.8 yards per rush (T-3rd). The Lions doubled down on their strength.
Adding Reader to the mix will draw attention away from Hutchinson, helping him convert more pressures, hurries, and hits into sacks.
There's a special prop on Fan Duel for Hutchinson to record 15+ sacks for +470.
The Lions' defense as a whole generated 26 sacks in the final nine games of the season including playoffs. That's 2.9 sacks per game, which would have been on pace to finish 5th. Since 2019, seven of the ten teams to appear in the Super Bowl finished the regular season Top-10 in sacks with the only exceptions being the 2020 Chiefs (11th), the 2021 Chiefs (19th), and the 2022 Bengals (12th). The Lions need to ensure that they maintain the high sack rate they closed the season with heading into 2024. 50 sacks would have been good enough for the 6th most in the NFL last regular season. Detroit finished with 41 in total last year for reference.
Alim McNeill will reap the benefits of Reader too. McNeill had a career-high five sacks last season despite missing four contests due to a knee sprain. Reader and McNeill are the only defensive tackle duo who both ranked in the Top-10 PFF defensive run grades last season.
"I see things a lot faster. I've had the reps. I'm going on year four now, so to me, there's no excuses," McNeill said in an interview with Dan Miller. "I've seen my progression going up. I only see it going up."
I hear many Lions fans asking what type of production Detroit will receive from Marcus Davenport and Josh Paschal at on the EDGE across from Aidan Hutchinson. Davenport has struggled to stay healthy in his career since his infamous 2021 season with New Orleans where he finished with nine sacks in 11 games. Meanwhile, Paschal has just three career sacks in two seasons. But if Alim McNeill can have another breakout season in what is a contract year for the former NC State Wolfpack, and Hutchinson leaps into stardom, whoever is lining up as the other EDGE will likely be the fourth-best starter on the defensive line anyway. So long as that person isn't a net negative on defense, the Lions defensive line should thrive this season under new Defensive line coach Terrell Williams, who many consider the best defensive line coach in the NFL.
Oh, and don't forget about fourth-year defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike, who Dan Campbell has had high praise for during camp.
"He's earned it, I mean, it's clear he's one of the best. I mean, it's just clear, and he plays with violence, he's stout, he's fundamentally better than he's ever been and he's shown that he has some versatility."
Secondary Overhaul
Cam Sutton gave up more passing yards than any corner in the NFL last season. Kindle Vildor is in danger of not making the roster. Those were the two starters for the NFC Championship game last season for the Lions.
The Lions added Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw through the draft, traded a third-round pick for Carlton Davis, signed Amik Robertson in the offseason, and are getting back Emmanuel Moseley from a torn ACL.
Let's start with Moseley. Moseley tore his ACL in October of 2022 while playing for the 49ers. After signing a one-year deal with the Lions, Moseley played a grand total of two snaps before tearing his other ACL. I for one assumed Moseley's time as a plus defender was behind him. To my surprise during training camp, Moseley has been routinely repping with the first team as a Nickel Corner.
"If you're trying to find a way to use your best lineup, potentially as a starting point, what would you do with Moseley," Campbell said. "We know he can go outside and compete - Let's give him a chance inside and see how it goes."
Terrion Arnold, according to Brad Holmes' draft board, was the best cornerback prospect in this year's draft class. The Alabama product was selected 24th overall after the Lions used a third-round pick to move up five spots to snag him. He's slated to take the reins of the starting spot opposite of Carlton Davis and has the potential to one day become one of the league's best defensive backs. But it's been 2nd round draft selection Ennis Rakestraw stealing headlines at camp, notching three interceptions in a week's worth of work.
Carlton Davis is about as solid as it comes at the corner, a massive upgrade over Cam Sutton. Amik Robertson, who will likely serve as a reserve, to be quite frank, is better than anything the Lions had last year at corner. The depth here is real. What was a weakness has been retooled into what could be a strength.
Brian Branch appears to be taking on a new full-time safety role, allowing him to essentially never leave the field.
A half-second is an eternity in this league. If the revamped secondary can buy an extra half-second for Hutchinson and the defensive line regularly, look out.
The Sleeping Giant on Defense
Not every rookie shows up to training camp to assert their dominance the way Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch did in 2023. For some, time is essential for development. Jack Campbell, who will be 24 by the time Week 1 arrives, is ready to show Lions fans why he was drafted 18th overall in 2023.
At 6'5", 243 lbs, Jack Campbell isn't your typical middle linebacker. During the NFL Combine, Campbell registered a 9.98 Relative Athletic Score, the 6th highest grade of any linebacker ever tested. Campbell has all the physical traits you can't teach.
"Jack is one of the most coachable players I've ever been around in my life - and I'm talking as a player or coaching," Lions' Linebacker coach Kelvin Sheppard said. "I mean, you can literally tell him the sky is green right now, and he'll say, 'Yes sir.' I'm like, 'Jack, no it's not. Why'd you say that?' He's just got that level of respect for authority and it's just the way he lives his life, to be honest with you. "
I've been to Allen Park twice for training camp thus far, and both times Campbell has looked like a 2.0 version of himself. The Lions have stars up front and in the secondary. While Alex Anzalone is one of the most reliable players on the Lions roster, he has limited upside at this point in his career. Campbell becoming a truly special off-ball linebacker would give the Lions star power at all three levels of the defense.
For what it's worth, Campbell is my pick for the Lions' improved player of the season. Although Jameson Williams isn't a bad bet either.
So what do you think? Can the Lions have both a top-10 offense and defense in 2024? Let us know in the comments.
For a more in depth conversion on the topic, listen to The Payoff's discussion here.
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