Getty Dan Campbell and Penei Sewell on the field in 2021 against Cleveland.
The Detroit Lions have a brand new roster for the 2022 season, and as part of that comes the chance at a new analysis of its strengths and weaknesses.
Even though there have been plenty of changes for the team, there’s been some themes that have stayed the same throughout. Most notably is Detroit’s offensive line being one of the best in the league.
Pro Football Focus sees that as the case. Breaking down the Detroit roster for 2022, writer Ben Linsey looked at picking out strengths and weaknesses for the team. Perhaps as expected, the Detroit offensive front was seen as the major strength.
As Linsey wrote, the Detroit personnel up front is a big reason why the team could be elite this season, and it offers the team a nice group to build around.
“It’s not difficult to see Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell both being top-10 players at their respective positions in 2022. From a PFF grading standpoint, Sewell was a top-10 graded right tackle as a rookie in 2021, and Decker finished 15th among qualifying left tackles. Throw in one of the NFL’s best centers (Frank Ragnow) and a promising young guard (Jonah Jackson), and the Lions have a nice core to build around up front,” Linsey wrote.
From the start of the offseason until now, it has seemed the Lions would have a good line to build around and that’s the case in a big way now that the final rosters are in.
It’s clear the offensive line will drive the bus this year in Detroit.
Lions Line Ranked Near top of NFL for 2022
Heading into the 2022 season, the Lions line may have taken on the look of one of the best in the league according to analysts.
Pro Football Focus analyst Mike Renner is the latest, and he has Detroit’s group as a top-five line in the league placing in the three spot for 2022.
The best offensive lines in the league per @PFF_Mike 💪
The only teams Renner had above Detroit? The Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns. Just behind the Lions are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Green Bay Packers, meaning the Lions are in contention with some of the best of the best in football in terms of talent up front.
With an elite line such as this, the Lions could certainly challenge for a much better season. How the team does will likely depend on what happens with the defense and skill positions, but having an elite line that compares with some other contenders is a great start for Detroit.
This factor should also help quarterback Jared Goff to feel comfortable in the pocket, which could help the Lions have a better year than many might expect.
Lions’ Offensive Line Could Dominate During 2022
it might be a bold statement by some to call this group one of the best in the entire league, but it shows the confidence the Lions and others have to start the year, and with good reason.
Detroit has a pair of solid tackles in Decker and Sewell, an elite center in Ragnow, a Pro Bowl guard in Jackson and a player who had a very strong bounce-back 2021 season in Halapoulivaati Vaitai. Along with the depth the team has found in the likes of Evan Brown, Matt Nelson and Tommy Kraemer, there is no reason this can’t be the case almost immediately.
Detroit is taking on the look of a line that is hard to play against and has depth. Not only can they push people around in the run game, but they might be able to give their quarterback an elite pocket in 2022. If that is the case, advantage Lions this season in a big way.
At this point, Detroit’s line looks like the strong suit of their entire roster.
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