Getty Da'Shawn Hand celebrates with Romeo Okwara.
The Detroit Lions are looking for a huge bounce back season up front from Da’Shawn Hand, a man who was pretty elite when he started his career in the Motor City.
So far this season, there’s good news on that front, and Hand has been very impressive early in camp. He’s been able to show the type of solid moves and ability which had him high on the list of players who could be elite in their career.
Recently, during camp, a snippet of a video with Hand showing his ability to press the pocket from the middle of the line.
This offseason , the Lions didn’t add too much to their pass rush, and it’s possible Hand’s emergence could be a reason why. The lineman has been dinged up the last few years, but if he can rediscover some health and get back to being a solid pressure guy, that would be huge for the team.
Perhaps the Lions have seen this play out in camp and are confident in Hand being part of the solution. That would be huge for the Lions and their defensive hopes this season.
Da’Shawn Hand Compared With Elite Lineman
Hand, long considered a forgotten man on the team’s front thanks to how he was in and out of the lineup last season, has been quietly elite for the Lions when he has played. In 2018, Hand’s stats even compared with that of Fletcher Cox, who was in the middle of a dominating season for the Philadelphia Eagles. Pro Football Focus showed how their metrics compared.
Below is the list of DI with a 75.0+ Overall, Run Defense, Pass Rush, and Tackling grade in a season since 2016:
Fletcher Cox, 2017
Da’Shawn Hand, 2018
Hand was limited to 110 snaps in 2019 due to elbow/ankle injuries, the #Lions could use his playmaking ability in 2020
This stat merely proves that Hand has the ability to dominate the NFL interior when he is healthy and engaged. It’s not so much a question of talent or ability, but rather health and availability. The Lions have to be encouraged by what they’ve seen, and there exists a huge chance for Hand to take leaps forward and change the look of the team’s front completely.
Its obvious he has the talent to do so.
Da’Shawn Hand’s Rookie Performance Elite
For months, many have wondered about the team not adding much to the front minus Danny Shelton in free agency and John Penisini in the draft. A big reason for that, though, could be Hand playing a much more significant role for the future of the team.
Once upon a time as a rookie, Hand enjoyed one of the best starts to his career that PFF had ever seen. The defender from Alabama was right up there with some of the game’s true greats in terms of metrics from his first season. He even compared with Aaron Donald. Things slowed down after, however, thanks mostly to injury the last few seasons. It’s hard to argue with where the numbers have been, though.
This season, Hand should be in good shape to rebound considerably. He will be healthy, but not only that, the stage will be set for him to play opposite Shelton if he is able to step up and master the defense as he has before. It’s not as if Hand has gotten worse or the game has sped up for him. It’s been a simple matter of health. When he’s been on and able to play up to his potential, he’s been excellent.
Big things could be on the horizon for Hand, and while it’s easy to overlook him right now based on the recent past, there’s a chance that he could be a huge cog for the team this coming season.
PFF Projects Da’Shawn Hand Position Battle
Pro Football Focus has tried to identify the answer, however. According to the site and writer Ben Linsey, the spot to watch is along the defensive line specifically at defensive tackle.
Newcomer Nick Williams as well as the established, aforementioned Hand will square off there and see who gets more snaps and can fill the role better. As Linsey wrote, the duo might help decide there is more depth up front than previously figured for Detroit.
“Danny Shelton should be the clear-cut starter at nose tackle heading into next season for Detroit, but the next two in line for snaps on the defensive interior should be Hand and Williams. Both guys figure to see plenty of playing time in a rotational capacity, but I like Hand to carve out the larger role in 2019. He got off to a tremendous start to his career as a rookie in 2018, earning an 85.9 overall grade and contributing as both a run defender and a pass rusher. Hand saw his role shrink in 2019 down to just over 100 snaps, but if he can put up a similar performance to what we saw from him as a rookie, the Lions’ defensive line will be in good shape.”
Getting a comeback from Hand would be significant for Detroit’s defensive line considering how good he was as a rookie. Williams is also a player who can add some punch in the middle. The team needs depth up front and this battle could prove they have it if both players play up to their potential.
Da’Shawn Hand’s Injury History
The Lions got a solid player in the 2018 NFL Draft when they picked up Hand out of Alabama, and quickly, Hand proved his worth to the team with some solid play up front. Injury trouble started later in the season with a knee ailment which knocked Hand out of the last few games of 2018 on the field. He struggled to get healthy early on in the 2019 year, and was not able to contribute much to Detroit’s defensive cause as a result.
As a whole, Hand has put up decent numbers. His rookie year featured 27 tackles and 3 sacks, but this season has been much worse considering health. Hand only managed to put up 6 total tackles this season. Obviously, it’s been a tough go of it thanks to injury most of all. The hope is he can come back healthy and ready to perform in 2020, because Hand is a nice piece for the Lions up front.
The metrics continue to project that Hand will be ready for a huge season along Detroit’s defensive front in 2020 providing he can find some health and keep it. The video seems to show that as well.
READ NEXT: Most Impressive Lions During Training Camp