Getty Romeo Okwara gets a sack on Josh Rosen in a 2018 game.
When the Detroit Lions take the field for the 2022 season, there are plenty of different variables that can determine how things go for the team.
Injuries, breakout seasons and inconsistencies are just some of the factors that can tip the scales as it relates to how things turn out for a squad and a roster. The Lions have several players that could qualify in terms of being x-factors this coming season.
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Which players could tip the scales for the Lions if they get things going? Here’s a look at some names to remember that could greatly impact Detroit’s seasonal outlook in 2022.
D’Andre Swift, Running Back
The Lions are desperate for some semblance of a running game in order to help their offense have balance. At times in the past, they’ve gotten it, but not nearly consistent enough to figure as elite. If they manage to get it from Swift, that would be huge for them offensively. Detroit’s offense depends on the deep passing game, and if a running back opens lanes up, that could be significant in terms of generating more big plays deeper down the field. Swift’s abilities in the receiving game are important too, and he could be a true dual-threat back in the mold of Alvin Kamara if he can stay healthy and ratchet things up in a big enough way.
A dynamo playmaker, Swift could be the entire key to unlocking the Detroit offense. He’s trending as one of the biggest x-factors for folks to watch in the league much less in Detroit.
Jameson Williams, Wide Receiver
Given the ACL injury Williams is dealing with since bowl season, it would not be a shock if the Lions didn’t get much from their stud wideout addition for most of the first half of the season. Recoveries can vary player to player, though, and Williams could always find a way to come back quicker to be able to impact the game. If he does, his combination of speed, strength and explosion could be a big deal to a Detroit offense that needs an injection of life to improve. Williams could turn the tide himself for the team if he comes on strong and manages to impress just like he did in college.
After transferring to Alabama from Ohio State, Williams put up a huge 1,572 yard and 15 touchdown season, showing how he can make an immediate impact. If he could do half of that for the Lions, it would be a huge turn for the team’s needy offense.
Jared Goff, Quarterback
Most folks from within Detroit’s fanbase and outside of it are already counting out Goff before the season even begins. The quarterback has been much-maligned since the trade that sent him to Detroit in the 2021 offseason, but it’s been clear that he still has some talent to rely on. Though the numbers seem to bet against him, Goff put up solid stats late in the season in 2021, posting 11 touchdowns to just 2 interceptions after Thanksgiving. If the Goff that led Los Angeles to the Super Bowl in 2018-19 season comes around, the Lions could be very happy that they made the move to nab him. With comfort and the right kind of offense, it could happen in a big way for Goff and the Lions.
Romeo Okwara, Edge
Pass rush is perhaps the biggest defensive variable for the Lions in 2022, and Okwara can bring plenty of that given his recent penchant for getting after the quarterback. Before injury in 2020, he put up 7.5 sacks in one season, and has been at 10 sacks before as well. This points to a player that knows how to get after it in the trenches, which is significant for the Lions given the team’s inability to rush the passer well in recent seasons. Okwara has been a one-man game changer for the Lions before:
Okwara is a player who can run hot and cold at times, and has been nicked up in the past before as well. A healthy, productive season could make the Lions a lot more dangerous on defense than many folks expect given the other weapons that should figure to be at their disposal the rest of the season.
Jeff Okudah, Cornerback
Perhaps there is no player that is as big an x-factor this season as Okudah, and already, the pundits seem to know this fact. The cornerback has all the talent in the world to depend on as a former third-overall pick in 2020, but has also been snakebitten by injury and inconsistency early in his career. Okudah has never really gotten to show what he can do on the field at all, which is frustrating for the Lions at this point in time. At times, he’s flashed some brilliance on the field, as when he picked off his first pass in his rookie year:
If Okudah steps up and gives the Lions something, it will be huge for a defensive backfield that is already being seen as a major weakness for the team in 2022. Okudah could re-write that narrative himself with a quality season of work, and could help the team’s defense take a leap forward with more big plays as well.