Getty Aaron Rodgers before Capital One's The Match in 2022.
The Detroit Lions have generated some positive attention this offseason for the steps forward they have taken, and the national media is beginning to take notice as a whole of what the team could be building.
That’s true not just for next year, but the future into the distance as well. While the Lions could be building for now, they might be more geared with the end in mind in terms of contention in their division. That might be the biggest reason for optimism with the team.
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In a video segment for Pro Football Focus, analyst Trevor Sikkema looked at the biggest reasons for optimism for every team. When it came to the Lions, some of the reasons were almost too numerous to mention given the work the team has done recently to change their fortunes.
“They’ve done a lot of really good things I think over the last two years taking on Jared Goff’s contract when (they) knew (they) weren’t weren’t going to be great but getting the extra draft picks (and) turning it into some really, really talented players,” Sikkema said. “I love the draft that they had this past year as well with Aiden Hutchinson and Jameson Williams so I loved how they’ve navigated the draft the last two years.
Culturally, Sikkema appreciates how the Lions are turning things around in the locker room and the type of players they are bringing in. That gives him faith in the coaching staff and front office.
“You’ve got to be excited about what Brad Holmes is doing as a general manager. I am so excited for Brad, for Dan Campbell as a head coach. Man, I hope this next year certainly (is) the best yet for him,” he said. “I hope he continues to go in the right direction because it just feels like when you looked at last year, yeah, they weren’t winning a ton but the guys were playing hard for him. They were setting up the culture that they needed to and a lot of people look at culture and they just go ‘oh yeah talk about culture, okay’ but it does matter. That stuff does matter. Setting up a winning culture, a winning attitude, consistency, work ethic, process, everything. Those things show up on Sundays I promise you they do. I think they’re setting it up the right way.”
In terms of how they are setting it up and for what end, Sikkema also has a good prediction that Lions fans will surely appreciate.
Sikkema: Lions Building for NFC North Contention
With regards to how the Lions are building, Sikkema admitted he loves the plan to beef up the offensive front given how that could lead to sustained success for a team like the Lions.
“If I had to get more specific about it, I love this offensive line. I love where this offensive line is going,” Sikkema admitted. “Taylor Decker, Penei Sewell, Frank Ragnow. They’ve got Jonah Jackson as well, Halapoulivaati Vaitai. I like the offensive line. I like where the offensive line is going. I think this can be a top 10 unit in the NFL, maybe even the top-five unit if they take a massive leap up, but love the direction they’re going. They’re building through the trenches. Love to see it. Everybody grading in the green or even the blue on the offensive line over the last couple years as far as the Lions go, so I love (it).”
Specifically, Sikkema said he believes the Lions are building the kind of team that could become immediate contenders in the division once Aaron Rodgers exits.
“They have a plan right? There’s a multi-year plan in place here where they they got better in the trenches last year, they added speed and Jameson Williams maybe the best player in the draft (and) Aiden Hutchinson. There was a plan in Detroit. I’m also optimistic because Aaron Rodgers is getting old. He’s getting old. He’s going to be gone soon in the NFC North and the Lions are going to be ready to take over,” he said. “They’re going to take over the NFC North, that’s what they’re doing. They’re building to take over once Aaron Rodgers is gone.”
Whenever Rodgers does go, the division will be firmly up for grabs. With potential rebuilds going on in Chicago and Minnesota, the Lions could be inching out of their own rebuild just in time to make a leap toward contender status.
While Lions fans will never enjoy grand proclamations about divisional success or dominance given the struggles they’ve had for years, they will appreciate folks believing the team is primed for the next step.
Why Lions Might be Poised for Turnaround
There’s a lot to like about the Lions, and not just for the 2022 season coming up. In addition to the team’s friendly schedule, the Lions could be ready for a turnaround thanks to the fact that they have beefed up their roster in a bigger way. Detroit has improved greatly on defense up to this point of the offseason, with some of their heaviest lifting coming on that side of the ball. Not only did the Lions add names like Aidan Hutchinson and Josh Paschal, but they drafted underrated players like Kerby Joseph, Malcolm Rodriguez and James Houston, any of whom could fight for a role. In free agency, Detroit added linebackers Chris Board and Jarrad Davis, cornerback Mike Hughes and safety DeShon Elliot.
Offensively, the Lions added players with upside such as DJ Chark, Josh Reynolds and Kalif Raymond. They also managed to secure dynamic wideout Jameson Williams in the draft and added intriguing tight end James Mitchell later on in the fifth-round as well. This, combined with health from Jared Goff, T.J. Hockenson, D’Andre Swift and the offensive line could have the Lions in great shape to chase down a big rebound season on the field in 2022, but also contend in the future.
When Rodgers leaves and the Packers decline, the Lions could be poised to take the biggest advantage according to the analysts.
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