Getty Michael Brockers during a Lions game against the Ravens in 2021.
The Detroit Lions have had an offseason of dramatic roster changes in 2023, and perhaps one of the biggest was the departure of Michael Brockers.
While Brockers may or may not want to play football again right now, the veteran lineman was a key piece for Detroit the last few seasons in the trenches as well as with leadership. As Brockers ponders his next step, he has gone on television and taken time to discuss his old team.
On Good Morning Football, Brockers was discussing the Lions, and was asked in his mind what the team must do to take the next step. As he explained, now is the time for the Lions to dig deep and comitt to what they are doing, especially as the offseason hype machine gets rolling.
Brockers’ message to the Lions for 2023? The team needs to stay humble and stay hungry as they continue to push hard for their goals since they haven’t achieved anything yet in spite of the love they are receiving.
“Stay humble and stay hungry. I feel last year when we got to that halfway point and we really just locked-in and said ‘hey, screw it. Let’s go out here and focus on one game at a time. Let’s not focus on how many games we have left, how many games we lost. Let’s focus in one game at a time and see what we can do.’ I think because of all the media attention they’re getting right now, that’s why I say stay humble. They haven’t really done anything yet. You don’t want to read your newspaper clippings before you go out there and show the world what you’ve really got. That’s why I say stay humble. Focus on what you can control, focus on your daily habits and It’ll show. You’ll show on Sunday what you have,” Brockers said on the show.
That message is an important one for the Lions. This offseason, the team has seen love from seemingly every corner of the internet. As Brockers says, the team hasn’t done anything. They didn’t make the playoffs last year in spite of a 9-8 record.
Reading what the media is saying about the offseason and the hopes for a bright future will only serve to hurt the Lions in the end. That’s why the team needs to heed Brockers’ advice and stick to what has helped them get to this point in the first place.
Considering their head coach, the Lions are likely to be locked-in on this message already. Hearing it from a former player in their shoes like Brockers could be extra important.
NFC North Could Soon See a Flip
Those that see the Lions as sudden contenders for the NFC North crown aren’t exactly wrong. The division has been turned upside down the last two seasons, and that could be to Detroit’s benefit.
The Lions might have major advantage over their closest divisional competition in that they started their rebuild a few years early. That could help them be in prime position to compete in the division quicker.
Minnesota and Chicago both hit reset after the 2021-22 season, which means there could be some short and long-term pain yet to come for them in terms of roster building. The Packers still remain at the top of the heap, but after Aaron Rodgers leaves, all bets are off as it relates to the direction of the franchise. They’ve got some strong pieces elsewhere on offense and defense, but elite quarterback play can prove to be a major driver of team success.
Minus Rodgers, the Packers could prove to be very average. By then, the Lions could be emerging from their rebuild a team ready to contend. Even with Rodgers, the Lions were 2-0 against Green Bay in 2022, and were 5-1 against the division as a whole.
While Chicago and Minnesota might have different timelines in coming years, the Lions could be seen as a team with a trajectory firmly planted in the upward position. Across the landscape in the division, it’s not easy to see lots of others in that same boat.
The Lions have to be mindful of this, while also remaining committed to hard work in their own building.
Michael Brockers Critical for Lions’ Chemistry
Brockers being the one to send this message to the team is very impressive and interesting. This offseason, he was the first player the team released from the roster, and from a play standpoint, that release felt overdue.
Still, while Brockers may not have brought the stats that he did when he was a youngster to Detroit, his greatest value to his new team was easily proven to be that of a leader, and a player who has helped the youngest roster in the NFL mature quickly.
One thing Brockers was able to do? Watch closely as the team’s rookie players like Aidan Hutchinson and Josh Paschal grew, and help them along the way with that process. His impact on those players and the youngsters the team has up front is something that could be felt for a while with the team.
Clearly, Brockers is going to be watching from afar this year as the Lions try to follow through on his advice. As he said, the best course of action for the team is to keep working hard and not forget what has gotten them to this point.