Getty Michael Brockers gives the thumbs up as he leaves the field.
The Detroit Lions continue to limp to the finish line of the 2021 NFL season, and while the team’s Week 15 win hurt them in the standings, a Week 16 loss did nothing of the sort.
While the Lions didn’t get much help on the field from the opposition to claw back into the top position in the draft, they did see an upset win below them that might only help to lock them into a better player and top pick in the end.
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Jacksonville came up just short of a win in New York, which meant they remain atop the draft standings heading into Week 17. The Lions’ own narrow loss keeps them locked in at the second-overall draft slot, while Houston and New York’s win pushes them further down the standings given both have collected four wins on the year.
Tankathon.com showed off the new draft rankings on Monday, and the Lions were holding firm in the second position just a game behind Jacksonville and two games ahead of Houston and the New York Jets.
While the loss was frustrating for Lions fans, it ended up being a positive for the team in the end. Right now, it’s looking like a safe bet that the team nabs a top selection for next year.
Lions Pushing to Lock Down Top Two Selection
With only two weeks left, it’s looking more and more like the top of the NFL draft could be set for 2022. The Lions will finish with Seattle and Green Bay. While the Seahawks have been worse this year than any in recent memory, the team could still figure to lose that game given it takes place on the road. In Week 18, the Lions will play Green Bay in the season finale where only pride will be on the line at Ford Field from their perspective. In that game, it will be interesting to see if the team manages to rally again or if they finish with another loss.
Obviously, fans will want to see the team continue to lose so they can lock up another top selection next year. Already, the Lions are closing in on getting that done.
Early Lions’ 2022 NFL Draft Primer
Regardless of where the impending pick comes, Detroit will continue to use the draft as the big way to build their roster. If the Lions manage to secure a top two selection in the draft as most will hope they can do, there’s a multitude of ways they could elect to go with the pick given the unique needs of the roster. The team’s defense needs playmakers up front to rush the passer along the defensive line, and could also need depth on the back end at cornerback. Offensively, the Lions have a major need for a big time pass catching wideout to help their down field attack on offense. As always, quarterback is going to be a position to watch near the top of the draft, especially considering some of the struggles of Jared Goff with the Lions in 2021.
The good news for Detroit? They also have the first-round pick of the Los Angeles Rams by virtue of the Matthew Stafford trade for this year and next year, and figure to gain multiple compensatory selections for 2022 so some serious building can occur for the roster no matter where Detroit’s selection comes. Obviously, there is no shortage of needs for the team to ponder with all of their selections next year.
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