Getty Brad Holmes speaks during the 2022 NFL combine.
When the Detroit Lions get set to prepare for the 2022 NFL draft, it might be an easy practice because the team has so many needs they can choose to focus on for a new year.
From defense to offense, there isn’t much the Lions don’t need on their roster to help them improve, but even though that is the case, there could be a few easy answers as to what the team will have to do in order to iron things out.
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Recently, Pro Football Focus took a look at naming the biggest needs for every team this offseason in a piece by Anthony Treash, and some usual positions took the cake in the mind of the analysts. Treash had the familiar spots of wideout, cornerback, safety, quarterback and linebacker as needs for the team. What was most interesting, though, was the thoughts of Treash on how the team will approach the draft.
Within the writeup, Treash admits the secondary needs to be a big focus thanks to the struggle the team had there last season. He then goes on to predict “their No. 2 overall pick is presumably going to be used on one of the top edge defenders, and one of the others is likely to be a quarterback. The third, along with what available cap space they have in free agency, should be focused on the secondary.”
If the Lions went about the draft in this way, it would no doubt be an interesting approach. Many have been saying quarterback is a need, but only PFF has been pushing the narrative that the team could look to go in that direction fairly early this year. Obviously, the defense does remain a spot where heavy lifting should play out.
Regardless, that’s a bold prediction on how the 2022 draft could go for the Lions.
PFF, Anthony Treash Called out Lions’ Secondary Before
Earlier this offseason, PFF and Treash took a look at picking out some of the biggest needs for the team to address this offseason. The piece had no shortage of needs for the Lions to ponder, specifically listing cornerback, safety, quarterback, wide receiver and linebacker as the biggest needs for the team.
Perhaps interestingly, Treash seemed to think the team’s secondary might stand out as the biggest hole considering he used the word “glaring” to describe it. Treash believes the Lions need to commit one of their three early draft picks and some of their cap space toward fixing the back end this offseason.
The issue is more depth rather than who had to play in 2021, though. While Treash lamented the Lions having to play Jerry Jacobs and AJ Parker for more than 300 snaps, the fact remains that duo played well and developed. If the Lions could add to their secondary a bit, they would be in much better shape as a whole.
As the team ponders their offseason moves, they will have to consider that factor in a major way. It’s likely to be something the Lions do think about when all is said and done.
Lions’ Biggest 2022 Draft Needs
Before free agency and a shot at making a dent in some upgrades, it looks clear that the Lions have a few major spots that they will need to see some big changes at on the field for 2022. Specifically, on defense, the team needs major help in the trenches with regards to pass rusher. After that, the Lions need to find a way to shore up the safety spot, which could be hit with a few departures. Cornerback remains a big need for the Lions as well given some of the injuries to key players like Jerry Jacobs and Jeff Okudah that came up, as well as inconsistencies. Adding more depth will be a big deal for the Lions. Finally, linebacker needs an infusion of young talent on the field to go with Derrick Barnes.
Offensively, the team will need to break into the wideout market no matter what happens in free agency. Another tight end could be a quality addition given the depth issues that played out there most of the 2021 season. The team feels set at running back and could look to add offensive line depth in the middle rounds, but quarterback remains just about the biggest future need the team has on the field.
Whatever order these needs get addressed, it’s interesting to see how others interpret Detroit’s possible plan. Will it play out that way? In over another month, some answers will finally be gained.
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