A new year is set to take over, and it will be out with the old and in with the new for the Detroit Lions as the calendar flips from 2021 to 2022 at the stroke of midnight on January 1.
Not unlike everyone else, the Lions will be looking to improve and become a better version of themselves. While most people make new year’s resolutions to break them, the Lions have to stick with these themes all 365 days in order to have success on the field.
The latest Lions news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Lions newsletter here!
Here’s a look at this year’s best bet at resolutions for the team to stick with.
Stay Healthy and Heal up Old 2021 Injuries
If the Lions ran into one common problem in 2021 from past years, it was an inability to stay healthy. The team struggled from the first week right through Week 16 with devastating injuries, and they hit every single part of the roster including some of the team’s quality depth pieces that looked to be coming along well. One such player, Jerry Jacobs, is facing a potential nine month rehab of an ACL injury, something he is tweeting about his motivation to overcome on a near daily basis.
From Jacobs to names like T.J. Hockenson, Amani Oruwariye, Jeff Okudah, Quintez Cephus, Frank Ragnow, Romeo Okwara, Trey Flowers and others, the Lions have to find a way to get healthier this offseason and come back ready to go in 2022. Next season’s team could be strong if the Lions can manage to keep people healthy and on the field. They will have to avoid any potential setbacks as well.
Make a Bigger Push for Offseason Help at Wide Receiver
This past offseason wasn’t a banner one for the Lions in terms of finding a big time threat at wide receiver to help the offense. As a result, the team struggled to sustain drives and hit big plays much of 2021 and Jared Goff struggled at times. Even still, the Lions did a nice job to find some players who can play a role for their team in Amon-Ra St. Brown, Kalif Raymond and Josh Reynolds. As 2021’s depth conundrum showed, however, that cannot be enough for next year. The Lions are going to have to spend a relatively early pick on a big-time target at the position, and may have to spend a bit more money at the position in free agency as well. Given what Goff has been able to do, it isn’t a stretch to see how a few more weapons could help:
If it’s one thing the Lions learned down the stretch, it’s that Goff can be a solid quarterback when things get going his way. A healthy offensive line and running game should make that a possibility for the team, but the Lions need to make a much bigger commitment to the position in the offseason this time around for the betterment of the roster.
Give Dan Campbell Anything He Wants to Succeed
While Campbell had his detractors before the Lions found their first win of the season, the coach should have all of those folks off his back now if many were actually on his back in the first place. With a mix of humor, wit, passion and football intelligence, Campbell has made the Lions’ roster believers. Fans are buying in as well, and now, the franchise needs to realize what they have and do whatever they can to support their solid first-year hire. The Lions didn’t have a lot going for them in 2021, but Campbell was one of the things that they did have on their side the whole season. He’s a captivating personality that the players and staff love.
As entertaining of a personality as Campbell has, he might be just as good as a leader and a football coach. Making him happy and setting him up for success has to be the goals of the franchise from here on out.
Draft a New Quarterback to Develop
This isn’t a knock on Goff, in fact, it is far from it. Detroit’s current quarterback has proven he is more than capable of locking down the job for 2022 and should be the team’s starter. Behind Goff, however, is where the questions start. Tim Boyle is passable as a backup but hasn’t really elevated the Lions in any of his starts, and despite being on the roster, the team doesn’t seem interested in giving David Blough a chance. It’s time for the Lions to take a gamble with one of their early picks and grab a quarterback that they can develop for the future, either as a backup or as a potential starter. Names like Kenny Pickett, Malik Wills and Desmond Ridder should be in the conversation, and ESPN’s Mel Kiper broke down the names on Get Up a few months ago:
The Lions have eschewed the need for a developmental quarterback for far too long, and it’s time for them to identify their guy and make a move this offseason. Amongst other things, this is potentially the most important resolution for the team in 2022.
READ NEXT: Dan Campbell Makes Big Statement About Jared Goff’s Future
Examining the Biggest 2022 New Year’s Resolutions Lions Must Follow