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The Detroit Lions have struggled to get off to a good start once again during the 2022 season, and as a result, that has left some folks wondering where the team goes next.
Can the Lions string together enough wins to stay in the playoff conversation during the second half of the season, or will they be doomed to another fall of irrelevancy and be forced to think only of the future once again?
Many folks aren’t optimistic and are instead choosing to focus on that unappealing second option. That could be where analyst Nick Baumgardner is heading himself.
In a piece at The Athletic debating which NFL teams with poor records can still save their season, Detroit was bringing up the rear for Baumgardner and in the “you ok?” category.
The Lions, as Baumgarder hints, may not indeed be ok.
“Detroit’s offense is ahead of schedule and QB Jared Goff is (mostly) playing well. The defense is as bad as it was when Detroit fired Matt Patricia. Getting rookie wide receiver Jameson Williams healthy would help, but the Lions have to do some real soul-searching during their bye this weekend. It’s already time to start figuring out which defensive players they want to invest big on in the draft and free agency,” Baumgardner wrote.
Many have been advocating for trades that might help some of Detroit’s problems, but in Baumgardner’s mind, the team might already have to start considering the offseason and what moves they can make moving forward.
There’s plenty of time to go, but it’s true that Detroit’s defense is in bad shape and their offense didn’t look like the dominating outfit they have been in Week 5. That could mean trouble for the near-future.
Lions fans are likely sick of having to think about the offseason just a handful of games into the regular season, but they’re probably used to it. That could be the reality once again in 2022.
Lions Players Not Giving up on Season
Despite the fact that many on the outside are beginning to wonder whether or not Detroit’s season is on the brink, the players have done a decent job to keep things positive even after a frustrating Week 5.
Many players, such as T.J. Hockenson, have pointed out that there is still time for the Lions given how many games remain on the schedule.
Speaking to the media after Detroit’s frustrating 29-0 loss, Hockenson was asked about the message moving forward, and as he said, it’s all about improvement and finding a way to win.
“I mean, listen, we’re five games in. We got 12 left. That’s a whole college season, so we got a lot of time to move this thing to the point where we need to, but we gotta get the first one. That’s just the the message to everybody in here is, ‘hey let’s get the first one and we’ll see where it goes from there,'” he said.
Running back Jamaal Williams agreed, and as he said, it’s time for the team to get to work.
“We know we have the talent, but at the same time, the talent’s got to work like we want to so I feel we just gotta go back to work and put in the real work,” Williams said. “Sometimes, it’s just the little things on how we’re working so close. I feel like we have a lot of talent and we should have won a lot of these games that we lost, but you know, it’s only week five. When we come back for week six, that’s when we just gotta turn it over and start it out but it only starts with one week. Starts with getting one win and then going from there, so we just got to stay with that mentality of just having a tunnel vision of next week or week six when that time comes.”
It’s clear that the Lions players aren’t prepared to simply pack it in and give up no matter how many folks on the outside might think that is the appropriate reaction in this scenario.
Lions’ 2023 Draft and Offseason Needs
If Detroit’s season should crater, where do things go? Toward looking at needs, of course. Already, there’s some obvious conclusions to draw with regard to that.
The Lions have plenty of needs in the 2023 draft, and most will figure to be on the defensive side of the football given how poorly the team has played this year in that spot.
On the back end, the Lions could use help at cornerback and safety since they have struggled with depth there. The team also needs more linebackers and perhaps defensive lineman to change the narrative in the trenches, seeing as the team is getting pushed around in a major way in those spots.
Offensively, the Lions may decide on a change at quarterback. If so, that’s likely to be their first pick in 2023, but given how Jared Goff has played for the most part and what the offense has done, that may not play out.
The Lions are seemingly loaded at the skill positions, but could decide on a new wideout or running back to help depth, and perhaps a tight end. Depth up front could be important for the team as well given the injuries in the trenches.
No matter what happens then, there is plenty of season left to go. The Lions, however, could need a jump-start on planning for that at this point.
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