Getty Jared Goff gets sacked by the Broncos in Denver.
The Detroit Lions are pushing toward the finish of the 2021 season, and as they do so, focus will turn to what happens with the first pick in the draft.
With only a single win, the Lions look primed to be at the very least a top three finisher. Naturally, though, they want it all and would like to make sure that all the pain of losing in the 2021 season at least pays off with the top pick in the draft.
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At this point, they are close to making that dream a reality. Through Week 14, the Lions are still in the pole position in terms of the first pick and remain a half game ahead of their competition. They also maintain a nice pick down the board in the 24 spot courtesy of Los Angeles.
Where’s your team at?
If there’s bad news, it’s that the Lions haven’t received any additional help in recent weeks to pad their lead. The Lions have been losing consistently, but so have some of the teams around them. Moving forward, the team will have to hope they can get some more wins out of those chasing them directly.
Lions Trying to Hold Off Multiple Bad Teams
Can the Lions keep their hold on the top pick? The team will be fighting multiple teams for the first pick, but most notably the likes of the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars. Both teams are in disarray, with the Texans perhaps tanking on the season the rest of the way and the Jaguars having problems with consistency as well as potential locker room drama.
In terms of the schedule, the Lions might have the best chance to lose out, given the fact the Texans and Jaguars will play each other this week, guaranteeing one of a third win. Elsewhere, the Lions will need to be mindful of the New York Jets lurking, who do have three wins but have not been good this season either in spite of a few upset victories.
Obviously, the best bet for the Lions? Keep losing, no matter how miserable it might seem for the fans.
Lions Have Plenty Needs Within 2022 NFL Draft
If the Lions manage to secure the top 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 the early 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 if the team manages to secure the top overall pick. Obviously, there is no shortage of needs for the team to ponder with all of their selections next year.
First things first revolves around securing the selection, something the Lions hope they manage to get done sooner rather than later.
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