Lions Blog: Morning Lions Links for Wednesday 8-12-20

Articles:

Lions QB Matthew Stafford happy to have COVID-19 scare behind him: https://www.mlive.com/lions/2020/08/lions-qb-matthew-stafford-happy-to-have-covid-19-scare-behind-him.html

Steve Gregory, the Lions’ new defensive backs coach, draws high praise for football IQ: https://www.mlive.com/lions/2020/08/duron-harmon-says-lions-dbs-coach-steve-gregory-among-smartest-players-hes-ever-been-around.html

Detroit Lions, fresh off 3-win season, crowned NFC North favorite by Football Outsiders: https://www.mlive.com/lions/2020/08/detroit-lions-once-again-picked-as-likeliest-worst-to-first-team-in-2020.html

Harmon impressed with young talent in Lions' secondary: https://www.detroitlions.com/news/harmon-impressed-with-young-talent-in-lions-secondary-okudah-walker

Lions' punter job will be won in camp practice: https://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-punter-job-will-be-won-in-camp-practice

Lions at 11 days without positive COVID-19 test: https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2020/08/11/detroit-lions-no-positive-covid-19-tests-almost-two-weeks/3349191001/

Lions WR Golladay not resting on Pro Bowl bid: https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2020/08/11/detroit-lions-kenny-golladay-matthew-stafford/3349269001/

Lions' new-look secondary works to get on same page: 'It's an ongoing process': https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2020/08/11/detroit-lions-new-look-secondary-works-get-same-page/3345271001/

Football Outsiders ranks the Lions as most likely team to go from worst-to-first: https://lionswire.usatoday.com/2020/08/11/football-outsiders-ranks-the-lions-as-most-likely-team-to-go-from-worst-to-first/

6 Lions who should be considered for the protected practice squad: https://lionswire.usatoday.com/lists/6-lions-who-should-be-considered-for-the-protected-practice-squad/

8 current NFL free agents who can still help the Lions in 2020: https://lionswire.usatoday.com/lists/8-current-nfl-free-agents-who-can-still-help-the-lions-in-2020/

Matthew Stafford had good reasons to opt out of season. Here's why he will play in 2020: https://sports.yahoo.com/matthew-stafford-had-good-reasons-to-opt-out-of-season-heres-why-he-will-play-in-2020-203027320.html

Examining the Lions' 3-Safety Personnel on Defense: https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/examining-the-lions-3-safety-personnel

Lions' 53-Man Roster Prediction: https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/lions-53-man-roster-prediction

Matthew Stafford: 'You Feel Really Safe' at Training Camp: https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/matthew-stafford-feels-safe

Duron Harmon Explains Early Impressions of Jeff Okudah: https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/duron-harmon-shares-impression-of-jeff-okudah

Projecting D'Andre Swift's 2020 Stats: https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/projecting-dandre-swifts-2020-stats

PFF Rankings: The NFL's top 25 interior offensive linemen ahead of the 2020 NFL season (22. C FRANK RAGNOW, DETROIT LIONS: Ragnow is one of the brighter up-and-comers on the interior for the Lions, showing significant improvement from 2018 to 2019 after switching to the center position. He raised his PFF pass-blocking grade from 57.1 as a rookie to 70.2 this past season, but there is still plenty of room to grow there. Where Ragnow really excelled was his ability to open up holes on the ground in Detroit. His 78.2 run-blocking grade trailed only Jason Kelce among qualifying centers in 2019, and he was among the top five players at the position in both picking up positively graded run blocks and avoiding negatively graded run blocks.): https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-rankings-top-25-interior-offensive-linemen-ahead-of-the-2020-nfl-season

NFC North's most intriguing additions (Detroit Lions: For the Lions, we're going with a pair of highly drafted rookies: Jeffrey Okudah and D'Andre Swift. Okudah was the consensus top cornerback in the draft, and he'll be counted on to replace the departed Darius Slay, who would definitely like you to know that he is having far more fun in Philadelphia than he did in Detroit. Okudah is a preposterous athlete, ranking in the 99th percentile among NFL cornerbacks in SPARQ. He has excellent size and length, giving him the build of a shutdown perimeter corner. Detroit needs all the help it can get on the back end, so he's got his work cut out for him. Swift, meanwhile, figures to share the backfield with Kerryon Johnson. Johnson has not been able to take over the full lead role in his two years as a pro, and it seems like Matt Patricia and Darrell Bevell prefer a committee anyway. Swift is the more dynamic pass-catcher of the two players, and we have seen Matthew Stafford utilize the skill set of guys like Theo Riddick in the past. If Swift can provide Riddick-esque pass-catching with more consistent run-game contributions, he should make for a nice addition to the offense.): https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfc-norths-most-interesting-2020-additions-a-new-qb-for-bears-aaron-rodgers-right-tackle-and-more/

The NFL's cross to bear: How NFL offenses are getting receivers open against the modern defense: https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-how-nfl-offenses-are-getting-receivers-open-against-the-modern-defense-crossing-routes-san-francisco-49ers

2021 NFL Draft:

Big Ten cancels 2020 college football season: What it means for Justin Fields, Chris Olave and more: https://www.pff.com/news/college-football-big-ten-cancels-2020-college-football-season-what-it-means-for-justin-fields-chris-olave-ohio-state

2021 NFL Draft prospects most impacted by NCAA's uncertain future: https://touchdownwire.usatoday.com/2020/08/11/the-2021-draft-prospects-most-impacted-the-most-by-the-ncaas-uncertain-future/

NFL prospects impacted by Mountain West opting out on fall season: https://www.si.com/nfl/draft/news/nfl-prospects-impacted-by-mountain-west-reportedly-canceling-fall-season

Players whose 2021 NFL Draft stock could descend with no season: https://www.profootballnetwork.com/three-players-whose-2021-draft-stock-descends-with-no-2020-season/

2021 NFL Draft: Georgia Safety Richard LeCounte III is not your normal five star recruit: https://www.profootballnetwork.com/2021-nfl-draft-georgia-safety-richard-lecounte-iii-is-not-your-normal-five-star-recruit/

2021 NFL Draft: Preseason wide receiver rankings: https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2021-nfl-draft-preseason-wide-receiver-rankings-jamarr-chase

How a spring college football season could affect the 2021 NFL Draft: https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/spring-college-football-season-nfl-draft-2021/12dafry4dx7vfzxfwnjysqg2i

Video:

Stafford on getting back to football: https://www.detroitlions.com/video/stafford-on-getting-back-to-football-x3195

Harmon on building comfort within secondary group: https://www.detroitlions.com/video/harmon-on-building-comfort-within-secondary-group