Thursday, July 22, 2021

Morning Lions Links for Thursday 7-22-21

Articles:

2021 training camp preview: Wide receiver:  https://www.detroitlions.com/news/2021-training-camp-preview-wide-receiver-williams-perriman-stbrown

Detroit Lions training camp preview: The Jared Goff era is upon us, for now at least:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2021/07/detroit-lions-training-camp-preview-the-jared-goff-era-is-upon-us-for-now-at-least.html


Jared Goff was the NFL's most accurate QB in the red zone in 2020:  https://lionswire.usatoday.com/2021/07/21/lions-jared-goff-nfl-most-accurate-red-zone-2020-rams/




Detroit Lions training camp battle preview: Rounding out the offensive line:  https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2021/7/21/22581883/detroit-lions-training-camp-battle-preview-rounding-offensive-line

3 key questions for each NFC North team (Does Jared Goff have any chance of keeping the No. 1 QB job?  Maybe it doesn't have to be answered before Week 1, but it'd sure be ideal. We all know Detroit isn't fully committing to the ex-Rams standout with all kinds of future draft picks in its arsenal, but it might be helpful to know, going into 2021, whether team brass actually believes Goff can win a long-term commitment, or if he even has the adequate supporting cast to do it this year. Answering the question does nothing for the Lions' 2021 win total, but it does help frame the bigger-picture movement for a team with its sights set farther down the road.  What is an acceptable win total?   Again, this almost can't be accurately answered before the season, because you never know how games and divisions and playoff races will actually play out. There's also a difference between a hard-fought 5-12 and an apathetic 8-9. A better question might be, What does Dan Campbell have to do to inspire confidence as a head coach? Detroit isn't concerned with winning in 2021 as much as rebuilding its culture for the long haul, but there's got to be a general benchmark for the trial run.  What is 2021 all about?  As you can see, none of the Lions' questions have much to do with their roster, save for the QB spot. Because everyone and their mother, including those employed by the Lions, is aware that the current lineup is an unfinished product of an overhaul. But much like it'd be ideal to have a general expectation for the new coach, it'll be key for Detroit to somehow define what it's trying to be -- what it's really trying to accomplish -- entering such a blatant transition year, even if the season itself is unpredictable.):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/three-questions-each-nfc-north-team-must-answer-before-2021-nfl-season-is-aaron-rodgers-staying-in-green-bay/

Ranking all 32 NFL offensive line units ahead of the 2021 season (10. DETROIT LIONS:  It's fair to be optimistic about Detroit building one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.  Left tackle Taylor Decker is coming off career-highs in overall grade (82.0) and pass-blocking grade (85.8) while ranking 12th overall among tackles last season. He’s ranked above average in both pass blocking and run blocking since entering the league in 2016.  The Lions will trot out rookie Penei Sewell at right tackle after drafting him with the seventh overall pick. He was the top offensive tackle on the PFF draft board. Sewell posted the highest grade we’ve seen from a true freshman and the highest overall grade for any offensive tackle since 2014 prior to his opting out of the 2020 season. Sewell has the tools and production to become one of the better all-around tackles in the league very soon.  Center Frank Ragnow has improved in all three of his NFL seasons, headlined by an 80.3 grade last season, the third-best mark among centers. Ragnow allowed half as many pressures last season as he did in 2019 on just about the same number of snaps.  Guard is the biggest question mark for the Lions’ offensive line. 2020 third-rounder Jonah Jackson started at left guard last year, but his 57.0 overall grade ranked just 58th out of 84 qualifiers. Jackson showed plenty of potential as a pass protector in college, so the hope is that his 67th-ranked 51.2 pass-blocking grade will improve. Halapoulivaati Vaitai is the starter at right guard, where he performed well on 282 snaps a year ago. Vaitai has spent most of his career at right tackle, but his power is a better fit at guard, which should mitigate some of his pass-blocking woes.  The Lions appear to have built the foundation of an excellent offensive line for the foreseeable future.):  https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-ranking-all-32-nfl-offensive-line-units-entering-2021-season

Ranking all 32 NFL defensive line units ahead of the 2021 season (24. DETROIT LIONS:  Detroit’s defensive line unit finished the 2020 season ranked 30th in PFF grade, ahead of only the Vikings and Texans. Several offseason additions on the interior — such as Michael Brockers, Levi Onwuzurike and Alim McNeill — along with the return of a healthy Trey Flowers should improve matters in 2021, but the Lions still have a ways to go to get back to average. It’s easy to forget, given how bad Detroit’s defense has been these past two seasons, that Flowers is one of the better defensive linemen in the league when healthy. He is coming off four straight seasons with overall grades of at least 80.0.):  https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-ranking-all-32-nfl-defensive-line-units-entering-2021-season

PFF Data Study: Yards after the catch figures largely determined by factors before the catch:  https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-pff-data-study-yards-after-the-catch-determined-factors-before-the-catch

2022 NFL Draft:

Big 12 Preseason All-Conference team ahead of 2021 college football season:  https://www.profootballnetwork.com/big-12-preseason-all-conference-team-2021/


PFF 2021 College Preseason Doak Walker Award Watch List: Best RB in college football (7-20-21):  https://www.pff.com/news/college-football-preseason-award-watch-list-doak-walker-award-2021
Posted by LionsFan at 4:10 AM

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