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Bears, Eagles, Steelers among nine most improved teams ahead of 2024 NFL season (4.
Detroit Lions: There were no secrets about the Lions’ fatal flaw as they moved through last postseason. They needed serious help with their defense -- especially against the pass -- which they overcame for most of the year until a loss to San Francisco in the NFC Championship Game. Detroit once again has Super Bowl dreams, and those hopes are even closer to being realized because of how this offseason has played out. Even before the Lions found two highly regarded cornerbacks with their first picks in this draft -- Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. -- the team improved the position with a trade for Carlton Davis. The defensive line received serious help with the additions of DJ Reader and Marcus Davenport while the offensive line made up for the free-agent departure of guard Jonah Jackson with the arrival of Kevin Zeitler. The Lions even managed to hold onto star offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who many expected to land a head-coaching job before he announced his intentions to remain in Detroit. The Lions haven’t made too many mistakes since GM Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell arrived three years ago. This offseason just put them one step closer to a championship.): https://www.nfl.com/news/bears-eagles-steelers-among-nine-most-improved-teams-ahead-of-2024-nfl-season
NFC North win totals, best bets: Lions undervalued? (Detroit Lions -
Over 10.5 (-115) / Under 10.5 (-105). The Detroit Lions have never felt more safe to be a good football team, at least not in my lifetime. (You can make the case for the early 90's Wayne Fontes Lions with Barry Sanders, but their win totals were always in the eight-win range and their Super Bowl odds were always like 35-1 at best.) Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes have built a winner and a team that looks like a group you can trust. When the Lions dealt Matthew Stafford for Jared Goff, they promptly rebuilt everything from the inside out and have steadily added on at various positions over the last few years. Their focus on the secondary this offseason really makes this roster complete. The Lions did outperform their win expectancy by a full two games and also managed to go 5-3 in one-score games, which is concerning from an underlying performance standpoint. Their divisional matchups are the NFC West and AFC South and they pull first-place games against the Cowboys, Bills and Buccaneers. The division looks better, too. The 2023 draft class was a revelation last year -- Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, Jack Campbell and Brian Branch is a ridiculous haul with Detroit's first four picks -- and should continue to progress. This core is loaded. Goff is beloved and playing the best football of his career. Everyone got paid this offseason. And the rest of the division is getting all the hype. I would take the over here, but I would rather bet the Lions +150 to win the division if I was putting down money in May, mainly because the number is so high. Pick: Lions over 10.5 (-115)): https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2024-nfc-north-win-totals-best-bets-lions-flying-under-the-radar-vegas-loving-jordan-love-and-the-packers/
2024 NFL Offseason: Lions, Steelers Get It Right; Falcons, Jets Not So Much (Highlights: Lions and Steelers -
On the positive side, the Detroit Lions continue to prove they’re smart. Detroit entered the offseason on a brutal note. The Lions blew a 24–7 lead at San Francisco in the NFC championship game, falling 34–31 to the 49ers. It was an awful ending to the best campaign in modern franchise history. Yet general manager Brad Holmes didn’t panic. He bounced back with shrewd moves. He properly saw the pass defense as a huge problem, with the unit ranking 27th in the league. Holmes then traded a third-round pick for star corner Carlton Davis. Six weeks later, the Lions continued to strengthen their secondary with the selections of Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr., a pair of corners to play alongside Davis. Additionally, Detroit also signed veteran guard Kevin Zeitler, making sure the offensive line would stay among the league’s best despite the loss of fellow guard Jonah Jackson in free agency. And, finally, the Lions ensured continuity. They extended left tackle Penei Sewell, receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and quarterback Jared Goff. It’s a good bet edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson will get paid next year when he’s eligible for an extension. The Lions, known for decades as a bumbling disaster, showed how to do business.): https://www.si.com/nfl/2024-nfl-offseason-lions-steelers-get-right-falcons-jets-not-so-much
NFL Offseason Winners and Losers: Bills, Texans Nail Stefon Diggs Trade; Cowboys Stumble (Winners - Jared Goff:
The newest member of the $50 million-per-year club has had many highs and lows throughout his career and it seemed he was destined for the life of a bridge quarterback. But the Detroit Lions never viewed Goff as a salary dump or temporary signal-caller during their rebuild with GM Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell. It took time, but no one is doubting the team’s commitment to Goff anymore after he signed a four-year, $212 million contract extension.): https://www.si.com/nfl/offseason-winners-losers-bills-texans-nail-stefon-diggs-trade-cowboys-stumble
Ranking the NFL’s Backup QBs of 2024: Nos. 32–1 (25. Hendon Hooker, Detroit Lions (26):
Hooker was viewed as a potential first-round prospect last year, but a torn ACL caused him to fall to the third round. Now that he’s healthy, he’ll slide in as Jared Goff’s backup for his second season.): https://www.si.com/nfl/ranking-nfl-backup-qbs-2024
PFF Tight End Rankings: Top 32 ahead of the 2024 NFL season (5. SAM LAPORTA, DETROIT LIONS:
Replace one Hawkeye for another, and don’t lose a wink of sleep. LaPorta exploded onto the NFL landscape and had one of the greatest rookie seasons in NFL history for a tight end. Only three tight ends in NFL history caught at least 10 touchdowns in Year 1: Mike Ditka, Rob Gronkowski and Sam LaPorta. Don’t be surprised if LaPorta contends for a top-two spot at the end of the year.): https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-pff-tight-end-rankings-top-32-ahead-of-the-2024-nfl-season
2024 NFL roster rankings: Strengths, weaknesses and X factors for every starting lineup (6. DETROIT LIONS -
Biggest strength in 2023: Offense. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has worked magic these last two seasons running Detroit’s offense, and the results have led to perhaps the best run the Lions have had in the Super Bowl era. The newly-paid Jared Goff has been excellent, putting up an 84.3 passing grade while throwing for 4,574 yards and 30 touchdowns during the regular season. His top pass catchers were Amon-Ra St. Brown and rookie sensation Sam LaPorta. St. Brown was one of the best receivers in the NFL last season, as his 91.3 receiving grade last season trailed only Tyreek Hill and Brandon Aiyuk. As for LaPorta, his 81.8 receiving grade trailed only Travis Kelce, George Kittle and T.J. Hockenson among tight ends. Then you have arguably the most dynamic running back duo in David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, both of whom had rushing grades of at least 80 while rushing for at least 900 yards and ten touchdowns apiece. The offensive line is also a major strength, as all five projected starters heading into the 2024 season had a PFF grade of at least 70 last season, led by Penei Sewell’s league-leading 92.8 mark. Biggest weakness in 2023: Outside cornerback - While the Lions had one of the most productive offenses in the NFL last season, it often came as a result of having to keep pace with their opponents, as the Lions’ 48.3 team coverage grade last season was the third-worst in the NFL. The Lions recognized this and made it a priority in the offseason, as not only did they spend their top two draft picks on cornerbacks, but they also traded for Carlton Davis III from the Buccaneers. While, on paper, this team is certainly improved at the corner spot, they will be relying a lot on young talent to step up to try and take the next step in reaching the franchise’s first-ever Super Bowl. X-factor for 2024: WR Jameson Williams - Outside of Amon-Ra St. Brown, the Lions are very thin at the wide receiver position, especially after Josh Reynolds‘ departure. Their first-round pick from 2022 Jameson Williams has shown flashes of being able to be a playmaker in the league, but he hasn’t been able to put it all together for extended periods of time. He’s entering Year 3, so time is running out for him to become the impact player the Lions thought he would be when they traded up for him. However, if he reaches his potential, this already potent Lions offense could become unstoppable. Rookie to watch: CBs Terrion Arnold/Ennis Rakestraw Jr. - As previously mentioned, corner was such a massive hole for the Lions that they used each of their top two picks on the position in Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. Both guys should get opportunities to play from day one, as Rakestraw was a first-round talent that fell to the second due to core and groin injuries while Arnold was the top corner on a lot of teams’ boards that the Lions were able to take at Pick 24. Both corners offer positional flexibility as they can each play either outside or nickel, which would allow Brian Branch to play safety full-time. Over/Under 10.5 win total: Over. The Lions came so close to reaching the franchise’s first Super Bowl last season before a late-game collapse doomed them against the 49ers. This year they’re making a real run for it, as on paper this might be the best Lions team of the Super Bowl era. With the rise of Jordan Love, the Bears’ youth movement and the Vikings’ potentially high-flying offense, the NFC North is going to be much tougher than it was in 2023. However, the Lions appear to have the firepower to hold them off as they search for back-to-back division titles for the first time in franchise history.): https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-roster-rankings-all-32-teams-2024-strengths-weaknesses-x-factors
NFL’s Best Defenders 25 Years Old and Under: Sauce Gardner, Micah Parsons Among Top 10 (5. Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions, 23.
Here’s a Detroit Lions player who’s clearly embraced the “all grit” and blue-collar approach head coach Dan Campbell has installed. The native of Plymouth, Mich., soared to stardom during the Lions’ NFC title game run — improving to 11.5 sacks after delivering 9.5 his rookie year. Additionally, he improved his tackles for a loss (14) and even broke up seven passes at the line of scrimmage during the Lions’ NFC North title pursuit. Like Parsons, Aidan Hutchinson has the potential to earn an eventual DPOY nod with continued improvement and production.): https://www.profootballnetwork.com/nfl-best-defenders-25-years-old-and-under-2024/
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