Thursday, May 29, 2025

Lions Links for Thursday 5-29-25

Articles:

Joseph known as a ballhawk, but there's more to his game:  https://www.detroitlions.com/news/joseph-known-as-a-ballhawk-but-there-s-more-to-his-game




Predicting Lions' 2025 Defensive Stat Leaders in Key Categories:  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/predicting-lions-2025-defensive-stat-leaders

Former Lions OC Wants QB Caleb Williams to Clean Up His Attitude:  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/former-lions-oc-wants-caleb-williams-clean-up-attitude

Bold Jahmyr Gibbs Prediction Will Launch Lions Offense to Next Level:  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/bold-jahmyr-gibbs-prediction-will-launch-lions-offense

Jason Cabinda: Holmes, Campbell Won't 'Sacrifice Culture' for Talent:  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/bold-jahmyr-gibbs-prediction-will-launch-lions-offense




Detroit Lions Mandatory Minicamp

PFF Tight End Rankings: Top 32 ahead of the 2025 NFL season (5. Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions:  After a fantastic rookie season in which LaPorta turned 118 targets into 86 catches, 889 yards, 10 touchdowns and an 81.0 PFF receiving grade in the regular season, the Lions‘ offense spread the wealth around more and the tight end's numbers dipped in a perceived down second season. The reality is that he played at a similar level, earning a 79.1 PFF receiving grade and remaining one of the best tight ends in the game.):  https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-tight-end-rankings-top-32-ahead-of-2025-nfl-season

2025 NFL Roster Rankings: Strengths, weaknesses and X-factors for every starting lineup (3. Detroit Lions - Biggest strength in 2024: Offensive line.  After leading the league in PFF overall grade in 2023, Detroit’s offensive line finished second — behind Atlanta — in the same category in 2024. Led by arguably the best tackle in the NFL, Penei Sewell, the Lions continue to maul opponents on the ground while protecting Jared Goff in the pocket. Though they lost their mastermind offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson, this offseason, the Lions’ offense still has a solid foundation with their uber-physical offensive line. Biggest weakness in 2024: Defensive line depth.  Detroit’s championship fate may have completely changed when Aidan Hutchinson went down in Week 6 with a season-ending injury. The defense simply didn’t have the depth up front to overcome a major injury to its best player. From Week 7 onward, the Lions ranked 27th in the NFL with a 61.8 team PFF pass-rush grade. X-factor for 2025: EDGE Aidan Hutchinson.  Hutchinson is the key to the Lions’ entire defense. They have plenty of talent in the secondary. Jack Campbell is emerging as one of the best linebackers in football. Hutchinson, though, is their foremost player. He played in just five games yet still tied for the team lead in the regular season with 45 pressures. He was carrying an unprecedented 38.6% pass-rush win rate at the time of his injury. Hutchinson’s health and return to form is one of the biggest stories across the entire NFL.  Rookie to watch: G Tate Ratledge.  The Lions have an outstanding offensive line, but they also may hold competitions at both guard spots after Kevin Zeitler‘s departure. Second-round pick Tate Ratledge figures to be in that mix after posting an outstanding 87.9 PFF pass-blocking grade during his three seasons as a starter at Georgia. Second-year man Christian Mahogany also figures to be a part of the competition, which means the Lions could have an intriguing pair of young interior players flanking veteran center Frank Ragnow.):  https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-2025-roster-rankings-strengths-weaknesses-x-factors

Biggest needs for NFL contenders ahead of June 1 cuts (Detroit Lions: EDGE - The Lions reportedly sought to move up for a pass rusher at the top of the draft, only to leave the position mostly unaddressed. Aidan Hutchinson's return from injury is huge, but Motor City could still use added punch off the edge):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/biggest-remaining-needs-for-nfl-contenders-ahead-of-post-june-1-cuts-chiefs-ravens-could-target-ol-help/

One rookie UDFA from each team to watch this summer (Detroit Lions - You know who Jackson Meeks is a lot like? journeyman receiver Tim Patrick, who was inexplicably cut by the Broncos in 2024, subsequently signed by the Lions, and had himself a respectable 33-catch, 394-yard, three-touchdown regular season as one of the club's background options. At nearly 6-foot-2 and 217 pounds, Meeks is a sizable specimen on the outside, and what he lacks in speed (4.65-second 40-yard dash), he counters with tenacious ball skills. The former Georgia receiver came down with 60% of his contested-catch opportunities (despite the 50-50 ball cliche, a 60% win rate in that scenario is fantastic for any wideout) during his lone season at Syracuse. He's not sudden but loves shielding defenders with his body. While there aren't loads of new targets "available" on this Lions team from the squad a season ago, Meeks could serve as direct depth behind Patrick in the receiver room with a strong summer.):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/one-undrafted-free-agent-rookie-to-watch-for-each-team-in-minicamp-training-camp-and-during-the-preseason/


Ranking NFL teams most likely to win first Super Bowl (2. Detroit Lions
Odds: +1000 | Super Bowl appearances: 0. There's a case to be made that the Lions have already peaked in their current form, squandering a No. 1 seed in 2024 and then losing both of their top coordinators to other jobs. Still, it's hard to deny the talent that helped them go from nine to 12 to 15 wins over Dan Campbell's last three seasons. Jared Goff may need to find an extra gear in January to reach a second career Super Bowl, but his skill support is still elite, with Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta, etc. And Campbell won't lose his aggressive touch just because Ben Johnson is no longer holding a clipboard for him.):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/ranking-12-nfl-teams-most-likely-to-win-first-super-bowl-in-2025-bills-bengals-lions-among-top-contenders/


Lions Land in Top Five of ESPN's First FPI Rankings:  https://athlonsports.com/nfl/detroit-lions/fourth-spot-espn-first-nfl-fpi-rankings

Lions Reporter Gives Update on Likelihood of Team Trading for Trey Hendrickson:  https://athlonsports.com/nfl/detroit-lions/detroit-lions-reporter-likelihood-trey-hendrickson-trade
Posted by LionsFan at 6:06 PM

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