For most of last season, the Detroit lions looked like the best NFC team, otherwise the whole NFL.
They led the League in points scored with 33.2 per match, which was the highest 17th average in the history of the NFL and the best of this decade. In Dan Campbell, they had a popular head coach who played 10 years in the league and seems to be able to play at the age of 49.
In the offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, they had the kind of inventive spirit that each team wanted.
Of course, what Lions also have a sad story. They never went to a Super Bowl and they won a title for the last time in NFL in 1957 when Dwight Eisenhower was president.
It seemed to have had a chance to change in each of the last two seasons. Two years ago, the Lions destroyed an advance of 24-7 at half-time against the 49ers of San Francisco in the NFC championship. Last season, after winning a 15 -game franchise record to secure the seeded in the NFC, they played their worst match of the season in the NFC division round and were routed by Washington Commanders.
Now, the question for the Lions is as follows: are they finally ready to reach the Super Bowl?
It is a question of interest in the Eagles and their fans because the team of coach Nick Sirianni will try to become the first repeated champions of the franchise since 1949.
THE ESPN Bet Sportsbook The Eagles were listed at the more-300 favorite to win the conference for the third time in four years with the Lions as the second choice at more 400.
Let’s examine the offset of the lions so far and see if they have done enough to descend the Eagles and finally reach the Super Bowl.
Free agency
A bit like the eagles, Lions have not made a big movement in free agency. In fact, the move of the Eagles to keep the second Zack Baun was more significant than any decision made by the Lions. The biggest addition of Detroit was the corner DJ Reedwhich was signed for an agreement of three years worth $ 48 million after the starter in 2024 Carlton Davis Signed a three -year contract worth 60 million dollars with the Patriots.
The only other multi -year free agent movement of Detroit was to keep the second Derrick Barnes, who obtained a three -year contract worth 25.5 million dollars. Barnes missed all the matches except three last season with a knee injury.
The lions also made a lot of other one -year signatures, including the old corner of the Eagles Avonte Maddox locations. They tried to add depth to the defense because the injuries ravaged the team a year ago.
After granting an average of 320.9 yards and 16.9 points per match in the first 12 weeks of the season last year, the decimated defense of the Lions sold 409.5 yards and 30.7 points in their last five games. This included their 45-31 defeat in playoffs against commanders, who set up 481 infraction yards.
The resolution of this problem was the main objective of the free agency and the project for the Lions.
Draft
The greatest need for Lions to improve their defense was another rusher to complete Aidan HutchisonWho had 21 bags during his first two seasons and started a sensational start in 2024 before going down for the season of week 5 with multiple fractures in his left leg. He had 7 1/2 bags in the first five Lions games. Detroit had only 22 team bags in his last 13 games without Hutchinson and finished tied in 23rd in the league with 37 bags.
Instead of going with a rusher on board in the first round, the Lions have selected the defensive striker of the Ohio State Tyleik Williams with the 28th choice in total. Williams is considered a better racing cap than the rusher of pass, so it remains to be seen how the rush towards the lions passes will improve in 2025. This will improve some simply because Hutchinson will return.
The Lions finally added a rusher on board to the sixth round with the selection of Ahmed Hassanein, who had 22 bags in his last two seasons at Boisse State.
The Lions used their second round choice to get a guy from Georgia, the favorite Eagles feeder program. The Tate Ratledge guard will probably immediately intervene as a beginner recruit to the right -wing guard for Kevin Zeitler, who signed with the Titans after a season in Detroit. Like the Eagles, the Lions have an exceptional offensive line with professional quisors at the center and the two attack the positions.
Strategist Jared GoffLeaving the best season of his career, has many weapons: Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams with a large receiver, Sam Laporta at Bout tight and Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery in Running Back.
This is why it was a little surprised when they used a third round choice on the wide receiver of Arkansas, Isaac Teslaa, who began his university career at Division II Hillsdale before playing two years in the dry.
He expected to line up a lot in the slit. The Lions finished their project with two other Georgia guys – Security Dan Jackson and the Large receiver Dominic Lovett.
Nfl.com gave the Lions a B note of B And Pro Football Focus published a Bo-Moins. Athletics has given Lions and FSaying “of their seven choices, four were considered sections by our consensual council, including the three in the Top 70.”
In comparison, the Eagles received an A-Minus from NFL.com, an A of PFF and a C of athletics.
The conclusion
Lions still have a ton of talents on the offensive side of football, but Johnson’s departure as an offensive coordinator to become Bears head coach (he was replaced by the former Denver coordinator John Morton) is important. The Lions have also lost the defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who is now the jet coach. Former second coach Kevin Sheppard will call defensive signals for the first time in his career.
Detroit only did the playoffs three years in a row (1993-1995) once since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger and the Lions should repeat this feat in 2025, but on the basis of their offseason, they did not catch the Eagles in the Talents department.
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Bob Brookover can be reached at [email protected]
