Burning Questions: Can Emmanuel Moseley Aid Lions' Defense?

Will Emmanuel Moseley impact Aaron Glenn's defense in 2024?

Oct 9, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Former San Francisco 49ers cornerback Emmanuel Moseley. / Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

The Detroit Lions didn't get a long enough look at cornerback Emmanuel Moseley to make a concrete decision on his future with the team. As a result, they brought him back this offseason on another one-year contract.

For Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell, the hope is that Moseley will get healthy and contribute on defense in 2024. With all the moves that the Lions made in the secondary this season, him resigning has been somewhat overlooked.

However, Moseley has been productive throughout his career and there's reason to believe he could help the defense in 2024. He was set to do so last year, his first season as a Lion, but injuries became a factor. He underwent a second procedure on his knee that held him out the first four weeks of the regular season, then promptly tore the ACL in his other knee early in his return to action.

As a result, Moseley is a player to watch throughout the offseason training regimen and training camp, depending on how much he is able to do. If he can heal quickly, he could push for a starting spot at corner.

Moseley's presence is indeed a welcome one for the Lions' defense, as he could ease some of the pressure of playing the rookies when he's healthy. As a result, defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and his staff could benefit from using him.

However, Moseley will have to compete for snaps the same way the rest of the cornerbacks are. The group is much deeper this year, with proven NFL vets such as Carlton Davis and Amik Robertson as new additions along with rookies Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw.

Ultimately, Moseley's health will determine whether he can contribute for longer spurts. He'll be a competitive member of the defensive back room at the very least, but is skilled enough to earn a spot. Again, it will depend on how quickly he can return to the practice field and begin battling to be a part of the starting defense.

Who benefits most from new kickoff rules?

The new kickoff rules will be intriguing to see in action throughout the offseason workout period. The unique set up also brings a new flavor that was previously missing within the special teams aspect of the game.

After the traditional kickoff had grown stale and mostly resulted in touchbacks, this revised version will likely bring more excitement to the game. It's designed to generate returns, so it will be fun for fans to watch as well as intriguing to see what teams come up with to take advantage of it.

As far as who benefits the most, I think that faster receivers or defensive backs can find their way onto more rosters. Previously, only the top kick returners made noise in this aspect of the game due to the high volume of touchbacks. Now, with returns being emphasized, having skilled returners who have speed is of utmost importance.

Additionally, the structure of it limits the run-up defenders have, while placing a premium on short range open-field tackling. As a result, safeties and linebackers will be among the top-used positions on coverage units.

Meanwhile, using offensive players on the bottom of the depth chart could be tough to justify due to the need for steady short-range tackling. The ebbs and flows of this new aspect within the game will be fascinating to follow.

Biggest roster sleepers

The Lions have several players on their roster who may be overlooked or undervalued. Among the top players is Craig Reynolds, who brings plenty to the Lions' offense even though his positional counterparts David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs get the majority of the carries.

With the Lions drafting Sione Vaki and converting him to running back, it was fair to wonder whether Vaki was set for the third running back role this upcoming season. However, Reynolds at first glance is too valuable to the offense.

As shown in Hard Knocks two seasons ago, Reynolds is beloved by the coaching staff for his ability to get hard yards after contact and his deep knowledge of the protection scheme. The latter skill is one that takes time to develop, so Vaki may need extra time before he's ready to contribute in pass-protection.

Another sleeper is Malcolm Rodriguez, who fell out of the linebacker rotation at points last year and even played some fullback when Jason Cabinda went on injured reserve. The Oklahoma State product didn't have the role on defense that he had in his rookie year, but did have a key interception in the NFC Championship game when Derrick Barnes went down with injury.

Rodriguez is entering a big third season and could still work his way into being a pivotal member of the defense in 2024.

One other sleeper who is viewed to be closer than the first two to the roster bubble is wide receiver Tre'Quan Smith. The Lions quietly added Smith on a futures contract earlier in the offseason, which is a bargain for Holmes.

Smith has 1,764 career receiving yards across six NFL seasons. With uncertainty at the bottom of Detroit's depth chart, he has a chance to make waves and crack the final roster.