5 Burning Training Camp Questions for Detroit Lions

Examining burning questions for the Lions ahead of training camp.

The Detroit Lions are viewed around the league as a team that will be contending for the playoffs in 2023. 

As the team draws closer to the start of training camp, third-year coach Dan Campbell will begin to evaluate the talent on his 90-man roster. 

Eventually, that will be trimmed down to a final 53. To set the stage for what should be an exciting fall, here are five burning questions facing the Lions before training camp: 

What will secondary look like? 

In the span of an offseason, general manager Brad Holmes has completely overhauled the secondary. With Cam Sutton and C.J. Gardner-Johnson leading the way, the defensive backfield will have a new look and feel. 

With the upheaval in talent, the Lions will now be tasked with finding places to plug in each of these players. Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley are both cornerbacks, so they should be set along with returner Jerry Jacobs. 

The competition for the starting spot opposite Sutton will be an intriguing one as camp progresses.

The safety position may be a little more tricky. Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who was a safety himself, will have to find the best way to plug in Detroit's talent at the position. 

Tracy Walker III returns from injury and will pair nicely with Kerby Joseph, but both are free safeties by trade. Walker played strong safety for a spell under former head coach Matt Patricia, but relocated back to his familiar position after struggling. 

Gardner-Johnson and rookie Brian Branch are both players who have versatility to play either cornerback and safety. 

With the Lions' preference to play man-to-man and deploy a nickel defender, there will be a multitude of ways for Glenn to align his secondary defenders. 

Who directs the defense at linebacker? 

The linebacker position boasts another of the most intriguing battles as camp commences. 

Detroit has made two significant commitments at the position — drafting Jack Campbell in the first round and extending Alex Anzalone with a three-year deal. 

The levity of those decisions would suggest that those two will be leading the way for the defense, but last year offers evidence as to why the team won't simply hand out starting spots. 

Malcolm Rodriguez won a starting spot last year despite being a sixth-round pick. He and Derrick Barnes will be the main challengers to Anzalone and Campbell. 

Where does offense stand after summer struggles? 

Detroit's offense sputtered at times during OTAs and minicamp. Jared Goff became visibly frustrated at times as the unit struggled against the defense in team drills. 

Training camp will offer opportunities for the team to finally square off against opponents in different jerseys. With two sessions of joint practices set up, it's likely that Detroit's starters will do most of their work in that setting rather than preseason games. 

Goff's connection with his receivers, along with the chemistry of the new running backs, is worth keeping an eye on. 

Ben Johnson's group was one of the league's best last year, and he surprised many by spurning head coaching interest to return to Detroit. 

The Lions will go where their offense takes them. Training camp will tell plenty about what the expectations for this team should be. 

How will edge rusher rotation shake out?

Aidan Hutchinson lived up to expectations and James Houston was a pleasant surprise. Those two 2022 Draft picks anchored the rush unit a year ago, but there are plenty of other pieces in play. 

For starters, Josh Paschal is another member of last year's rookie class who can make an impact on the edge. Injuries stripped him of a key offseason last year, so being fully healthy for camp this time around should work wonders. 

Romeo Okwara and Charles Harris both dealt with injuries a year ago, as they played just five and six games, respectively. With Detroit's youth movement, this is a pivotal training camp for them. 

John Cominsky was an excellent addition last year and figures to be a steady hand in the rotation. 

Hutchinson has the making of an elite rusher, but Detroit must sort through its options and find its most potent combination to attack opposing passers. 

Will wide receiver depth hold up until Williams' return? 

The wide receiver position is a tricky one for the Lions heading into 2023. Jameson Williams will miss the first six games, while Quintez Cephus was released earlier in the season. 

As a result, the Lions have become lighter at the position. Antoine Green has promise as a seventh-round pick and Marvin Jones brings a veteran prowess, but those have been the only additions of note up to this point. 

Amon-Ra St. Brown will be a superb slot weapon, while Josh Reynolds can be a solid target when healthy. Assuming Jones can resume his reliable role that he assumed in Detroit, he'll also factor in as a viable weapon. 

Williams' skill set is one that is not easily replaced, so it's likely that the Lions' offense won't be at its full potential until he's back in action. 

It will be up to Goff and Johnson to keep the unit running smoothly until their dynamic second-year wideout returns to action.