Lions Should Be Featured in Offseason 'Hard Knocks'

Lions would be interesting watch on offseason version of "Hard Knocks."

Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes talks with head coach Dan Campbell / Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK

There's little doubt in my mind that the Detroit Lions should be the current subject of the offseason edition of the popular HBO show, “Hard Knocks.”

The Lions, a franchise once synonymous with losing, have experienced a renaissance over the past year and a half.

Since starting the 2022 season with a dismal 1-6 record, they've gone 20-7 in their last 27 regular season games, and have morphed into one of the very best teams in the NFL.

The incredible turnaround is a credit to the winning culture that's been established by Detroit general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell. 

Holmes has done a yeoman's job constructing a sound roster while reinvigorating both sides of the ball with young talent through the draft (e.g. offensive tackle Penei Sewell and EDGE Aidan Hutchinson). Meanwhile, Campbell, a walking soundbite since the day he was hired in 2021, has become one of the league's foremost motivational tacticians, developing a knack for getting his players to fight until the final whistle is blown.

Along the way, the Lions have adopted Campbell’s never-say-never attitude and the head coach's signature “grit” – an attribute that has become synonymous with this new version of the organization, affectionately known as the “Brand New Lions.” 

This relentless style of play has become a trademark of Campbell's squad, and has become quite popular across league circles. In fact, it's helped turn the Lions into one of the most interesting and well-liked teams in the game today. And, if it weren't for the Dallas Cowboys, they might just be “America's Team” at this juncture, with all the fanfare they've garnered over the last season and a half.

Headed into the 2024 season, the Lions are also now one of the NFC's elite teams – along with the San Francisco 49ers, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Cowboys – and have serious Super Bowl aspirations.

This would've made Holmes’ offseason dealings such an intriguing watch on Hard Knocks. 

Detroit fans would've gotten a window into the front office's logic regarding trading for Carlton Davis, plus its mindset with acquiring free agents Amik Robertson, Kevin Zeitler and DJ Reader. Additionally, it would've been extremely interesting to hear Holmes’ pre-draft strategy and to get an extended view of the team's “war room” before and after selecting cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. with back-to-back picks in the first and second rounds, respectively. 

This, to me, would've been must-see content for the Lions’ rabid fanbase. Plus, with the NFL Draft having been held in downtown Detroit this past April, it would've made for even more riveting content for the critically-acclaimed HBO series.

Yet, the NFL opted to profile the N.Y. Giants for its offseason version of the show. On episode No. 1, it dove into how Giants general manager Joe Schoen decided to let Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley walk in free agency instead of franchise-tagging him.

While it certainly made for an interesting debut episode, I think the Hard Knocks producers could've gone with a similar free agency-based topic while focusing on the Lions and drawn as many eyeballs, if not more, to the show. The Lions are arguably the more popular of the two franchises at this point, and definitely have a better chance to make a deep run in the postseason in 2024. 

It seems like the NFL missed out on a golden opportunity to profile Detroit, an organization in the midst of a meteoric rise to the top of the league.