All Lions Mailbag: Will the Lions Blitz More in 2020?

This week's mailbag focuses on whether the Lions could be in store for another top-five draft pick next year and whether the defense will blitz more in 2020

Detroit Lions training camp is upon us! 

Fortunately, it’s been pretty smooth sailing lately on the COVID-19 front. 

At this time, the Lions have no players on the COVID-19 list, and haven’t had a real positive test in a couple of weeks. 

Hopefully, that trend will continue.

Let’s get to the mailbag questions.

*Questions edited for clarity

1.) Who will do the punting, and are they going to be the holder for Matt Prater as well? -- @SladeBivins

Answer: At this time, Jack Fox probably has a leg up on undrafted rookie Arryn Siposs. 

Considering the Lions felt content enough to not spend draft capital on a punter nor look in free agency for one, you could deduce that the Lions like what they have in Fox.

As it pertains to who the holder will be, that’s a good question. 

To be completely honest, I’m not sure how much experience Fox has with being a holder. Sometimes, a quarterback can be a place holder as well.

But, I would think that whoever wins the punting battle will also be the holder for Matt Prater.

Isaiah J. Downing, USA TODAY Sports

2.) If the revamped offensive line falters, isn't it just another top-five draft pick next year? -- @vincewlaw

A: I think that as long as Matthew Stafford stays healthy, they will not have a top-five pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. 

There are still three starters returning along the offensive line. The right side is a question mark, but I wouldn’t say that the right guard and tackle spots would be the sole reason for the Lions not being able to win more than a few games.

Even last season, the Lions' rushing attack wasn’t great, and the Lions were a top-five offense with Stafford under center. 

In saying this, there is definitely the possibility that the offensive line won’t be as good as last year, though. 

Who knows, maybe we will be pleasantly surprised with the players Detroit general manager Bob Quinn added.

3.) If we don’t address the DL or DE spot in free agency, do you think we will have the depth at the positions needed to be competitive? Since we lacked QB pressure last year, what will change? A more aggressive scheme, because we definitely didn’t upgrade the personnel? More blitzes maybe? -- @romaindpt

A: There is a lot to unpack here, but I am, unfortunately, not all too optimistic about the Lions' current pass rush. 

We know what the Lions have in Trey Flowers, Romeo Okwara and Da'Shawn Hand -- if he can stay healthy. I do feel that Danny Shelton and Nick Williams are upgrades in the pass-rushing department from Damon Harrison and A’Shawn Robinson.

At the JACK backer position, Austin Bryant had one of the worst pressure percentages in his limited opportunities to rush the passer last season. 

Third-round rookie Julian Okwara has some juice on the edge that the Lions haven’t had in a long time. It’s tough to ever rely on a mid-round draft pick, though. 

If free agent Jamie Collins is their answer on the edge, it’s important to note that none of his seven sacks came against an offensive tackle in 2019.

In this scheme, if the Lions are to improve, they are going to have to manufacture pressure through stunts and being creative with their linebackers, and they have quite a few off-ball linebackers that can get to the quarterback.

Despite the Lions not bringing more than a total of four pass rushers too frequently, their linebackers do rush the quarterback quite often.

4.) What did you think of all the tryouts so far? Is there a player that would immediately be an upgrade? -- @TSellers125

A: So far, I wouldn’t say any of the tryout players would be an upgrade. 

If they were to sign any of the players they have worked out, the individual would likely be on the outside looking in for a roster spot. They are still free agents for a reason.

In these odd times, it never hurts to have an idea of where these players are at physically. 

Down the road, if the Lions need to fill a position due to injury or something COVID-related, at least they have done their due diligence with some available players.

5.) What will you be watching for during the first week of practice starting Monday? -- @BigAlHere1212

A: There are two areas I’m going to be paying close attention to. 

First, the offensive guard spot. Will the Lions go with the veteran Kenny Wiggins to fill the void left by Graham Glasgow? Or will they turn to one of the rookies right away to try and get them up to speed?

The other position is linebacker. As was discussed in a previous question, the Lions' linebackers are going to play a big role in rushing the passer. Where will guys like Collins, Jarrad Davis and Jahlani Tavai line up? Is Davis still the starting MIKE backer, or does Matt Patricia want more playing time for Tavai? How frequently will there be an off-ball linebacker moving down and playing on the edge? 

It’s likely that there will be plenty of rotating going on, but I want to know how exactly the Lions plan to go about the usage of the group as a whole.

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