Ranking Lions’ Offseason Needs
No doubt about it: It's Super Bowl or bust for the Detroit Lions in 2024.
Subsequently, headed into this offseason, the onus is on Detroit general manager Brad Holmes to turn the Lions into perennial title contenders.
As good as Detroit was this past season, the team is in need of some substantial upgrades on both sides of the ball.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the five biggest needs of the organization entering the offseason.
5.) Wide receiver
I don't think it's a glaring need for the Lions. But, Josh Reynolds will be a free agent this offseason, and fellow receivers Antoine Green and Donovan Peoples-Jones added little-to-no value this past season.
At this present juncture, Detroit will enter 2024 with Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Kalif Raymond as its top three receivers. No offense to Raymond, but I don't see him as a top-flight No. 3 wideout. And Williams still needs to prove to me that he's capable of handling the duties of a No. 2 receiver on a full-time basis.
Thus, it wouldn't be a bad idea for Holmes to consider upgrading the team's receivers room this offseason.
4.) EDGE
You can never have enough pass-rushers. Just ask the Lions, which, outside of Aidan Hutchinson and Alim McNeill, failed to generate a consistent pass-rushing presence for most of the season.
Quite notably, the Lions went all season looking for a worthy complement to Hutchinson at the EDGE spot opposite the Michigan product.
They took a flyer on veteran Bruce Irvin at one point, and he did record a sack in his first game with Detroit. However, Irvin's stint in Motown was short-lived, as it was quickly proven that the 36-year-old wasn't the right man for the job.
I expect James Houston, who was injured for most of 2023, to get the first shot to fill the void. Even with Houston in the fold, though, it still wouldn't hurt Holmes & Co. to approach the offseason with the intent of upgrading their pass-rushing unit (and specifically at EDGE).
3.) Guard
Interior offensive linemen Graham Glasgow, Jonah Jackson and Halapoulivaati Vaitai are all set to be unrestricted free agents this coming offseason. And consequently, each of them could be on their way out of the Motor City.
If Glasgow and Jackson both leave, that'd be 2,000-plus snaps at right and left guard, respectively, to replace. Glasgow was a godsend filling in for Vaitai at right guard throughout the majority of the season. Meanwhile, Jackson's numbers from a year ago dropped, as he wasn't nearly as effective of a run-blocker during the 2023 campaign.
I expect Holmes to make shoring up the guard spot a major priority of his this offseason.
2.) Kicker
The Lions went a full season without having a reliable kicker. They entered the year with Riley Patterson, and closed it out with Michael Badgley.
Badgley was decent, but was far from consistently good enough to anoint him as the team's starting placekicker in 2024.
In the second half of the NFC Championship Game, Dan Campbell notably opted not to use him on multiple fourth-and-short situations in enemy territory.
Detroit will now have an entire offseason to make a concerted effort to upgrade the position.
Detroit Lions kicker Michael Badgley kicks an extra point against the Minnesota Vikings.
© Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports
1.) Cornerback
Boy, do the Lions need secondary help, and specifically at cornerback.
All season long, Detroit shuffled through cornerbacks that struggled to get the job done.
Cam Sutton, Jerry Jacobs, Will Harris, Khalil Dorsey and Kindle Vildor each took their turn getting burned against opposing receivers. Sutton, for one, had a dismal season staying in front of teams’ No. 1 wideouts, and he and Vildor were thrashed repeatedly Sunday against the 49ers.
To me, this is the Lions’ biggest need headed into the offseason.
