Roundtable: What Should Lions' Ben Johnson Steal from Sean McVay?

Latest Roundtable focuses on the offensive philosophies new Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson should steal from Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay.

1.) What is the biggest thing you are watching for this week at minicamp?

Vito Chirco: I'll be on the lookout for how Jared Goff meshes with offseason acquisition DJ Chark, plus returning receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown, Kalif Raymond, Josh Reynolds and Quintez Cephus. 

Goff needs to take a major jump in productivity in year No. 2 in Detroit, if the Lions want to be a more competitive bunch in 2022. It's still to be seen if that can come to fruition, and the chemistry that Goff develops now with those aforementioned pass-catchers will go a long way toward determining how things play out with Detroit's passing game this upcoming season. 

Adam Strozynski: I want to see if this dreadful quarterbacks room gets better. So far there is no one that gives me confidence they could manage a game, if Jared Goff goes down. Last year, Goff was banged up, and the team was let down by the subpar quarterback play. I'd like to see someone step up and show they can control a game. 

2.) Will the Lions get lucky this season and avoid the injury bug that bit them last year? 

Chirco: I'm not willing to predict this, because in the NFL, injuries pop up on a weekly basis. It's a "next-man-up" type of league, and it's why depth is so important. The best teams have it, and the lesser teams typically don't. 

For me, I'm hoping for a healthier season for the Lions. But, also if the team is ravaged by the injury bug for a second straight season, I think it'll be better able to handle it, due to the quality additions made by general manager Brad Holmes on both sides of the ball this offseason.

Strozynski: We all hope so, but that is a hard thing to predict. I think having Dan Campbell as the head coach helps, because he knows when to push these guys and when to rest their bodies. 

3.) How did you react to Duce Staley putting it out there that D'Andre Swift should play through some pain this year? Any chance this backfires?

Chirco: I think it was a bold statement to make, especially with how cautious organizations, in today's day and age, have to be with what they put out there about their players. Staley made a fair point that Swift has to be able to play through some type of pain, in order to stay on the field more often and be a more consistent contributor to Detroit's offensive attack in 2022. 

However, Staley's also playing with a little bit of fire in this specific case, as telling a player to play through pain is a touchy subject. And, it's definitely opened him and the Lions up to some scrutiny. So, if I was Staley, I would've kept the comments to myself.

Kirthmon F. Dozier, USA TODAY NETWORK

Strozynski: I like it. You have a coach saying we need you to be tougher, and that you are a key part of this team and offense. 

Staley basically said that weak stuff last year won't fly. It's culture building. The Lions want tough football guys. That's what they feel they identified in this year's draft. Now this could have ramifications down the road, but I don't see it hurting the team this year. 

4.) What one-two things should Ben Johnson steal from Sean McVay? 

Chirco: One thing is inserting the Lions' skill position players into stacks and bunches (i.e. Chark, St. Brown, Jameson Williams). This would allow for more free releases for the wide receivers, and make it more complicated for the opposition's defensive backs to deal with Detroit's passing game. 

Second, Detroit should consistently try to get its best players the ball in the biggest situations. This is easier said than done at times (when defenses are focusing on preventing your best players from getting the ball), but it should be the mindset on third and fourth downs (when the offense remains on the field), plus in late-game situations.

Strozynski: Sean McVay has a way of sequencing plays, which allows his playmakers to get open and pop a big play. 

If Ben Johnson could learn anything from McVay, it's the order placement of plays that then result in your big guys making the biggest plays. 

5.) Should Will Harris and Ifeatu Melifonwu switch positions in 2022?

Chirco: I think Will Harris should switch to cornerback, because he proved last year that he's better suited to play the position than safety. As for Melifonwu, I would like to see him get more playing time at corner before he switches over to safety on a full-time basis. 

Melifonwu, who's entering his second NFL season, suited up for just seven games a season ago. So, if anything, I'd like to see the Syracuse product get some run at both corner and safety in 2022. It'd make him a more valuable piece to the Lions' defense, plus it would subsequently give him a chance at more playing time during his sophomore campaign in the league.

Strozynski: I would like both Will Harris and Ifeatu Melifonwu to be able to play both safety and corner. It seems like every year you need secondary help because guys are hurt. Also, it appears that Harris is good enough at every position in the secondary, meaning he can at least fill in and not be a liability.  

I like the idea of having flexibility with my secondary. It allows Aaron Glenn the ability to come up with some creative play designs, where the corner can fall back into coverage and the safety can pop out to play man. This can be really disruptive to a quarterback with their pre-and-post-snap reads, and it hopefully leads to some turnovers.