Lions' Pre-Draft Offensive Depth Chart

With the 2024 NFL Draft just one day away, here's an updated look at the Lions’ offensive depth chart.

Sam LaPorta / Kyle Terada, USA TODAY Sports

The Detroit Lions will enter the 2024 season with one of the most explosive offenses in today's game. 

Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson's unit features Pro Bowl quarterback Jared Goff and a myriad of weapons, including All-Pro receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and Pro Bowlers Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta. 

With the 2024 NFL Draft just one day away now, here's an updated look at the Lions’ offensive depth chart. 

Quarterback

Starter: Jared Goff

Backups: Hendon Hooker, Nate Sudfeld

Goff is firmly entrenched as Detroit's starting quarterback, and appears headed toward a lucrative contract extension that could pay him as much as $50 million a year. 

Meanwhile, with Teddy Bridgewater retired, Hooker – who spent the majority of last season rehabbing a torn ACL – is presently slated to be Goff's backup.

Running back

Starter: David Montgomery 

Backups: Jahmyr Gibbs, Craig Reynolds, Zonovan Knight, Jermar Jefferson, Jake Funk

Montgomery and Gibbs formed a dynamic duo in the Lions’ backfield a season ago, combining for nearly 2,000 rushing yards (1,960). They should be a lethal combo for the Lions once again in 2024.  

As for the No. 3 running back role, Reynolds is the incumbent, and should be the favorite to hold down the role for a third consecutive season.

Wide receivers (2)

Starters: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams

Backups: Kalif Raymond, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Antoine Green, Tre'Quan Smith, Maurice Alexander, Daurice Fountain, Tom Kennedy

St. Brown, an All-Pro for the first time in 2023, and Williams are clearly the Lions’ top two receivers headed into the 2024 season. so Detroit will be in good hands out wide. 

Meanwhile, Raymond, Peoples-Jones, who re-signed with Detroit earlier this offseason, and Green, a rookie a season ago, are all expected to vie for looks in the Lions’ passing game, too.

The organization, however, is in need of a reliable No. 3 receiver, and is expected to fill the void via this week's draft. 

Tight end

Starter: Sam LaPorta 

Backups: Brock Wright, James Mitchell, Shane Zylstra

LaPorta, a Pro Bowler as a rookie in ‘23, is the Lions’ clear-cut No. 1 tight end headed into the 2024 campaign. 

He's expected to be primarily backed up by Wright and Mitchell, although general manager Brad Holmes could be on the hunt for an additional tight end in this year's draft.

Offensive tackles (2)

Starters: Penei Sewell (Right), Taylor Decker (Left)

Backups: Dan Skipper, Connor Galvin

The Lions are equipped with two highly reliable starting offensive tackles in Penei Sewell, an All-Pro last season, and Taylor Decker. 

Meanwhile, Skipper, a swing tackle who appeared in 11 games last season, is expected to be Detroit's primary backup at the position in 2024. He re-signed with the organization earlier this offseason, inking a one-year deal.

Offensive guard (2)

Starters: Graham Glasgow (Left), Kevin Zeitler (Right)

Backups: Kayode Awosika, Colby Sorsdal, Matt Farniok, Netane Muti

Graham Glasgow and Jonah Jackson, Detroit's starting guards last season, were both unrestricted free agents this offseason. The organization brought back Glasgow, but lost Jackson to the L.A. Rams and replaced him with veteran guard Kevin Zeitler. 

Zeitler is expected to start at right guard, while Glasgow, the Lions’ starting right guard last season, is expected to shift over to left guard. 

Zeitler, a Pro Bowler with the Ravens in ‘23, signed a one-year deal with the Lions. He's also already 34 years old. So, he's just a temporary fix. Thus, it wouldn't surprise me if Holmes & Co. address this position early in this week's draft.

At this present juncture, Awosika and Sorsdal are penciled in to be Detroit's main backups at guard.

Center

Starter: Frank Ragnow

Backup: Michael Niese

As long as he's healthy, there's no one touching Ragnow's job. The three-time Pro Bowler and anchor of the Lions’ offensive line has become one of the NFL's very best centers. 

Ragnow's career might be winding down, however. He's battled the injury bug for a while now, which has added to the speculation that the 2024 season could be his last as a pro. It's why Detroit could be looking for his successor in this year's draft.

Currently, Niese, a practice squad player last year, and Glasgow are expected to provide relief for Ragnow when needed.