The Lions continued to move in the right direction in 2022 under the stewardship of Dan Campbell. Their offense exploded into one of the NFL’s best and propelled them to a winning record for the first time since 2017. They really came on in the second half of the season, with eight wins in their last ten games, finishing up 9-8 and in second place in the NFC North behind the Vikings.
Roster changes
It has been a busy offseason down in Motor City. A number of key names from last season’s roster have departed. On offense they said goodbye to their backfield duo of D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams, who landed in Philadelphia and New Orleans respectively. They also saw last season’s starting guard Evan Brown and wide receiver DJ Chark depart. Those four players combined for over 2,200 snaps. On defense they lost starters in DeShon Elliott, Jeff Okudah, and Mike Hughes.
They brought in plenty of replacements though and added some notable names. David Montgomery joins from divisional rivals Chicago to play the Jamaal Williams role in the 2023 backfield. The secondary was also overhauled. Detroit brought in cornerbacks Cam Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley as well as safety CJ Gardner-Johnson. When healthy they should all be starters on this defense.
Coaching situation
This will mark Dan Campbell’s third season in charge of Detroit and the optimism is really building. Crucially he was able to retain offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Many regarded Johnson as one of the hottest head coaching candidates during the offseason, but he declined interview offers in order to remain in Detroit. Under his stewardship the offense ranked fifth in DVOA last season.
There is continuity on defense too. Aaron Glenn returns for his third season as defensive coordinator and his coaching staff has remained virtually unchanged. The only new additions are senior defensive assistant John Fox who joins from the Colts, and defensive line coach John Scott, who joins from Penn State.
2023 NFL Draft
| Pick | Player |
| 1.12 | Jahmyr Gibbs – RB, Alabama |
| 1.18 | Jack Campbell – LB, Iowa |
| 2.34 | Sam LaPorta – TE, Iowa |
| 2.45 | Brian Branch – S, Alabama |
| 3.68 | Hendon Hooker – QB, Alabama |
| 3.96 | Brodric Martin – IDL, Western Kentucky |
| 5.152 | Colby Sorsdal – OT, William & Mary |
| 6.219 | Antoine Green – WR, North Carolina |
The Lions’ decision to take Jahmyr Gibbs at No. 12 overall predictably started plenty of conversations around positional value. That continued with the selection of Jack Campbell at No. 18 overall. Whilst both are good players, these picks seemed premature not just because of positional value but because of the other positions of need on the Lions’ roster that they chose not to address. Things improved massively on day two though and the Lions found a pair of steals in the second round in Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch.
Offense
The Lions surprised plenty of people last season in producing one of the league’s most potent passing games. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson focused on creating explosive plays and Jared Goff’s 57 plays of 20+ yards ranked second behind only Patrick Mahomes. Even with TJ Hockenson departing halfway through the season and Jameson Williams playing a limited role, they finished third in dropback EPA, ahead of teams like the Bengals and the Eagles.
Their running game was what held them back last season, but looking ahead to 2023 that seems much better. They acquired David Montgomery, who looks to be a perfect fit in a Lions offense that ran the second most gap runs in the NFL last season. Montgomery ranked fifth in EPA per play on gap runs in 2022. First round pick Jahmyr Gibbs gives them a home run hitter who can also be a true weapon as a receiver. Both will be running behind an excellent offensive line.
If there is a concern with this team, it is going to be their receiving corps. This admittedly wasn’t much of an issue in 2022, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it is sustainable into this season. Amon-Ra St. Brown is outstanding, but if defenses can shut him down the Lions have little else. Jameson Williams is suspended for six games, and until then they are left with Josh Reynolds, Marvin Jones, and a rookie tight end in Sam LaPorta.
Defense
The Lions’ defense wasn’t great in 2022, but there were some positive flashes, most noticeably off the edge. Aidan Hutchinson managed to hit the ground running and led the team with 53 pressures. That was also the most of any rookie. James Houston looked great when he became a starter down the stretch, racking up 17 pressures and eight sacks in just seven games.
Their secondary was their main problem last season and was a big reason they ranked 26th in passing DVOA. Their offseason overhaul should help this though, as they enter the season with three new starting cornerbacks. This is in addition to a promising safety duo of Tracy Walker and Kerby Joseph. Joseph logged an impressive four interceptions and four pass breakups as a rookie in 2022.
The talent they have assembled looks encouraging on paper, but as is always the case with teams that have had substantial turnover in one offseason, the question will be just how quickly they can gel. CJ Gardner-Johnson has played under defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn before, but the three corners have not played together before and there will no doubt be an adjustment period for all involved.
Prediction
The Lions are currently the betting favourite to win the NFC North and it is easy to see why. Their offense was electric in 2022 and if anything they have improved the level of talent at their disposal. If the defense improves as it should, they should be a force to be reckoned with in the NFC this year.
