7 Burning Questions Facing Lions Ahead of OTAs
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With the regular season inching closer, the Detroit Lions will practice for the first time as a full team during the upcoming organized team activities session of the offseason.
OTAs, as they're more commonly known, begin Tuesday, and end June 15, with a pair of breaks in between.
It was preceded by rookie minicamp, and will be followed by mandatory minicamp, which runs June 6-8.
With OTAs serving as the first opportunity for rookies and veterans to practice together, plenty will be learned and observed about the Lions.
With that in mind, here are seven burning questions facing the Lions as they enter OTAs.
What do linebacker moves mean for Rodriguez, Barnes?
Detroit made a pair of significant moves at the linebacker position this offseason. Alex Anzalone was re-signed to a three-year deal, while Jack Campbell was a first-round pick.
With the pair of moves, and the significance of them, it's fair to wonder about what the Lions' plans are moving forward for Malcolm Rodriguez and Derrick Barnes.
Rodriguez outplayed his expectations last season, after being picked in the sixth round of the 2022 draft. He worked his way into the starting lineup by the start of the regular season, and developed a reputation of being in the right place at the right time.
Barnes, a fourth-rounder in 2021, has struggled to move past his current rotational role. He's had flashes of success, but has been unable to consistently produce.
Both players will be rotational players in 2022, but the commitments to Anzalone and Campbell are significant enough to wonder what the long-term plans are for their two counterparts.
Each is entering a pivotal season. Their performance, and usage, will be telling for their future with the Lions beyond 2023.
Is the team done adding to wide receiver room?
One of the team's biggest stories this offseason was the gambling violations that resulted in the suspension of three of the team's wide receivers.
Two have been released, while Jameson Williams will sit the first six games of the season. DJ Chark also left in free agency, so Detroit's wide receiver depth will be tested as a result.
The team has taken steps to account for the losses. Marvin Jones Jr. has returned on a one-year deal, while Antoine Green was drafted in the seventh round.
Still, the team lacks depth. Josh Reynolds and Kalif Raymond will be leaned on early in the year, next to budding star Amon-Ra St. Brown. Jones will also be asked to recapture some of the magic from his best seasons in Detroit.
The Lions could stand to benefit from adding another face to the room. Yet, the lack of action signals a commitment to what the team already has on the roster.
Who will back up Jared Goff?
Jared Goff is the team's unquestioned starter under center. However, the backup situation is more murky.
Hendon Hooker is facing a season dedicated to recovery for his torn ACL. Currently, Nate Sudfeld and Adrian Martinez are the only quarterbacks on roster besides the rookie and Goff.
Detroit general manager Brad Holmes made the backup spot a point of emphasis this offseason. In drafting the Tennessee product, the team has made its future plans obvious.
Yet, the Lions still need to address the spot for the upcoming season. Whether that's through free agency or emphasizing their confidence in the veteran Sudfeld, Detroit still has work to do behind its veteran starter.
What is the offense's ceiling?
With Goff at the helm under first-year offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, the Lions were a top-five offense in 2022. This season will offer the opportunity to prove that the success wasn't a mere fluke.
If Detroit is able to take another step forward, it could be the league's best offense this season. The question remains whether the unit is capable of doing so.
The season opener against Kansas City offers the team an opportunity to make a statement. Many of the expectations placed on this year's squad revolve around the offense's success last season.
If the offense can sustain that level of production, the team will contend at a high level.
How will Aaron Glenn utilize new talent in the secondary?
Cam Sutton, Emmanuel Moseley and C.J. Gardner-Johnson are three talented and experienced additions to the Lions' secondary.
Detroit didn't stop there, though. Holmes drafted Brian Branch in the second round, to add another versatile player to the position group.
Now, defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn will face the challenge of plugging in these players, in the best positions, to help the team succeed.
These additions, paired with a pair of returning starting safeties in Kerby Joseph and Tracy Walker III, give the team a secondary to be excited about.
How Glenn utilizes this talent will be intriguing to follow. Detroit's secondary will look much different in 2023, and should be much improved.
Can Jahmyr Gibbs live up to billing?
The 12th overall pick in the 2023 draft will enter the league with high expectations. Detroit completely renovated its running backs room, adding two new faces while subtracting the two incumbents.
Gibbs was drafted just two days before the team traded D'Andre Swift, a sign of what the team believes the rookie can be. Being drafted so high creates high expectations, so his performance will be highly analyzed right from the start.
His talent makes Detroit an even more dynamic offense. If he doesn't live up to it, though, it will create doubt in the organization, after it passed on other needs to select him with its first draft pick.
Can Dan Campbell lead the team to a division title?
What the season will ultimately boil down to is whether the third-year coach can win the close games that plagued him early in his tenure.
He found his groove late last season, winning close games in New York and Green Bay. However, there were blunders, in the team's Thanksgiving loss to Buffalo that were signs of early-season struggles.
Campbell has to avoid the late-game hiccups, if the Lions want to be viewed as serious contenders. If he fine-tunes his late-game management, then Detroit can rely upon its toughness to win close games against the league's best.
