4 Positives for Lions' Offense Headed into 2021 Season

Read more on the four positives for the Detroit Lions' offense headed into the 2021 NFL season

Author:
Vito Chirco
Updated:
Apr 23, 2021 10:59 AM EDT
Original:
Apr 22, 2021

In this story:

D'Andre Swift

T.J. Hockenson

Jamaal Williams

The Detroit Lions' offense will look vastly different in 2021.

Gone are offensive play-caller Darrell Bevell and the team's top two wideouts in Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones Jr. And, in are former L.A. Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn as the team's new offensive coordinator and wide receivers Tyrell Williams and Breshad Perriman.

Detroit will also be without Matthew Stafford under center for the first time in over a decade, as former L.A. Rams passer Jared Goff has taken his place as the squad's starting signal-caller.

Despite all of those changes, positives remain for the Lions' offense headed into the 2021 season.

Let's take a look now at four of those positives.

RB D'Andre Swift

Having the second-year pro as the team's lead back heading into the 2021 season is a definite positive for the offense.

Swift, a second-round pick of the organization (No. 35 overall) in 2020, proved that he could be productive both on the ground and as a pass-catcher as a rookie.

The Georgia product amassed 114 carries for 521 yards and eight touchdowns in his first NFL campaign. He also recorded 46 receptions for 357 yards and two scores.

Lynn, the Lions' new OC, is expected to emphasize the ground attack. So, it could open the door for Swift being Detroit's biggest offensive weapon in 2021.

TE T.J. Hockenson

The 2019 first-round pick of the Lions (No. 8 overall) is coming off his first Pro Bowl campaign.

The 6-foot-5, 247-pounder played in all 16 games for the first time in his career, and produced 67 catches for 723 yards and six touchdowns.

With Detroit's top two wide receivers from a season ago -- Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones Jr. -- having left in free agency this offseason, Hockenson should be in store for a bigger role in the Lions' passing game this upcoming season.

RB Jamaal Williams

Brad Holmes & Co. stole a nice complimentary piece from the Green Bay Packers' offense when it inked Williams to a free-agent deal earlier this offseason.

Williams had previously spent his entire NFL career in Green Bay, having been drafted by the franchise in the fourth round in 2017.

In four seasons with the Packers, he logged 500 rushes for 1,985 yards and 10 touchdowns, to go along with 122 receptions for 961 yards and eight scores.

Signed to a shrewd two-year deal worth a max of $7.5 million, the acquisition of Williams could end up being the best one made by Holmes in his first offseason as Detroit general manager.