Roundtable: Answering Burning Questions ahead of Lions Training Camp
1.) Will the presence of the new Lions coaching staff be felt right away?
Vito Chirco: Yes. And, I believe it already has started to be felt.
Dan Campbell has made a loud entry into the Motor City, with some rather interesting comments (i.e. talking about "biting kneecaps").
And, the players seemingly have already started to adjust and warm up to Campbell's ways, as they look to put the disappointments of the previous regime behind them.
So, in training camp, I believe the players on both sides of the ball will show a willingness to work hard for Campbell's staff, which will carry over into the regular season.
John Maakaron: The coaching staff has the attention and the respect of the players.
In several interviews, the various members of the roster have expressed how important it has been to have former players coaching them and the level of respect they feel for the Lions current coaching staff.
That is vastly different from how the former regime was viewed.
2.) What will Anthony Lynn's offense look like?
Chirco: I think with D'Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams on board, the offense will feature a heavy emphasis on the ground game. I think the two will complement each other very well, and will set up the play-action pass for new Lions signal-caller Jared Goff.
Additionally, Goff won't be throwing the football down the field nearly as often as Matthew Stafford did in a Detroit uniform. That'll be one of the biggest differences felt in Lynn's first year of calling the plays for the offense.
Maakaron: Everyone is certainly wondering how aggressive the offense will look with Lynn calling the plays.
I believe there will be a true emphasis on the run, but Jared Goff will still have opportunities to throw the ball deep.
Campbell and Co. have emphasized that game plans will be put together with the hopes of highlighting the strengths of the roster and taking advantage of specific matchups each week.
The Lions offense should be the strength of the team, as long as the correct players are highlighted and targeted (i.e. D'Andre Swift, T.J. Hockenson)
3.) Which one player will make the biggest rebound from a disappointing 2020 campaign?
Chirco: I think it's going to be Tracy Walker.
The safety emerged as a promising young member of Detroit's secondary in his second season in the league, recording 103 total tackles, eight passes defensed, one interception and one forced fumble in 13 games.
However, that production didn't carry over to his 2020 campaign, and his numbers ultimately took a dip.
With a new defensive play-caller in former NFL defensive back Aaron Glenn and a new defensive backs coach in Aubrey Pleasant, I believe that Walker will experience a resurgence this upcoming season.
Maakaron: Cornerback Jeff Okudah will have every opportunity to rebound from a disappointing rookie season.
The new coaching staff should be able to tap into the young defensive backs strengths and be able to increase his weekly productivity.
Being selected that high in the NFL Draft should come with a certain level of pressure.
It is time for Okudah to take a step in the right direction in order for the 2021 defense to have any sort of chance of having success.
4.) Who will be the player that emerges out of nowhere during training camp?
Chirco: If there's one guy, I think it could be wide receiver Sage Surratt.
Leading up to the 2021 NFL Draft, many pundits had the Wake Forest product pegged as a mid-round draft pick.
Yet, he went undrafted, and ended up being picked up by the Lions.
Now, in Detroit, he has a chance to make the organization's season-opening roster, due to the team's lack of quality depth at wide receiver.
Surratt could very well surprise and shine in training camp. And, if he does, there's definitely a chance that Goff's throwing passes to him in Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers.
Maakaron: Cornerback Ifeatu Melifonwu has the skillset to make an immediate impact in the league.
Certainly, there will be growing pains, as most defensive backs struggle to adjust to the pure speed of the game.
I expect Melinfonwu to compete at a high level and to turn some heads all throughout training camp.
5.) Will D'Andre Swift prove to be capable of handling the No. 1 running back duties?
Chirco: I believe so ... as long as the Georgia product can stay healthy. That's my biggest concern with the second-year back.
The talent is there, and he clearly showed glimpses of it in his rookie campaign a year ago.
Yet, the verdict is still out on whether he can stay healthy while handling the workload of a No. 1 back over the course of a full season.
I think the biggest thing that will help Swift out is having Williams, a more-than-capable No. 2 running back, take some of the carries on a week-to-week basis.
All of that added up, I believe Swift will prove to be a solid bell-cow back in his first true crack at it as a pro.
Maakaron: I do not. Now, that is not a knock on Swift in any shape or form.
In the NFL, there are is a growing trend of having multiple backs be utilized to avoid injuries and to keep opposing defenses off balance.
The presence of running back Jamaal Williams should allow Swift to stay healthier and to reach his potential.
The more he is used in the running game, the increased likelihood he gets hurt or misses game action.
Until I see it out on the field, I have a hard time envisioning Swift garnering 20 carries a game.
Unfortunately for fantasy football owners, we have that dreaded situation in Motown: Running back by committee.
