Riddick: Lions' Receivers 'Can Hold it Down' without Jameson Williams
The Detroit Lions have received plenty of praise for their recent winning ways.
An 8-2 record over the 2022 season's final 10 games made fans of many pundits. A strong offseason filled with the acquisition of talent players strengthened their national reputation.
The believers include ESPN's Louis Riddick, who believes the Lions will be a playoff team in 2023.
One of the biggest obstacles currently facing Detroit is the six-game suspension of talented wide receiver Jameson Williams.
However, Riddick believes the team is strong enough at the position to weather the storm throughout the early portion of the season.
"At wide receiver, I understand that now you're gonna have some issues with depth, at least for the beginning of the season with Jameson Williams' situation," Riddick explained on 'The Rich Eisen Show'. "But Marvin Jones, Josh Reynolds, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Kalif Raymond, these guys, they can hold it down. They'll be just fine."
The analyst detailed the improvements that the Lions have made on both sides of the ball. Collectively, he believes the roster is strong enough to contend throughout the 2023 season.
Among those receiving praise was rookie tight end Sam LaPorta, who excelled recently at the team's rookie minicamp. Riddick said he expects the Iowa product to play at a high level right away.
He praised the efforts of general manager Brad Holmes, who has renovated the roster since taking over prior to the 2021 season.
"I know people are gonna say, 'They drafted Jahmyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell in the first round, they don't know what the hell they're doing,' Yeah they do. Yeah they do," Riddick said. "They have a top-three offensive line in all of football. They have a quarterback who, some people are sitting there going, 'Did Sean (McVay) get that wrong?' Not to say that Matthew (Stafford) wasn't great out there, they won the Super Bowl with him. But Jared Goff is no throw away, clearly. They have the future in Hendon Hooker, so that room just got stronger."
Additionally, he spoke highly of coach Dan Campbell and his ability to build a staff of former players. Though it can be difficult to get the best of former players in the coaching ranks, the Lions have assembled a successful group.
"I know some people say ex-players don't make the best coaches because sometimes ex-players don't have the patience to deal with guys who can't do it at the level they did it. Well, Dan has gotten a group up there that obviously are great teachers too," he explained. "They connect with these guys in a way that, that whole biting kneecaps thing, maybe more coaches need to be talking about that."
In Gibbs and Campbell, Riddick believes the Lions drafted two instant contributors. Gibbs will split time with free agent signing David Montgomery, giving the team an exciting 1-2 punch.
"Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, forget it," he said. "That's one of the best, you can put that up against any 1-2 punch of running backs in the NFL. Jahmyr Gibbs is a freaking superstar."
Another area where the Lions have made additions is in the secondary. Cameron Sutton, C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Emmanuel Moseley are free agent additions, while the team landed Brian Branch in the second round.
However, the analyst heaped high expectations onto another member of the secondary — second-year safety Kerby Joseph.
"Kerby Joseph, who they drafted last year out of Illinois, the third rounder, he's the one who picked off Aaron (Rodgers) at the end of the game last year," Riddick said. "He's gonna be a pro bowler or an All-Pro this season."
