For the Detroit Lions, depth at receiver is up for grabs

The Detroit Lions have made a lot of moves this offseason to build up their talent level and create depth, but there are still question marks at receiver.

Last year, the Detroit Lions sputtered to a disappointing 6-10 record in Matt Patricia’s inaugural season at the helm. After what has been a busy offseason so far, the hope is that better things are on the horizon.

Every year is its own entity. Every year there are teams that go from nowhere to the playoffs. The question is; will the 2019 Detroit Lions be one of those teams?

Last season the defense found itself after the acquisition of Damon ‘Snacks’ Harrison. The transformation was like night and day. A ragtag group that seemed to have no clue what they were doing was suddenly turned into a defense to be respected.

There have been many in the media that have questioned whether the Lions have actually improved their defensive personnel this offseason, but I find it very hard not to notice the difference between last seasons defenders and this years group.

The defensive line is clearly improved as are the linebackers and the secondary. Is there more work to do? Absolutely. That is a never-ending part of the game. But when you compare how many more players that fit Matt Patricia’s scheme have been added this offseason to a unit that finished 2018 as the 10th overall ranked defense in the NFL, it’s hard not to come to the conclusion that they should be better.

Now nothing is a gimme in the NFL. Just because it looks better on paper or sounds better, doesn’t mean it will be. But logic and paper telling us this is a much-improved defense is better than the alternative.

So one side of the ball seems poised to help the Lions take a big step forward. Which means the question, of course, is whether an offense which was consistently inconsistently and sputtered all of last season can find the answers to their problems and contribute to becoming a winner?