Detroit Lions could be this season’s version of the Chicago Bears
Last season, the Chicago Bears went from worst to first in the NFC North division. The Detroit Lions have a chance to ascend in a similar fashion in 2019.
New season. Renewed hope. Every NFL team believes they have a chance to win it all in June. That includes the Detroit Lions. But fans of the Motor City may have more reason to hope than others.
The Lions went to town this offseason, bringing in heavyweight free agents like defensive end Trey Flowers and cornerback Justin Coleman to further solidify what was already a top-ten defense in 2018.
Underrated signings like free agent wide receiver Danny Amendola, tight end Jesse James and cornerback Rashaan Melvin fill major voids on the roster and all could start Week One. The Lions used the 2019 NFL Draft to secure the future of the tight end position with the selection of Iowa’s T.J. Hockenson, a player who is expected to lift both the passing attack as a receiver and the run game as a blocker.
The second round selection of Hawaii’s beefy linebacker Jahlani Tavai should free up veterans like Devon Kennard and Jarrad Davis to rush the passer more, thus filling the void left by often-injured pass rusher Ezekiel Ansah who is now a member of the Seattle Seahawks.
Darrell Bevell is now in charge of the offense. And the veteran offensive coordinator figures to bring a more balanced attack to Motown, with second-year running back Kerryon Johnson as the tip of the spear.
Finally, and possibly most importantly, quarterback Matthew Stafford is still under center. Despite the shift in offensive philosophy, Stafford’s play will still dictate how successful the Lions will be this season. Entering his 11th year in the NFL, it feels like it’s now or never for the 31-year old passer.
According to NFL.com’s Adam Rank, this year’s version of the Lions are intriguing and could be a sleeper to post double-digit wins in 2019. But he also thinks they can slip even lower than last year’s disappointing 6-10 record.
"“The Lions are one of the most interesting teams to me heading into this season. They could sneakily be a team that surprises a lot of clubs this year. I look at the overall talent on this team and I think to myself, They could end up winning 10 games and be that team nobody was talking about, much like the Bears last year and the Rams two years ago. But then I look at the Lions, and I’m all, Yeah, they could end up winning just four games. At least they’re interesting.”"
Under first-year head coach Matt Nagy, the Bears bounced back from a 5-11 record in 2017 to become the NFC North champions at 12-4 last year. They lost to the then-reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card round of the playoffs by a single point, 16-15.
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It’s conceivable that the Detroit Lions could make a similar leap in 2019, having been in the basement of the NFC North last year. But with so many new faces and a new offensive coordinator in place, things will have to come together quickly this summer in order to make that feat happen. Hey, it’s still June. There’s always hope.