The Detroit Lions unsung new toys are the most important
By Robert Jones
The Detroit Lions have addressed several needs, but one of the most important needs they filled is usually the most overlooked by fans.
The Detroit Lions 2020 draft class has received high marks from many of the experts. But it also has led to questions about why the defensive line seemed to be such a low priority.
After the NFL’s first virtual draft, the Lions have filled some needs and even strengthened some positions. Yet they still have enough weaknesses to cause concerns about their ability to actually contend next season as Martha Firestone Ford mandated.
In a way the Lions draft was sort of the rich get richer while the poor get poorer. Not in a literal way, but while the offense seems to have gotten better, the defense while adding a couple of key pieces, hasn’t improved enough to create confidence among the fans or media.
The secondary appears to easily be the strength of the Lions defense, while the linebackers still raise some questions and an incredibly thin defensive tackle group raises alarm. Consistently keeping opponents off the scoreboard is the surest way to victory, but right now, even though the Lions defense can only get better, it still has plenty of room for improvement.
Whether it’s on defense or offense, controlling the line of scrimmage creates opportunities to win. Defensively when a front seven is difficult to run on and can bring the heat to opposing passers on a consistent basis, the chances of that defense being successful rise considerably. Even if the secondary is average.
One has to figure that Lions general manager Bob Quinn will be adding more depth to the defensive line at some point. If for no other reason than the fact that going into the season without more depth is a recipe for disaster.
Meanwhile, the offense still has some needs, but if we’re being honest, this is unquestionably a better unit than last seasons squad which played pretty well in the first year of Darrell Bevell’s system.