Detroit Lions defense still needs help, but this is a good start

Great defense starts up front

There are a few moves that seem to speak the loudest about what Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell believe they need to do to start turning this lowly defense around.

The first was in free agency when Holmes re-signed Romeo Okwara while allowing receiver Kenny Golladay to walk. The next came in the draft with back-to-back picks to fortify the defensive line then turning to an athletic linebacker that can cover ground.

There are needs on all levels of the Lions defense, even today after re-signing Okwara and the draft. However, the idea that it all starts with the front seven is right on target.

No matter how good any secondary is they can only cover opposing receivers so long. The ability of the front seven to control the line of scrimmage by stuffing the run and bringing intense heat to enemy passers is the key to any defense.  All the great ones were very good up front.

The secondary still has needs at safety and more depth at cornerback before it will be as good as it needs to be, but if the front seven do their job, it will decidedly make the secondary look better.

Considering how deeply Dan Campbell believes in hard-hitting, physical football, you can expect that Aaron Glenn was hired to implement an aggressive style of defense that will put a premium on attacking and pressuring opponents from the opening kick-off until the closing whistle.

Between the additions that Brad Holmes has brought in and the change in coaches as well as philosophy, that alone gives the Lions defense a chance to bounce back to an almost respectable level.

However, games are won on the field and not on paper. So while it would seem that everything adds up to these paper Lions making some positive steps forward, they will need to demonstrate it on the field.

The foundation that Holmes is laying with his first Lions draft class gives Detroit some nice-looking pieces to help fill in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Pieces that can help move this franchise towards the ultimate goal of imposing their will upon opponents.

There will be growing pains on both sides of the ball, but the defense does have the opportunity to show vast improvement simply because of how bad it was. Does that make it a championship defense yet? No, but the fact that this regime understands the importance of addressing the defense and making it a weapon to attack opponents should give Lions fans everywhere hope.