The Detroit Lions beefed up their secondary in a big way this offseason. Those improvements are fostering plenty of optimism.
Pro Football Focus' Dalton Wasserman recently looked at the top reasons for optimism for every NFL team. Of course the offense fell into that category for the Lions, but he defensive backfield was also highlighted.
"Hope is eternal in Detroit, as the Lions carry an elite offense, led by Jared Goff and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. They also boast an elite receiver in Amon-Ra St. Brown, a dynamic running back duo in Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, an emerging star tight end in Sam LaPorta and the best offensive line in football."
"Their undoing last season, though, was their secondary. They used this offseason to overhaul their cornerback room, acquiring Carlton Davis via trade and Amik Robertson via free agency. They also spent their first two draft picks on talented cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. The Lions likely would’ve made the Super Bowl last season with a better coverage unit. They have one this year, and expectations should be incredibly high."
Dan Campbell: Lions don't have starters decided in secondary
With all the new additions, OTAs gave the Lions coaches a chance to start sorting things out in the secondary.
As a testament to depth, the Lions haven't been able to settle their starting lineup in the backfield just yet. Campbell is excited about that fact, and told the media as much.
The #Lions incoming secondary unit is about to catapult this team into the Super Bowl, and I’m not kidding. pic.twitter.com/sxOzq1TT5l
— Natalie Sparbeck (@NatSparbeck) June 4, 2024
"It's a great place to be in. We have so many options right now. So much competitiveness. Aaron (Glenn) and I were talking about it the other day. Brad (Holmes) and I are talking about it every evening. The talent level, the competitiveness, the versatility. Like honestly, we have no idea who our starting lineup is going to be right now. It's exciting. It's so good. There's no telling who's going to be our outside corners, who's going to be our nickels, who's going to be our safeties. This thing is wide open across the board and it's going to be great to let these guys compete and just go after it and see who is going to be most reliable guys for us (and) most dependable. It's exciting."
Last season, the Lions were forced to rely on the likes of Kindle Vildor to play postseason snaps at cornerback. This year, better depth offers options amid competition that will make everyone better.
Overnight, the Lions' secondary has seemingly gone from thin to very deep. It's a reason for optimism, indeed.