The Detroit Lions begin their four-week “Organized Team Activity” (OTA) period on Tuesday. It’s the first time all offseason that the Lions’ entire roster will be allowed to play 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11. While they still won’t be allowed to have any type of live contact, it’s our first a look at the 2024 team and a chance to have answers to many of our lingering offseason questions.
Here are 10 things I’ll be keeping an eye on.
1. Injury updates
During the Draft, we saw Brian Branch moving around on a scooter, but we have yet to receive any explanation as to why. He, too, has not appeared in any offseason training photo galleries, so it seems unlikely that he will participate in OTAs this week. But the media opportunities with Dan Campbell should give us some answers.
Other players to watch are Derrick Barnes (injured in NFC Championship game), DJ Reader (recovering from torn quadriceps), Kerby Joseph (offseason surgery) and Emmanuel Moseley (recovering from torn quadriceps). Anterior cruciate ligament).
2. First look at Hendon Hooker
While Hooker participated in his first NFL practices late last year, the media was only able to watch warmups. This will be our first chance to see a full practice from the 2023 third-round pick, which will no doubt include some 11-on-11 drills.
Obviously, the starting job isn’t up for grabs with Jared Goff now locked up for the next five years, but it will be fascinating to see what the Lions have in their primary backup.
3. Will Terrion Arnold crack the starting lineup?
Detroit typically opens its rookies low on the depth chart and earns them a spot among the starters. So on Day 1, don’t expect first-round pick Terrion Arnold to be with the starters. But the Lions also don’t waste time if the best player at a position is a rookie. So, in theory, Arnold could earn a spot by late spring.
4. How will the rest of high school develop?
There are a lot of questions in the secondary beyond Arnold’s place. Will second-round pick Ennis Rakestraw Jr. continue to play nickel? Who else could come in, especially with Brian Branch’s availability in question? Who will start opposite Carlton Davis: Arnold, Amik Robertson or someone else? And who else will stand out at safety besides Kerby Joseph and Ifatu Melifonwu? With Joseph not expected to participate, there will be plenty of opportunities for Detroit’s depth to shine.
5. Who will play and where in the new kickoff?
The Lions are being a little protective about what details we can report during the new start, so you might not get much information here. But I will take plenty of notes and be diligent about what positions the Lions are putting on special teams.
Will they be looking at a different type of returner? Will they prefer bigger, stronger players on special teams, or will they still value speed and agility? The Lions have been hatching plans since before the new rule was adopted, so they’ve been thinking about this for a while.
6. Does Jameson Williams look ready to be WR2?
The Lions were only left at receiver this offseason, meaning Williams is primed for a major role in Year 3. While the 23-year-old receiver showed some promise toward the end of last season, he still has plenty of to prove. I will be watching to see if he has increased his route tree, he has developed better chemistry with Jared Goff and if he has continued to improve with his hands.
7. Have Donovan Peoples-Jones or Antoine Green developed chemistry with Jared Goff?
For the Lions’ offense to work, they will not only need Williams to improve, but they will also need the rest of the receiver room to take a big step forward. Peoples-Jones wasn’t a big factor in the Lions’ offense after Detroit acquired him midseason, but now that he has a full offseason to learn the offense and work with Goff, he can be expected to be the WR3 of this team.
Additionally, Lions general manager Brad Holmes recently praised Green for his development during his rookie season.
“We’re very excited about Antoine Green, how he’s evolved,” Holmes said in a radio interview earlier this month. “He is another guy who has size and speed. He’s a guy that just kept getting better and better from what we’ve seen throughout the year. I know he didn’t get many goals in games for the world to see, but being with him internally every day during the season, we really like where he’s going.”
Will that improvement show up on the practice field in Year 2?
8. Is Brodric Martin ready for a Year 2 breakout?
Some people on social media have noted that Brodric Martin may have gone through a small body transformation in Year 2.
I’m not going to jump to conclusions based on a couple of photos, but it’s certainly not uncommon for a Year 2 player to make some significant lifestyle changes. And of course, body transformation doesn’t necessarily mean a good game.
It will be difficult to see how much Martin has improved until the full pads are put on, but I’ll be watching to see if his way of moving has changed from his rookie season.
9. Will Marcus Davenport look like a potential starting pass rusher?
Some have expressed some understandable concern that Detroit still lacks a pass-rushing threat in front of Aidan Hutchinson. Maybe that’s due to a jump by Josh Paschal from Year 3, or maybe it’s due to the addition of free agent Marcus Davenport. The former Viking/Saint has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career, but in 2021, he produced 9.0 sacks, three forced fumbles and an 88.8 PFF grade (eighth among EDGE defenders). Can the Lions tap into some of that potential?
10. Where will the Lions’ young offensive linemen play?
With three offensive linemen over the age of 30, the Lions have already invested in the future of their offensive line by drafting Colby Sorsdal, Giovanni Manu and Christian Mahogany. In our limited exposure to the three, it appears they have been grooming them for the following positions:
Sorsdal: left guard
Manu: left tackle
Mahogany: right guard
But assistant general manager Ray Agnew said they plan to train Manu, as they do with many of their offensive linemen. So it will be interesting to see where these players change during spring and summer practices.
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