Detroit Lions 2020 Season Preview
Chris Ransom follow @DraftUtopia Posted on 8/20/2020.
Detroit Lions Free Agency Recap
Detroit had another aggresive Free Agency period. They got Halapoulivaati Vaitai the fourth best offensive tackle on the Philadelphia Eagles to be their starting right tackle. They added Danny Shelton at defensive tackle, plus Shelton can play nose tackle if Detroit runs a hybrid defense with both 4-3 and 3-4 personnel. Jamie Collins left New England to sign with Detroit. Desmond Trufant is this teams number one field cornerback. Duron Harmon will finally get a starting safety job in Detroit after being a backup safety in New England for so many years. Chase Daniel, who beat Detroit on Thanksgiving with Chicago is now the new backup quarterback on the Detroit Lions.
Detroit Lions Draft Recap
The Lions got three starters from this draft and they also got three quality depth players with their next three picks. Jeffrey Okudah is struggling in training camp so far, but he's expected to start as the teams number two field cornerback across from Trufant. Running back De'Andre Swift has stood out and separated himself from Kerryon Johnson in Lions training camp as I expected him to since he was my top running back. Jonah Jackson is dominating at right guard and will likely start right away since he is getting first team reps despite being a third round draft pick. Detroit also got defensive end Julian Okwara with that second third round pick as a substitute edge rusher to push both Trey Flowers and his older brother Romeo Okwara to be better.
Kentucky left guard Logan Stenberg was a fourth round pick by Detroit and he impressed me in Mobile and as Benny Snell Jr.'s left guard with the Wildcats, but he struggled in Training Camp and looks like a long-term project. He's someone who could be Detroit's future left guard once Joe Dahl leaves, but he has no business taking snaps at center. Detroit didn't make Stenberg take any snaps at center in Mobile, then they draft him and try him at center. Wisconsin receiver Quintez Cephus was a great depth pick for Detroit at wide receiver in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Detroit Lions Quarterback Summary: Matthew Stafford is Detroit's starting quarterback. Chase Daniel is the backup. David Blough who started a few games at third string quarterback when Stafford was injured is an ideal third stringer to have behind Stafford and a veteran like Daniel. Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell enters his second year as offensive coordinator and Detroit also has Sean Ryan returning for his second season in Detroit.
Detroit Lions Running Back Summary: De'Andre Swift is exepcted to start at running back as he is separating himself from Kerryon Johnson in Lions Training Camp. Detroit also has Bo Scarborough and Ty Johnson competing for that third string job. Honestly, I could see both running backs making Detroit's final 53-man roster. Kyle Caskey returns as the running backs coach for the Detroit Lions.
Detroit Lions Wide Receiver Summary: Kenny Golladay emerged as Detroit's number one target in 2018 and dominated in 2019. Marvin Jones enters a contract year in 2019. Danny Amendola is back as the slot receiver. Detroit has Quinton Cephus as their number four target. Those four receivers will make the 53-man roster with Marvin Hall, Chris Lacy, and Geremy Davis competing for those final two receiver spots.
Robert Prince bounced back as the wide receivers coach in 2019 after a down year in 2018. This feels like a make or break year for Prince.
Detroit Lions Tight End Summary: Detroit has T.J. Hockenson and Jesse James as their two tight ends which are two upgrades over their top two tight ends last year. Hockenson is balling in training camp after being cleared of COVID-19 and is a player I spent a fifteenth round pick on Fantasy Football. Also, I can use a fifteenth round keeper on Hockenson next season in 2021. Ben Johnson is now the tight ends coach in Detroit. Johnson seems to be doing good as the tight ends coach with Hockenson breaking out.
Detroit Lions Offensive Line Summary: Taylor Decker continues to show why he deserves a new contract. Joe Dahl is starting at left guard. Then you got Frank Ragnow at center as Ragnow feels more confident than ever. Detroit has Jonah Jackson at right guard with Halapoulivaati Vaitai at right tackle. Hank Fraley the former Browns center is the Detroit Lions offensive line coach. It's easy to see why Ragnow is breaking out with Fraley on their staff.
Detroit has a lot of variety offensively. That variety is what makes their offense so damn lethal. As long as Matthew Stafford and his other ten teammates remain healthy, expect Detroit to continue to have one of the NFL's best offenses. I think this can be a top 5 offense as long as Stafford and Swift stay healthy. They pushed the Kansas City Chiefs to the limit in 2019.
Detroit Lions Defensive Line Summary: Trey Flowers starts at 4-3 right end and Romeo Okwara starts at 4-3 left end. Romeo's little brother Julian Okwara is a backup pass rusher who can come in as a rotational guy for Flowers or his older brother Romeo. Austin Bryant the backup 4-3 left end to Romeo is on the PUP list.
Detroit signed Danny Shelton at defensive tackle for their hybrid defense. They did not get a second defensive tackle to compliment him and that's one reason to be skeptical about this defensive line, especially if they continue to run a 4-3 defense. Detroit's defensive line coach Bo Davis was once a member of Alabama as their defensive line coach.
Detroit Lions Linebacker Summary: Jamie Collins is the new 4-3 right outside linebacker. Jarrad Davis lost a lot of body fat and added a ton of muscle this offseason. Christian Jones is the 4-3 left outside linebacker on the Detroit Lions. Jalen Reeves-Maybin has stood out in training camp with Patricia raving about the former 2017 draft pick out of Tennessee who enters a contract year. Jalen Reeves-Maybin is pushing Jones for that final starting linebacker spot.
Head Coach Matt Patricia specializes in developing linebackers. Ty McKenzie is taking over at linebackers coach for Al Golden after Patricia opted not to bring Golden back.
Detroit Lions Defensive Backs Summary: Desmond Trufant will be the number one field cornerback. You have Jeffrey Okudah the third pick in the draft and Amani Oruwariye pushing each other for that number two boundary cornerback spot next to Trufant with Okudah struggling and Oruwariye dominating in Lions' training camp. Whoever loses the right to be the number two cornerback could push last years nickel cornerback Justin Coleman for the nickel spot. Detroit is four deep at cornerback for the first time in years.
Detroit has Duron Harmon at strong safety and Tracy Walker at free safety with Miles Killebrew back as a backup. Guys like Will Harris and Jayron Kearse could push Killebrew for the backup safety job. Steve Gregory is the new defensive backs coach.
The Lions should be a top 20 team in sacks and points allowed. I think they have the ability to be a top 20 team in total yards allowed and rushing yards allowed. I see a top 20 team all across the board defensively. Having a top 5 offense and a top 20 defense worked for the Kansas City Chiefs who won Super Bowl 54, so whether it works for Detroit remains to be seen.
Detroit Lions Special Teams Summary: Detroit has Matt Prater at kicker. Jack Fox takes over at punter. Jamal Agnew enters his second season as a return specialist with Detroit as both their kick returner and punt returner. Brayden Cooms is the new special teams coordinator for the Detroit Lions in 2018.
Detroit Lions Worst Case Scenario: Detroit goes 5-11. Patricia does a horrible job as Detroit's head coach for the third year in a row and gets fired.
Detroit Lions Best Case Scenario: Detroit goes 11-5 and somehow manages to win the NFC North Division. Detroit has a roster that is capable of contending on both sides of the ball when healthy. At the same time, the lack of execution last year makes me wonder how unreliable the Matt Patricia regime is since he struggled as defensive coordinator in Super Bowl 52.
Detroit Lions 2020 NFL Schedule
Week |
Date |
Opponent |
Time |
Cable Network |
Result |
Week 1 |
September 13 |
VS  |
1 PM EST |
FOX |
W |
Week 2 |
September 20 |
AT  |
1 PM EST |
FOX |
L |
Week 3 |
September 27 |
AT  |
4:25 PM EST |
FOX |
L |
Week 4 |
September 29 |
VS  |
1 PM EST |
FOX |
L |
Week 5 |
|
Bye Week |
|
|
|
Week 6 |
October 18 |
AT  |
1 PM EST |
FOX |
W |
Week 7 |
October 25 |
AT  |
1 PM EST |
FOX |
W |
Week 8 |
November 1 |
VS  |
1 PM EST |
CBS |
W |
Week 9 |
November 8 |
AT  |
1 PM EST |
FOX |
L |
Week 10 |
November 15 |
VS  |
1 PM EST |
FOX |
W |
Week 11 |
November 22 |
AT  |
1 PM EST |
FOX |
W |
Week 12 |
November 26 |
VS  |
12:30 PM EST |
FOX |
W |
Week 13 |
December 6 |
AT |
1 PM EST |
FOX |
W |
Week 14 |
December 13 |
VS |
1 PM EST |
FOX |
W |
Week 15 |
December 20 |
AT  |
1 PM EST |
FOX |
L |
Week 16 |
December 26 |
VS  |
12 PM EST |
FOX |
W |
Week 17 |
January 3 |
VS |
1 PM EST |
FOX |
W |
The Utopia Of Sports
