With the NFL offseason approaching, a lot of teams are on the bubble when it comes to being a playoff, division, or super bowl, contender. Some teams are just one big signing away from getting to where they need to be. One of those teams would be the Lions. You see, the Lions are the next favorites to win the NFC North. They have a nice, young roster with multitudes of talent. Some would even go as far as saying they are the best team over the next 5 years. However, some wouldn’t say they are a Super Bowl contender, but I think that they could easily be one, as long as they address these positions.
Wide Receiver
Recently I have written about how the Lions have a potential superstar in Amon-Ra St. Brown. Although I do stand by that claim, I do think that the Lions need to address the Wide Receiver 2 spot. Whether or not DJ Chark stays, or leaves, this offseason, they need to bring in a receiver either as good, or better, than St. Brown. I have said earlier that a candidate to do that would be Odell Beckham Jr. If they want St. Brown to reach his full potential they need to make sure that someone can take the eyes off of him. Regardless of who it is, they need to do it well and efficiently. If they make this addition, it would free up their offensive capabilities immensely.
Defensive Back
This is a massive position that needs to be addressed. One thing I have learned with a lot of young cornerbacks is that they need a few years to catch up to the speed of NFL receivers. If you look at the average age of the Lions defensive backfield, it comes out to be 25.8 years old. That is one of the youngest secondaries in the NFL. It showed last season as they were the third worst passing defense in the league. In order to fix this they need to acquire a defensive back that is experienced, and knows their way around the position. One name that could be of huge help would be Jalen Ramsey. Ramsey would connect amazingly with that DB room. He was a breakout star young and continued his dominance into his later years. Drafting a DB could definitely be beneficial–for the long run. However, depending on the DB, it might take time for him to develop and the Lions need him yesterday.
Tight End
Ever since the Lions did the unthinkable and traded TJ Hockenson away to the Vikings, they have yet to find their true number 1 tight end. One person who I think can do some damage in the league would be Georgia’s Darnell Washington. With NFL teams wanting big, athletic, tight ends, it is a rarity nowadays. However, Darnell Washington is just that. Standing at 6’7, 270 lbs. He is exactly what the Lions want and need. I feel like he would be a perfect pick mid second to early third round. If the Lions can lock him down, I think their future with him could be phenomenal.
