The Detroit Lions are coming off a season in which they were one of the best teams in the NFL, and that figures to be the case once again with the team returning most of that roster and making some key additions.
But that isn't exactly reflected in the rankings from Pro Football Focus' Jim Wyman and Dalton Wasserman, who placed the combination of the Lions' starting offense and defense at No. 6. Granted, that spot is a far cry from where Detroit has been ahead of most seasons and it's a good ranking, but it's still too low.
Wyman and Wasserman list Detroit's offense as its biggest strength from 2023, while calling the outside cornerback spot the biggest weakness from 2023. They also list wide receiver Jameson Williams as the team's biggest X-factor for 2024.
Detroit addressed its issue at cornerback in a big way this offseason with the trade for Carlton Davis, the signing of Amik Robertson and the draft selections of Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw.
Granted, the jury is still out on Rakestraw and Arnold, but Davis in and of himself is a big upgrade to the room, and Robertson is also a key addition to further bolster the unit. So far this offseason, Arnold has looked as advertised, giving the Lions a good shot to own one of the best cornerback situations in the NFL.
Detroit beefed up its defensive line, signing both D.J. Reader and Marcus Davenport. Both players have an injury history, though, but Reader is a huge upgrade along the defensive line, and Davenport offers a potential upgrade opposite Aidan Hutchinson if he can stay healthy.
On offense, the Lions sport a top-10 quarterback in Jared Goff, an elite running backs room with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, and one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.
The biggest question mark comes at wide receiver, but Jameson Williams is primed to have a breakout season and the Lions really only need him to be the third option with Sam LaPorta and Amon-Ra St. Brown being top-tier options.
Detroit has one of the most well-rounded rosters in the NFL and should be no worse than No. 3 in PFF's rankings instead of being behind teams like the New York Jets (No. 4) and Baltimore Ravens (No. 5).
The Kansas City Chiefs (No. 2) and San Francisco 49ers (No. 1) took the top-two spots, something we can definitely live with.
