The Detroit Lions are coming off one of their best seasons in franchise history and are returning much of the same talented roster in 2024, making them one of the top contenders for a Super Bowl.
As we saw in CBS Sports' recent list of the top-100 NFL players for 2024 (the Lions had seven players on it, along with two honorable mentions), there is no shortage of fantastic players on this team.
If the Lions can meet expectations this coming season, they should have multiple candidates for awards in 2024. Here's a look at the players and coaches with the best shot to take home some hardware.
Lions with best chance to win an award
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown
Award: Offensive Player of the Year
St. Brown has seen his receiving production go up in each season of his career thus far, with the USC product tallying a career-best 1,515 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2023.
Three receivers have won the award in the past five seasons. Here's a look at the numbers they totaled to earn the honor:
Michael Thomas: 1,725 yards, 9 TDs (2019)
Cooper Kupp: 1,947 yards, 16 TDs (2021)
Justin Jefferson: 1,809 yards, 8 TDs (2022)
St. Brown has a chance to reach those totals in his fourth season, especially with the departure of Josh Reynolds leaving Detroit with 608 yards to make up for.
DE Aidan Hutchinson
Award: Defensive Player of the Year
Hutchinson has lived up to the hype early on in his career, with the former No. 2 overall pick racking up 21 sacks over two seasons, including a career-best 11.5 during the 2023 campaign.
The Lions are returning Alim McNeill, who is coming off a breakout season, and added D.J. Reader and Marcus Davenport, all of whom can help take pressure off Hutchinson upfront. Coverage in the secondary should also be improved, which will give the third-year pass-rusher more time to get after signal-callers.
CB Terrion Arnold
Award: Defensive Rookie of the Year
Arnold is expected be the starter on the boundary opposite Carlton Davis, so he'll see plenty of snaps in Year 1. Teams will likely be looking to challenge him early and often thanks to his status as a rookie, which will further increase his opportunities to make plays.
The last cornerback to win the award was New York Jets corner Sauce Gardner, who tallied two picks and a league-high 20 passes defensed while giving up a completion rate of 53.5% and a passer rating of 62.7.
Arnold will have ample opportunities to at least approach what Gardner did in 2022, which would give him a shot to win the award.
HC Dan Campbell
Award: Coach of the Year
Campbell should have won this award in 2023 after an impressive 12-5 season that tied a franchise record for the most wins in a single campaign, a mark the Lions hadn't reached in over two decades.
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski won the award instead, which was understandable given what the team had to overcome. That said, Campbell simply cannot be denied if Detroit matches or betters their 2023 record.
DC Aaron Glenn
Award: Assistant Coach of the Year
The Lions have made some key additions to their defense this offseason, especially at cornerback, where they added Carlton Davis and Terrion Arnold to shore up what was the team's biggest weakness in 2023.
If Glenn can maximize the talent Detroit has added upfront and in the backfield, the defense has the potential to be elite. If that potential comes to fruition on the field, Glenn will be in position to walk away with some hardware.
OC Ben Johnson
Award: Assistant Coach of the Year
In 2023, the Lions' offense finished third in total yards, second in passing yards, fifth in rushing yards and fifth in points, giving Detroit one of the best units in the NFL. Like Campbell, Johnson probably should have won an award last season.
Looking ahead to 2024, Johnson will once again be at the helm of an elite offense that is returning just about the entire starting lineup. Assuming things pan out, the Lions offensive coordinator will be in the conversation once again.
