The Detroit Lions are ready to take their game to the next level in 2024. They came one half of football away from going to the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history. Now they boast a much improved defense and their offense is as good as ever. It's no reason why they're a heavy Super Bowl favorite in the NFC.
One strength of the Lions roster is its depth at nearly every position. Credit general manager Brad Holmes for years of smart decisions that has put Detroit into this position.
Detroit had their first preseason game of the season last week against the New York Giants. The Lions lost 14-3 to the Giants, who displayed much better QB play from wire to wire.
The Lions may have lost the game, but they did learn a lot about the players on the bottom of the roster. These three players had strong performances and should feel better about themselves coming out of their first preseason game.
The Lions offense struggled in the first half, but showed signs of life with QB Hendon Hooker
Don't be fooled by the box score ā the Lions offense was atrocious in the first half. Even though they scored their only points of the game in the first half, it was a miserable offensive showing.
Thankfully, that all changed in the second half when Hendon Hooker took over at QB for Nate Sudfeld.
Hooker gave the Lions a shot in the arm, sparking a resurgent effort by the unit that didn't yield any points. The important caveat is that on Hooker's best drive, the Lions marched all the way to inside the opposing five yard line. However, they couldn't convert on fourth down and came away empty.
Back to Hooker. He displayed some quick decision making and an ability to threaten the Giants defense by running the ball.
Hooker finished five-of-nine for 36 yards passing, but added four rushes for 34 yards on the ground. He finished the game as the team's leading rusher.
Unfortunately, he exited the game early and was evaluated for a concussion.
Dan Campbell confirmed earlier today that Hooker is trending towards playing in Saturday's preseason game against the Chiefs, but it is no guarantee. Regardless, it is great to hear that Hooker is returning to good health.
If Hooker can keep this up, he is a lock to secure the backup job behind Jared Goff.
Sione Vaki flashed potential as an NFL RB in first preseason action
Vaki is an interesting prospect entering the NFL.
Vaki played mostly safety in college, but did spend some time playing running back. When the Lions drafted him, they announced the pick as RB ā signaling their intentions to play him as an offensive player in the NFL.
Since Vaki has not had much traditional training at running back, it was an open question as to how he would look in the preseason. We knew he is a dangerous player when in open space, but that doesn't necessarily translate to running between the tackles.
Thankfully, Vaki had an impressive showing in his first preseason game. As shown in the following post from PFF, Vaki logged 29 rushing yards on four carries. More impressively, he forced two missed tackles and had a whopping 22 yards after contact.
Vaki seems like a lock to make the final roster. Not only is he a recent draft pick, but he is proving that he can put in the work on the field.
One reason why I am certain that Vaki will make the final roster is because he can contribute in all three phases. I don't believe the Lions intend to play him at safety at all, but they have the option to use him in emergency situations if needed. Vaki could also contribute as a special teams player as a gunner or a returner.
It will be interesting to watch how the Lions deploy Vaki in the regular season.
EDGE Pat O'Connor showed off some solid play in his return to the Lions
Pat O'Connor is back with the Lions. Detroit originally drafted O'Connor in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He did not stick on the team's final roster and was later added to the Buccaneer' practice squad.
O'Connor floated up and down on the team's practice squad through the 2023 season. He is now in training camp with the Lions once again.
Pat O'Connor flashed some intriguing potential in Detroit's first preseason game. O'Connor looked impressive in the in run defense, something that this Detroit coaching staff places a premium on. In their system, you āearn the rightā to rush the passer by stopping the run. Therefore, it was great to see O'Connor show some run defense chops against the Giants.
He also flashed on tape with his pass rush ability, displaying some nice burst off the line of scrimmage.
It is important to study the tape with a player like O'Connor because the box score does not do him justice. He only logged one assist against the Giants, but he also had two pressures.
Now for the bad news ā O'Connor has a rough road ahead of him to make the final roster. Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport appear to be entrenched in the starting lineup. Backup Josh Pascal is also a lock for the roster. After that, it gets a lot murkier.
James Houston IV is always in the mix thanks to his pass rushing skills. John Cominsky has flashed some good play, but could also be on the roster bubble. Isaac Ukwu also flashed some solid plays in the Giants game, so he is competition for O'Connor as well.
Ultimately, Pat O'Connor's most realistic outcome is winding up on the Lions practice squad.
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