The Detroit Lions have been one of the busier teams in the NFL this offseason. After playing disappointingly the last few years, the front office ensured to get a tough, gritty head coach to lead the franchise. Dan Campbell came in as the head coach, promising the Lions will be a tough as nails unit that will “bite knee caps.”
Detroit followed through with that game plan in the NFL Draft after selecting Penei Sewell, Levi Onwuzurike, and Ifeatu Melifonwu, each of which plays tough, in-your-face football.
Dan Campbell is certainly a man with a plan and we should see it come to fruition during the 2021 NFL season. The Lions will have a few different key players make an impact, as the team will have plenty of opportunities for the young players to play. With that said, here are three potential breakout players for the Detroit Lions next year.
D'Andre Swift
D'Andre Swift is pickup up a bit of attention right now as he's the clear-cut best athlete on the Lions offense. The second-year running back aims to make a huge jump in production, as Detroit did little to improve the wide receiver group. Campbell comes off as head coach that will want to run the ball, which bodes well for Swift's potential production. Moreover, Detroit running backs coach Duce Staley said last February that he sees Swift as a “three-down back.”
The Lions running back will also be utilized in the passing game, as he has a history of being a solid target out of the backfield. With a questionable receiving core, we could see Jared Goff dump it off to Swift underneath frequently. If that's the case, Swift could finish as one of the best running backs in the league by the end of the year.
T.J. Hockenson
Detroit's tight end T.J. Hockenson is shaping up to be a premier player. He has all of the tools necessary to become a top tight end in the league. Additionally, he's likely the best receiving option on the roster after the Lions opted to not draft a receiver until round four, where they selected Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Hockenson is in line to receive the most targets from quarterback Jared Goff. The Lions' new QB has a history of throwing to his tight ends while playing for the Los Angeles Rams. We should see Hockenson be the main benefactor this season, and he could make a case to be a top-four tight end by the conclusion of the regular season.
Quintez Cephus
A name that could fly under the radar is Quintez Cephus. He's likely to grow in popularity throughout the rest of the offseason, as he's in line to be the starting receiver in Detroit. He's entering the second year of his career and performed well when given the opportunity. Last season, he finished with 20 receptions, 349 yards, and 2 touchdowns on just 35 targets.
With Detroit not doing much to replace Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones, Cephus should be in for a massive jump in production. He's currently listed as the third receiver on the depth chart on ESPN. Cephus can easily move up the pecking order soon with just Tyrell Williams and Breshad Perriman in front of him on the depth chart.
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