The Detroit Lions are a team on a mission in 2024. They are coming off the best season they have ever had in the Super Bowl era as they won the NFC North title and two postseason games. While they fell short in the NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers, head coach Dan Campbell and his team have legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.
As any diehard Lions fan knows, the Lions have never even been to the Super Bowl, let alone win it.
There are little doubts about the Lions offense with Jared Goff at quarterback, David Montgomery getting the job done at the running back position, Amon-Ra St. Brown at wide receiver and Sam LaPorta at tight end. This unit finished third in total offense, second in passing offense and fifth in scoring with an average of 27.1 points per game.
Defense must show improvement if Lions are going to make it to the Super Bowl
However, defense has been a different story. While there was quite a bit of improvement last year, the Lions still finished 19th in total defense by allowing 336.1 yards per game and 27th in passing defense. They were 23rd in points allowed as opponents scored 23.2 points per game and they were tied for 23rd in sacks with 41.
If the Lions are going to defend the NFC North title and make a run at unseating the 49ers for the right to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, their defense has to pick it up in 2024. To that end, the Lions drafted a pair of cornerbacks with their first two selections in the draft. CB Terrion Arnold of Alabama and Ennis Rakestraw of Missouri have an opportunity to make a significant contribution this season and so does 4th-round selection S Sione Vaki of Utah.
Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn must find a way to get his unit to become more efficient and better in pass coverage. The best player he has is defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, who has lived up to expectations after being drafted with the No. 2 pick in 2022. Hutchinson had a team-leading 11.5 sacks and 121 quarterback pressures last season. He is the player that opposing offensive coordinators always have to scheme against.
Linebacker Alex Anzalone is a great complementary player to Hutchinson and he has improved quite a bit in each of his three seasons with the Lions. He had 129 tackles last season, along with 7 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks and 6 passes defensed.
Lions signed free agent Marcus Davenport, and that appears to be a gamble
The Lions need significantly more from their defense this season. They added cover corner Carlton Davis III in a trade with Tampa Bay, and they picked up defensive end Marcus Davenport during free agency.
Davenport is a boom-or-bust type player, and after his injury-plagued season with the Minnesota Vikings last year, the Lions are hoping he can stay healthy in 2024.
That has been an issue for Davenport throughout his first six years in the league.
He played 15 games in 2022 with the Saints, and that's the most he has ever played. He had his best season 2021 when he had 39 tackles, 9.0 sacks, 9 tackles for loss and 3 forced fumbles.
If he can have that kind of season with the Lions, Campbell and Glenn will be absolutely thrilled. The thought is that he can play on the opposite side from Hutchinson and take some of the heat off of him. The key to that scenario is Davenport staying in the lineup and away from the trainer's room.
However, if he is sidelined with yet another injury and can't get on the field for more than 4 games — as was the case last year — the Lions will have gambled and lost.
Davenport signed a one-year, $6.5 million contract with the Lions. His ankle injury sidelined him for the majority of last season. He had a calf injury in 2022 that resulted in him missing a game. Shoulder injuries forced him out of six games in 2021.
He has also had a concussion, elbow injuries, a Lis Franc fracture and a fractured thumb in his professional career.
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