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The Detroit Lions had to watch as former quarterback Matthew Stafford won a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams after they traded him away last offseason. It had to be hard for the franchise to watch their longtime signal-caller win the big game while wearing another uniform. However, if the Lions and their fans think about it, there's a lot to like about where this team is positioned heading into the 2022 NFL offseason.
Detroit has a decent amount of cap space and possesses the number-two overall pick and 32nd overall pick in the Draft. Jared Goff is not the future at the position, but Detroit could look towards the future in the back end of the first round. Otherwise, the primary focus should be on the defensive side of the ball, where the team has needs from the defensive line all the way to the secondary.
That said, here are three moves that the Lions must make in the 2022 NFL offseason.
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3 Moves The Lions Must Make In 2022 NFL Offseason
3. Pass on quarterback with 32nd pick
This quarterback draft class could end up being solid, or it could be forgettable. One way to look at things from the Lions perspective is this: do any of the quarterbacks in this draft class have the potential to be that much better than Jared Goff down the road?
Never say never but given how much the Lions are tied to Goff this season- it makes sense for them to try to build the best possible team around their quarterback of the future and then search for one in a better draft class. As presently constructed, the Lions simply don't have enough talent to properly evaluate a franchise quarterback anyway- and might not next year either.
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Instead of taking a quarterback with the 32nd pick in the first round, the Lions should focus on the wide receiver spot or the defensive side of the ball. They need to keep stockpiling young talent to the roster in an effort to build the best possible team in the future.
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2. Sign free agent cornerback
The Lions admittedly didn't get much from rookie corner Jeff Okudah, who suffered a season-ending injury in Week 1. However, he is certainly a piece to continue building around for the future. In order to help he and the rest of the secondary in the present, however, the Lions should sign a veteran free agent corner.
Perhaps someone like Las Vegas Raiders free agent cornerback Casey Heyward, who is 33 years old and might not attract as much attention as other corners on the market, would make sense. Either way, Detroit needs a veteran voice in the cornerback room, whether it comes from free agency or the draft.
1. Draft Aidan Hutchinson
The Lions shouldn't even think twice about it. Aidan Hutchinson should be their man. He went from a so-so defensive lineman to an absolute star in just one year for the Michigan Wolverines. He had a whopping 16.5 tackles for loss and 14 sacks for Michigan and was a disruptive presence both against the run and the pass.
One year after finding a cornerstone talent in the offensive trenches, the Lions can do so on the defensive side of the ball by selecting Hutchinson.
