I would say that this off-season and the 2015 NFL draft could have been a better one for the Lions which seems to be the case just about every season, especially when we’re talking later round picks. Taking a look at what happened this past May in Chicago though drafting a starting left guard with their first round pick in Laken Tomlinson will definitely help an offensive line that had trouble protecting Matt Stafford last season.
L. Tackle: R. Rieff
L. Guard: L. Tomlinson
C: M. Ramirez
R. Guard: L. Warford
R. Tackle: L. Waddle
And that remains one of the big questions concerning the offense heading into this season, will they not only be able to protect the quarterback but will they be able to block for Bell and rookie Ameer Abdullah?
There is no doubt that Jim Caldwell and the front office have continued to build this team around Stafford in this off-season. Between Megatron, Tate, Ebron and Moore, Stafford shouldn’t have any problems finding open receivers in 2015. Add Ameer Abdullah to the mix who’s essentially a younger and probably more productive Reggie Bush then you have zero excuses for futility on Matthew Stafford’s part this upcoming year.
Most Lions fans expect the “same ole Lions” and quite frankly you can’t blame them. The surprise for Lions fans is the team overcoming those old clichés to perhaps win games they aren’t suppose to, beat the Packers in Green Bay and win that elusive playoff game.
Jim Caldwell is going into his second year as the Lions head coach, he knows these players and will develop the younger ones as time goes by…. hopefully. On top of that, we need the veterans to step up and be leaders for these younger guys.
Regarding the defense, the departure of Suh will hurt the Lions defense. However acquiring Haloti Ngata and Tyrunn Walker will help balance out some of the lost production. Not totally but then again you’re looking to replace arguably the best defensive tackle in the league which won’t happen fully. In the long run though I feel the Lions Defense might be better off without Suh in the spot light. Tulloch and Van Noy will be back and healthy, so it will give Levy all the more room to destroy offensive players again.
The secondary might be an entirely different story altogether.
