The Detroit Lions have had a memorable offseason. Not only did they make some very aggressive moves in free agency. Not only did they become more aggressive at the NFL Draft. However, they also signed long-term, reasonable contracts with three of their most important players, ensuring Detroit’s continued competitiveness for years to come.
The summer was so successful that PFF named the Lions the best offseason terrific among all 32 clubs. Detroit was the only team that received an A+ for their offseason moves.
“It was a stellar offseason for the Lions, as they made major additions with minimal subtractions,” Trevor Sikkema of PFF noted. “They’ve replaced C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Jonah Jackson with D.J. Reader.
Indeed, Detroit has done an excellent job of retaining the core of the club that led them to the NFC Championship last season. Though 11 of its free agents have found new homes, only three (Josh Reynolds, Jonah Jackson, and Benito Jones) have seen substantial playing time on offense or defense. Detroit replaced Jackson with Kevin Zeitler and Jones with DJ Reader, both of which are undoubtedly better. However, Detroit has not effectively replaced Reynolds.
Sikkema also praised the Lions’ draft, adding just, “They nailed it.”
While the Lions made several controversial decisions over draft weekend, such as sacrificing a potential third-round pick for developing lineman Giovanni Manu, the prevailing impression was that the Lions received outstanding value out of nearly all their picks, resulting in
Finally, PFF is correct in highlighting possibly the most essential aspect of the offseason: re-signing Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Penei Sewell to long-term contracts.
“Their Super Bowl window is still open,” Sikkema stated.
Indeed.
If you want to see all of the PFF offseason grades, click here. In the rest of the NFC North, the Bears received an A, the Packers a B, and the Vikings a B-.
