Key Takeaways:
• The Detroit Lions are suggested to strengthen their defense with an eight-year veteran.
• SI.com writer Albert Breer suggests Yannick Ngakoue as a strong choice for the Lions.
• Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit’s standout star, aims to build on his impressive performance from last season.
• Lions head coach Dan Campbell has set his sights on the Super Bowl.
A Suggested Addition to the Lions Roster
As the 2024 season nears, one sports analyst believes the Detroit Lions, despite their strong roster, could fortify their defensive line. Albert Breer, writer at SI.com, suggests adding an experienced eight-year veteran could benefit the Lions on the field.
In his recent mailbag column dated June 26, Breer dished out praise to Detroit’s general manager, Brad Holmes. He noted that Holmes had successfully addressed most critical requirements the team faced. However, Breer mentioned the team could still add a seasoned professional to the defensive line to play alongside Aidan Hutchinson, their existing standout star. In Breer’s opinion, Yannick Ngakoue, an eight-year veteran, could be a potential fit for this role.
Harnessing Pass-Rush Talents
While Hutchinson’s performance over his two seasons with Detroit has been stunning, the team finds it challenging to build quality depth in pass rushers. In Breer’s words, the Lions’ current lineup would likely include Marcus Davenport as a starting pass rusher. While this isn’t a dire situation, there is room to add more pass rush depth, according to Breer.
He goes on to suggest that a seasoned veteran like Ngakoue or Emmanuel Ogbah would be a sensible addition to the team. The rationale being, it would maintain pressure during passing downs and provide an alternative starting option if Davenport can’t stay fit. The new addition would particularly be beneficial in mitigating Davenport’s notorious injury history. Additionally, he believes that such a move could equip the Lions better on passing downs, considering they are set to face many such situations in the upcoming season.
Ngakoue, the suggested addition, has a commendable track record with the Chicago Bears. The seasoned player managed 22 total tackles with 4.0 sacks in the past 13 games. He has remained a consistent performer before 2023, accumulating at least 8.0 sacks in each of his first seven seasons in the NFL.
Hutchinson Embracing a Path of Growth
Hutchinson’s performance has been exemplary, setting a personal best with 11.5 sacks in the 2023 season. However, the ambitious player is far from satisfied and sees more room for growth in the forthcoming season.
“I think there’s still so many levels to unlock,” Hutchinson told Dannie Rogers of Detroitlions.com. This mentality reaffirms his commitment to continually improving and contributing to the team’s success.
The Big Goal: The Super Bowl
Over the past two years, the Lions have been actively improving their defense. It was once one of the league’s weakest units but is steadily amassing high-profile players from NFL’s free agency platform. Thanks to their strategic acquisitions and reinforced defense, the Lions made it to the NFC Championship game last season.
However, head coach Dan Campbell has set his eyes on a bigger prize – the Super Bowl. “Every team ought to have that [goal]. You’re playing for a Super Bowl. We’re no different than that,” said Campbell, underscoring his ambition for the Lions in the upcoming season.