Detroit Lions might have league's best roster, and that gives them options in NFL draft
The Detroit Lions might have the best roster in the NFL.
They don’t have the best quarterback or best pass rusher or best pass catcher, for that matter. There are other teams with top-end talent as good or better than what the Lions can put out.
But when it comes to depth, when it comes to having every position filled with bona fide NFL starters — and capable backups behind them — the Lions are the envy of most teams in the league.
Brad Holmes and his staff have done a masterful job building the Lions into a power, and with the first wave of free agency in the books, there are no glaring holes they need to address in next month’s draft.
There still are areas to upgrade, for sure. The Lions are a light at receiver behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, they don’t have a dominant second edge rusher to pair with Aidan Hutchinson and the cornerback position remains in flux, given Cam Sutton’s status as a suspect in a domestic violence incident.
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But the Lions could suit up for a game tomorrow and feel good about how they match up with anyone in the NFL.
Holmes didn’t make any splash moves in free agency, but like an Olympic diver it was more important to leave a small ripple in his wake.
The Lions upgraded their roster at cornerback and defensive line and at least held serve at offensive guard, and with the 29th pick in next month’s draft they have the freedom and flexibility to go best player available — or move back and acquire future assets — without fear of shorting themselves a chance to compete for the Super Bowl.
Cornerback was the biggest position of need coming off last year’s 12-5 campaign, and the Lions have improved significantly at that position without spending big. Carlton Davis III is an upgrade at the No. 1 cornerback spot, Sutton is better suited to be a No. 2, and Amik Robertson and Emmanuel Moseley are more proven backups than what the Lions had in 2023.
Robertson’s inside-out positional flexibility keeps the Lions’ depth intact at safety; Brian Branch can move from slot corner to safety if something happens to starters Kerby Joseph or Ifeatu Melifonwu. And the entire unit should benefit from a better front.
The Lions do have injury and age concerns to manage defensively. Moseley has barely played since 2021, Melifonwu has never made it through a season healthy, and history says expecting 17 games out of new defensive line additions D.J. Reader and Marcus Davenport, who turn 30 and 28 this summer, respectively, is not wise.
But the Lions have left themselves salary cap flexibility to attack any problem areas that arise, and there are more additions coming through the draft.
Holmes has always preached best player available as a draft philosophy, and reinforced that by not allowing depth charts in his draft room. He won’t veer from that at Pick 29 this year, which puts nearly every position in play.
Pass rusher
The Lions signed Davenport to be in the big defensive end mix opposite Hutchinson, but still could use a double-digit-type sack artist coming off the right edge. James Houston showed promise as a situational rusher as a rookie, and should get a chance to earn that role this summer. But he’s unproven and returning from injury, and teams can never have enough pass rushers so players like Penn State’s Chop Robinson and UCLA’s Laiatu Latu, depending on his medicals, could be in the mix.
Defensive line
This is different from pure edge rusher, and encompasses everyone from defensive tackles Reader and Alim McNeill to ends Davenport, Josh Paschal and John Cominsky, all of whom can play inside. McNeill is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is less likely to sign an extension this offseason than St. Brown and Jared Goff. Davenport and Cominsky also are on expiring deals, and the Lions do not have great depth at the true defensive tackle spot with Levi Onwuzurike and Brodric Martin as their top backups. Holmes’ draft history points to using a Day 2 choice on this position, but it’s possible the Lions really love someone like Texas’ Byron Murphy, Illinois’ Jer’Zhan Newton or Missouri’s Darius Robinson.
Cornerback
Sutton’s status is the wild card here and it would be irresponsible to speculate on it now. But even after adding Davis by trade, Robertson in free agency and re-signing Moseley this spring, there are long-term questions at the position. Davis and Moseley are on expiring contracts, though Davis said he’s interested in staying in Detroit long-term. Holmes has never drafted a true outside cornerback, but there are a half dozen options that could go in the second half of Round 1.
Wide receiver
St. Brown and Jameson Williams are the Lions’ top receivers, with Kalif Raymond and Donovan Peoples-Jones as backups. The Lions have plenty of other playmakers on offense (Sam LaPorta, Jahmyr Gibbs) but an injury to either starter would decimate this group. Receiver is one of the deepest positions in the draft, and Holmes did find St. Brown in Round 4. He doesn’t need to take a pass catcher high, but there are some really good ones who could be tempting — Brian Thomas, Keon Coleman, Xavier Worthy, Ladd McConkey, Adonai Mitchell, Troy Franklin — at 29 or with a trade down.
Offensive line
The Lions need to get younger on their offensive line. New right guard Kevin Zeitler is 34, left guard Graham Glasgow turns 32 this summer and Frank Ragnow’s body feels at least that old. Zeitler and left tackle Taylor Decker also are on expiring deals, which could be more impetus for the Lions to target the line somewhere in the draft. They don’t need to force it in Round 1, but like receiver and cornerback, there are a bunch of good linemen who seem poised to come off the board somewhere around the Lions’ first pick.
I gave Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton to the Lions in my latest mock draft, for some of the reasons outlined above. The Lions don’t need a plug-and-play starter at any position, but they could use more depth at several and Barton fills that all by himself.
He played left tackle at Duke but some think he’s best suited to play center in the NFL. He probably won’t be a tackle long-term because of his arm length (32 7/8 inches), but he has above-average smarts and athleticism and the nasty demeanor the Lions like in their linemen.
Above all else, Barton has good enough tape that I could see him being Holmes’ “best on the board.”
I gave Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson to the Lions in my previous mock, and I’d still give him the slight edge over Barton as a prospect. West Virginia’s Zach Frazier is another interior tone-setter I considered at 29, and there are some talented tackle prospects who could slide to the Lions because of polish concerns.
Whatever position they draft, the Lions have a chance to get a top-20 player on their board. That’s the freedom you have when you build maybe the most complete roster in the NFL.
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Do Detroit Lions have NFL's best roster? How that impacts draft plans.
