2023 Detroit Lions

Freethinker

Hall of Famer
Joined
Oct 3, 2008
Messages
6,671
Location
Suffolk County, NY
Last year the Lions were the most improved team demographically and it paid off in the win column with a 9-8 record. Just barely missing the playoffs, the Lions should be motivated to get over the hump this year. Let's see how the roster and starters breakdown.

Total White Athletes on Roster (Starters in bold)
16 Whites total, with 7 starters. Grade: D

QB - Jared Goff
TE - Sam LaPorta, Brock Wright
T - Taylor Decker, Matt Nelson
G - Graham Glasgow, Colby Sorsdal
C - Frank Ragnow
DL - Aidan Hutchinson, John Cominsky
LB - Alex Anzalone, Jack Campbell, Malcolm Rodriguez

K - Riley Patterson
P - Jack Fox
LS - Scott Daly

IR - Nate Sudfeld (QB), Shane Zylstra (TE)
PS - David Blough (QB), Connor Glavin (OL), Michael Niese (OL), Max Pircher (T), Trevor Nowaske (LB), Michael Badgley (K)

A small drop-off of 2 in overall players and starters (for now). The offense is lead by former #1 overall pick Jared Goff in his 3rd season with the Lions. I think he was really on the hot season going into last year and he really stepped up in a big way. His 4,438 yards with 29 TDs and only 7 interceptions would in my opinion be his 2nd best season behind his terrific 2018 performance. At only 28 years old, I hope the Lions lock him up long term and build a Super Bowl contender around him. The next most compelling offensive player is rookie TE Sam LaPorta. Drafted early in the 2nd round, Sam has all of the skills to be the next great tight end from Iowa (TE U!). A perfect replacement for Hockenson. The offensive line is only 2/5th White and where the starter number drop came from. They need to protect Goff adequately well and the offense should excel again. Taylor Decker is the standout player on the line. For receivers, it was disappointing to see stalwart Tom Kennedy cut early with an injury and then Chase Cota cut late also with an injury. Neither appear on the roster but perhaps 1 or both could be brought back when they get over their injuries.

On defense, the team is one of the Whitest, considering the narrow parameters set up by the Caste NFL. Anzalone returns as an above average starter who had his best statistical season last year. Not sure why Derrick Barnes (who?) is starting over 2nd year talent Malcolm Rodriguez or prized rookie Jack Campbell. Campbell is an absolute beast, also from Iowa, who should be starting soon even with Caste obstacles thrown in his way. On the line, former #2 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson is off to a good start to his career with 52 tackles, 9.5 sacks and 3 interceptions! The local legend, who is from Michigan and starred at Michigan University is already a top pass rusher but expect him to improve further in year 2. He appears to be a big star and fan favorite in the city of Detroit. Rounding out the defense is rotational lineman John Cominsky. After being caste aside by the Falcons, who used him to warm the bench, it looks like he's finally getting meaningful snaps and has performed well so far as a Lion with a number of starts last year.

The Dan Campbell / Brad Holmes regime has so far been promising for both roster composition and also results on the field. Hoping they can win the NFC North with 7 White starters or so.

Edit: Glasgow starting. Thanks Phall.
 
Last edited:

Don Wassall

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Sep 30, 2004
Messages
29,727
Location
Pennsylvania
Cominsky played starter's snaps the second half of last season and I expect that to continue this season even if he's not currently listed that way. Campbell will be a starter soon enough, so I consider the Lions to have four White starters on defense though your depth chart above is correct. Even Rodriguez may get starter's snaps at some point again as their third linebacker, though likely only as a two-down player. So I still consider them the "Whitest" (lol) defense in the league even though technically they only have two starters at the moment.
 

Snow Plow

Guru
Joined
Dec 11, 2022
Messages
190
Lions defense coming along nicely.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0855.jpeg
    IMG_0855.jpeg
    345.3 KB · Views: 13
  • IMG_0843.jpeg
    IMG_0843.jpeg
    291.9 KB · Views: 13

FootballDad

Hall of Famer
Joined
Oct 19, 2009
Messages
4,991
Location
Somewhere near Kansas City, MO
Jared Goff was the NFC offensive player of the week for week 6. He's been playing phenomenal football this year. Of course he's played well his entire career. Kudos to Mr. Goff and hope that he continues for the rest of this season to shine.
 

Phall

Master
Joined
Sep 19, 2012
Messages
2,092
Location
not Brooklyn
Jared Goff was the NFC offensive player of the week for week 6. He's been playing phenomenal football this year. Of course he's played well his entire career. Kudos to Mr. Goff and hope that he continues for the rest of this season to shine.

Negotiations are apparently ongoing for Goff's contract extension. He's signed through 2024 on the deal he originally signed with the Rams. Goff could have already been cut with an understated cap hit but outplayed his expectations these past two seasons with an ever-upward trajectory.

I'll be a bit nervous about this until the ink is dry on the paper. GM Brad Holmes and DC Aaron Glenn have combined to create the "whitest" defense in the NFL, with five players (Hutchinson, Anzalone, Campbell, Cominsky, Rodriguez) logging tackles in the box score virtually every week.

The Lions also have a white TE room. Graham Glasgow's ascent to LG through injury means the offensive line is now 3/5 white (on the "blind side").

But for all these positives, Detroit could implode into an unwatchable disaster very quickly by resetting their quarterback position. Behind Goff is the timeless Teddy "Sewerwater" Bridgewater. Our sports journalist class occasionally reminds us that the Lions spent a (completely wasteful) third-round pick on Hendon Hooker. Not only would these two spoil the team's white-friendly aesthetic: I'd have no interest in watching such a downgrade into mediocrity (Bridgewater) or outright ineptitude (Hooker).

So, it is really important that Goff and his agent hammer out an extension soon!
 

Don Wassall

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Sep 30, 2004
Messages
29,727
Location
Pennsylvania
Malcolm Rodriguez has played no snaps at linebacker the past two games after playing so well as a rookie last year. Jack Campbell is still playing only around half the snaps, while Anzalone is on the field for every play. Derrick Barnes is picking up the other linebacker snaps, so for now the hopes of the Lions having a snowplow at LB are dashed.
 

Snow Plow

Guru
Joined
Dec 11, 2022
Messages
190
Coach of the year:
Starts up to 10 whites
Doesn’t salivate over players
Doesn’t call out players for negative plays
Respects the reporters asking questions
 

Attachments

  • IMG_1035.jpeg
    IMG_1035.jpeg
    179.6 KB · Views: 3
Top