The Detroit Lions: Possible Contenders For NFC North?

Now that free agency has come to a near halt and the draft is over, it's time to take a look and do some evaluating of the Lions roster. This is a team that was 0-16 last year and needs help across the board.

The Lions added some talented players through the draft and a few players in free agency as well. One question still remains in the heads of many around the NFL: How much has the talent level on this team increased over the last few months?

The Strengths

Linebackers: The Lions added Julian Peterson and Larry Foote to the linebacking corps. They also landed Deandre Levy in the third round and signed Cody Spencer in free agency. Jordan Dizon will also get a shot to showcase his abilities with this new coaching staff. Sims, Peterson, and Foote should make this corps a lot better than in the past few years. This position went from being a weakness to a strength.

Wide Receivers: Calvin Johnson...need I say more? The additions of Ronald Curry, Bryant Johnson, Derrick Williams, and a few others will help make that a strength for the Lions.

Running Back: Kevin Smith will come on stronger in his second season and the addition of Maurice Morris was a good move. We also drafted Aaron Brown and added Antoine Smith as a UDFA. This group should be better than what we had last year and I anticipate Kevin Smith having a good season.

Safety: Now this is assuming we play Anthony Henry at safety. If we play Henry and Delmas at safety, I think this will be a strength for this team. Call me crazy, but I am expecting big things from the rookie Delmas this year, and Henry has proven he can be a solid player in the NFL.

Coaching and Scheme: Is this really an upgrade? I think so. Marinelli and his Tampa 2 defense really cost this team some games last year. I believe a better coaching staff and better defensive scheme would have at least won this team a few games last year. Now that the Tampa 2 is out, and Marinelli is gone, I anticipate us being a better football team for the those simple facts. Schwartz seems to be a pretty smart guy, and I believe he will do much more with this team than Marinelli ever did.

The Weaknesses

The Defensive Line: Adding Grady Jackson was a good move, but who else do we have? We traded Redding for Peterson, and we are basically relying on several young, unproven players to step up and fill the void on our defensive line. I believe Avril and White will do well as defensive ends, but can our defensive tackles step up and play big? To me, that is the biggest question mark going into this upcoming season.

Offensive Line: These units take time to gel, and the Lions added a few new pieces. I anticipate Loper to become our starting left guard, and that should improve the play of Backus. Pettigrew is a good blocker and should help out in the both the run and pass game. Can we establish a solid running game or protect our QB long enough to complete a pass? We haven't done it recently, and I have trouble believing we will until I see it happen.

Cornerbacks: We sent Travis Fisher and Leigh Bodden packing while bringing in Phillip Buchanon and Eric King.  I do believe this unit will be improved over last year, but I still have trouble believing it will be a strength. Buchanon has been a productive NFL corner, but King has an injury history, and nobody on our roster from last year really jumps out at me as a No. 2 corner.

Quarterback: The drafting of Stafford helped strengthen this position, and Culpepper losing weight looks promising, but can you really consider this a strength until you see it on the field? I think Daunte has a good year and we sit Stafford for a season. If Daunte can capture some of that magic from 2004 with Minnesota, then this will become a strength. Time will tell.

Overall

I would say the Lions have made some improvements, but they should still be considered a bottom feeder in the NFC North until they prove otherwise. If the Lions can get some solid defensive line play from their younger guys and help that defensive get off the field, then maybe, just maybe, they can win some games.

The offense will score points with Culpepper, Calvin, and Scott Linehan's vertical passing attack. If the Lions want any shot at competing for the division, they must establish a solid running game on offense, and be able to stop the run on defense. Only time will tell if these things will play out in favor of Lions fans, but I, for one, hope they do.