Christian Booher: The Lions are in a good position, as they have many of their position groups in place to field an elite team if they took the field tomorrow. As a result, there’s not many areas they shouldn’t go in the NFL Draft.
I will say that there are certain obvious positions that the Lions should avoid, particularly in the first round. While much of the defense could stand to improve, there is little need to draft offensive players at the quarterback or running back positions.
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Vito Chirco: I know there could be a run on quarterbacks early, making this point moot. But, if I were Detroit’s general manager Brad Holmes, I’d avoid drafting all three of the following potential first-round quarterbacks: Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, Oregon’s Bo Nix and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. Holmes needs to resist the urge to take a quarterback at No. 29 overall (and I think that he will).
As I’ve said before and as it’s been bandied about by others for a while now, I think Holmes will use the pick to draft the best player available on his board. And, I think that could be an EDGE defender, a defensive back (a cornerback or even safety) or a wide receiver.
2. Was it a good decision to bring back Brock Wright?
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Booher: At first, I thought the Lions were likely going to lose Wright when seeing that he had commanded a three-year deal from the 49ers. However, upon viewing the terms of the contract, it’s actually a great team-friendly deal that takes away some of the guesswork regarding his future.
Wright has been a nice complimentary piece for the Lions’ offense and will be a big part of the run game for the future. As a result, I think the decision to retain Wright will benefit the Lions in the long run.
Chirco: I think so. I believe that Holmes & Co. view Wright as a quality reserve tight end who has a firm grasp of Ben Johnson’s playbook and is good for the locker room. It doesn’t mean that I – or the Lions – think he’s a high-end player at the position, though. To be quite honest, he’s not, and I believe that Detroit’s front office realizes that, too. It’s why I think the Lions will be open to drafting a tight end at some point in the mid-to-late rounds of this April’s NFL Draft. And, as I’ve said before, I think Penn State’s uber-athletic Theo Johnson would be a solid target for Detroit.
3. Which team ahead of the Lions could draft a player Brad Holmes covets?
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Booher: I think there are several teams ahead of the Lions who could scoop up a top cornerback prospect before the Lions get their chance to pick. For instance, Indianapolis currently has been linked to the top cornerbacks, as has Philadelphia.
Because it is such a deep cornerback class, I could also see teams picking a player at the position even if it is not their number one need. The Lions will have done their research, and it’s a guarantee that Brad Holmes will have the Lions in a position to make a good move regardless of who is on the board.
Chirco: I think there are a few teams, and it involves a couple of Alabama defensive backs. I could see the Lions targeting a cornerback and trying to grab either Terrion Arnold or Kool-Aid McKinstry in the first round. The only problem with that is that it appears Arnold could go as high as No. 13 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders. Meanwhile, it looks like McKinstry could go as early as No. 22 overall to the Eagles. And, based on recent mocks, if McKinstry doesn’t go that early, he could end up going to the Cardinals at No. 27 overall.
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Based on last year’s D’Andre Swift trade on Day 3 of the draft, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Holmes swing a draft-day deal with Eagles general manager Howie Roseman.
4. Do you think the Lions give Taylor Decker an extension this offseason?
Booher: I am in the camp that believes that Taylor Decker will eventually receive an extension from the Detroit Lions. However, I am not certain it will come this offseason. Decker has been a solid player for the Lions since entering the league in 2016, however he’s one of the longest-tenured players on the roster.
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Chirco: I truly believe that the Lions want to give Decker an extension, considering how important he is to Detroit’s offensive line and keeping Jared Goff upright. But, knowing that Goff and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown are due for lucrative long-term extensions (and sooner rather than later), it makes me think that Lions general manager Brad Holmes is going to hold off on signing Decker to a new deal this offseason. Once again, I believe that the Lions view Decker as vital to the overall performance of the team’s offensive line. However, at the end of the day, I still think they value both Goff and St. Brown more. And subsequently, I believe that Holmes & Co. will prioritize getting them locked up with long-term deals before Decker.
Decker should receive a new contract, it just might not come until the season’s end.
5. Which was the bigger loss for the Lions: Ceedy Duce or Josh Reynolds?
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Booher: Based on contribution, Reynolds has to be the team’s bigger loss. He was with the organization for longer and had a more profound impact. Duce, meanwhile, missed most of his only campaign in Detroit with a torn pec.
I think Duce is still a good player and will be missed, but some of his antics on and off the field may not be missed by Lions’ fans. Reynolds, meanwhile, will be remembered fondly aside from the struggles in the NFC Championship game.
Reynolds’ departure also gives the Lions a hole at the wide receiver position, while the Lions have two solid starting safeties to replace Ceedy Duce.
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Chirco: Based on production this past season, it’s clearly Josh Reynolds. Ceedy Duce did a lot more talking than producing in his lone campaign with the Lions, and to me, it’s why he won’t be a big loss for the team in 2024.
Reynolds, a favorite target of signal-caller Jared Goff, would’ve been a perfect No. 3 wideout to slot behind Jameson Williams on Detroit’s wide receivers depth chart. And, without Reynolds, the Lions have a clear-cut void in their receivers room. There’s no doubt in my mind that they’re going to miss him this upcoming season.
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