The Lions made sweeping changes following their 0-16 season, complete with a tweaked uniform and logo. Jim Schwartz was hired to overhaul the squad, bringing in ex-Rams head coach Scott Linehan to run the offense and Gunther Cunningham to run the defense.
The team barely looks the same on defense as the team used free agency and the waiver wire to make the majority of changes there. Phillip Buchanon, Anthony Henry, Eric King and rookie Louis Delmas are among the new names in the secondary with Julian Peterson and Larry Foote joining Ernie Sims at linebacker and Grady Jackson a big infusion at defensive tackle. There's still a question over where the pass rush will come from, but the unit has been completely renovated in an effort to improve in 2009.
There was only one significant change on offense: Matthew Stafford. The rookie from Georgia was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 draft and landed a lucrative $41.7 million guaranteed deal to go along with it. With that kind of investment, and with Daunte Culpepper his primary competition, there's a good chance Stafford will see playing time sooner than later. The Lions did not upgrade their offensive line and have depth issues there, but arguably their two best players from their winless campaign -- rusher Kevin Smith and receiver Calvin Johnson -- should be key cogs in what they do when they have the ball.
Sleeper ... Matthew Stafford, QB
A little logic goes a long way with Stafford. Even though we're not in love with his basic quarterbacking skills, the situation is just right for him. Gunning deep for Calvin Johnson shouldn't be a problem for Stafford, or for Johnson for that matter judging by his 1,331 yards and 12 touchdowns last year catching passes from five different (and less polished) quarterbacks. The Lions won't be blowing out many opponents this year, which will mean more pass plays called. There's 300-yard-per-game potential here. Stafford also has decent receiving options around him besides 'Megatron' in veterans Ronald Curry and Bryant Johnson as well as rookie Brandon Pettigrew, plus Smith can catch out of the backfield. The only stumbling block is playing time; he can't put up stats if he can't get on the field. But in addition to the 41.7 million reasons the Lions have for starting Stafford, they can also look at the Falcons and Ravens from a year ago and see that getting to the postseason with a rookie quarterback is possible. Not that Stafford's situation, or talent, is on the same level as Matt Ryan's or Joe Flacco's, but the mere fact that he's already signed and learning the Lions' playbook puts him on pace to at least try to notch some wins for the Lions.
Breakout ... Ronald Curry, WR
We like the idea of Curry posting some strong numbers in 2009 after getting just seven touchdowns over his last three seasons with the underachieving Raiders. If there's one thing we know about Linehan's offenses, it's that speedy interior receivers have the chance to get good numbers. Curry is a good fit for what Linehan typically uses in the slot, and working alongside physical wideouts like Calvin Johnson and Bryant Johnson should mean single coverage against lesser cornerbacks on a regular basis. Curry also has good hands and hasn't been awful in seasons where he's routinely played. It wouldn't surprise us to see him post some strong weeks en route to a 700-to-800 yard campaign with a few touchdowns, making him a late-round option in the deepest of leagues.
Bust ... Bryant Johnson, WR
Many Fantasy owners are excited at the prospect of Johnson coming to Detroit and taking some pressure off of Calvin Johnson. Don't be one of those owners. Johnson has long been a disappointment, never scoring more than four touchdowns in a season and only once getting more than 600 yards in one year. He'll be working in his third new offense in as many years, which only complicates his progression. Sure, the Lions will be throwing a bunch, but Johnson has a modest track record and limited upside. You're better off going in another direction with a late-round pick when you draft.
Training camp topics
Obviously, Stafford will be a huge focus of everyone who takes in a Lions practice. But the quality of the club's offensive line also will be a factor. By going with Stafford, the Lions passed on selecting a qualified big man to protect the left side of their offensive line. They also didn't address the line in free agency, and only one draft pick -- seventh-rounder Lydon Murtha -- was targeted to help the line. The team seems content with left tackle Jeff Backus, and center Dominic Raiola and right tackle Gosder Cherilus aren't bad. But both guard spots leave plenty to be desired. This is a huge issue considering the expectations tied to second-year running back Kevin Smith, who has the potential to play as many as 30 snaps per game considering the lack of talent behind him on the depth chart (Morris and rookie Aaron Brown loom, but not largely). On the plus side, Linehan has worked with suspect offensive lines before (stops in St. Louis and Miami come to mind) and could mean that this issue won't be as big as we are making it out to be.
We're also interested in seeing how Pettigrew fits into the offense. He was a surprise selection by the Lions at 20th overall, but they like his versatility and his readiness for the NFL game. He's not expected to be a dynamic receiver in the offense, but he should contribute, possibly in the red zone.
The defense will be worth keeping an eye on, but really we'll be checking to see if they're any good. Head coach Jim Schwartz will be installing his version of 4-3 scheme, which relies on aggressive play up front and down the middle of the unit. Because there are so many veterans joining the Lions, the question of the defense coming together is one on the forefront of our minds. Remember, we liked the Lions defense in 2008 because it usually meant big numbers for the offenses playing against them. Time will tell if that will be the case this year.
Injury update ... Bryant Johnson (Finger; should be fine for the start of training camp).
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