The Lions experienced a drastic turnaround during the 2022 season.
Dan Campbell’s squad went just 3-13-1 in 2021, and then started off this past season with a dismal 1-6 mark. Detroit then proceeded to win eight of its last 10 games, to finish the campaign at 9-8.
To take the next step as an organization in 2023, Detroit will need to make a concerted effort to upgrade the team’s defense this offseason, via both free agency and the NFL Draft.
And, it will also need a variety of players to take a step forward in their respective careers.
Let’s take a look now at three players who need to step up next season.
WR Jameson Williams
The expectations will be raised for the 2022 No. 12 overall pick next season.
And, this will especially be the case if the Lions decide not to re-sign fellow wideout DJ Chark this offseason.
Williams spent the majority of his rookie campaign nursing a torn ACL, and he didn’t end up making his NFL debut until Week 13 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
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On the season, the Alabama product totaled just one catch (a 41-yard touchdown in Week 14 against the Vikings). And, he took an end-around carry for 40 yards in Week 17 against the Bears.
Here’s to hoping that Williams develops a stronger rapport with Detroit signal-caller Jared Goff in 2023.
EDGE Josh Paschal
Paschal is another player from the Lions’ 2022 rookie class that will need to step up his game in his second season in the league.
While fellow first-year EDGE defenders Aidan Hutchinson and James Houston seemingly made seamless transitions to the professional ranks, Paschal certainly experienced his fair share of struggles.
For starters, the Kentucky product underwent offseason sports hernia surgery, and failed to make his NFL debut until Week 7 against Dallas. And, upon making his debut, he didn’t make an immediate impact.
In fact, the 2022 second-round pick (No. 46 overall) didn’t record his first career tackle for loss and sack until Week 17. In the aforementioned contest, Paschal produced two tackles for loss, and sacked Bears quarterback Justin Fields twice . It became Paschal’s coming-out party on the NFL stage.
Moving into the 2023 campaign, the expectation is that Paschal will get behind the quarterback on a much more consistent basis. And, if such happens, Detroit’s pass-rushing unit would take another step in the right direction.
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RB D’Andre Swift
As has been the case throughout the entirety of his NFL career, Swift showcased glimpses of electric, play-making ability this past season.
He started off the ’22 campaign with a bang, rushing 15 times for a career-high 144 yards and a touchdown in Week 1 against the NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles.
However, the third-year back got banged up in the aforementioned season opener, suffering a high-ankle sprain in the first half. And, then just two weeks later, he separated his left shoulder in Minnesota.
Swift’s effectiveness proceeded to dip, and after returning from injury in Week 8 against Miami, he endured a five-game stretch where he rushed for no more than 20 yards in a single contest. During that stretch of time, the 2020 second-round selection (No. 35 overall) also accumulated a dismal 2.65 yards a carry.
And, along the way, Jamaal Williams surpassed Swift as the No. 1 running back on the Lions’ depth chart.
Now, Swift’s future in Motown is in doubt, with Detroit having until May 1 to decide whether to pick up his fifth-year rookie option.
Regardless of whether Lions general manager Brad Holmes picks up the option, it’d be nice to see Swift suit up for a full season of games in 2023.
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