Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) reacts to a long run against the Washington Commanders during the first half of an NFL football divisional playoff game, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
The Detroit Lions fell short of their lofty Super Bowl-or-bust expectations in 2024. In case you’ve been living under a rock, they suffered a devastating defeat at the hands of the Washington Commanders in the divisional round of the playoffs.
It was an especially tough pill to swallow for Dan Campbell’s squad, which had won a franchise-best 15 games and secured the NFC’s No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the postseason.
The loss exposed the Lions’ most glaring issues: their lack of a reliable pass-rush and their deficiencies at cornerback and guard.
Detroit came up with zero sacks of Commanders signal-caller Jayden Daniels in the contest, and allowed him to complete 71 percent of his passes and throw for 299 yards and two touchdowns. Daniels was afforded an ample amount of time to survey the field all night, and the rookie passer proceeded to pick apart the Lions’ secondary.
It was an inexcusable effort from now-former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn’s unit, and it cost Detroit dearly.
In addition to the porous display by the defense, there was the subpar performance by left guard Graham Glasgow. The veteran offensive lineman struggled all season, and exerted an especially bad effort in the playoff loss. He allowed six hurries of quarterback Goff and nine total pressures, and was responsible for a penalty and a sack of Goff as well. It was an abysmal display from Glasgow, who earned a Pro Football Focus pass-rushing grade of just 10.2 and a PFF overall mark of 53.0 for the performance.
For the regular season, Glasgow allowed 36 total pressures and four sacks, and received a 57.9 overall grade from PFF (the 85th-best mark out of 135 guards).
The Michigan product does have two more seasons under contract with the Lions. However, he will be 33 come the start of the 2025 campaign, and his best days appear to be behind him. At this present juncture, it’d be wise for Detroit general manager Brad Holmes to look for a new starting left guard.
The Lions might have to find a new starting right guard this offseason, too. Kevin Zeitler, the team’s starter at the position in 2024, produced a quality campaign, paving the way for the dominant season of Detroit’s standout backfield tandem of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. He earned an 87.2 PFF run-blocking grade for the year, including an 86.8 overall mark.
Zeitler, however, will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and will be 35 entering 2025. So, there’s no guarantee that the veteran lineman will be brought back by Holmes & Co.
The Lions appear to be just two-three players away from finally being Super Bowl bound. And, there is a chance that Holmes dives head-first into the free-agent market to fill the aforementioned voids on Detroit’s roster.
There has also been much speculation about the Lions going “all-in” and pulling off a trade for a premium pass-rusher, such as the Browns’ Myles Garrett or the Raiders’ Maxx Crosby. Such a trade would require Detroit to part with multiple high-end draft assets, something that Holmes hasn’t been willing to do so far in his tenure as GM. And, there’s no indication – at least yet – that Holmes is going to alter his roster-building strategy anytime soon.
Instead, it’s more likely that the front office continues to build through the draft and via shrewd moves in free agency (i.e. short-term pacts with free agents). It also wouldn’t surprise me if Holmes & Co. continue to rely on their player development system to improve at their areas of need (e.g., EDGE, cornerback and guard).
At cornerback, the Lions will certainly expect more from Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw, the organization’s first two draft picks in 2024. They each possess high upsides, and could develop into No. 1-type cornerbacks. If they do (or either of them does), it would help fill the void created by the potential departure of impending free agent Carlton Davis.
Then, at guard, Christian Mahogany is a strong candidate to step in for Zeitler or to take Glasgow’s job at left guard. Mahogany finished the season in a strong fashion, and filled in superbly for Zeitler in Detroit’s divisional-round playoff loss.
Unlike these first two areas of need, Detroit might have to go the external route to find a proper EDGE complement for Aidan Hutchinson. The Lions have lacked a sufficient tag-team partner for Hutchinson ever since the day he was drafted in 2022. At this juncture, it’s time for Holmes to go out of his comfort zone and do whatever it takes, even parting with multiple draft picks, to upgrade the team’s pass-rush.
However, on an overall scale, there is something to be said about Detroit continuing to build organically and relying upon continued growth from its roster.
Holmes has assembled a nice, young core in the Motor City, with a variety of established stars that he has drafted (i.e. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell, Hutchinson and Gibbs). But, Holmes & Co. also possess a variety of unproven talents, including several players from last year’s draft class (Rakestraw, offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo and Mahogany).
If each of those players can take a step forward this upcoming spring and summer, the Lions will be just fine in 2025. It’s the very reason why the organization still has a legitimate shot at being Super Bowl contenders without spending big in free agency this offseason.
