![\"Detroit](\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/graham-media-group\/image\/upload\/f_auto\/q_auto\/c_scale,w_640\/v1\/media\/gmg\/WMW4ISPACVEQLDE7JED5O6I7KQ.jpg?_a=DAJAUVWIZAAA\")
<\/p>\nESPN believes the Detroit Lions are built for the future, but still have them outside the NFL\u2019s top tier.<\/p>\n
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As the NFL offseason begins, experts are both offering their outlook for the upcoming months and making their projections for the 2025 season.<\/p>\n
The latest comes from ESPN\u2019s Jeremy Fowler, who placed all 32 teams into 11 different tiers\u2014from \u201cstill major contenders\u201d to \u201cyep, still rebuilding.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Detroit Lions were not listed in Fowler\u2019s top \u201cmajor contenders\u201d list, although he appears to have reserved that tier for this year\u2019s Super Bowl contenders; the champion Philadelphia Eagles and the runner-up Kansas City Chiefs. The Lions are in the next tier below\u2014\u201don the cusp\u201d\u2014sharing the spot with the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills.<\/p>\n
Overall, Fowler has a very positive outlook of the Lions\u2019 future.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Lions still have one of the premier rosters in football and are one of its most complete teams despite their divisional round loss to Washington,\u201d Fowler wrote. \u201cThey also are set up for long-term success, locking up several key players to extensions with plenty of 2025 cap space to spare. (Pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson and safety Kerby Joseph could be next on the extension line.) This allows Detroit to take calculated risks on premier talent without feeling beholden to addressing depth. They are deep just about everywhere. Detroit could use one more player on the defensive front, though, perhaps another pass rusher.\u201d<\/p>\n
Interestingly, ESPN\u2019s rankings also include the average age of each team\u2019s roster. The Lions\u2019 average is listed as 26.5, which is just outside the top-10 of youngest roster.<\/p>\n
In case you were wondering where the rest of the NFC North falls, the Packers and Vikings are in the third tier (\u201cneed a postseason breakthrough), while the Bears are in the eighth tier (\u201cthis could go either way\u201d).<\/p>\n
You can see Fowler\u2019s entire breakdown here.<\/p>\n
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