Lions Depth Chart - 9/1/2020 vs 9/1/2023

[Rob]

I have been thinking for a while about this. The roster Brad Holmes started with was bad. Quinn-Tricia did a first class lousy job. A drunk darts player could have selected players better. But still, it takes skill to improve a roster. But how far has this roster come? I look at Quinn's final season. He drafted Okudah to save his job. He brought in some talent to make sure he could keep his job...

By the end of the season it was a shambles.... It was a hopeful, but bare bones roste. The Ford's did what they had to do. Brad Holmes took over and now 3 off-seasons later here's what it looks like compared to the past:

9/1/2020 1st String Defense (and other maybe solid players on the roster) *According to OurLads.com

Okwara, Romeo W/NYG	Solid / Solid	Penisini, John 20/6	Solid
Shelton, Danny U/NE	Solid / Solid	Okwara, Julian 20/3	Solid
Strong Jr., Kevin CF19	Who? / Bust	Tavai, Jahlani 19/2	Bust
Flowers, Trey U/NE	Bust? / Bust	Harris, Will 19/3	Bust
COLLINS, JAMIE U/NE	Solid / Bust	Oruwariye, Amani 19/5	Solid
Davis, Jarrad 17/1	Bust? / Bust	Killebrew, Miles 16/4	Solid
Jones, Christian U/Chi	Solid / Solid
Trufant, Desmond CC/Atl	Solid / Bust
Harmon, Duron T/NE	Who? / Bust
Walker, Tracy 18/3	Solid / Solid
Okudah, Jeff 20/1	Rookie / Bust
Coleman, Justin U/Sea	Solid / Solid

2/1/2021 1st String Defense (and other maybe solid players on the roster) *According to OurLads.com

Bryant, Austin 19/4	Solid / Bust	Okwara, Julian 20/3
WILLIAMS, NICHOLAS U/Chi	Who? / Who?	Killebrew, Miles 16/4
Penisini, John 20/6	Solid / Solid	Harris, Will 19/3
Okwara, Romeo W/NYG	Solid / Solid
Jones, Christian U/Chi	Solid / Solid
Tavai, Jahlani 19/2	Bust? / Bust
COLLINS, JAMIE U/NE	Bust? / Bust
Oruwariye, Amani 19/5	Solid? Solid
HARMON, DURON T/NE	Who? / Bust
Walker, Tracy 18/3	Solid? / Solid
ROBERTS, DARRYL CC/NYJ	Who? / Who?
Coleman, Justin U/Sea	Bust? / Solid

9/1/2023 2nd String Defense *According to DetroitLions.com *with my prediction on how they will fare this season

Paschal, Josh 22/2	Solid / Solid
Martin, Brodric 23/3	Rookie / Who?
Onwuzurike, Levi 21/2	Bust / Bust
Okwara, Romeo W/NYG	Solid / Solid
Rodriguez, Malcolm 22/6	Solid / Solid
Barnes, Derrick 21/4	Solid / Solid
Houston, James 22/6	Superstar? / Solid
Jacobs, Jerry CF21	Solid / Solid
Harris, Will 19/3	Bust / Bust
Melifonwu, Ifeatu 21/3	Bust / Injured Bust
Gilmore, Steven CF23	Who? / Bust
Branch, Brian 23/2	Rookie / Solid

 

[Rob]

Our 2nd team defense this year is equal or better than anything we rolled out during the Quinn era.

At no point in my life have we ever put that much emphasis on defense. They had Porcher, Brown, Spielman and a few others in the early 90's. They drafted Suh and Fairley back to back a decade ago. But This team seems committed to the philosophy that defense wins championships.

Look at what they did this year keeping a majority defensive players.

I may do the same analysis for the offensive side of the ball, but it is much more stark on offense.

 

[Rob]

Here's the 2023 1st String Defense:

Cominsky, John W/Atl	Solid
Buggs, Isaiah SF22	Solid
McNeill, Alim 21/3	Solid
Hutchinson, Aidan 22/1	Superstar?
Anzalone, Alex U/NO	Solid
Campbell, Jack 23/1	Rookie
Harris, Charles U/Atl	Solid?
Moseley, Emmanuel U/SF	Solid?
Joseph, Kerby 22/3	Superstar?
Walker III, Tracy 18/3	Solid
Sutton, Cameron U/Pit	Solid
Gardner-Johnson, C.J. U/Phi	Superstar?

 

[Rob]

Bottom line is this team is really deep on defense. There are no who's or potential busts in that 1st team. Really only a few dudes in 2nd team.

 

[Rob]

...duds not dudes.

 

[Old Lion]

Funny I was just thinking this the other day. Not only that but some of our PS guys today would be starters on some of those teams.