Everybody connected to the Detroit Lions believed that last season was when the team would navigate to the first Super Bowl in its 95-year history.
Head coach Dan Campbell had the Lions purring, and they finished 15-2, successfully defending their NFC North title. Although the best Michigan sports betting apps shared the Lions’ fans’ optimism, pricing them as one of the favorites to lift the famous Vince Lombardi trophy, Lady Luck had other ideas.
Injuries ravaged the Detroit Lions roster, and its lack of depth was evident when almost two dozen players found themselves in the treatment room during the campaign. The Lions’ incredible season ultimately fell at the first hurdle of the postseason, losing 31-45 to the Washington Commanders in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
Brad Holmes, the Lions’ general manager, and his team have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure Campbell has a more stacked, deeper roster for the 2025 season. The flurry of recent activity has left the Lions with a 72-player roster, with 18 spots remaining for their seven draft picks in April in addition to any veteran or undrafted free agents they might have their eye on.
An Incredible Season Despite a Woeful Injury Record
Detroit Lions fans should commend Campbell and his players for producing the goods despite the roster enduring more than its fair share of injuries. The Lions’ offense was scintillating throughout the regular season, scoring 564 points and enjoying a +222 point differential. Those impressive numbers were the most in the league and the fourth-most ever in a regular season.
The Lions were defensively sound, too. Even with injuries to key players that restricted the team’s playoff run, including Pro Bowl defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, the Lions’ defense finished with the seventh-fewest points allowed. Without those roster-decimating injuries, there is no doubt that the Lions could and possibly should have at least reached the Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.
Several Defensive Additions
Cornerback is one position where the Lions no longer lack strength in depth. After re-signing Khalil Dorsey on March 20, the Lions signed Rock Ya-Sin from the San Francisco 49ers on the same day and Avonte Maddox from the Philadelphia Eagles a day later. Dorsey missed four games (five, including the playoffs) but should be raring to go again during the upcoming campaign. He is a special teams genius, in addition to restricting opposing quarterbacks’ effectiveness.
Ya-Sin has played for four different teams in six seasons since the Indianapolis Colts selected him in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Although he is unlikely to start for the Lions, Ya-Sin adds much-needed depth to the roster.
Acquiring Maddox could be a masterstroke. Maddox is coming off the back of winning the Super Bowl with the Eagles, so his confidence will be sky-high. He featured in all 21 of the Eagles’ games and limited opposing quarterback to completing less than 52% of their passes. Maddox can also play as a safety and contribute to the Lions’ special team efforts.
With the addition of Dorsey, Ya-Sin, and Maddox, the Lions have ample cover at cornerback because they will complement Terrion Arnold, Ennis Rakestraw, D.J. Reed, and Stantley Thomas-Oliver in a key defensive position.
Bolstering the Team’s Offense
Even with injuries, the 2024 Detroit Lions offense was unstoppable at times. As previously mentioned, the Lions’ led the league regarding points scored and points differential. However, even the best offenses can ill afford to rest on their laurels, which is why the Lions have acted to bring in some fresh blood and to keep team harmony.
The Lions re-signed running back Craig Reynolds, who is more than adequate cover for Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. Gibbs and Montgomery combined for a league-leading 20 rushing touchdowns in 2024, which is why Reynolds did not start a single regular-season fixture. However, he participated in all 17 regular season games and never let the Lions down when he was asked to step up to the plate. Although Reynolds did not register a touchdown last year, he had eight first downs and averaged 4.5 yards per rushing attempt.
Signing Kyle Allen as a backup quarterback was an intelligent move by the Lions’ backroom staff, even if he does not step onto the field in 2025. Jared Goff has not missed a game in the previous three seasons, but the Lions would be lost without the former number-one pick if he spent any length of time on the injured reserve list. Allen has 31 games under his belt compared to the three of Jake Fromm and Hendon Hooker. Although Allen has only played in 13 games since 2021 (starting only two) he will provide adequate backup for Goff.
The Lions also signed tight end Kenny Yeboah to provide cover for Sam LaPorta and to challenge Brock Wright and Shane Zylstra for a place in the team. Wide receiver Tim Patrick also penned a one-year, $4 million contract as he continues his comeback from a torn ACL and then a torn Achilles tendon that kept him off the field in 2022 and 2023. Patrick played 16 games last season, starting nine, and finished with 394 yards and three touchdowns from 33 receptions.
How Far Can The Detroit Lions Go in 2025?
Having reached the NFC Championship game in 2023 after finishing the regular season 12-5, the Lions improved to 15-2 last year. Injuries to key players decimated the Lions’ roster at the business end of the season, resulting in a one-and-done playoff appearance.
The Lions’ management team has learned from their mistakes and acquired several players through free agency during the close season. While those signings are unlikely to pull up trees, they add strength to the Lions’ roster and add strength to positions where the team was caught lacking in 2024.
Any discussions about possible Super Bowl LX champions this season must involve the Detroit Lions. The Philadelphia Eagles are, as defending champions, the preseason favorite but the Lions are on par, if not better the other contenders like the Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Baltimore Ravens. There is plenty to be optimistic about at Ford Field in 2025.