As we enter Week 4 of the Detroit Lions season, the team faces its first major challenge. After a tough road game against the Arizona Cardinals, they may be without at least five starters from last Sunday’s lineup.
This week’s mailbag is filled with questions about how the Lions will cope with this situation. Let’s dive in.
Let’s begin with the defense, specifically the healthy front seven of the Lions. Detroit usually employs a 4-3 base defense, where the third linebacker can either play off the ball or act as an edge rusher. Derrick Barnes often fills that role. The formations can vary and may include:
Now, the Lions will be without Derrick Barnes and Marcus Davenport for an extended period, and Alim McNeill’s status is uncertain, likely sidelining him for at least one game. So, how will the Lions adjust their front seven in the absence of these three? We can first examine their second-half performance against the Cardinals, where they played without Barnes and McNeill, and also had several snaps without Davenport.
Here’s how they lined up
On the opposite side of Aidan Hutchinson, Josh Paschal stepped in for Davenport, while Ben Niemann took over for Barnes. Toward the end of the game, the Lions switched to Jalen Reeves-Maybin in the SAM linebacker spot instead of Niemann.
In their more conventional 4-3 formations, the Lions frequently utilized Paschal as the lone EDGE rusher opposite Hutchinson, rotating in Kyle Peko, Mekhi Wingo, DJ Reader, and Levi Onwuzurike in the interior. Here are a couple of examples:
In summary
Josh Paschal is the closest thing the Lions have to a direct replacement for Marcus Davenport, and Dan Campbell has indicated they plan to rely on him more heavily.
“This is going to be a big opportunity for him. He’ll have a larger role now,” Campbell said on Monday. “He had an outstanding game, by the way. He was very physical and continues to improve.”
It’s less certain how the Lions will handle the SAM position, but I expect Niemann, Reeves-Maybin, and possibly Trevor Nowaske to be contenders. If Alex Anzalone returns, they could shift Jack Campbell to that role and have Malcolm Rodriguez play the MIKE, although Campbell struggled in that position during his limited time last year.
Additionally, keep an eye on the practice squad for potential help. Veteran Pat O’Connor had a solid preseason, and Campbell noted on Monday that they kept him for a reason.
“One of the reasons we brought him in is that we knew it wouldn’t be long before we’d need Pat, and it might be sooner than later.”
Regarding the offensive line, the most logical adjustment would be to move Graham Glasgow to center and have Kayode Awosika play left guard. While they could insert Michael Niese at center, he hasn’t yet played an offensive snap in the NFL and spent the entire preseason at guard.
This might seem like a cop-out, but whether the Lions become buyers or sellers really hinges on their injury situation as the trade deadline approaches. No team is likely to throw in the towel with 14 games left, so discussing trade proposals now feels premature. Even though a trade for someone like Trey Hendrickson is appealing, the Bengals aren’t ready to give up on their season just three weeks in.
If the long-term injuries are limited to Derrick Barnes and Marcus Davenport, I don’t think it’s necessary for the Lions to make a move. However, if their defensive line continues to face significant injuries, they’ll need to reconsider.
We’ve talked all offseason about the team’s depth, and now is the time to utilize it. Players like Paschal, Onwuzurike, Wingo, Peko, O’Connor, Isaac Ukwu, and Mitchell Agude made the 69-man roster for a reason. I believe the Lions will only turn to the trade market for injury replacements if these backups struggle to perform. Personally, I was quite impressed with how they played in the second half without Barnes and McNeill.
I find these questions really challenging to answer because there’s a significant knowledge gap between myself and the decision-makers. I’m not a doctor, so I don’t know the severity of the injury, the risk of aggravating it, or how much pain Ragnow is experiencing. What I do know is that the medical team should prioritize making the decision that’s best for Ragnow in the long run, as they will need him later in the season.
Regarding Sione Vaki at safety, I wouldn’t expect him to play any defensive snaps this season. He didn’t participate in any defensive reps during training camp, which suggests he hasn’t grasped Detroit’s defensive scheme. The team has been focused on transitioning him to the running back position instead.
I just finished watching the Seahawks defense face off against the Patriots offensive line, and they posed a significant threat in terms of pass rush. They registered 21 pressures (according to PFF), eight QB hits, and three sacks. However, there are two important caveats: the Patriots’ offensive line is really struggling (ranked 28th in pass blocking grade and 32nd in pass block win rate), and New England excelled in the run game, racking up 185 rushing yards at 5.1 yards per carry.
I think the Lions will likely focus on a strong running game early to set up play-action passes. While the Seahawks have improved against the run in other games this season, that’s where I see their vulnerability. If Ragnow is out, it’ll be a challenge, but I’m not ready to count out the rest of the Lions’ offensive line.
