Allen Park — Beyond obvious interest in whether new offensive coordinator Ben Johnson’s scheme can sustain quarterback Jared Goff’s momentum from the end of last season, here are five questions facing the Detroit Lions’ offense entering the 2022 season.
► How good can this offensive line be?
Heading into the 2021 season, the primary source of optimism with Detroit’s offense centered around the team’s line. Following the addition of Penei Sewell in the draft, the franchise finally had the makings of the top-10 blocking unit it had strived to build the previous couple decades. But those best-laid plans went awry from the outset when left tackle Taylor Decker suffered a nasty spiral fracture of his finger in the week of practice leading up to the season opener, sidelining him the first eight games of the season. And while Decker was on the mend, Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow suffered a season-ending toe injury. In the end, the vaunted starting five the Lions had placed their hopes upon failed to share the field a single snap.
But for all the things that went wrong, many others went right. Sewell ended up being all the Lions could have hoped for, probably much sooner than anyone could have reasonably expected. One of the youngest players in the league, he started games at both left and right tackle, and outside of a two-game hiccup early in the year —which could at least partially be attributed to an ankle injury — Sewell played with a level of consistency well beyond his years, flashing plenty of moments of dominance along the way.
Additionally, guard Jonah Jackson went from solid starter to earning Pro Bowl honors, Halapoulivaati Vaitai put the injury issues that plagued him in 2020 in the rear-view mirror and backup center Evan Brown stepped in and performed at a far higher level than anyone could have anticipated. Between him and undrafted rookie guard Tommy Kraemer, the Lions were able to develop and establish valuable depth up front.
So here we are in 2022, with similar expectations for the offensive line. But even though all five starters are back, as well as those top reserves, an injury before Week 1 is once again threatening the vision. This time it’s Vaitai landing on injured reserve between the preseason finale and regular season.
That’s unfortunate, but shouldn’t alter things too much. We’re still allowed to wonder how high the ceiling can be. The 4.4 yards per carry the team averaged on the ground last season was Detroit’s best since 2004, but it still wasn’t good enough to crack the top-10 in the league. Also, for as well as the Lions protected the quarterback for stretches last season, especially once Decker returned to the lineup, there’s plenty of room to improve. According to PFF, the 179 QB pressures Detroit allowed ranked 21st in the NFL.
With better weapons on the outside, and the belief Johnson, the first-year coordinator, is capable of using them effectively, the offensive line will be the engine that will determine how far the unit goes.
► Can Swift say healthy and reach his potential?
The Lions believe they have a star in D’Andre Swift, the dynamic dual-threat running back, but also understand his abilities are for naught if he can’t stay healthy.
In football, durability isn’t always within your control. One step with bad footing or one awkward hit is all it takes to sideline you for weeks or sometimes the season. But there are things a player can do, both during the offseason and in season to mitigate some of those risks. That’s been a point of emphasis for Swift, and the Lions are supplementing that with a conservative practice routine they hope will keep him fresh for the duration of the season.
When on the field, Swift has been Detroit’s most potent weapon, racking up nearly 2,000 yards from scrimmage and scoring 17 touchdowns his first two years. In a recent interview, he mentioned a lofty goal of becoming the fourth running back in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards and top 1,000 yards as a receiver. And honestly, as outlandish as it may seem, he has the physical gifts to pull it off. But until he can be counted on to play 50 snaps per game, 17 games a season, he won’t come close.
As seen on “Hard Knocks,” running backs coach Duce Staley is driven to help Swift reach his potential. Staley has been all over his star pupil on the practice field, in the meeting room and on the sideline during games, trying to push Swift to reach greatness. And, to his credit, the player seems to be embracing that hard coaching, equally determined to elevate himself into that upper echelon at his position.
Whether he comes close to the elusive 1,000/1,000 club, if Swift can be more reliable while producing near or slightly above his previous levels, he would be in line for a monster season.
► Can Chark (and eventually Williams) unlock big-play element of Detroit’s passing game?
Efficiency is great, but the truly great offenses are explosive, posing a consistent big-play threat. And in 2021, the Lions weren’t that kind of offense, particularly in the passing game.
It wasn’t from a lack of effort. Among the first players first-year general manager Brad Holmes signed at the start of his tenure were Tyrell Williams and Breshad Perriman, two big-bodied, speedy outside threats with a knack for making big plays downfield. But Perriman scuffled during the offseason program and was cut before the season, while Williams suffered a concussion in the opener and never suited up for the Lions again.
The end result was the Lions finished tied for last in the NFL with five passing plays of 40 or more yards.
In an attempt to rectify those woes, Holmes went back to the drawing board and signed another receiver in Perriman and Williams’ mold, adding former Pro Bowler DJ Chark. And like the previous additions, he offers size and speed with recent injury concerns. But if training camp practices are a barometer of future success, Chark has far more chemistry with Goff than Perriman and Williams ever established.
In addition to Chark, the Lions also drafted Jameson Williams, who was arguably college football top big-play threat a year ago. The downside is he’s still recovering from a January ACL tear, which probably will sideline him for another couple of months, but it’s reassuring to know the Lions have a potential gamebreaker in the fold for the next four or five seasons.
With Williams out, responsibility for explosive plays doesn’t all fall on Chark. He might be the starting point, but Josh Reynolds, Kalif Raymond and Amon-Ra St. Brown, with his offseason focus on doing more damage after the catch, can all play a part. But if the Lions want to be a better-than-average offense, finding a way to unlock those big gains has to be in the cards.
► Can Hockenson stop slide with efficiency?
In three seasons since being drafted in the first round by the Lions, T.J. Hockenson has established he’s a good NFL player, a really good player. But anyone who suggests he’s among the elite at the tight end position is being disingenuous. The talent is there, as is the work ethic. Now would be a good time for it to all come together, providing him the opportunity to be mentioned in the same breath as mentor and close friend George Kittle or Baltimore’s Mark Andrews, who made the leap from good to great last season.
In his three seasons, Hockenson has increased his per-game receiving production, but also lost some efficiency in the process. Prior to suffering a season-ending injury late last season, he had been on pace for an 85-catch campaign. Andrews and perennial All-Pro Travis Kelce were the only tight ends who caught more balls in 2021, but Hockenson’s career-low 9.6 yards per catch ranked last among the 36 players at his position with at least 30 catches.
Additionally, the 59% of Hockenson’s catches resulting in a first down or touchdown were also a career low, largely because his yards after catch nosedived to 3.3 yards per reception.
The other part of the equation for a tight end is their blocking, and Hockenson made notable improvements as a protector there in 2021, but posted his worst run-blocking grade, according to Pro Football Focus. Combine that with eight penalties (four false starts, three holds and a chop block) and there’s a gulf separating Hockenson from Kittle and Andrews in this area.
Barely 25 years old, Hockenson is still growing into his body and his skill set. He may never be the dominant dual-purpose tight end many expected when he was coming out of Iowa, but he hasn’t reached his ceiling in either area. With the Lions already having picked up the fifth-year option on his rookie contract, and a decision on a long-term extension still lingering, he’s in position to make himself a lot of money if he moves toward unlocking more of his potential in 2022.
► Can the Lions solve their red-zone woes?
There’s not a lot to say here. Not only did the Lions have among the fewest trips to the red zone last season, they compounded the problem by being one of the least efficient teams inside the 20-yard line. Only the New York Giants scored a touchdown at a lower clip than the Lions, who punched it across the goal line just 46.7% of the time in 2021.
For added perspective, 15 teams, nearly half the NFL, scored touchdowns on 60% or better of their red zone trips.
Finishing drives has been a clear point of emphasis for the Lions, with Johnson mentioning it as far back as the Senior Bowl and scouting combine. He’ll play a key role with his play designs and play calling, assuming he earns that role on game days. But a healthy offensive line and Swift could go a long way to providing competent run-pass balance as the field shrinks in the shadow of the goal line.
jdrogers@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @Justin_Rogers