Detroit Lions Offseason Needs: Defense headlines long list of needs
By Kyle Edmond
Detroit Lions Offseason Needs: Secondary
Secondary is a rather broad blanket need, but in the case of the Detroit Lions it’s hard to narrow it down to just one area. Jeff Okudah was supposed to be the catalyst of this group, but injuries have held him down to just 10 games over his first two seasons, and only one in 2021. Long story short, the Lions need more.
During the 2021 season, Detroit tied for the third-most passing touchdowns allowed in the NFL, giving up 31. Now, that doesn’t all fall on the secondary. The lack of pressure previously mentioned plays a role and it isn’t always the secondary covering routes. With that being said, bolstering the secondary will help that figure come down.
It’s not just touchdowns either. Detroit gave up 4,361 receiving yards in 2021, 23rd in the NFL. They were also 31st for yards per catch, allowing 12.1 yards per completion, better than only the Baltimore Ravens.
Getting Okudah healthy will help and a full NFL offseason for the young position group will do wonders, but there just isn’t enough here to be confident at the moment. With the group already so young, this is an area that the Lions could look to in free agency.