It makes me incredibly happy to type these next few words. This it the first Detroit Lions mailbag of the 2024 NFL season. Let's go! We are so back. Since this is the firs tone of the season, let's go big with it. We've got a ton of questions. Let's get into it.
I just keep going back to comments that Brad Holmes made to me at the NFL Combine . They really pointed to the idea that the Lions will begin to put their chips in the center of the table at some point and start spending big, so I'm going to go with a yes here.
If there's a chance to grab a receiver or an edge rusher that's going to help you secure the Super Bowl this season, then you grab that guy at the deadline. This would be the year to do it.
I'm going with Jared Goff winning the MVP. If you would have asked me ahead of July if I thought it were possible, I probably would have said no. Then Yahoo Sports Frank Schwab pointed out that the voting for MVP is kind of lazy and usually they just give it the quarterback of the team that has the first seed. I think the Lions nail that down this year and Goff has a good season too. Therefore he's given the award.
If not him, then there's a case to be made for Amon-Ra St. Brown pulling down Offensive Player of the Year.
There should definitely be some patience right away. This group has spent the summer together and gelled really well, but this is their first game on the field together. There might be some hiccups in the first few weeks, but they'll come together.
Plus you have some players, like DJ Reader, who are returning from injuries. If its December and you're still seeing huge issues, then you can worry.
Hmm. I think we see Kyle Peko added to the Lions 53-man roster and then we get Tim Patrick and Shane Zylstra as your practice squad elevations.
In terms of who is inactive, I know Lions fans won't like it, but Isaiah Williams probably won't play Week 1. Giovanni Manu, Ifeatu Melifonwu and Trevor Nowaske will probably join him. Maybe Loren Strickland too.
It would be a big problem and it wouldn't just affect the season, it could affect the Lions free agency and draft as well. They have to have steady receivers on the field and if Williams can't do it, they're going to have to really scheme some stuff up to get over that and maybe make that big move at the deadline.
I think Williams will be good though. He's looked like a different player recently and I'm eager to see him show that in the regular season.
Maybe it sounds weird to say it this way, but if Zeitler were a younger player, I might think there would be some growing pains, but this guy is a pro and he's played in multiple situations with different players throughout his long career. I think this is a fish to water type situation.
It'll be interesting to see. I don't want to scare anyone, but every tight end, that's done what LaPorta did in his rookie year, took a step back their second year. Now, a step back doesn't have to be a plummet to the depths of hell, it just means he'll be good, but not as good as last year. With other players eating up targets, that could happen.
I sort of alluded to it a little earlier in here, but I think the logical thing would be to bring him a long a little slowly at first with some practice squad elevations. You can do three of them, why not use them right? If he balls out, then you find a spot for him. If he doesn't, then you never had to figure out who you have to move off the 53-man roster.
Swimmingly. He shall sit upon his throne this year and be an exciting player. I'm really curious to see how quickly they decide to start utilizing him in the regular season. When you have a player that can do so many different things, it would feel weird if you didn't use him to do all of that stuff.
I think it's fair to ask people to be a little open minded with this one. You'd love to see Williams go off for 1,000 plus yards right away, but I think that's more of a 2025 thing. I projected every Lions offensive players stats back in July and I went with 65 receptions for 782 yards and six touchdowns. That would be a killer season for Williams if you ask me.
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