With the 2023 NFL Draft in the rearview mirror, the Detroit Lions have a much clearer picture of what they could do this year. Despite the interesting choices, the Lions got better, not worst. From the choices made on offense to defense, the Lions could surprise more teams than expected.
We all know that things can change within the structure of a roster due to injuries, suspensions, poor plays and more. However, this defensive group boasts a lot more talent than in years past, and most importantly, there’s a ton of versatility. Let’s jump into how the defensive depth chart could look after the 2023 NFL Draft!
Defensive Ends (5)
- Aidan Hutchinson
- John Cominsky
- Charles Harris
- Romeo Okwara
- Josh Paschal
From the first time I went through the Lions depth chart to now, I don’t see much changing within this group. Hutchinson will be the leader of the pack, but there are plenty of quality players behind him. John Cominsky and Josh Paschal will both play interchangeable roles along this defensive front. If Romeo Okwara is healthy, our fingers are crossed on if he returns to the form of his 2020 season where he recorded 10 sacks.
Interior Defensive Line (4)
- Alim McNeil
- Isaiah Buggs
- Brodric Martin
- Levi Onwuzurike
I could see the Lions having a difficult conversation with either Okwara brother to make room for a roster spot on the interior. However, the way I see it, these are the four players that should make the 53-man roster when we get to the start of the season. McNeil and Buggs will be the starters while Martin will move between both spots due to his versatility and motor.
If healthy, we could see Onwuzurike with some type of role, but again, if his back isn’t right, I could see the Lions moving on from him. If they opt to let him go via trade or by cutting him, the last roster spot would be between Benito Jones and undrafted Cory Durden. That could be a fun training camp battle to monitor.
Linebackers (6)
- Alex Anzalone (starting MIKE)
- Malcolm Rodriguez (starting WILL)
- James Houston (starting SAM)
- Derrick Barnes
- Jack Campbell
- Julian Okwara
I could see rookie linebacker Jack Campbell earning the starting job at the MIKE backer position. But with how the Lions have shown that they’re willing to ease certain players into certain roles, I could see Anzalone being the starter in the middle of the defense. He’s experienced, knows this defense well and has been praised as a good leader for this young group of players.
While Rodriguez provided a much-needed spark to this defense, he’ll need to take another step forward in his second season in the NFL. I’d have to imagine that James Houston and Julian Okwara will rotate in-and-out as that SAM backer with Houston getting the nod on passing downs.
Cornerbacks (5)
- Cameron Sutton
- Emmanuel Moseley
- C.J. Gardner-Johnson
- Jerry Jacobs
- Will Harris
With the Lions moving on from Jeff Okudah, this group got a lot more interesting. Much of that is due to the interchanging that can occur between Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and Brian Branch. On the outside, Cameron Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley should be the starters, and I’d expect strong performances every week from both players, if healthy.
There’s not going to be a ton of talent behind this starting group, but Jerry Jacobs and Will Harris bring experience despite their limitations. Between the two players, there are 55 starts made and 89 games played.
Another player to monitor will be Starling Thomas from UAB. While he’s an undrafted free agent, there’s some speculation that he could make the roster. For UAB last season, Thomas had 15 pass breakups on 13 starts and showed consistently that he could close on the football.
Safeties (5)
- Kerby Joseph
- Brian Branch
- Tracy Walker III
- Ifeatu Melifonwu
- Brandon Joseph
The Lions secondary gets very interesting because of the versatility between Brian Branch and C.J. Gardner-Johnson. I’d expect Gardner-Johnson to get most of the snaps as the Lions’ third safety with more of a buzz-defender role. However, Brian Branch can mimic that role and even cover the slot, which is what he did the majority of the time at Alabama. I’d expect Kerby Joseph to remain as the starting free safety for this defense because his range and ball skills are too good not to be on the field consistently.
The key to this group will be the health of Tracy Walker. He’s versatile enough to do a variety of things for this defense but his leadership will be much needed for a young group of players and new players in this defense. As for Melifonwu and Joseph, I think they’ll provide much needed depth at safety.
