The Detroit Lions will begin training camp on August 1st. For those unable to attend the camp, our first real look at the Detroit Lions will be on August 9th during HBO Max’s Hard Knocks series premiere, which will deep dive into the Detroit Lions team and training camp. The show will be an excellent opportunity to get to know the 2022 Detroit Lions roster. However, there are countless fans that are simply too excited to wait. For those superfans, I’ve composed a series of articles introducing the projected starters of the roster. The Offensive Line and Weapons articles have already been published here on GridIronHeroics.com. Today, it’s the DBs we will be jumping into.
While Detroit Lions fans should be optimistic about an offensive that could catch the NFL off guard, the other side of the ball is what could really hold the Lions back. In 2021, the Detroit Lions gave up the fourth most yards in the NFL. They also gave up the second most points in the league, only surpassing the Jets. However, while it’s nothing to brag about, the Detroit Lions ranked 23rd in passing yards allowed. While this is no accomplishment for the secondary, it’s not something you can’t entirely blame the DBs for.
The Detroit Lions’ pass rush team ranked 31st in the NFL a season ago. With the amount of incredible talent at the receiver position in the league, if you are not pressuring the opposing Quarterback, your DBs jobs become near impossible. This is exactly what happened to the Detroit Lions secondary last season.
Expectations
Am I calling them underrated? Not necessarily. But, if Aidan Hutchinson can make an impact and pressure the Quarterback a little, our DBs are going to be set up to succeed much better. Unbiasedly, this certainly isn’t the worst secondary in the league. There are a few interesting pieces and question marks, and with Aaron Glen’s new defensive scheme, perhaps there is a way they could be considered average. However, there is a long way to go.
CB: Jeff Okudah
Ah yes, Jeff Okudah. It’s almost impossible to know what to make of this man. After being drafted THIRD overall by the Lions in 2020, Okudah’s career has been nothing short of disappointing. The unfortunate part? It was his body and the organization that failed him.
The Ohio State DB was one of the best corner prospects the league had seen in a while. Playing alongside Chase Young, they reckoned havoc on BIG 10 quarterbacks. He was not the fastest player on the field, but his length and height gave him the advantage to jump passes.
However, it was Matt Patricia’s staff that was running the defense for Okudah’s rookie season. It would eventually be revealed the players were up-happy with the confusing defensive schemes and the leadership of Patricia as he operated the defense. Okudah debuted against the Packers in Week 2 and got torched by Devante Adams. A difficult sight for Lions fans, but a rookie going against the best in the game? C’mon.
Injuries
Unfortunately, the next eight weeks were mostly the same for the rookie before multiple injuries suffered in Week 11 caused him to miss the remainder of the season. Just like that, his rookie season was gone. Besides one interception, there was nothing to look back on to prove he was going to be a stud.
Season 2 for the former Buckeye was supposed to be his true first season. New coaching staff, experience under his belt. This was going to be the year for him to breakout. However, in Week 1 against the 49ers, Okudah would tear his Achilles and miss the remainder of the season.
It’s hard to know what to expect from Okudah going forward. Is he going to live up to his third overall draft selection? There hasn’t been very many signs to say yes. Can he still be a competent everyday corner? I sure hope so. Only time can tell what Okudah’s career will look like. Unfortunately for the 23-year-old with two career-altering injuries, it’s hard to have any real expectations. Anything more than average would be a bonus.
CB: Amani Oruwariye
Perhaps the best corner in the league no one has heard of, Amani Oruwariye will be spending his fourth season with the Detroit Lions in 2022. The former Penn State corner grabbed six interceptions in 14 games last season with Detroit. Oruwariye has a long reach and great instinct to jump into passing lanes. He may not be a top-level elite corner, but Oruwariye has progressed every year with the Lions and proved he can stay on the field. Going into Week 1, unless Okudah has an incredible training camp, Oruwariye will most likely be CB1.
Strong Safety: DeShon Elliot
Acquired from Baltimore in Free-Agency, Elliot’s career on the field has been above average. However, the reason the Lions were able to sign him for less than 4 million max money is because of his injury history. In his three seasons with Baltimore, Elliot was on the field just 28 times of the 49 possible games. It’s not ideal, but the Lions badly needed help with the Safety position. Hopefully, he can stay healthy. If that is not the case, Ifeatu Melifonwu will most likely step in as the starter. Melifonwu is a utility DB who can play either Safety or corner. Be prepared to see him in multiple positions this year with an injury-prone secondary.
Free Safety: Tracy Walker
The best player of the bunch, Tracy Walker, is a very solid and reliable corner in the NFL. He may not have the star power name like Tyron Mathieu and Harrison Smith, but he’s a well above average Safety who can be counted on to make the right plays. The former Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns (best nickname in all sports) was drafted in 2018 and has spent all his time with Detroit. Last season, Walker had the eighth most tackles amongst safeties.
Conclusion
This group isn’t going to be a premiere part of the team. However, with some help from the pass rush unit, there’s a possibility they can hover around average. Regardless, that’s all a very best-case scenario, AKA a stretch. One thing I will say, though, is there are some playmakers in the backfield. Oruwariye’s ability to hawk the ball could definitely make an impact on games, as turnovers are one of the biggest game flippers.
Follow me on Twitter @BosscherBen for more Lions and sports content. There, you will find Tweets when new articles get posted on GridIronHeroics.com. Continue to follow the ‘Meet the Detroit Lions’ series, as we’re just a short couple of weeks away from the NFL season.
