Which Detroit Lions defender are you most eager to see make their 2024 debut on Sunday night?
On Friday, Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell spoke about how eager he was to see the team’s defense on the field, given all of their offseason moves on that side of the ball.
“I’m very eager. There’s a lot of excitement with myself, I know the defensive stuff (is, too),” Campbell said. “Look, I know the whole team, the whole squad, I know those guys in the locker room that are on that defensive side. They’re ready to show the work that’s been put in and the pieces that have been added and how they all work together.”
Not only are there a bunch of new faces in the secondary, but there are several returning players who enter 2024 with breakout year expectations, including second-year linebacker Jack Campbell, fourth-year defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike, and third-year edge defender Josh Paschal.
So today’s Question of the Day is:
Which defensive Lions player are you most excited to see play in 2024?
My answer: Terrion Arnold is the lay-up answer, as the team’s first-round pick and potential upgrade at Detroit’s most problematic position from last year. And while I’m certainly excited for his NFL debut, I know patience will be required with him—like any rookie.
Instead, I can’t wait to see Levi Onwuzurike out there. If he can turn into a productive player in the final year of his rookie contract, it will be one of the most improbable career turnarounds I’ve witnessed. Many believed his career was on life support when a back injury essentially robbed him of the first two years of his career. And even though he managed to make it through 2023 unscathed, he never really flashed the second-round potential the Lions saw in him back in 2021.
But this offseason has been completely different. There haven’t even been discussions of his back, and he’s been extremely disruptive in practice. He’s clearly considered to be a big part of the team’s 2024 plays, as he got the starter treatment in the preseason—resting for all three games.
If that’s not a serious vote of confidence, I don’t know what is. So I’m hoping he goes out on Sunday and finally follows through with his draft night promise to… mess some things up.
Who are you eager to see out there on defense Sunday night?
