The Detroit Lions never landed the blockbuster edge rusher that many fans spent months dreaming about. No trade materialized for Myles Garrett, Maxx Crosby or Trey Hendrickson. However, head coach Dan Campbell believes the conversation is missing a critical piece of the puzzle. 

During a press conference last week, Campbell explained how Detroit’s defensive philosophy was more than simply chasing sack totals. 

"We certainly wanted to see if we can add a little bit of juice in there on the perimeter, but also in the middle," Campbell said. "I think (pass rush is) a priority, but it’s still a priority when we talk about first, second down, stopping the run, and then the transition to (the pass rush).”

Due to the lack of moves for those stars, especially for Garrett from the Browns, some questioned whether the Lions truly prioritized their pass rush this offseason.

Campbell’s comments reflected how, while the pass rush remained important, the Lions also wanted to rebuild their run defense.

Detroit finished 14th in rushing yards allowed per game last year, compared to fifth in the year previous. Injuries did play a huge role, though, especially the injury of defensive tackle Alim McNeill.

Campbell also expanded on how he wants the pass-rushing role players to be.

“Your niche has got to be your niche, and the other stuff, you’ve got to be able to show you can hold your own, at least. You don’t have to be dominant,” said Campbell.

However, the Lions' safety room is one of the most unsettled units on the roster. According to Dan Campbell, however, it is a good problem to have and not a problem.

Campbell Adamant That He Likes The Lions' Safety Situation

The Lions are in a tricky situation right now. Campbell listed three players as potential options competing, and three others are coming back into the mix. However, the six names he mentioned did not include stars Brian Branch or Kerby Joseph.

According to Campbell, until Branch and Joseph can show that they are healthy, the team is going to lean into Chuck Clark, Avonte Maddox and Christian Izien.

Campbell also mentioned that he was enthusiastic about the depth being much better with names like Dan Jackson, Thomas Harper and Loren Strickland being mentioned.

Players like Clark and Maddox have vast experience, with Maddox being on the Lions roster last year as well. However, Clark is entering his age-31 season while Izien has only 15 starts over his 3 years in the NFL.

Campbell seems to believe that the three have enough versatility and experience to hold things down until the return of Branch and Joseph. Meanwhile, Jackson was a rookie UDFA last year who missed the entirety of the season due to a leg injury.

Harper, on the other hand, started 9 games last year for the Lions but also suffered a concussion, which ruled him out till the end of the season. Strickland has spent his first two seasons on the Lions' practice squad and is entering his third season in the NFL.

Are you optimistic like Campbell about the situation in the safety position or not? Let us know in the comments!

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Written by

Dhruv Vishnu Nair

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore