DETROIT -- The Detroit Lions open the 2024 NFL regular season against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Sept. 8 at Ford Field.
The goal in Detroit is getting to the Super Bowl. The franchise has taken the necessary approach to accomplish that task by locking down its foundational players in QB Jared Goff, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown and OT Penei Sewell with massive offseason extensions, while revamping its secondary with new faces such as rookie DBs Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr.
The Lions were able to snap some notable droughts in 2023 with their first division title since 1993 as well as their first playoff victory and conference championship appearance since 1991 and will enter this season with high expectations.
"If I had to put it in one word, I would just say contender. I know it's gonna be very hard, if not harder, than it was last year because people might do a little extra homework when they're playing us, but just knowing the character of our locker room, that's just what we, as a team, want to be about," Lions veteran offensive tackle Taylor Decker told ESPN. "And if you're not trying to compete for championships, much like me taking pride in what I do, it's like, 'What are we doing here?' This is all about winning."
Here is a 53-man roster projection as the Lions open training camp.
QUARTERBACKS (2): Jared Goff, Hendon Hooker
Goff has established himself as the clear-cut guy, agreeing to a four-year, $212 million contract extension during the offseason. The 2016 No. 1 pick completed 407 passes last season, which were the second most in the NFL and the most by a Lions QB since Matthew Stafford in 2012. Detroit will also continue to develop Hooker as a backup.
RUNNING BACKS (4): David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs, Craig Reynolds, Sione Vaki
Gibbs and Montgomery formed one of the most potent tandems in the league. Montgomery rushed for 1,015 yards in 2023, while Gibbs finished 55 yards shy of 1,000 but had 37 fewer carries than his counterpart. The last team with a pair of running backs with 1,000 rushing yards in a single season was the 2009 Panthers with Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams. The Lions have a legitimate chance to be the next, barring injuries.
WIDE RECEIVERS (5): Amon-Ra St. Brown, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Jameson Williams, Antoine Green, Kalif Raymond
St. Brown had nine games with 100-plus receiving yards last season, most in the NFL and most by a Lions receiver since Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson's franchise-record 12 in 2012. He is motivated to reach new heights after agreeing to a four-year, $120 million extension in the offseason. The Lions are looking for third-year receiver Williams to take a leap and help the offense reach a new level after showing flashes of his playmaking ability last season.
TIGHT ENDS (3): Sam LaPorta, Brock Wright, Shane Zylstra
LaPorta experienced one of the greatest rookie seasons by a tight end in league history. He was one of seven Lions players to earn Pro Bowl honors while being named a finalist for the 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year. LaPorta had at least five receptions in 10 games, most among rookie tight ends in NFL history. He finished with 86 receptions for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns, all franchise records for a tight end.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (9): Taylor Decker, Graham Glasgow, Frank Ragnow, Kevin Zeitler, Penei Sewell, Colby Sorsdal, Dan Skipper, Giovanni Manu, Christian Mahogany
Sewell has established himself as one of the brightest stars in the league after a first-team All-Pro season. The seventh overall pick in 2021 signed an extension that'll lock him down in Detroit through the 2029 season. Detroit also added Pro Bowl guard Zeitler after losing Jonah Jackson to the Los Angeles Rams via free agency.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (10): Aidan Hutchinson, Alim McNeill, DJ Reader, Marcus Davenport, Levi Onwuzurike, John Cominsky, Brodric Martin, Mekhi Wingo, Josh Paschal, Mathieu Betts
The defensive line needs a boost. The Lions ranked 27th in the NFL and last among playoff teams in pass rush win rate at 35.8%. Their run stop win rate by interior lineman was 27.4%, which was the second worst in the league, ahead of only the Chiefs. Detroit added former Bengals defensive tackle Reader to help.
LINEBACKERS (6): Jack Campbell, Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, James Houston, Ben Niemann
Selected 18th overall in the 2023 NFL draft, Campbell will look to take a leap in Year 2. He didn't have the greatest statistical season as a rookie but did make an impact, with 95 total tackles and a pair of sacks. The competition will be strong within this unit during training camp.
CORNERBACKS (7): Carlton Davis III, Emmanuel Moseley, Steven Gilmore, Terrion Arnold, Amik Robertson, Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Khalil Dorsey
The Lions took an aggressive approach in upgrading the secondary, which was one of the squad's weakest units in 2023. They struggled when the ball was in the air, allowing 34 receptions thrown 20-plus yards downfield, which tied for the second-most in the NFL. Detroit is hoping that top pick Arnold can help plug those holes. The 24th overall selection had five interceptions and 12 pass breakups with Alabama in 2023, which both tied for the most in the SEC.
SAFETIES (4): Brian Branch, Kerby Joseph, Ifeatu Melifonwu, C.J. Moore
The Lions are expecting to get Branch back for training camp after the second-year defensive back missed minicamp and most of the organized team activities after undergoing surgery on his lower left leg. Branch was spotted in a walking boot while using a scooter over the summer after a strong first season in which he ranked second among all rookies with three interceptions.
SPECIALISTS (3): Jake Bates, Jack Fox, Scott Daly
Bates made the 2024 All-UFL Team with the Michigan Panthers. He holds the record for the second-longest field goal in pro football history with a 64-yard game-winning kick in the season opener against the St. Louis Battlehawks, which was just two yards less than Justin Tucker's NFL record set against the Lions in 2021.