Preseason football generally presents little excitement. And, of course, the results are meaningless. But there is an aspect within these exhibitions that very much matters. In that realm, the Lions' three-game preseason schedule, starting Friday vs. Buffalo at Ford Field, will present more meaning than usual.
These are 5 things we might learn:
1. The Lions' defensive scheme - Obviously, there won't be a lot of bells and whistles. It will be pure vanilla. But can Trey Flowers, a classic hand-on-the-ground end, survive as a stand up linebacker? Seems like it is trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. The Lions' secondary was awful under the previous regime, but it's not like Jeff Okudah, Amani Oruwariye, Tracy Walker and Will Harris lack athleticism. It's an exceptionally important preseason for that unit to blend together. Nose tackle is especially imperative in a classic 3-4. Third-round draft pick Alim McNeill seems ideal for the position. He was taken in a similar spot as former Lions' star Jerry Ball, who like McNeill was a stunningly fleet running back in high school. Same size basically, too, 330 pounds and low to the ground. It's difficult not to get excited about McNeill.
2. Amon-Ra St. Brown and Quintez Cephus - The Lions' are the land of opportunity for wide receivers. The Lions passed on a number of promising receivers to select St. Brown in the fourth-round. He does seem advanced based on playing in a pro-style system against relatively strong competition at Southern Cal. The knock on Cephus is lack of speed, and he looked like a deer in the headlights early last season, but later he did flash surprisingly impressive deep ability.
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3. Penei Sewell - He was a man among boys at Oregon. Extraordinarily dominant. The NFL is much different. Way better athletes. Sewell is moving from the left side to the right side. He is just 20 years old playing a nuanced position where physical maturity matters more than others. If Sewell flashes brilliance right away, he is truly going to be a great player.
4. The running game - One thing about base defenses in preseason games, it presents one-on-one matchups up front. If the Lions' offensive line is that talented, they should be able to run the ball in the preseason. There is also the matter of attitude. The Lions need to be more physical.
5. Jared Goff - It will ultimately mean little if Goff lays an egg during preseason if performs well when it counts. However, it would definitely help the process if he is effective even in limited action.
