The Lions ended last year on the verge of the Super Bowl. They return this year with a better roster and visions of winning it all. They'll need players to emerge along the way, like last season's rookie trio of Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch. They'll also need a veteran or two to pop, as we saw from Ifeatu Melifonwu and Derrick Barnes.
The most anticipated season in Lions history begins Wednesday with the first practice of training camp. Here are five players we'll be watching closely over the next several weeks who could shape the twists and turns of the next several months.
Jameson Williams
This one's a given. The Lions have a No. 2 receiver to replace after losing Josh Reynolds, and Williams has to be the guy -- which isn't asking all that much from a third-year player drafted No. 12 overall. Detroit didn't make any serious investments at wide receiver this offseason, basically telling Williams to go win the job. He looked up to the challenge in practices this spring. He's noticeably stronger in his lower half. As camp progresses, his hands and his timing with Jared Goff bear watching. We know Williams can stretch the field. He needs to sharpen the rest of his route tree to be a reliable weapon behind Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Jack Campbell
The arrow was clearly pointing up on the 18th overall pick by the end of last season. He looks poised for a breakout in year two. Aaron Glenn has already raved about Campbell's growth this offseason, and Campbell looked more confident in Glenn's scheme this spring. The goal is to build on that in camp. It's not just about reading and running to the play in front of him, but working in concert with the players behind him. Alex Anzalone remains the green-dot linebacker for Detroit, but his comfort as the Will allowed Campbell to emerge as the Mike as last season went on. If Campbell's rise continues this season, the Lions will have a true playmaker in the middle of their defense.
James Houston
The question for the Lions defense this year feels like the same one as last year: Can they get after the quarterback? We know what they have in Aidan Hutchinson. We also know what they had in James Houston in the second half of 2022: a twitchy, bendy pass rusher who racked up eight sacks in seven games. But that was a long time ago in NFL years. After missing most of last season with a fractured ankle, Houston is ready to remind everyone what he can do. His ceiling is high opposite Hutchinson. If he can recapture his rookie form, starting in camp by consistently winning reps off the edge, Detroit's defense could pose legitimate problems for teams in 2024.
Terrion Arnold
Arnold is in a good spot entering his rookie season: the first-round pick doesn't have to be the Lions' No. 1 corner. He doesn't even have to be their No. 2, in a suddenly talented room. He does have to make an impact this year for the Lions to take another leap forward. He showed out this spring. If that continues this summer, Detroit should have one of the stronger cornerback tandems in the NFL. That would be a huge swing for a defense that was shredded last season in the air. Arnold will get every chance to claim the job opposite Carlton Davis III. With respect to the competition, there's really no reason he shouldn't.
Levi Onwuzurike
Onwuzurike is playing for his job this summer, and perhaps for his future in the NFL. That's the reality for a former second-round pick who just hasn't put it together yet in Detroit. But Onwuzurike has put himself back together after three injury-marred seasons, including back surgery that cost him all of 2022. He can still be an asset on the Lions' defensive line, and he flashed as a pass rusher this spring after following the coaches' orders to put on more weight. Onwuzurike says his eyeing "redemption" in year four. At the age of 26, it feels like now or never.
Honorable Mentions
Josh Paschal: In a similar boat as Onwuzurike, a versatile defensive lineman who's yet to live up to his status as a second-round pick. Paschal isn't feeling the same heat having arrived a year later, but will turn 25 this season himself. The clock is starting to tick. A strong training camp would be the start to the kind of breakout year he needs.
Donovan Peoples-Jones: Before letting Reynolds walk in free agency, the Lions re-signed Peoples-Jones. They clearly see something in the big-bodied receiver despite his limited impact after arriving via trade last season. He does have some Reynolds-like traits, including the ability to win in the red zone. A strong showing this summer could make him Detroit's WR3.
Hendon Hooker: Is he ready to be Jared Goff's backup after red-shirting as a rookie? He didn't look like it this spring. Hooker will have lots of eyes on him this summer as he tries to surpass Nate Sudfeld as QB2. His reads need to be better, his passes need to be crisper and his legs need to be a threat. The Lions invested a third-round pick in Hooker and would like to see some returns in year two.
Jake Bates/Michael Badgley: This might belong in the top five, given the Lions' kicking woes through three seasons under Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes. It wasn't just Campbell's aggressiveness that saw Detroit attempt the fewest field goals in the NFL last season; it was his lack of trust in his kickers. Badgley returns, and Bates, the UFL star who landed a two-year contract with Detroit this offseason, enters the fray. The winner here will absolutely have a say in where the Lions go this year.
Sione Vaki: He starred as a safety at Utah. The Lions drafted him as a running back. He won't play a big role in a rushing attack headlined by Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, but Vaki will factor in from the jump on special teams. With the NFL's new kickoff rule placing a premium on returners, Vaki has the explosiveness to make an impact as a rookie.
Giovanni Manu: His size will make him impossible to miss. In all likelihood, so will his inexperience. The Lions traded up for the mammoth offensive tackle from the University of British Columbia knowing full well that he's a project. He's starting camp on the Non-Football Injury list, but Manu's acclimation to the agility of NFL defensive linemen will be an early glimpse into how far he has to go.