Former NFL tight end calls Lions 'team to beat' in NFC North
While the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions were arguably two of the biggest winners during the first week of free agency, former NFL tight end Clay Harbor, a Chicago native who has played for Detroit, believes the Lions have improved enough to be favored to win the division this coming season.
In a recent video analysis for 'The 33rd Team,' Harbor cited the Lions' improved secondary -- the unit ranked a dreadful 30th in 2022 while allowing 245.8 pass yards per game -- as setting them up better for the draft than the rest of the division while also affording them a better shot at beating some of the NFC’s top teams.
“I really think this division starts in Detroit,” Harbor said. “I think Detroit has to be the favorite now. …They signed three of the best defensive backs, in my opinion, in free agency. C.J. Gardner-Johnson — he can play corner, he can play safety, he can play nickel, he can hit, he can cover. Cam Sutton…only allowed 411 yards in coverage, the fifth-best cornerback in the entire league.”
Prior to free agency, the Lions were projected by many talent evaluators to take a cornerback with the sixth overall pick in April’s NFL Draft, as well as an edge rusher or linebacker with the 18th overall selection.
Because of Detroit's moves in free agency, Harbor postures, they are in a position to take the best player — offensive or defensive — available with those first-round picks.
“They’ve got the sixth and 18th pick in the draft and four picks in the top 60,” Harbor added. “They’re going to be able to improve this roster even more than it’s improved now. …And the Lions don’t even need to go defensive back (in the draft), which is what they had to go before free agency started.”
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