ESPN released its NFL future power rankings
The Detroit Lions will be making another push towards the team's first-ever Super Bowl in the 2025 season.
And according to a panel of ESPN NFL experts, the franchise is set up nicely for the future, as well.
The Lions ranked No. 5 in ESPN's NFL Future Power Rankings, released on Monday, Aug. 11, ahead of all NFC teams except for the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. The Lions ranked ahead of all their NFC North rivals, with the Green Bay Packers at No. 6, the Minnesota Vikings at No. 11 and the Chicago Bears tied for No. 18.
ESPN ranked these teams by aggregating four factors on an A-F scale: quarterbacks, overall roster minus the quarterback, coaching and the front office. The No. 1 Eagles received an overall score of 92.6, while the Lions received an 87.2.
The area where the Lions scored the best was their overall roster, which ranked at No. 3 in the NFL behind the Eagles and the Baltimore Ravens.
Lions defense a highlight
Analyst Ben Solak especially highlighted one side of the ball for Detroit:
"Few teams can measure up against Detroit's offensive targets, but don't sleep on a defensive core of edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, defensive tackle Alim McNeill, cornerback Terrion Arnold and safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph."
But as analyst Louis Riddick points out, the defense will likely need a much-improved pass rush to reach its championship potential:
"Once again, the Lions were near the bottom of the league in pass rush win rate (35.4%) and sacks (37). It is an absolute must that Hutchinson returns to pre-injury form and first-round defensive tackle Tyleik Williams finds success at rushing inside."
Lions coaching staff has experience
With former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson now the coach in Chicago and former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn now the coach for the New York Jets, the Lions have had a talent drain on the coaching staff.
But the panel of experts still ranks the Lions coaching staff at No. 12, with Solak saying: "Dan Campbell is one of the most trustworthy coaches in the league when it comes to elevating his team despite obstacles."
New coordinators John Morton (offense) and Kelvin Sheppard (defense) have big shoes to fill, but the Lions have a recent track record of turning their coordinators into coaching stars.
Not so fast?
The USA TODAY's Nate Davis isn't as optimistic about the Lions − at least for the 2025 season.
He predicted the Lions would finish second in the NFC North with an 11-6 record, one game behind the 12-5 Packers. Still, that record would be good enough for a No. 5 seed in the NFC playoffs in Davis' hypothetical, with the Lions reaching the NFC championship game in 2024 last time they earned a wild-card berth.
You can reach Christian Romo at[email protected]
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: See where Detroit Lions rank in ESPN's NFL Future Power Rankings
Category: Football
