Roundtable: Will Detroit pass on drafting a quarterback this year?
Vito Chirco and Adam Strozynski, two staff members at Sports Illustrated/ All Lions, discuss a number of issues in this week’s Lions’ Roundtable with the 2022 NFL Draft just around the corner.
What was your reaction to Dan Campbell’s recent media session?
Chirco: I think it was par for the course with Dan Campbell. The comment that caught my attention the most was his take on the importance of quarterbacks to a winning team. While he said it’d be nice to have an elite-level QB, he expressed that it’s not a necessity when you’re trying to build a winner. It was a bit of a bold take, considering how important signalcallers are viewed these days. But, I think there is a bit of truth to the point that you can win, and at a high level, without a topthree or top-five passer in the league. I believe — and I guess it aligns me with Campbell — that you can have a top-15 QB and still win a Super Bowl (as long as the rest of the roster is rock solid).
It seems to me that is also the approach Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes have taken when it comes to building the Lions’ roster. They’re going to continue to fill the multitude of non-QB voids on both sides of the ball before figuring out the long-term solution under center.
Strozynski: Man, oh, man, has Dan Campbell said a lot recently. The thing that caught my eye and didn’t shock me was
him speaking about his time in Miami and players practicing under the influence. The NFL is very interesting week to week, but the better stories come from what goes on behind the scenes.
Do you think the Lions will pass on drafting a quarterback this year?
Chirco: At this juncture, I believe so. I think the Lions are set on Jared Goff being the starter once again in 2022, with Tim Boyle and David Blough being his backups for a second straight season.
Additionally, although Liberty quarterback Malik Willis has been frequently mocked to Detroit at No. 2, I don’t see Brad Holmes & Co. pulling the trigger on him that early. And, I also don’t think Willis will be available once the Lions’ second of two first-rounders rolls around at No. 32.
Strozynski: This might be my personal biases coming through, but no, I don’t see a quarterback being drafted by this team.
I think the Lions make a run next year with a better crop of talent.
Are you excited by the recent news that Jacksonville may take Travon Walker and that the Lions might still get Aidan Hutchinson?
Chirco: I am, but also view it like this: I think there’s a solid shot of Detroit getting equal or greater value out of Walker and Oregon EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux, both of whom are likely targets for the Lions with the No. 2 overall pick.
So, as much as the news is “exciting,” I don’t think it’s a gamechanger for the Lions organization.
Strozynski: The player doesn’t excite me as much as the position does, and that’s more based on draft value. You don’t take a safety this high, the quarterbacks are not deserving and the wide receivers you can get later in the draft. Either way you slice it, the Lions have to nail this first-round pick, and honestly, if it’s Walker, Hutchinson or Kayvon Thibodeaux, I think they will get a first-round talent.
Which Lions player will surprise people in 2022?
Chirco: I’m going to go with third-year pro Quintez Cephus. He only played in five games a season ago due to injury, but still managed to catch a career-best 68.2 percent of his targets. So, I think once he gets back on the field, he’ll impress fans and pundits alike with how well he plays.
Strozynski: Derrick Barnes is my guy who will be most improved and will shock the fans. I think he takes big steps forward this season.
Having that first season under his belt will go a long way toward him being a better player in 2022.
Which Lions player would you want to watch a Tigers baseball game with?
Chirco: I agree with Adam here. I think it would be extremely fun to watch a Tigers game with Lions running back Jamaal Williams. He’s got a super affable, fun-loving personality, and I know he’d be making me laugh throughout the course of the game.
Strozynski: Jamaal Williams. He’s legitimately the most interesting man in the NFL. He has a huge personality, and he’d make you laugh for nine innings.