Why things will be better, but still bad, for the Lions.

Detroit Lions

Predicted: 4^th

2008: 0-16 (4^th NFC North)

Head Coach: Jim Schwartz (1^st year)

Roster Quick View (*new veteran, **rookie)

Offense (coordinator: Scott Linehan)

QB: Daunte Culpepper*

Dropped 30 pounds and gets to reunite with Scott Linehan, for whom he had his best two seasons in Minnesota. Should be a fine placeholder for No. 1 pick Matthew Stafford.

RB: Kevin Smith

Fluid hips and solid speed translate into a quality burst. Improved each week as a rookie and should easily top 1,000 yards in 2009.

RB: Maurice Morris*

Not as electrifying as supporters like to think, but is still a solid veteran No. 2.

FB: Terrelle Smith*

When he’s on top of his game, he’s a forceful wide-load. But he hasn’t been on top of his game for a few years now.

WR: Calvin Johnson

Might be the most physically-gifted player in football.

WR: Bryant Johnson*

Somewhat of an underachiever, though playing across from a double-team magnet like Calvin Johnson and in an offense that favors speed could change that.

WR: Dennis Northcutt*

Shifty, astute veteran, though won’t be impactful enough to keep third-round rookie Derrick Williams off the field for long.

TE: Brandon Pettigrew**

A top-10 quality prospect whom Detroit snagged at No. 20. Has big-time receiving skills and is already a high-quality blocker.

TE: Casey Fitzsimmons

Excellent blocker on the move. Can slide down the line or come out of the backfield.

LT: Jeff Backus

Has started 128 straight games at offensive tackle since being a first-round pick in ’01. But mediocre feet and inconsistent power suggest he’d be better at guard.

LG: Daniel Loper*

Big and strong, but that’s about it. Never started a game in his four years at Tennessee.

C: Dominic Raiola

As nasty and prideful as they come. Will lock and drive defenders, but will also get bull-rushed in the backfield a few times a game.

RG: Stephen Peterman

When he’s the aggressor, he’s fine. But the nature of football doesn’t allow an offensive lineman to be the aggressor on every play.

RT: Gosder Cherilus

Has the strength to put people on the ground. But focus is a major concern, as he can show alarming mental lapses on his initial blocks and also draw too many flags.

6 OL: Jon Jansen*

Injuries have depleted the honorable veteran. Was brought here to light a fire under the ’08 first-round pick Cherilus.

Defense (coordinator: Gunther Cunningham)

LDE: Dewayne White

High-motor veteran with some speed, but he’s never been more than a middle-tier pass-rusher.

DT: Grady Jackson*

Conditioning and attitude are always a question. The bottom line, however, is that just about every defense this two-gap monster plays for gets better with him.

DT: Chuck Darby

Doesn’t have the quickest feet, but intelligence and effort allow him to survive as a plugger.

RDE: Cliff Avril

An intriguing wild card. Fast, fluid athlete who still has a lot to learn. Gunther Cunningham envisions using him like Pittsburgh uses James Harrison.

3 DE: Ikaika Alama-Francis

Runs around blockers when he should be running through them. Won’t be relevant until he hones his technique.

3 DT: Andre Fluellen

Drafted to play in the Tampa Two. Undersized and doesn’t have great quickness.

SLB: Julian Peterson*

Versatile veteran with freakish athleticism. Brilliant move to get him for Cory Redding and a mid-round pick.

MLB: Larry Foote*

Former Steeler signed a one-year deal with his hometown team to prove that he can also be a stout run defender in a 4-3 scheme.

WLB: Ernie Sims

Something was mentally-off with the fast young star last season. Coaches think the new scheme will benefit him greatly.

4 LB: DeAndre Levy**

Played outside at Wisconsin but projects as a long-term middle linebacker. Might need to add strength.

CB: Anthony Henry*

Doesn’t have top-notch quickness but is a physical veteran who understands the nuances of man coverage. A good temporary fix.

CB: Phillip Buchanon*

Put him on an island and he’ll struggle. But keep the action in front of him and he can make plays.

NB: Eric King*

Might be the weakest No. 3 corner in football, but at least his days in Tennessee lend him familiarity with Jim Schwartz.

SS: Louis Delmas**

Expected to be the assertive, hard-hitting playmaker that has long been missing from this position. Coaches were blown away by his bravado and intelligence in minicamps.

FS: Daniel Bullocks

Way too vanilla to be starting.

6 DB: Kalvin Pearson

Should be playing in Bullocks’s spot. Not dynamic, but he at least attacks the run with a purpose and shows aptitude in coverage. Was the only DB who showed an pride last season.

Special Teams

K: Jason Hanson

Eighteen years with the organization makes him the only kicker in the NFL to be considered this team’s locker room leader. Hasn’t declined an inch.

P: Nick Harris

Let’s just say, when you punt for the Lions, you’re going to build experience in a hurry.

RS: Aveion Cason

Average. Third-round rookie Derrick Williams is likely to snag this job.

Offseason Quick Glance

Draft

RD PK (OVR) NAME POS SCHOOL

1 1 (1) Matthew Stafford QB Georgia

1 20 (20) Brandon Pettigrew TE Oklahoma St

2 1 (33) Louis Delmas S W Michigan

3 12 (76) DeAndre Levy OLB Wisconsin

3 18 (82) Derrick Williams WR Penn State

4 15 (115) Sammie Lee Hill DT Stillman

6 19 (192) Aaron Brown RB TCU

7 19 (228) Lydon Murtha OT Nebraska

7 26 (235) Zack Follett OLB California

7 46 (255) Dan Gronkowski TE Maryland

KEY PLAYERS ACQUIRED

CB Phillip Buchanon: UFA Buccaneers; $8.5M/2 yrs, guarantees unknown.

WR Ronald Curry: FA Raiders; 1 yr, terms unknown.

LB Larry Foote: FA Steelers; 1 yr, terms unknown.

WR Will Franklin (waivers Chiefs).

OG Dylan Gandy: FA; 1 yr, terms unknown.

TE Will Heller: UFA Seahawks; 1 yr, terms unknown.

CB Anthony Henry (trade Cowboys).

DE Jason Hunter (waivers Packers).

DT Grady Jackson: UFA Falcons; $8M/3 yrs, guarantees unknown.

WR Bryant Johnson: UFA 49ers; $9M/3 yrs, SB unknown.

CB Eric King: UFA Titans; $4.25M/2 yrs, SB unknown.

OT Daniel Loper: UFA Titans; 1 yr, terms unknown.

RB Maurice Morris: UFA Seahawks; $7M/3 yrs, SB unknown.

LB Julian Peterson (trade Seahawks).

FB Terrelle Smith: UFA Cardinals; 1 yr, terms unknown.

KEY PLAYERS LOST

CB Leigh Bodden (released).

RB Brian Calhoun (released/failed physical).

DT Shaun Cody: UFA Texans; 3 yrs, terms unknown.

WR Mike Furrey (released).

TE Dan Campbell (released).

CB Travis Fisher (released).

TE Michael Gaines (released).

QB Drew Henson (released).

QB Jon Kitna (traded Cowboys).

WR Shaun McDonald: UFA Steelers; 1 yr, terms unknown.

OG Edwin Mulitalo (released).

FB Moran Norris: UFA 49ers; $5M/3 yrs, $1.5M SB.

QB Dan Orlovsky: UFA Texans; $9.15M/3 yrs, $2.4M SB.

TE John Owens: UFA Seahawks; terms unknown.

DT Cory Redding (traded Seahawks).

DE Corey Smith: (deceased).

S Dwight Smith (released/failed physical).

WR Travis Taylor (released).

Analysis

When you’re coming off an 0-16 season, virtually no roster change is unwarranted. The only player Detroit lost that will be missed on the field each Sunday is DT Cory Redding. And, considering they got LB Julian Peterson in that trade, Redding is hardly a painful loss.

Of the new opening day starters, the most intriguing is the one under center. But who will it be? Some will want Matthew Stafford to play right away. Others will want the No. 1 pick to wait. Given how impressive Daunte Culpepper looked during the offseason, don’t be shocked if Stafford sits in September.

Sitting Stafford might be the right move simply because few of the Lions’ offseason changes involved its pathetic offensive line. Thus, new receiving targets like first-round TE Brandon Pettigrew—who is also an excellent blocker—and fast WR Bryant Johnson may not make as big an impact as expected.

Defensively, Jim Schwartz’s new scheme calls for more size and physicality than the previous Cover 2 (or, in Detroit’s case, “Cover No One”) scheme. Thus, you see the arrival of Peterson at SLB and the signing of former Steeler Larry Foote at MLB. Both men will play behind blocker-eating DT Grady Jackson (when the big fella is on the field, that is).

Second-round safety Louis Delmas is an important pick. He brings some desperately-needed strength to the abysmal safety position. The hope is that with Delmas and new starting corners Anthony Henry and Philip Buchanon—both fairly average but reliable veterans—Detroit can at least stop getting torched through the air.