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With guys like Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley anchoring the defensive line, the Detroit Lions look poised for a much-improved 2013 season, defensively.
Suh, a former defensive rookie of the year, has shown some personality issues in the past couple of seasons, but he would tell you that it’s all just apart of the game. Suh is tough, gritty and relentless, a mold that the entire defense will fit in next year.
Fairley was improved in 2012, but is still not quite at the point that the Lions expected him to be at when they drafted him.
The Lions’ defense will look a tad different in 2013 without Kyle Vanden Bosch and Cliff Avril playing both defensive end positions, but that means little to the success they will have next year. With the addition of rookies Ezekiel Ansah, Devin Taylor and veteran Jason Jones, the Lions defensive line will be raw and slightly inexperienced, but extremely talented.
As for the secondary, keeping Louis Delmas and Chris Houston were both key offseason moves that the Lions needed to make in order to have a solid secondary in 2013. They also added talented veteran-safety Glover Quin and second-round pick cornerback Darius Slay to the secondary.
Slay and Bill Bentley will likely battle for the second cornerback spot after Bentley missed much of last season due to injury, leaving the Lions’ secondary depleted.
Sure, the Lions had the 15th best defense in the NFL last season, but with the necessary offseason moves and draft choices, this defense looks to be much better and more reliable than they were in 2012.
Connor Muldowney is a columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Connormuldowney, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
