ClutchPoints
The Detroit Lions’ league punchline days are long gone. They’re legitimate season-on-season contenders—and not just in the NFC North. Recall that they reacherd the NFC Championship Game in 2023 and followed up with another playoff appearance in 2024. As such, Detroit has become one of the NFL’s most stable franchises. Dan Campbell’s team plays with heart, physicality, and unrelenting confidence.
However, if the Lions are going to take the final leap and reach their first Super Bowl, they’ll need more than just star power. They’ll need the emergence of hidden gems. These are players already on the roster who could break out and elevate the team’s ceiling in 2025. Two names stand out: Jameson Williams and Ennis Rakestraw Jr.
The 2025 offseason brought some painful but expected changes. Both offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn accepted head coaching opportunities. That created disruption at two critical positions. Yes, the Lions prepared for this inevitability. That said, it’s impossible to fully replace two of the NFL’s most respected coordinators without some adjustment period.
Personnel-wise, Detroit made strategic tweaks rather than splashy moves. The team essentially traded Carlton Davis III for DJ Reed at cornerback. That’s a near lateral move based on their 2024 PFF coverage grades (72.1 for Davis, 70.1 for Reed). They also drafted Georgia guard Tate Ratledge in the second round with the hope he can eventually replace the retired Kevin Zeitler.
However, the biggest hole might be at center. Former All-Pro Frank Ragnow’s retirement leaves a gaping void in the middle of one of the NFL’s best offensive lines. Ratledge, a natural guard, has reportedly taken the majority of first-team center reps during OTAs. Veterans Graham Glasgow and recent signing Trystan Colon are also in the mix. Still, the transition will be closely monitored heading into training camp.
The team didn’t do much to bolster the edge rusher room either. That puts added pressure on Aidan Hutchinson to bounce back to elite form after battling injuries last season. Detroit’s core is still solid, of course. However, they’ll need improvement from within—especially from players who’ve flashed but haven’t yet reached their ceiling.
Here we’ll try to look at the Detroit Lions veteran players whose roles will be pushed by rookies in the 2025 NFL season.
It may sound counterintuitive to call a 1,000-yard receiver a sleeper. That said, Williams is far from a finished product. After an injury-marred start to his career and a six-game suspension in 2023, Williams finally had a full, healthy season in 2024. He obviously made it count. He posted more than 1,000 receiving yards over 15 games and emerged as Detroit’s undisputed No. 2 wideout behind Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Yet it’s not the raw production that makes Williams a breakout candidate. It’s the way he did it. Williams showed flashes of becoming one of the NFL’s most dangerous after-the-catch weapons. He used his elite 4.3 speed to turn short...
