Everyone is excited for the start of the new NFL season, and Lions fans are no exception, hoping to see their team bounce back from a subpar 2018. There are plenty of reasons for optimism, most coming in the form of key free agent additions and a sharp rookie class drafted this spring.
While newly acquired C.J. Anderson, Danny Amendola, and Jesse James are not the most prominent players at their positions, each should seem some action on offense this Sunday against Arizona. Meanwhile, only one rookie will likely be a factor on offense, but T.J. Hockenson is definitely going to grab some attention any time he is targeted.
On the other side of the ball, Trey Flowers, Mike Daniels, and Justin Coleman are the biggest free agents to join the Lions this offseason. A number of rookies including Jahlani Tavai and Will Harris could see the field against the Cardinals.
Today’s Question of the Day is:
Which new Lion will have the best game on Sunday?
Earlier this summer I said Flowers will be the best newcomer, and I stand by it, but I think Daniels could also have a solid debut in Arizona. The Cardinals offensive line has a lot of question marks, and combining that with a new quarterback and a new head coach could make for a tough Week 1.
It is likely that Kyler Murray will try to get rid of the ball quickly to combat struggling protection in front of him, which fits with the type of offense Arizona is trying to run. However, David Johnson is still an electric talent in the backfield and he should see plenty of carries during the first week of the season.
Daniels is going to rotate with the army of defensive linemen that Detroit has assembled, but he has a chance to make a nice introduction, especially against the run game. If the Cardinals struggle to block on Sunday, do not be surprised to see Daniels meet Johnson in the backfield and record a few tackles for loss.
Your turn.