Friday open thread: Who will emerge as the vocal, emotional leader of the Lions’ defense?

When you’re in year two of a multi-year rebuild like the Detroit Lions currently are, not every hole on your roster is going to be addressed right away. General manager Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell have done their best to quickly add young talent to their roster, and certain positions, like wide receiver, have been completely flipped in a calendar year.

Other positions, such as linebacker, have not had as many resources allocated towards them, and consequently, there is a lot that is still up in the air. Minus a few spots, this is largely the case for the defense as a whole. For now, there are more questions than answers, and we may not have answers to several of these questions until the 2022 NFL season is well underway.

Questions like how will cornerbacks Jeff Okudah and Jerry Jacobs bounce back from their season-ending injuries in 2021? Same question goes for defensive end Romeo Okwara. Who will take the majority of the snaps opposite veteran safety Tracy Walker? What progression will linebacker Derrick Barnes see in year two?

We know on the offensive side of the football what makes that unit tick. All-Pro center Frank Ragnow is the pulse of what is widely believed to be the best unit on this football team. Left tackle Taylor Decker is an established veteran that seems to be more than comfortable leading. Despite only being 21 years old, offensive tackle Penei Sewell also helps to set the tone for the offense.

What about on defense? With all of those aforementioned questions surrounding that side of the ball, the Lions are going to need someone to step up.

Today’s Question of the Day is:

Who will emerge as the vocal and emotional leader of the Lions’ defense?

My answer: To me, it makes the most sense to go with the battle-tested guy here—and that is Walker. Look no further than when Campbell told Walker “You’re one of the core”.

Inevitably, this Lions’ defense is going to go through some rough patches in 2022. Having a player like Walker in the huddle to help calm things down should be invaluable to an otherwise young defense.

What do you all think? Let us know in the comments.