Notes: The Detroit Lions sported the NFL’s youngest roster in 2022

Detroit Lions rookies have garnered attention for their impressive performances this season and immediate impacts as starters. They’re constantly showing up in the ranks — including this ranking of the top 25 rookies of 2022 from NFL.com — particularly on the defensive side of the ball.

Edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson has lived up to his second overall pick status, just recently being named a finalist for Pepsi Rookie of the Year. Then there are the draft steals already contributing, like linebackers Malcolm Rodriguez and James Houston both taken in the sixth round. Safety Kerby Joseph has been Aaron Rodgers’ kryptonite. The list goes on.

So it should come as little surprise that the Lions sported the youngest roster in the NFL for the 2022 season.

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell took a look at all 32 clubs and found the Lions offense is the third-youngest group, while the defense is the second-youngest for an average of the overall most youthful squad. Barnwell’s methods included weighing each team’s roster age by snap counts. So the players that played the most counted more significantly to the formula. Here are the results.

What a year it’s been for this young squad who figured it out down the stretch. The Lions started 1-6 and it looked like the season was over, but the gritty Detroit team rallied to the tune of being in the playoff conversation in Week 18. In January, Dan Campbell was asked how important the late-season run was for his young players, who need to get used to playing meaningful games in January.

“You have to be a resilient team,” he said. “And I think that’s got to be part of your foundation and that’s why we put this team together.”

And onto the rest of your notes.

• Detroitlions.com’s Tim Twentyman drops another position breakdown — cornerbacks.

• “Jared Goff didn’t just end the season on a high note. He completed his second year under center for the Lions playing the best football of his career while ranking among the game’s best gunslingers.” Another position review, this one from MLive’s Benjamin Raven on quarterbacks.

• The Detroit Lions almost made it to the playoffs this year. Now the Detroit Free Press writers are engaging in the ever-popular debate — which Detroit team is truly the closest to making it to the playoffs?

• Great look at the life and career of Joe Schmidt.

• Ever wanted to work for the Lions? The team is hiring paid interns for the offseason in their data departments.

• If you want to meet the one and only Swag Daddy, Jamaal Williams is making a signing appearance next week at Lakeside Mall: