Friday open thread: Who on the Lions is poised for a breakout season?

Seemingly every year in the NFL, there are a handful of players around the league that burst onto the scene, make a ton of plays, and ultimately, become a household name. Players that are known and appreciated around their respective fanbases become individuals that even the most casual of NFL fans can talk about. For a team like the Detroit Lions that is stocked with young, ascending talent, there are several players who could possibly take a leap during the 2023 season.

For the sake of the discussion, we will remove several players from contention—for one reason or another. Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and right tackle Penei Sewell are both already considered among the best at their position, despite only going into their third years as professional football players.

Other veterans like All-Pro center Frank Ragnow and left tackle Taylor Decker are already well-known throughout NFL circles—especially if you are an offensive line enthusiast, like myself. Let’s also remove newcomers like defensive backs Cameron Sutton and C.J. Gardner-Johnson from the discussion as well.

Besides those aforementioned names and other obvious veterans, most everyone else on this roster is a candidate.

Today’s Question of the Day is:

My answer: I am going to go with the father of Aaron Ro... I mean Kerby Joseph. Kerby Joseph is my selection. You could argue that he already broke out during his rookie season, but I think that the young safety is just scratching the surface. The guy is a playmaker. No other way around it. He is seemingly always around the ball, and when he gets the opportunity to make a play—he usually makes the most of it.

I think his production only increases with the rest of the defense around him being upgraded over the course of the offseason. He has all of the physical tools, great veterans to lean on—the sky is really the limit for Joseph in 2023 and beyond.

What about you? Who on the Lions do you think is most set up for a breakout season in 2023? Let us know in the comments by scrolling down to the bottom of the page.