Roundtable: Previewing Giants

Christian Booher and Vito Chirco, two writers for Sports Illustrated/All Lions, have plenty of material to cover in this week’s edition of Lions’ Roundtable. The exhibition season begins Friday when the Lions host the New York Giants.

1.) How excited are you about what Aidan Hutchinson can accomplish this season?

Booher: One word — Very. I think Hutchinson is an exceptional player, but what sets him apart is his mindset. I was impressed to learn that he has consulted with J.J. Watt about developing, and the initiative shown by him leads me to believe that his second campaign will be a breakout one.

Hutchinson wasn’t always flashy last season, and still managed 9.5 sacks. Think back to his debut when he narrowly missed Jalen Hurts a number of times due to bad pursuit angles.

I expect Hutchinson to demonstrate superb fundamentals and be a more polished player in his second year, which could put him in elite air early in his career.

Chirco: I’m very excited. I think the second-year EDGE rusher is in store for a dominant campaign. I think he’ll record his first career double-digit sack season, while being increasingly stout against the run. And, I think he’s going to help the Lions punch a ticket to the postseason for the first time since the 2016 season.

2.) Do you think Dylan Drummond makes the team out of camp?

Booher: The odds are against it, but you can’t help but to be impressed by his efforts so far. He simply makes plays, and always finds the right spots.

The Mid-American Conference has a history of players finding their way onto rosters and sticking around long-term. Even if Drummond doesn’t make the cut in Detroit, I expect him to land with another organization.

If he doesn’t make the roster and goes unclaimed, the Lions should make every effort to keep him on the practice squad and allow him to have opportunities when the right time arises.

Chirco: Drummond continues to make plays in training camp, and has emerged as a dark-horse candidate to make the Lions’ season-opening roster.

Heck, he even was showered with praise from Dan Campbell earlier this week.

“He makes plays every day,” Campbell told reporters. “He really, mentally, can play all the positions. He competes in special teams. I would say he’s hard to ignore. He’s just hard to ignore. He’s continuing to climb the depth chart.”

Yet, I’m still not presently buying into Drummond’s odds of making the team. I think he’s still got too many receivers ahead of him on the depth chart, and it’s why I think he’ll be a member of Detroit’s practice squad when the regular season kicks off.

3.) What kind of contract extension do you think Jonah Jackson deserves?

Booher: Jonah Jackson has been a key piece of what the Lions have built on their offensive line. He’s certainly worthy of an adequate extension.

Where it becomes tricky is the fact that the Lions have several young players that they have to extend in the near future. The likes of Penei Sewell and Amon-Ra St. Brown will command hefty extensions, as will signal-caller Jared Goff.

The Lions cannot break the bank on an extension for Jackson, but he’s certainly deserving of a hefty raise. I believe somewhere in the $10-$15 million AAV range is a fair ask for the Ohio State product.

Chirco: Well, I’ll start with this: The Lions know they need to retain Jackson, who has been a steady presence along the Lions’ offensive line since being drafted in 2020.

To set his market, he’ll likely look to the contract that Atlanta Falcons guard Chris Lindstrom received this spring. It was a five-year contract worth $105 million.

Jackson might not get that, but I still believe the 26-year-old is due for a hefty pay raise. At this present juncture, I believe the Pro Bowl left guard will receive a four-year deal worth around $80 million.

4.) I think the Lions may have a waiting list for season tickets for a while! What’s driving the excitement the most among Lions fans?

Booher: The promise of a winner. Never in my lifetime has a Lions team generated this much preseason hype. How unbelievable is it that they are playing in the national spotlight for their season opener?

Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes have delivered a product that resonates strongly with the fanbase. They’ve built the team on integrity and molded it according to their vision of what the culture should be.

Because the team resonates so well with Detroit and its fans, the Lions are now reaping the benefits of their commitment.

Chirco: To me, it’s a myriad of factors. It starts with the culture that Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell have established in Detroit. It’s got a very positive feel to it, and the players have bought into it. It’s a large reason why the rapport and energy among the players is seemingly at an all-time high in Lions training camp.

But, at the end of the day, the excitement wouldn’t nearly be what it is currently without Detroit having won eight of its final 10 games last season. Fans and pundits alike think that success is going to carry over and allow the Lions to become a playoff team this upcoming season. It very well could, and regardless, the buzz isn’t going to die down anytime soon in camp. The city of Detroit is ready for a winning team to emerge, and believes this version of the Lions, led by Campbell, has what it takes to deliver.

5.) What are you most looking forward to when the Lions and Giants practice against each other?

Booher: It’s going to be treated as a game for many of the team’s starters, with reserves likely getting many of the reps during the actual preseason contest. As a result, I’m excited to see how both first-team units perform.

The Giants return a hefty amount of players from a team that won a road playoff game last season. In particular, Wink Martindale’s defense presents a unique challenge.

More than anything else, I’m looking forward to seeing Ben Johnson match wits with Martindale, in what should be a very competitive setting. Additionally, what’s not to like about the fact that it’ll be the first time Detroit’s new secondary plays together against an opponent.

Chirco: I’m looking forward to seeing the Lions’ defense go up against the Giants’ quarterback-running back duo of Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley. I think it’ll be a great test for Aaron Glenn’s unit.

I’m also looking forward to observing C.J. Gardner-Johnson and his counterparts on defense talk trash with another team’s offense for the first time this summer. That’ll be an interesting dynamic to follow all throughout the week of joint practices.

This article was produced by the staff at Sports Illustrated/All Lions. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lions.

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