The five player additions that will define the Detroit Lions season
By Ash Thompson
Devon Kennard
The Lions are doing something I hate with Devon Kennard. They are bringing him in and simply handing him a starting job when he has never had one. This is not the same thing as bringing Marvin Jones in two years ago to take the lead role at WR. Jones was a starter with the Bengals. He was just their number two receiver behind A.J. Green.
Kennard was not really a starter with the Giants. He is being handed that role without having had it previously. He has never played 50% of his team’s snaps, despite having credit for 11 starts in 2017. He was on the field for the first snap of the game but did not play an every-down role. He will likely be asked to do so for the Lions in 2018. The team hasn’t brought in any legitimate depth for his role. If he goes down, there will be someone playing out of type in his place or his role will disappear.
His success or failure may determine whether the Lions new defensive scheme can work. He is the only hope that the Lions have for a significant increase in their pressure on the backfield from the linebacker position. The defensive linemen will be playing a two gap technique that plugs the middle. The Lions linebackers will be much more responsible for getting behind the line of scrimmage to break up running plays or pressure the quarterback.
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Kennard will be on the line but standing up a lot. His skill set matches up with that of former Lion Kyle Van Noy. Matt Patricia found a use for the Lions reject. It is safe to say that he had a use in mind for Kennard. The Lions don’t have a backup plan of this free agent acquisition doesn’t work out. That makes him extremely important to the season.