Did the Detroit Lions get better in the offseason? Did they get worse? What did the Lions even do this offseason?
For starters, they traded away their franchise quarterback, who had very little playoff experience, for a quarterback who has a good chunk of it.
While Jared Goff has more playoff experience, most would agree he needs a better roster than Stafford to be just as good. What are some of the best pieces on the Detroit Lions? Who will likely be the best players on the Lions roster in Madden 22? Here's a look.
Five Detroit Lions players most likely to ace the ratings in Madden 22
#1 - Frank Ragnow (94 overall)
Frank Ragnow made headlines earlier this offseason when he signed a $54 million contract with the Lions that runs through 2026. The deal came on the heels of three seasons of improvement in a row.
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In his rookie season, Ragnow earned a 66.5 PFF score. In 2019, PFF awarded him a grade of 74.9, which bumped up to 80.3 in 2020. If he gets any better in 2021, he'll be one of the best centers in the game.
#2 - Trey Flowers (86 overall)
Trey Flowers had a down season in 2020 in which he earned only two sacks. However, from 2016 through 2019, Flowers was a solid rusher. He earned at least 6.5 sacks per season in each of those years. Back for another full season, he is expected to be right around seven sacks again.
#3 - TJ Hockenson (85 overall)
TJ Hockenson's rookie season was a little rough. He earned only 367 yards and two touchdowns. However, these were shown to be only rookie growing pains. In 2020, Hockenson earned 723 yards and six touchdowns. In 2021, Hockenson could push to be a 1,000-yard receiver for the Lions.
#4 - Jared Goff (79 overall)
Jared Goff has had his ups and downs in the NFL, to say the least. In his best season, Goff threw for 32 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. His worst non-rookie season was in 2019, when he threw for 22 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. With high highs and low lows, it seems fitting for him to be rated in the middle of the usable quarterback spectrum.
#5 - D'Andre Swift (78 overall)
D'Andre Swift is coming off his rookie season in which he showed flashes of his potential for the Lions. He earned 521 yards and an average of 4.6 yards per carry. In addition, he rushed for eight touchdowns.
He also had 46 receptions for 357 yards and two touchdowns. It is an accomplishment for a rookie to reach almost 1,000 total yards and ten total touchdowns. Madden should be taking notice and elevating his rating accordingly.
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