Detroit Lions

Based on the current order for the 2023 NFL draft, ESPN's Todd McShay is projecting three of the first six picks will be quarterbacks.

In his latest mock draft released Tuesday, McShay has Alabama's Bryce Young going No. 1 overall to the Houston Texans. He projects the Detroit Lions will use the No. 4 pick on Ohio State's C.J. Stroud, with Kentucky's Will Levis going to the Atlanta Falcons at No. 6.

Young's size has become a talking point as we get closer to the draft, but McShay cited several other areas in which the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner excels that make him an elite NFL prospect.

"Scouts will knock Young's frame (he's listed at 6-foot), but there is no debating his high-level processing ability, excellent ball placement to all three levels of the field and mobility when forced to go off schedule," McShay wrote. "He has regularly lifted a lackluster offensive supporting cast in Alabama this season, and he can do it again with the Texans."

The Texans' roster is in such dire straits they could almost go in any direction, and it would make sense. But having the No. 1 pick in a year when it looks like there are multiple quarterbacks worth taking at that spot should make their decision easier.

The Lions face a potentially interesting dilemma. They have put themselves into playoff contention with five wins in their last six games. Jared Goff is playing at a high level with 3,352 passing yards and 22 touchdowns and is surrounded by a wealth of talent on offense.

If the Lions want to ride with Goff, who has two years remaining on his contract, they could look to add help to a defense that is allowing the second-most points per game (26.7).

But the Lions are also playing with house money right now because the No. 4 pick they have is from the Los Angeles Rams as part of the Matthew Stafford trade. They also have their own pick, which is currently at No. 16 overall.

If Stroud is the second-best quarterback in the class and is on the board when the Lions make their first pick, why not take the shot? He will be walking into a situation with a great offensive line to protect him and wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams on the outside.

Levis and the Falcons are an interesting pairing because we're still waiting to see what Desmond Ridder can do in head coach Arthur Smith's offense.

Ridder was the second quarterback taken in the 2022 NFL draft at No. 74 overall. He is set to take over as Atlanta's starter in Week 15 against the New Orleans Saints.

Even though it will only be a four-game trial run for Ridder, the team could alter its draft plans if he shows the talent that made him the top-ranked quarterback in the 2022 class for some draft analysts.

McShay noted Levis "still needs some developing, especially when it comes to decision-making, but the traits are outstanding."

It seems unlikely Levis will make it out of the top 10 at this point. Despite a lackluster senior season with 2,406 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, his skill set is proving to be tantalizing for NFL teams.

The Minnesota Vikings have been in second place in the NFC for nearly the entire season, but there are still questions as to whether the team is truly a Super Bowl contender this year.

Those questions only grew louder Sunday after Minnesota's 34-23 loss to the Detroit Lions. The Vikings fell to 10-3 but maintain a firm grip on the NFC North, as the second-place Lions improved to 6-7.

Minnesota wasted a strong performance from quarterback Kirk Cousins, who threw for 425 yards and two touchdowns with no turnovers. Star wide receiver Justin Jefferson recorded 11 catches for 223 yards.

However, the Vikings defense allowed over 400 yards for a franchise-record fifth straight game. That clearly isn't a winning formula, especially when the playoffs begin.

NFL Twitter ripped Minnesota for its disappointing loss Sunday, with many calling out the team as fraudulent contenders:

The Vikings were once the hottest team in the league with a seven-game win streak. However, cracks have started to show over the last few weeks, as Minnesota is 2-2 in its last four games.

As the playoffs approach, the Vikings are surely hoping to find some quick fixes to their recent problems. Minnesota will look for a better effort when it returns to action Saturday against the Indianapolis Colts (4-8-1).

The Detroit Lions don't consider Jared Goff to be a bridge quarterback, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

"As sources have explained, Goff is believed to be their starting QB. Period. Not just until someone else comes along," Rapoport reported.

Goff has impressed in his second season with the Lions after a trade from the Los Angeles Rams. The 28-year-old has 3,022 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 12 games this year, ranking sixth in the NFL with a 60.5 Total QBR.

After a slow start, the Lions have won four of their last five games with Goff throwing seven touchdown passes and only one interception in this stretch.

Goff's contract becomes more manageable after this season if the Lions wanted to move on from the quarterback. He's owed $52.3 million over the next two years, with just $10 million left in dead cap if he was released in the offseason, per Spotrac.

The Lions would've been left with $41.15 million in dead cap if Goff was released last offseason.

There could also be options to replace Goff in the draft, with the Lions currently holding the No. 4 overall pick from the Rams. They also enter Sunday with the projected No. 15 pick, per Tankathon.

Quarterbacks Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud are both considered top 10 prospects in the 2023 class, per Bleacher Report's Scouting Department, while Anthony Richardson and Will Levis are high-upside options that could be available.

The Lions still seem content to stick with Goff as long as he remains productive.

At 5-7, Detroit has already matched its highest win total in the last four years. The team also has the No. 6 scoring offense in the NFL, with Goff clearly a major part of the success.

It could be enough for the 2016 No. 1 overall draft pick to keep his job heading into 2023 and beyond.

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell was taken aback Friday when told that his team is favored to beat the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

According to Kyle Meinke of MLive.com, Campbell said: "I really don't even know how to respond to that. I'm shocked by that."

The Lions, who are 5-7 on the season, are listed as two-point home favorites against the 10-2 NFC North rival Vikings by DraftKings Sportsbook.

Detroit has won four of its past five games, and it is coming off a 40-14 home demolition of the Jacksonville Jaguars last week. The Lions were unstoppable on offense with quarterback Jared Goff throwing for 340 yards and two touchdowns, while running backs D'Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams each had a rushing touchdown.

The Vikings have won nine of their past 10 games, including two in a row, however, all but one of their wins this season have been by one score.

That includes last week's 27-22 win over the New York Jets, which required two red-zone stands in the fourth quarter.

In Week 11, the Vikings were perhaps exposed in a 40-3 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, although they have done well to bounce back with two consecutive wins since then.

The Vikings and Lions played once before this season, with Minnesota pulling out a 28-24 home win in Week 3.

Since the Vikings are on the verge of clinching the NFC North and would need an epic collapse to not win the division, their sense of urgency may not be as high as Detroit's.

The Lions are still in the playoff hunt, trailing the Seattle Seahawks by two games for the final wild-card spot in the NFC, and a win over the Vikes would go a long way toward helping their cause.

That is likely playing a role in the surprising point spread, although it is still difficult to believe that a 10-2 team that is largely healthy at the key positions is an underdog against a 5-7 squad.

For all the latest betting information and reaction, check out B/R Betting.

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A coaching decision in a Week 3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings continues to haunt Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell.

"Look, it burns me," Campbell told reporters Thursday. "Of course it burns me. That'll be there until the day I die. That's not going to go away."

The Lions led the Vikings 24-21 with 1:14 left in the fourth quarter. On fourth down with four yards to go, Campbell sent Austin Seibert out for a 54-yard field-goal attempt instead of trying for the game-sealing first down.

Seibert missed the kick, and the Vikings needed just three plays to score the go-ahead touchdown. Minnesota closed out the 28-24 win and the Lions suffered the first of five straight losses.

Campbell acknowledged the mistake after the game even before getting questioned by reporters.

"I freakin' regret my decision there at the end," the coach said. "I should have gone for it on fourth down. I told the team that we should've gone for it."

The Lions have turned their season around and enter Week 14's rematch against the Vikings with a 5-7 record, but it's clear Campbell still thinks about that call.

The Detroit Lions have activated rookie wide receiver Jameson Williams from the non-football injury list, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, setting up his return to the field.

Williams should be ready to suit up for Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Ford Field. It will mark his eagerly awaited NFL debut.

Williams suffered a torn ACL while playing for Alabama in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game last season and has spent much of the last year rehabbing and watching practices.

The Lions should have a fully healthy wide receiver group for the first time this season Sunday. In addition to Williams, Amon-Ra St. Brown, DJ Chark and Josh Reynolds have all missed time because of injuries.

St. Brown leads the team's receivers with 65 catches for 716 yards and four touchdowns in 10 games. Adding Williams to the lineup will give Jared Goff another talented target to rely on down the stretch.

Chark told reporters earlier this week that everyone is excited for Williams' debut:

"I definitely believe that he's a superstar, so anything I can do to help a guy like that, I'm here. He knows that, he knows that with all the receivers in the room. He's getting back into practicing, which is a huge step. Trust me, I understand. So, as soon as he's on the field, that's gonna be great for all of us. We all benefit from that, this team benefits from that. And the future, he's got a bright future.”

Detroit selected Williams 12th overall in the 2022 NFL draft, trading up to pick him despite his injury.

In his final season at Alabama, Williams caught 79 passes for 1,572 yards 15 touchdowns in 15 games. He spent the first two seasons of his college career at Ohio State but started just six games.

The Lions are second in the NFC North with a 4-7 record. The Jaguars are also 4-7.

Fantasy football trade deadlines are looming, and the regular-season stretch run is upon us as well. With that in mind, here's a look at Detroit Lions running backs D'Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams and whether you should consider dealing or acquiring either talent.

Swift entered this year as a hot fantasy prospect, but shoulder and ankle injuries have sidelined him for much of this season. He's played in just five of eight games, amassing 391 total yards and three touchdowns on 50 touches.

The former Georgia star hasn't had more than 10 touches in any of his last four games, but he showed what he's capable of in Week 1 with 175 yards and a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles.

At his best, Swift is a productive back and an incredible fantasy asset. Unfortunately, injuries have hampered his potential, and he's sparingly been used since Week 1.

Head coach Dan Campbell did tell reporters he wants Swift to get more work against the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

The problem is a "little bit more" than the five touches he got last Sunday probably won't amount to all that much against Chicago.

As good as Swift is, it's best to keep him on benches and take a "wait-and-see" approach in hopes that he takes hold of the backfield near the end of the season. If teams are looking to offload Swift, consider a deal there, but it's not worth going all out to acquire him in hopes that he returns to his Week 1 form.

Williams, a former BYU star in his sixth NFL season, has carried the load at running back for the Lions this year. He has rushed 126 times for 545 yards (4.3 YPC) and amassed nine receptions for 57 more yards. He's scored eight total touchdowns.

With Swift limited, the ex-Green Bay Packer notably had 13 touches for 60 yards in Week 2 versus the Washington Commanders in Week 2 before going off for 107 total yards and two touchdowns on 22 touches in Week 3 against the Minnesota Vikings.

Swift was then ruled out for the Lions' Week 4 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks on Oct. 2 with the same ailments that bothered him the previous week. Williams took over the backfield and dominated with 108 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

While Williams hasn't been utilized as a pass-catching threat, he's clearly the team's lead back right now and the go-to option at the goal line. There's no reason to look to trade him given his status.

If he's made available by other teams, look into a trade, as Williams is a clear RB1 right now given his litany of opportunities to tote the rock and score in goal-line situations.

The Detroit Lions are honoring arguably the greatest player in franchise history with a statue in front of Ford Field.

During halftime of Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins, the Lions announced they are placing an eight-foot bronze statue of Barry Sanders outside Ford Field before the start of the 2023 season.

Sanders spent his entire 10-year playing career with the Lions from 1989 to 1998. He is the franchise's all-time leader in rushing yards (15,269), rushing touchdowns (99) and total touchdowns (109).

At the time of his retirement, Sanders ranked second in NFL history in rushing yards, behind only Walter Payton (16,726). He has since been passed on the all-time list by Emmitt Smith (18,355) and Frank Gore (16,000).

The Lions retired the No. 20 jersey in 2004 in honor of Sanders, as well as other franchise icons Billy Sims and Lem Barney. He was also named to their all-time team that was announced in 2019.

Sanders is the only Lions player ever to win NFL MVP, when he shared the award with Brett Favre in 1997 after rushing for 2,053 yards.

Sanders will be the first player in Lions history to have a statue erected in his honor. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2004.