ALLEN PARK — In recent weeks, Aaron Glenn, the defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, has been subjected
to constant references to “adjustments.”
Glenn remarked on Thursday morning, “I think it’s really funny that that’s the buzz word of adjustments.” And it
kind of makes me giggle because it illustrates how clueless some people can be. We are winning, after all.
“What are you changing? We’re doing a really good job.”
That does not imply that Glenn is ignoring areas where his defense could use some work. More so, though, is the fact
that he’s considering the wider picture and the defensive advancements that will be visible in this area in 2023.
Detroit is off to its finest start since 1962 with a 9-3 record, and they are three victories away from securing
Glenn is correct in one regard, too: this defense’s current iteration is rather comparable to the one that played this
past season.
This past offseason, the Lions signed defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson and cornerback Emmanuel Moseley in an
attempt to shore up their secondary. They then used a second-round choice to acquire nickelback Brian Branch.
However, Moseley’s season is over due to yet another torn ACL. Furthermore, Gardner-Johnson’s return this season
—whether for the postseason or not—is not guaranteed. Tracy Walker has returned to his position as a full-time
starter at safety, forcing Cam Sutton and Jerry Jacobs into every-down assignments on the outside.
Consequently, at this time last year, in terms of yards, when it
“I believe that when you take a broad view of it, you see that our defense as a whole is essentially the same corps that
has been here, and when you compare that to this time last year, you see that we were not a good defense. We were, I
believe, in the bottom of a lot of different categories. And you see it now with essentially the same corps—these guys
have gotten better, and that’s the one thing I don’t think people really consider.
In Year 3, Alim McNeill emerged as one of the top interior players in the game. It’s the best ball Alex Anzalone has
ever played in his career. In almost every measure, Aidan Hutchinson is among the top edge defenders in the league.
Derrick Barnes has developed into a linebacker who seems more at ease and is still improving from his days as a
fringe rotational player. Additionally, rookies Branch and Jack Campbell have shown success. Without a doubt,
Branch has been a steady stud ever since the beginning. However, Campbell’s finest performance since returning to
the MIKE linebacker position last week was a sight to cheer for in Detroit.
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