The Detroit Lions fell short of their high Super Bowl expectations in 2024. In case you missed it, they suffered a crushing defeat to the Washington Commanders in the divisional round of the playoffs.

It was a particularly hard loss for Dan Campbell’s team, which had a franchise-record 15 wins and secured the NFC’s No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the postseason.

The loss exposed the Lions’ most glaring weaknesses: their lack of a consistent pass rush and struggles at cornerback and guard.

Detroit failed to sack Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels during the game, allowing him to complete 71 percent of his passes and throw for 299 yards and two touchdowns. Daniels had plenty of time to read the field and proceeded to carve up the Lions’ secondary.

It was an unacceptable performance from the defense under now-former coordinator Aaron Glenn, and it cost Detroit dearly.

In addition to the weak defense, left guard Graham Glasgow’s poor performance stood out. The veteran lineman struggled throughout the season, and his play in the playoff loss was especially bad. He allowed six hurries on quarterback Jared Goff and nine total pressures, also giving up a penalty and a sack. His showing earned him a Pro Football Focus pass-rushing grade of 10.2 and an overall mark of 53.0 for the game.

For the season, Glasgow gave up 36 total pressures and four sacks, earning a 57.9 overall grade from PFF (ranking 85th out of 135 guards).

Glasgow still has two seasons left on his contract with Detroit. However, he will be 33 by the start of 2025, and his best days may be behind him. It may be time for general manager Brad Holmes to look for a new starting left guard.

The Lions may also need to find a new starting right guard. Kevin Zeitler, the starter at the position in 2024, played well, helping Detroit’s standout running backs, Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, have a dominant season. He earned an 87.2 PFF run-blocking grade and an 86.8 overall grade for the year.

Zeitler, however, will be a free agent this offseason and will be 35 in 2025. There’s no guarantee the Lions will bring him back.

Detroit seems to be just a few players away from being Super Bowl contenders, and it’s likely that Holmes will dive into the free-agent market to address the issues on the roster.

Speculation about the Lions making a trade for a premium pass rusher, such as Myles Garrett from the Browns or Maxx Crosby from the Raiders, has circulated. A trade like that would require Detroit to part with multiple high-end draft picks, something Holmes has avoided doing during his time as GM. At this point, there’s no sign that he’s planning to change his roster-building philosophy anytime soon.

More likely, the Lions will continue to build through the draft and make savvy moves in free agency (e.g., short-term contracts with free agents). It’s also possible that Holmes will rely on the team’s player development system to improve in areas like EDGE, cornerback, and guard.

At cornerback, the Lions will be looking for more from their 2024 draft picks, Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw. Both have high potential and could develop into No. 1 cornerbacks. If either of them steps up, it would ease the potential loss of impending free agent Carlton Davis.

At guard, Christian Mahogany is a strong candidate to replace Zeitler or take Glasgow’s spot at left guard. Mahogany finished the season strong and filled in admirably for Zeitler in the divisional-round playoff loss.

Unlike cornerback and guard, the Lions may need to go outside the organization to find a proper EDGE partner for Aidan Hutchinson. Detroit has lacked a solid counterpart for Hutchinson since his arrival in 2022. At this point, it might be time for Holmes to step outside his comfort zone and make a trade, even if it means sacrificing several draft picks, to improve the pass rush.

On the whole, though, it’s worth considering that Detroit might continue to build organically, relying on the growth of its roster.

Holmes has built a promising, young core in Detroit, featuring several stars he drafted (e.g., Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell, Hutchinson, and Gibbs). The Lions also have some unproven talent, including several players from last year’s draft class (Rakestraw, Giovanni Manu, Mekhi Wingo, and Mahogany).

If these players continue to develop this offseason, the Lions will be in a strong position for 2025. This is why the team can still be Super Bowl contenders without making big splashes in free agency this offseason.