Tag: James Mitchell

Best and worst PFF grades for the Lions loss vs the Cowboys

The best and worst PFF graded players for the Detroit Lions in their loss against the Dallas Cowboys

Even after a night’s rest, the sting lingers from the Detroit Lions’ 20-19 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, a defeat that can only be described as tough in every sense of the word.

Considering the competitiveness between two playoff-caliber teams, there were pivotal moments in the game where execution could have been different for the Lions. Unfortunately, the conversation now revolves around the referee error that nullified the potential game-winning two-point conversion for the Lions. Overcoming such challenging situations is tough, but this resilient team is poised to move forward, gearing up to face the Minnesota Vikings next week.

While some Lions delivered masterful performances last night, others may hesitate to review the tape. Here are the best and worst PFF grades for the Lions against the Cowboys.

Lions rookie report: How they fared vs. the Packers on Thanksgiving

Lions rookie report: How they fared vs. the Packers on Thanksgiving

The game against the Packers on Thanksgiving was one that fans would like to forget. For the team, it could either serve as a breaking point or an important lesson on the way to a playoff run.

The biggest cog in the machine that is the Lions season, however, remains the rookies.

Some made big impacts in what was a less-than-ideal game all around, but the majority were folded into the rest of the forgettable day. Sam LaPorta found the endzone, and Jahmyr Gibbs had some touches, but on defense, the rookies couldn’t have had less of an impact.

It was a rare bad day for a rookie class that has carried a lot of the weight for the team this season. Perhaps trusting this young group of players may prove to be the downfall of the season or it could be the ultimate “pressure makes diamonds” scenario. Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell have shown they can find talent and grow it, time for the rookies to learn from this bad day on a national stage to finish the season strong.

Best and worst PFF grades from the Lions win over the Packers

Breaking down the best and worst PFF grades from the Detroit Lions in their Week 4 win over the Packers

First place in the division feels pretty nice. It’s been six years since the Detroit Lions laid claim to the lead in the NFC North, a spot they secured with a 34-20 whooping of the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night.

The Lions physically dominated their Green Bay counterparts for most of the game. That domination is largely reflected in the Pro Football Focus grades for the game for both the players and the team itself.

 

Lions vs Giants: Best and worst PFF grades from Detroit’s preseason win

Here are the standout performances from this week’s best and worst PFF performers for the Detroit Lions against the New York Giants.

The Detroit Lions kicked off their season with a 21-16 victory over the New York Giants in their first preseason game. Despite many of the team’s key players sitting out, the Lions’ management was able to evaluate potential roster candidates.

The game started off slowly, with the offense struggling, but the defense saved the day by repeatedly stepping up to the challenge and shutting down their opponents. Although some areas showed promise, others may require further evaluation by the Lions’ management.

Here are the standout performances from this week’s best and worst Pro Footbal Focus (PFF) performers, highlighting those who impressed and those who fell short in their bid for a coveted roster spot.

Detroit Lions Training Camp Battles: Tight Ends

Breaking down the ongoing Detroit Lions training camp battle at tight end

While we enter the days of training camp, it’s already been interesting for the Detroit Lions. Wide receiver Jameson Williams suffered a minor injury and should miss a few days. Meanwhile, they suffered an injury scare when defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson went down with a knee injury.

Fortunately, the injury for Gardner-Johnson has been defined as minor and is considered day-to-day.

While both players will be worth monitoring, there’s still plenty to follow when it comes to each position group during training camp. One of the main positions to follow is the tight end position.

Last season, the Lions tight end room changed drastically when they traded away T.J. Hockenson. Fortunately for the Lions, they made it work with players such as Brock Wright and Shane Zylstra.

As we enter the off-season, we knew that their was a need for an upgrade at tight end in Detroit. However, we didn’t know if the Lions were going to sign one or draft one. As it unfolded, we saw the Lions select Iowa tight end Sam LaPorta in the 2nd Round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

By selecting LaPorta, the Lions get a clear upgrade at the position. During training camp, we should see LaPorta be a step ahead of every other tight end on the roster. Much of this is due to the route running and athletic ability that he possesses. With that skill-set, it should allow the Lions the ability to consistently run between 12 and 21 personnel and they should find plenty of success.

Players such as Zylstra and Wright are experienced and are familiar with the scheme being ran under offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. For Brock Wright, he had 591 snaps on offense last season and recorded 18 receptions for 216 yards and 4 touchdowns.

As for Shane Zylstra, he could be on the outside looking in and his performance during training camp could be crucial on if he makes the roster or not. Last season, he had 227 offensive snaps but he did score 4 touchdowns off just 11 receptions. What we’ve seen from himis very similar to what we saw in 2013 and 2014 from Joseph Fauria. We’ll see if Zylstra only plays two seasons for the Lions like Fauria.

The determining factor for Zylstra could be based off three things:

  • Can LaPorta handle the role of being the top tight end
  • Is James Mitchell ready to take another step?
  • Do the Lions carry three or four tight ends on the roster?

We know the Lions selected James Mitchell in the 7th Round of the 2022 NFL Draft but he was coming off a torn ACL. However, he played well in 14 games last season. He had 11 receptions for 113 yards and a touchdown. But it’s unclear on what his progression from year one to his second season looks like.

Ultimately, I’d expect Sam LaPorta to be the top option for the Lions at the tight end position. He should get the majority of the first-team snaps, but it looks like he’s got a good supporting cast behind him and an even better supporting cast around him at the other positions. The Lions could carry four tight ends this year, but I think they’ll go with three of them. It’ll be interesting to see how it plays out during training camp, but the projected three tight ends I have for the Lions are Sam LaPorta, Brock Wright and James Mitchell.

Revamped TE room and poor production could make Jason Cabinda the odd man out

Detroit’s revamped TE room and his poor production could make Lions FB Jason Cabinda the odd man out

[anyclip pubname=”2103″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8036″]

Jason Cabinda is entering his fifth season as the Detroit Lions’ fullback, but the team’s tight end group could make his role obsolete.

Cabinda, a linebacker-turned-fullback, has referred to himself as a “Superback” capable of playing running back, tight end, and receiver. While his positional versatility should make him valuable, his usage on offense has been on the decline over the years.

Cabinda only appeared in eight games in 2022 due to injuries, and did not see much action on the field during that time. He had one carry for four yards and one reception for a gain of five. The key issue here that could cause him to lose his roster spot is his drops. He dropped two passes during the game against the Giants.

So who on the roster could replace him?

Detroit has several tight ends who could play the role that Cabinda does on offense, and likely do a better job of it. Given the nature of the position, the player would need to be an efficient blocker in the run and pass games while also being able to run routes and carry the ball.

That’s where depth players like James Mitchell and Derrick Deese can make their impact.

At Virginia Tech, Mitchell was used everywhere on the field, and took plenty of snaps in the backfield at the H-back position. He is a versatile tight end who can catch as well as he can block. He was also an efficient goal-line back, carrying the ball seven times for nine yards and five touchdowns.

Deese doesn’t have the rushing stats that Mitchell does, but he was used in a similar way at San Jose State and has taken reps in the fullback role during practices last summer. He is known primarily as a blocking tight end but has the hands to contribute as a receiver.

The main thing that Cabinda still has going for him is his ability and willingness to play special teams. His experience as a linebacker in college and the NFL is clear when he makes a tackle on kickoff and punt coverage, and his skills as a blocker have been crucial on kick and punt returns.

That being said, Mitchell and Deese have much more experience playing on offense and could save the team a roster spot if they decide to forego a true fullback. Instead, they could be active as the third or fourth tight end on game days and open up the playbook a little bit more.

 

Midsummer mailbag: On depth chart and camp battles, player expectations and more

Midsummer mailbag: On depth chart and camp battles, player expectations and more via the Detroit Lions Podcast

We’ve hit the midsummer holiday time. Be it the 4th of July or Canada Day, I hope you all are enjoying the slow time on the football calendar.

In conjunction with the Detroit Lions Podcast, we’ve got a mailbag full of questions from the podcast Patreon Slack channel. A couple of these inquisitions come from the end of minicamp week, but they’re still interesting questions and angles to explore.

Here are some of the choice selections from the midsummer mailbag.

Lions barely threw to TEs aligned in the slot in 2022

The Lions offense barely used the slot TE in 2022, but drafting Sam LaPorta opens up the potential for a lot more usage in 2023

[anyclip pubname=”2103″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8036″]

One of the focal points in the recent Lions OTAs and minicamp was how Detroit is using second-round tight end Sam LaPorta. Without giving up too much confidential information, we saw LaPorta getting ample work aligning in the slot.

That’s not something we saw a lot of from the Lions offense in 2022. Detroit had a tight end aligned in the slot just 22.8 percent of the time last season. Over half of those total slot snaps belonged to T.J. Hockenson in the team’s first seven games, too. Hockenson aligned in the slot just over 30 percent of the time in his seven games with Detroit in 2022.

Lions TE slot usage via The 33rd Team
Lions TE slot usage via The 33rd Team

Of course, Hockenson was traded to the Minnesota Vikings after Detroit’s Week 8 loss to Miami. With his departure came the effective end of any slot usage for the remaining tight ends. The tight end splits for the Lions post-Hockenson (Weeks 9-18) out of the slot:

Snaps Routes Targets Catches Yards
S. Zylstra 73 62 5 4 29
B. Wright 35 14 3 0 0
J. Mitchell 18 23 1 1 22

That’s using a slot TE on 16 percent of the total offensive snaps over that time period. Quarterback Jared Goff targeted them with under 3 percent of his pass attempts. Interestingly, seven of the nine targets here came in the red zone.

Adding LaPorta into the mix opens up the potential for offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to more effectively, frequently and successfully use the flexed-out tight end as a matchup weapon. In his final season at Iowa, LaPorta played out of the slot on over 40 percent of his offensive snaps.

LaPorta’s presence gives the offense more punch in bunch formations or dual-slot alignments with WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, who is one of the best slots in the league. It’s clearly a dimension to the offense that the Lions wanted to bring back after using it so sparingly in the second half of 2022.

All usage data is from SIS via The 33rd Team. 

2023 NFL Draft Film Review: Iowa TE Sam LaPorta can be an impact player

Breaking down the game film of TE Sam LaPorta, what he offers and how the Lions 2nd-rounder fits into the Detroit offense

When the second round of the 2023 NFL draft kicked off, nobody thought the Detroit Lions were going to select a tight end. Most fans felt like the Lions organization wouldn’t value running backs, tight ends, or linebackers high in the draft, but it’s clear that the Lions don’t have a particular type or different values. They’ve got their rankings of the players and they stick to them.

Anyone should be able to respect that — especially if it leads to positive results.

As the Lions went on the clock with the 34th overall pick, there were a plethora of tight ends available. That includes Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer. If they were going to go that route, he felt like the pick. Tons of college production, good size, and just felt like a Dan Campbell type of player. However, they surprised us all when they selected Iowa tight end Sam LaPorta.

At first, I was really scratching my head and wondering why they didn’t go with Mayer. But then I got to thinking about some of the athletic testing numbers from LaPorta, and he really makes sense for what they’re trying to create on offense. That’s to have players that can create after-the-catch and have terrific change of direction ability.

LaPorta brings that to the table with his 4.59 speed in the 40-yard dash and 6.91 time in the 3-cone drill. Let’s jump into some tape to look at what the Lions are getting with the talented Iowa tight end.

Angle route with YAC ability

During the 2022 season, LaPorta saw an increase in production. Especially when you look at his ability to produce yards after-the-catch. Per PFF, LaPorta had 317 yards after-the-catch in 2022. His athletic ability for his size is impressive, and it should help him have an easy transition to the next level.

Looking at the play above, you’ll see Iowa in an empty formation with LaPorta aligned inside on a condensed set. As the ball is snapped, he begins to push vertically up the field but he starts to position himself as if he’s going to run a route that breaks out or up-and-out towards the sideline.

In the process, he watches the safety (Illinois DB 30) aggressively attack downhill and that’s when he breaks back inside on an angle route. With the middle of the field wide open, he’s able to run free and clear up the field for a huge gain. This is something that the Lions are missing from the position currently.

Change of direction ability

Having a tight end that can catch the football, stick his foot in the ground and turn on a dime is different. To be able to do it all the time is rare and there’s only a select few in the NFL that can do it on a consistent basis. When watching LaPorta, he does it all the time. Could the Lions have one of the next great tight ends to come in and dominate? Anything is possible.

Oddly enough in the clip above, you’ll see Sam LaPorta and Aidan Hutchinson make eye contact. Now they’re teammates. But with that, LaPorta just runs a quick out and he knows that the linebacker is going to be on his tail once he secures the pass. Quickly, he plants and fools the linebacker by turning back inside and running upfield. More often than not, a tight end is going to catch the ball and just get upfield for positive yardage. LaPorta is always looking to do more.

Overall Thoughts 

The selection of Iowa tight end Sam LaPorta makes a ton of sense for the Lions. There was a sneaky need for a tight end that can move around and produce. While the Lions had flashes from Shane Zylstra and Brock Wright last season, there was no real threat at the position. It does feel like the team might value James Mitchell but that remains to be seen.

With LaPorta, the Lions get a player that can do a variety of things. He can play in the slot, in-line or even out wide. During his career at Iowa, he had 513 snaps in-line and 304 snaps out of the slot (per PFF). It really wouldn’t be surprising if LaPorta walks into Detroit and earns the starting tight end spot. He has the talent to do it and by being the 34th overall pick, there is going to be some high expectations for him.

Fortunately, he change direction at ease, shake defenders and run after-the-catch on a consistent basis. There should be no concerns with the ability to produce in the NFL. In fact, I’d expect him to be more productive with Jared Goff at quarterback and with Ben Johnson calling the plays than he was at Iowa. While the Lions are a run first team, there’s definitely going to be times where he’s going to have to run block. He’ll need to become more consistent in that area with his body positioning and hand placement but he’s a willing blocker and can get aggressive.

When listening to Lions GM Brad Holmes talk to the media after the draft, it does feel like he intends for the Lions to use LaPorta early and often. He said, “…you go even to Sam LaPorta, a guy that I would say more along the terms of a gritty weapon. I do think that Sam would be able to make an early impact.”

Regardless of who was on the board during the 2023 NFL Draft, this was a pick that made a ton of sense for Detroit. LaPorta will certainly provide an immediate impact but there’s potential for him to be the most productive player from the Lions draft class.

 

Stop projecting first-round tight ends for the Lions in 2023

There seems to be a reflexive “replace Hockenson” mindset by the national media. Here’s why that couldn’t be more wrong for Detroit.

Sitting in the Hancock Whitney Stadium stands for a Senior Bowl practice last week, MLive Lions reporter Ben Raven, Nolan Bianchi of the Detroit News and myself were approached by a well-known national media member about the Lions possibly selecting a tight end high in the 2023 NFL draft.

“I don’t think they’re taking one at all, to be honest,” Raven responded to a dumbfounded inquisitor. Bianchi and I quickly nodded our heads in agreement.

Herein lies one of the primary disconnects between those who closely follow the Detroit Lions and those who view the team from more distance.

Tight end is generally listed by national media as one of the Lions’ biggest needs. In fact, it’s the No. 1 or No. 2 offensive need listed for Detroit at CBS Sports, NFL.com, The Draft Network, Pro Football Focus and ESPN, all within the last month.

Never mind that the team doesn’t currently have a right guard, not with Evan Brown a free agent and Halapoulivaati Vaitai and Tommy Kraemer both coming off back surgeries that caused them to miss the entire 2022 season. Or that Jared Goff is literally the only quarterback on the entire roster, including reserve/future contracts. Or that running backs No. 1 (Jamaal Williams) and No. 3 (Justin Jackson) are free agents, as is wide receiver No. 2 (DJ Chark).

Nope. None of that matters because national pundits have to conclude that the Lions desperately need a new tight end to replace the one they traded away, Pro Bowler T.J. Hockenson.

It seems nobody asks the question of why the Lions traded away Hockenson in the first place.

Hockenson is in Minnesota instead of Detroit for a couple of reasons. Foremost is that the Lions knew they were never going to pay the market rate to keep Hockenson, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract and had already been making noise about a lucrative extension. Most projections for Hockenson’s next contract start in the $15 million-a-year range, and that’s simply not something the Lions were not going to consider.

It wasn’t discontent with Hockenson. Far from it. Hockenson had just posted one of the best games by a tight end in NFL history. This current Detroit offense, led by rising star OC Ben Johnson and head coach Dan Campbell, a longtime NFL tight end himself, simply doesn’t require a premium tight end to operate effectively.

Folks outside of Detroit might not know the names Brock Wright or James Mitchell. Inside Allen Park, those guys are viewed as great fits for exactly what this Lions team wants from its tight ends. They can chip-and-release, they can execute the run-blocking assignments, and they can motion or flex out depending on the set.

Wright caught four touchdown passes after Hockenson was traded. No. 3 tight end Shane Zylstra caught three in one game. Like Wright and Mitchell, he’s under contractual control through at least 2024.

The key player here is Mitchell. Detroit’s fifth-round pick in 2022, Mitchell started slowly as he recovered from a knee injury suffered near the end of his collegiate career at Virginia Tech. A well-built 6-foot-4 and 250-pound athlete, Mitchell proceeded to catch every single pass thrown his way in 2022 and improved as a blocker along the way.

The Lions love Mitchell. Love him, in a way that’s difficult to explain to someone on the outside who only sees 11 receptions for a fifth-round rookie they probably spent 10 minutes scouting over a year ago.

Back to the offense. After sputtering in the first week without Hockenson, a game the Lions also played without Chark or No. 3 WR Josh Reynolds and with top WR Amon-Ra St. Brown and explosive RB D’Andre Swift severely limited with injuries, the Jared Goff-led offense (no, I can’t call it the Goffense, sorry) soared without having a high-end tight end.

Instead of using Hockenson as one of the primary targets, Campbell and Johnson opened up the field more without their alpha tight end. It worked beautifully. Goff didn’t throw an interception the rest of the season and the Lions offense efficiently hummed along as one of the NFL’s best and most diverse. Wright, Mitchell and Zylstra provided enough firepower at TE on their own, notably in the red zone.

In short, the Lions didn’t miss Hockenson the player.

Should the Lions consider adding a tight end this offseason? Absolutely. Zylstra, for his red-zone heroics, is a low-end blocker and eminently replaceable. Depth is always welcomed. But it’s absolutely not a priority need for the Lions. Be very surprised if you see Detroit drafting a tight end before about the fifth round. I know I would be.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbx8sj47vkwrznr player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]