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NFL Power Rankings: 2017 Pre-NFL Draft Look at All 32 Teams

By Peter Panacy

May 8, 2014; New York, NY, USA; A general view of a helmet, NFL shield, stage, and podium before the start of the 2014 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
May 8, 2014; New York, NY, USA; A general view of a helmet, NFL shield, stage, and podium before the start of the 2014 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /
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January 7, 2017; Seattle, WA, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) throws against the Seattle Seahawks during the first half in the NFC Wild Card playoff football game at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
January 7, 2017; Seattle, WA, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) throws against the Seattle Seahawks during the first half in the NFC Wild Card playoff football game at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

50. . 9-7. . Detroit Lions. 12. team

The Detroit Lions’ collapse in the latter stages of the 2016 season was hard to watch. But in reality, one could have seen it coming. Detroit had a knack for winning close games for the majority of the season. But it isn’t as if this group was vastly superior to knock off competition easily.

And the weaknesses showed late in the year.

Perhaps the Lions will improve a bit, thanks to free agency, after adding offensive linemen T.J. Lang and Rick Wagner. We also learned, last year, quarterback Matthew Stafford doesn’t need wide receiver Calvin Johnson to be effective.

If anything, not having Johnson on the roster forced Stafford to distribute his passes. It worked, and Detroit’s offense was better as a result.

But the Lions defense still remains a major question mark, which is why they slip a spot in our NFL power rankings.

The team needs help within the pass rush in a major way, and it would be a shock not to see Detroit address this early in the draft.