The Detroit Lions’ recent run to the NFC Championship Game has primarily come from their back-to-back seasons of top-five offences. Because of this, a lot of people think that the Lions have a great chance to win a championship if they could just have a top-10 team on the other side of the ball.

Jack Campbell, a 2023 first-round choice, could anticipate his defence to at least rank in the top ten. The second-year linebacker stated that there is no reason to aim lower than the top if improvement is the desired outcome.

“We’re going to (try to) be the best defence in the NFL, everyone out here on the defensive side,” Campbell declared on Friday. Because, in my opinion, everyone in the locker room has adopted an attainable mentality and has been focused on getting to where they want to be. If we all want to get to where we’re going, then why not be the best defence in the NFL? We could very well be a top-10 defence if we just come out here and play well every day.

The Lions defence was not all that far from being ranked in the top 10 last season, depending on your preferred criteria. They finished 13th in overall DVOA and had the second-best run defence (by yards), despite being 23rd in points allowed. They rank 27th in yards allowed, 21st in passer rating, and 31st in yards per pass attempt, indicating their deficiencies in pass defence.

However, there are many grounds to think that Detroit will have significantly improved by 2024. In addition to trading for Carlton Davis and using first and second round picks on cornerbacks (Terrion Arnold, Ennis Rakestraw Jr.), Detroit also added disruptive veteran defensiv MIKEe tackle DJ Reader, and with Josh Paschal, James Houston, Aidan Hutchinson, Brian Branch, Kerby Joseph, and—possibly most importantly of all—Campbell himself, they have a number of players in their first three seasons who are looking to make a step forward in their development.

“I will work as hard as I did the previous year.” same attitude throughout. Simply never stop working. “There will be a Year 2 jump,” Campbell stated. “I will not pursue it, and you know what? What about Year 3 if this year’s leap isn’t realised? If I’m lucky enough to live to be 4, that is. However, what’s the deal? I feel like I’ve been pushing myself as an individual to the limit of human possibility right now, and I’m preparing every single day by doing whatever I need to do to make that leap. Ultimately, I don’t want to be sitting around in the offseason wondering what I could have done more, so I’m just going to keep looking for ways to do more. since I detest that sensation.

While playing alongside Derrick Barnes as MIKE linebacker last season, Campbell had a quiet but respectable debut campaign. Even with a pass defended, 2.0 sacks, five tackles for loss, and 95 tackles, Campbell was nominated for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Nevertheless, early signs from camp suggest that he might be destined for the full-time MIKE position, which could open up more doors for him and strengthen the Lions defence as a whole by increasing production and opportunity. However, Campbell is more focused on the team than on individual achievement.

“My only concern is performing my job as a player, and if we happen to be the top defence in the NFL with me as the only tackle, then that’s just the way things work out,” Campbell remarked. “But every play, I’m out there performing my job.”