3 Lions Veterans Fighting for Their Jobs After 2022 NFL Draft

The Detroit Lions entered the 2022 NFL Draft with hopes of speeding up their rebuilding process and came out with eight new players on the roster. Edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson is sure to make an immediate impact on the team, but he isn't the only talented prospect the front office selected.

Detroit's reputation is not that of a very deep team and that should allow for some newcomers to push their way up the depth chart throughout training camp. It's safe to say not every established player will be able to hold them off, so let's take a look at three Lions veteran fighting for their jobs.

Detroit Lions Depth Chart

1. Kalif Raymond, WR

Kalif Raymond broke out as a top target for quarterback Jared Goff last season and ended up with 576 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns on 48 receptions. The simple fact here is that the Lions traded 20 picks up in the first round to select Alabama's Jameson Williams, though. While this won't be a Week 1 move as Williams recovers from an ACL tear, once he's on the field, he could quickly take Raymond's spot. Williams picked defenses apart in 2021 with his elite speed and posted 1,572 yards to go along with 15 touchdowns (15 games). The 21-year-old could be the next best deep threat in the NFL.

2. DeShon Elliott, S

The Lions went out and signed DeShon Elliott to a one-year deal worth $1.1 million in free agency to shore up the safety position. However, the lack of a major cap hit does give the team room to see what fourth-round pick Kerby Joseph has to offer. That's especially the case considering Elliott is coming off a brutal pectoral injury. Joseph put together his best college season this past fall by logging 57 tackles, 5 interceptions and 2 pass breakups in 12 games played. He is praised for his ball-tracking skills and ability to control his body in midair. Elliott is going to have his hands full if Joseph starts balling out in the summer.

3. Brock Wright, TE

There's no doubt that Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson is developing into one of the best players at his position. That doesn't mean that the need for an elite No. 2 option to throw out there in two-TE sets doesn't exist anymore for Detroit. Brock Wright hauled in 12 of his 17 targets for 112 yards and 2 touchdowns last season. He filled out his role perfectly fine, yet showed little upside overall. The Lions used a fifth-round draft pick to take Virginia Tech's James Mitchell, who accumulated 12 total touchdowns across 22 college games played. He regularly used his frame (6-foot-3, 255 pounds) to create mismatches in the red zone.

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.