The Detroit Lions were among the NFL’s ten youngest clubs in 2025. With such success coming from such a young squad, it’s difficult not to be optimistic about their chances of becoming a dominant force for the foreseeable future. However, this does not imply they can be complacent about roster construction.
Having a strong veteran presence in the locker room is beneficial, but it must be balanced with youthful talent capable of keeping the roster strong in the short and long term.
And that is why, as much as Lions supporters may despise the concept, Detroit must pick Dan Skipper’s replacement this week.
Lions’ NFL Draft Plans Must Include Replacing Dan Skipper.
Skipper is a fan favorite, I understand that. A tackle who not only serves as a sixth offensive lineman by lining up at tight end but also catches passes (including a score in 2024) will always be popular. The problem with Skipper is that this is still a narrow function, and his success in it does not compensate for his shortcomings elsewhere.
Ultimately, “sixth o-lineman” is a highly interchangeable function, especially since pass-catching is such a minor component of it. At the end of the day, the same skills that produce a strong starting lineman will cover 95% of the requirements.
More significantly, the player must remain a valuable depth component capable of starting when the line suffers an injury. And this is where we understand why it will soon be time to forsake Skipper.
In 2024, the soon-to-be 31-year-old appeared in three games, each with at least 20 snaps. In three games, Pro-Football-Focus rated him at 58.7, 53.3, and 58.4. Lowlights included a 39.5 pass-blocking grade against the Texans in Week 10 and run-blocking grades of less than 50 against the Bears in Week 13 and the Packers in Week 14.
In those three games, the Lions averaged 27.7 points per game, a considerable drop from their previous 14-game average of 34.4.
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