There are shoes to fill and holes to plug in the annual process of re-shaping the roster, and the Lions are trying to do it this year by injecting youth into key positions that were held by veterans.
Making projections in the offseason is a risky proposition. What looks good in May when practices are held without pads doesn’t always hold up when the hitting starts for real in the regular season.
This week’s Monday Countdown looks at six positions where young players are projected to take over – running back, center, guard, fullback, defensive tackle, defensive end -- and what would represent a net gain over the veteran being replaced.