The most important developmental tasks for Lions' offensive coaching staff

New York Times

4 hours ago

Earlier this week, we examined the most important developmental tasks for each defensive position coach heading into 2025. We'll do the same today on the offensive side.
Development isn't exclusive to draft slot or contract status. It can be a clear project reaching his potential or a good player leaping to Pro Bowl or All-Pro status. The Lions have done well to field a competitive roster with players who, more often than not, develop as expected. That's no accident. That's very much intentional.
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Here's where the focus lies on offense.
An obvious one here, but Hooker is the most important developmental task for Brunell — a former NFL QB himself. The Lions spent an early third-round pick on Hooker in 2023, prior to the team extending Jared Goff's contract. The thought was that Hooker would be able to provide the team with a strong backup option as they entered a window of contention, or perhaps a trade chip down the road if another team liked what they saw and made the Lions a quality offer. But where do things stand now?
Hooker's rookie year was essentially a redshirt season, recovering from a torn ACL. He flashed at times in training camp and the preseason, particularly his underrated mobility. But in practices, Hooker would often hold onto the ball too long in team periods. It felt like he was overthinking and waiting for the receiver to come open instead of throwing him open. It's a mental adjustment a lot of young quarterbacks have to make.
The talent is there, though. Hooker can rip it. He can run. He's mature and has all the intangibles, and you have to think the Lions will give him every chance to win the No. 2 job again in 2025, hoping he emerges better from some competition courtesy of Kyle Allen.
Goff said he sees the game slowing down for Hooker. Brunell is eager to work with him this summer. Here's what he'd like to see entering Year 3:
'It's, obviously, having a grasp of our offense,' Brunell said. 'Being able to manage that, getting in and out of the huddle. We do have some new concepts in the passing game, some things we're doing a little different. Understanding the intent of every passing play and understanding our protections really well. And then when we get to the OTAs (and) we're on the field competing against our defense, just being able to execute, making good decisions with the ball, taking care of the ball, no turnovers. But also, specifically, and really what I look for, is just being really good with your fundamentals. And then in preseason, obviously, once we get out in the games and then maybe we have an opportunity to compete against other teams in practice: Moving the ball, moving your team, executing, playing at a high level.'
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Big year for Hooker.
Honorable mention: N/A
Holmes said he woke up on Day 3 of the 2024 NFL Draft and would've felt a 'gut-punch' if he didn't walk away with Vaki (and another player on this list). If a two-time executive of the year felt this strongly about Vaki, you can't help but keep an eye on him.
Vaki, a college safety and part-time running back, impressed in small stints filling in offensively so much, he caught Holmes' attention. He said Vaki didn't even major at running back, but he looked like he could develop into one. Factor in his defensive skills and special teams contributions across the board and it's easy to see why Holmes liked him. He's a football player.
The Lions are focused on turning Vaki into a quality NFL running back. He's viewed as a quick study and a mature player, entering the league at 24. He's already a good receiver out of the backfield. He's got some wiggle and short-area quickness in his game, but his physicality also shows.
After spending a year with Scottie Montgomery, Vaki will now be coached by new RBs coach Tashard Choice. He likes what he sees so far.
'You know what, I am very impressed by him right now,' Choice said. 'Having a chance to have him in OTAs — his quickness, his suddenness. He works extremely hard. I know how well he's done this last year on teams, talking to Fipp a lot. And I'm back having a chance to be with the returns and seeing him move and his movement and watching tape. But this son of a gun can play. And to me, I think he's still putty where you can form him to be the player you want. But the fact that he has D-Mo, he has Jah, guys that do things the right way, he's in a position to really succeed.
'It's going to be interesting to see how well he does, because he has it in him. He has the speed, he has the quickness, and he has to tune some stuff in on his game. But the fact that he's coachable and he listens and he works at it. And so for me, it's my job to get him better.'
Honorable mention: Jahmyr Gibbs.
Holmes said TeSlaa was his favorite wide receiver in the 2025 NFL Draft. Not necessarily the best, but his favorite. The more you learn about him, the more you understand why.
A lightly recruited wing-T quarterback in high school who had to go the Division-II route to learn how to play wide receiver, TeSlaa picked it up fast enough to play SEC football by the time it was all said and done. The fact that he was able to advance that quickly speaks to his intelligence and work ethic, and when you watch the tape, you see his natural athleticism and speed paired with elite size. Don't be fooled by the lack of production at Arkansas. TeSlaa's got the goods, and the Lions are confident they can get him where he needs to go.
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Montgomery has already seen it.
'Number one thing was poise. We threw a lot at him mentally. I challenged him, put him at multiple positions to see if he could handle that. Brought him along as fast as we could. He didn't blink an eye,' Montgomery said of TeSlaa. '…He has to prove it, continue to make those jumps as the competition level rises. …But what you saw is a guy that definitely belonged, and his physical talent and ability showed that not only did he belong, but he's exactly what we thought he was at this point in time.
'Just gotta grow and develop as a player and unlock the smaller details of what we do, but a great example, though, if you will, of a guy working his way into what he is, not just one of those guys that hits a height, weight and speed. …This is a guy that has worked to get to where he is. Really happy to have him where he is right now.'
The draft capital the Lions spent to acquire TeSlaa — a late third-round pick and two 2026 thirds for No. 70 overall — was steep. But they're betting on his work ethic, intangibles, athleticism and their staff here.
TeSlaa developing into a quality receiver on his hometown team would be a hell of a story. We'll see if he gives us something to write about.
Honorable mention: Jameson Williams.
The tight end room consists of a Pro Bowl and All-Pro talent in LaPorta, a steady No. 2 in Brock Wright, then the likes of Shane Zylstra, Kenny Yeboah and UDFAs Zach Horton and Luke Deal.
Given the direction the Lions went when Steve Heiden left to become Aaron Glenn's offensive line coach in New York, I'll go with LaPorta. And not just because he's one of the most important players on the roster.
LaPorta set records as a rookie and was an instant impact as a receiver. His ability to contort his body, make contested/full-extension catches and generate yards after the catch made him a player defenses needed to focus on as a rookie. As a sophomore, though, as teams paid more attention to him and weapons like Jameson Williams and Jahmyr Gibbs stepped up in the passing game, LaPorta's production dipped. It coincided with some nagging injuries LaPorta was playing through, too. And yet, he finished sixth among tight ends in receiving yards as a No. 3 option, while most of the players ahead of him were No. 1 or 2 options.
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All that to say, LaPorta has this receiving thing down. His new position coach, Tyler Roehl, wants to see where he can take his game as a blocker.
'With Sam, natural. Just real natural feel in the pass game. Where can I continue to add value for him in the run game? He's got the right mindset and intent. You can tell that he has a really good foundation to build upon. There are small things in the run game that I can help out with, but talking about no ego, about the team, high capacity to learn, and an unbelievable work ethic. He's–just our communication and the way he goes about his work, excited to continue to help add value to his game.'
It starts with mindset and intent, as Roehl stated. Not all tight ends want to block and it shows. LaPorta does. And while it doesn't always look pretty, it can be effective. Roehl is a former running back/fullback who coached tight ends and running backs at the collegiate level before making the jump to the NFL. This seems to be his area of expertise.
If LaPorta, already a willing blocker, can become a true asset in that department, he'll truly have zero holes in his game.
Honorable mention: Horton, Deal.
You could make an argument for a few different players. Christian Mahogany needs continued development after flashing as a rookie in 2024. Current rookies Tate Ratledge and Miles Frazier could be key pieces for the future — and Ratledge specifically should be a Day 1 starter. Even Kingsley Eguakun could develop into an intriguing piece. However, in my opinion, it's easier to find quality guards than a quality tackle. And Manu has the tools to be just that.
Remember that tidbit about Holmes waking up knowing he needed to walk away with two players on Day 3 of the 2024 draft? Vaki was one, Manu was the other. A bit of a hidden gem, the Lions felt the need to trade a 2025 third-rounder for Manu, with the notion that other teams were lurking behind them. What they saw was a player born in Tonga, tucked away in Canada. He was raw, but my goodness, the tools. A 6-foot-7 frame, great explosion, a player who moves well in space and a no-nonsense mentality are all great foundational characteristics of a potential starting tackle. Add in Hank Fraley and veterans who want to help, and the Lions have one of the better situations for a young lineman to be dropped into. And while his footwork and fundamentals needed an overhaul, that's what the 2024 season was for.
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'I liked where he ended last year, where he was with his play, where his demeanor was, where he really was, assignment-wise. He really did a good job, and he grew every day,' Fraley said of Manu. '…He does have a physical presence about him and he can exert his physicality on the field. That's what I think you got to see later in the year. Now it's — can he take that next step? It's a huge step. It's no longer, hey, we're trying to get all your base and balance right. There was a lot we changed with him.
'I told him when we drafted him there was going to be a lot that I was going to change how he did things. …Tweak that foot there, turn your toe out, place your hands here, all that. All these little things, he's heard me a whole year saying it and it's — can I take this, and now, without thinking of all these little things that come into play, can I keep playing fast? I think that's what we're going to see.'
The blueprint for a player like Manu is Philadelphia's Jordan Mailata. That's a lofty goal, of course, but even if he can develop into a quality tackle — like Taylor Decker — it would give the Lions a young offensive line to build around when others leave or retire. Penei Sewell will be the face of the next wave, but guys like Mahogany Ratledge, Manu and Frazier could join him.
Honorable mention(s): Ratledge, Frazier, Eguakun.
We'll end with special teams, and even though he's a coordinator and not a position coach, this is an important pairing.
Last training, when the Lions signed UFL phenom Jake Bates, it was met with excitement. He made crucial, booming kicks at Ford Field months before he would do so for the Lions, playing for the Michigan Panthers. His leg strength was a sight to behold and gave him NFL upside. The Lions beat out the Packers, among others, for his services.
But Bates had rough patches. In training camp, he'd miss badly from short and connect with ease from a distance. Fipp attributes some of that to not having a full offseason to rest, going from the UFL straight to the NFL. But there is a mental element involved in playing that position. It's just you and your thoughts, and Bates is one to isolate. If he was in his head at one point, you wouldn't know it when the season started. He connected on 26 of his 29 attempts, including 6-of-8 from 50-plus yards, with some clutch kicks along the way.
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While Fipp cautions that kicking is fluid year-to-year based on what's asked of the player and the conditions around him, he believes there's more in Bates. The Lions will play more outdoor games than they did a year ago, which Bates will need to be ready for. They'll continue to tinker with kickoff strategies. But Bates proved he belonged last year.
'I think the biggest thing with him is just continuing to progress,' Fipp said. 'Keep his confidence up. I said a year ago at the very beginning of the year, he's gonna have some ups and downs, and we're gonna stick with him. And I'll say the same thing this year: he's going to have some ups and downs and we're going to stick with him. …I feel great about him. Just watching him, I can tell and you can see that he's a lot more confident, he's a lot more sure of what's going on around him. …I'm excited for him. He looks great. And I think the guy's gonna be a great player in this league.'
Honorable mention(s): LS Hogan Hatten, P Jack Fox, Vaki, Dan Jackson.
(Top photo of Sione Vaki: Daniel Bartel / Imagn Images)