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5 NFL teams that improved the most after the 2023 NFL Draft

By Sayre Bedinger

Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell, Jahmyr Gibbs from Alabama, Jack Campbell from Iowa, and general manager Brad Holmes pose during the players' introductory news conference at team headquarters in Allen Park on Friday, April 28, 2023.Lions 042823 Kd275
Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell, Jahmyr Gibbs from Alabama, Jack Campbell from Iowa, and general manager Brad Holmes pose during the players' introductory news conference at team headquarters in Allen Park on Friday, April 28, 2023.Lions 042823 Kd275 /
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The NFL offseason is mostly over in terms of teams making major adjustments to their rosters before the 2023 season gets underway. With rosters (mostly) assembled at this point, I think we can safely take a look at every roster after the 2023 NFL Draft and make determinations about which teams are the most improved around the league.

We’ve already taken some digs at teams that look like they’re not going to be returning to the playoffs in 2023, but what about teams that might make some serious noise and take their place? Or maybe just, in general, teams that made the most substantial improvements on paper? Let’s take a look around the league at the top five most improved teams, in no particular order.

Top 5 most improved NFL teams after the 2023 NFL Draft

NFL
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) huddles with teammates before a first down against Los Angeles Rams during the first half at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. on Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021. /

5. Detroit Lions

Pick Analysis. NFC North. . Detroit Lions. Scouting Report. 5. player. 50

I know they’ve taken some serious heat for the way they approached the 2023 NFL Draft, but the Detroit Lions may have had one of my favorite overall draft classes this year, and I certainly believe they have had one of the best offseasons of any team in the league.

The only really unfortunate news is the suspension of second-year receiver Jameson Williams, a first-round pick in 2022 who was expected to take a huge step forward in his second NFL season. He will miss the first six games of the year, but the Lions have plenty of weapons to replace his touches early on, and they have a revamped defense that should be able to help this team win more close games in 2023.

So let’s start there.

Detroit said a tough goodbye to former third-overall pick Jeff Okudah in a trade with the Falcons this offseason, but they brought in some serious talent for the secondary in CJ Gardner-Johnson, Emmanuel Moseley, and Cam Sutton. Those three veterans will be massive additions to Aaron Glenn’s defensive backfield go go along with the drafting of Jack Campbell in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

In back-to-back years, the Lions got one of the best defensive players from the Big Ten, and Campbell will bring a level of physicality to that second level of defense along with his instinctive play, ball-hawking skills, and overall range.

Offensively, you bring in Jahmyr Gibbs/David Montgomery and subtract D’Andre Swift/Jamaal Williams. Time will tell on those particular decisions but behind this Detroit offensive line, you can’t help but feel like Montgomery and Gibbs are going to do just fine.

Sam LaPorta comes in as the presumptive TE1 after the Lions traded TJ Hockenson last year. LaPorta is another guy who is really good as a receiver, really good after the catch, and someone who adds another dimension to this offense.

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