DETROIT, Mich. -- The Detroit Lions will open the 2021 NFL regular season against the San Francisco 49ers on Sept. 12 at Ford Field. The Lions finished 2020 with a 5-11 record, last in the NFC North.
New quarterback Jared Goff has a tough act to follow in Matthew Stafford, who spent 12 seasons in Detroit. Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson and running back D'Andre Swift are projected to be impact players for the squad, but there are still a lot unknowns -- particularly within the receiving corps -- on the team.
The roster will be cut to 53 players by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Here is a projection:
QUARTERBACK (3): Jared Goff, Tim Boyle, David Blough
Goff will try to revitalize his career in his first season with the Lions. He says he feels empowered by new head coach Dan Campbell and offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn because they gathered his input when developing the new system. Detroit also didn't draft a quarterback, so he won't be looking over his shoulder throughout the season.
RUNNING BACK (3): D'Andre Swift, Jamaal Williams, Jermar Jefferson