The Detroit Lions return eight of 11 starters on defense from the team that went 12-5 and reached the NFC championship game last year, though they project to have an almost entirely reconfigured secondary this fall and two new starters on the defensive line.

Here’s a look at what to expect from the newcomers in their playing rotation, and a projected defensive and special teams depth chart to start the year.

New faces on defense and special teams

DT D.J. Reader

Reader’s availability for this week’s opener against the Los Angeles Rams remains in question, but he should be a staple for the Lions at nose tackle before long. He’s a massive run stopper who pairs nicely with Alim McNeill in the middle of the Lions’ defensive line. Reader has never been much of a sack producer — he had two in 14 games last year with the Cincinnati Bengals — and he’s returning from a torn quad tendon that ended his season prematurely in 2023. But he occupies defenders and shoves the pocket and is a clear upgrade from what the Lions had at nose tackle on their second-ranked rush defense last year.

DE Marcus Davenport

Davenport, like most of the Lions’ free-agent additions, has a significant injury history that bears watching. The 27-year-old edge rusher was limited to four games last season by an ankle injury that required surgery and has played more than 13 games just once in his career. He projects to start at the defensive end spot opposite Aidan Hutchinson, and while he’s never been a big-time sack producer — he has 23½ sacks in 67 career games — he’s a strong run defender who has the ability to get to the quarterback. Six sacks seems like a reasonable expectation for the year. Anything less means he probably had trouble staying on the field.

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CB Carlton Davis

The Lions made it a mission to overhaul their secondary this offseason and Davis was the first of four major additions, coming over in a March trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He gave up a career-high 8.8 yards per target last season, according to Pro Football Reference, but his length and physicality fit perfectly into the Lions defense. Davis did not allow a touchdown in man coverage last season, according to Pro Football Focus, and should serve as the Lions’ No. 1 cornerback this fall. He’s in the last year of his contract and has said he wouldn’t mind staying in Detroit, but he probably needs a strong season to make that happen.

CB Terrion Arnold

Arnold missed a chunk of training camp with a chest injury that defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn cautioned could limit his role early in the season, but the Lions traded up to get Arnold in the first round of the draft believing he can be a long-term solution to their cornerback woes. Like Davis, Arnold is big and physical and thrives in man coverage. Rookie cornerbacks tend to experience major growing pains early in their careers, so things may not always go smoothly for Arnold this season. But playing opposite Davis should give him time to settle in before he evolves into what the Lions hope will be a shutdown career.

CB Amik Robertson

The Lions used the trade (Davis), draft (Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw) and free agent routes to upgrade their secondary this offseason, signing Robertson to a two-year contract in March. Robertson (5 feet 9, 183 pounds) doesn’t have the size of some of the Lions’ other new additions, but he’s a versatile cover man who can flex outside or cover receivers in the slot. In all likelihood, Robertson will open the season as the Lions’ starting slot cornerback, with Brian Branch playing more as a true safety. He has had two interceptions each of the last two seasons and will be tested early by good slot receivers in the Rams' Cooper Kupp, the Bucs' Chris Godwin and the Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

CB Ennis Rakestraw

A second-round pick in April’s draft, Rakestraw missed time with injury this summer — like all of his new cornerback counterparts — and spent a good part of training camp working behind Robertson in the slot when he was on the field. Rakestraw may not have a major defensive role Week 1 just because of the numbers, but he’ll likely be in the rotation at some point this year. The Lions have enough depth and versatility in the secondary that they don’t have to rush Rakestraw along, but he’s good enough to push for playing time.

K Jake Bates

The Lions are going young at two of their three specialist spots with Bates handling kicking duties and undrafted free agent Hogan Hatten taking over as long snapper. Bates has a massive leg; he made multiple kicks from beyond 60 yards in games for the Michigan Panthers this spring. But he was erratic in training camp and missed one of his four extra-point tries in the preseason. The Lions expect some ups and downs with their kicker this season, and are willing to live with the inconsistency. That’s a dangerous line for a Super Bowl-caliber team to walk, but the Lions are betting on the come with their young kicker.

Depth chart

Defense

DE Aidan Hutchinson, Josh Paschal

DT Alim McNeill, Levi Onwuzurike

DT D.J. Reader, Mekhi Wingo

DE Marcus Davenport, James Houston

LB Jack Campbell, Jalen Reeves-Maybin

LB Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes

CB Carlton Davis, Khalil Dorsey

CB Terrion Arnold, Kindle Vildor

S Kerby Joseph, Ifeatu Melifonwu

S Brian Branch, Brandon Joseph

NB Amik Robertson, Ennis Rakestraw Jr.

Special teams

K Jake Bates

P Jack Fox

LS Hogan Hatten

KR Kalif Raymond, Sione Vaki

PR Kalif Raymond, Isaiah Williams

Contact Dave Birkett: dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions 2024 preview: What to expect from newcomers on defense