Justin Rogers' 2019 Detroit Lions midseason grades

OFFENSE: Matthew Stafford, quarterback: A strong argument can be made Stafford is on track for his best professional season. After another big game against the Raiders, he has a legitimate shot to throw for 5,000 yards and 40 touchdowns, while doing it far more efficiently than his 2011 campaign. The long ball has been Stafford’s best friend, with a scheme that gets those deep targets open and receivers who can track the ball and finish. The worst thing you can say about Stafford is he’s thrown some bad interceptions, and that doesn’t include one the defender dropped in Arizona that likely costs the Lions that game in overtime. Grade: A-

Kerryon Johnson, running back: Johnson didn’t have the benefit of the same blocking he did as a rookie, and it has shown up in his ugly 3.3 yards per carry. He’s improved as a pass blocker, but continued to be a limited route runner in the passing game prior to his injury. In terms of creating on his own, when the blocking wasn’t there, he continued to show a knack for making tacklers miss, but, again, not at the rate of his rookie season. Grade: C

Ty Johnson, running back: The rookie’s opportunities have been limited until recently, due to being buried on the depth chart. Symptomatic of the run blocking on the whole, his yards per carry (3.5) isn’t great, but a couple of his longer gains were wiped out by penalties, anchoring the overview of his production. As a pass-catcher, he’s a work in progress. To this point, he’s not a downfield threat, despite being targeted on some longer throws to start this year. Grade: C+

J.D. McKissic, running back: Serving as Detroit’s change-of-pace back, McKissic has best shown the ability to make big plays, both in the passing game and as a ball carrier. His 44-yard gain on a reverse against the Eagles remains the team’s longest run of the season, by far. In a recently expanded role, he’s flashed some elusiveness, even when running between the tackles. As a receiver, he’s added 13 catches on 17 targets, including a 26-yard touchdown against the Raiders. Grade: B+

Nick Bawden, fullback: Bawden started off slowly and has yet to establish the desired consistency from the fullback position. For every effective block, there’s one that needs to be better. Plus, the sneaky receiving threat he appeared to be in training camp hasn’t carried over to the regular season. This is a young player, still figuring things out after missing his rookie year with an injury. Grade: C-

Marvin Jones, wide receiver: For whatever reason, Jones rebounds extremely well from serious injury. After ending last season on injured reserve, he’s been a highly reliable target for Stafford, hauling in 42 of the 57 throws his direction. He’s on pace to top 1,000 yards and score a career-high 12 touchdowns. He’s been good deep and in the red zone, and has yet to drop a pass in 2019. Grade: A-

Kenny Golladay, wide receiver: Golladay has continued to build off last year’s breakout campaign, posting team-highs in receiving yards (640) and touchdowns (seven). He’s nowhere near as efficient as Jones, catching fewer passes despite more targets, but Golladay is making the most of each grab, netting 18.3 yards per reception. One area of concern has been his decreased effectiveness on 50/50 balls, losing battles against cornerbacks in the end zone against the Cardinals and the Raiders. Grade: A-

Danny Amendola, wide receiver: Operating closer to the line of scrimmage in most situations, Amendola has provided Stafford with a reliable target from the slot. The 11-year veteran has been a top target in three of Detroit’s games, averaging more than 100 yards in those contests. He has reliable hands, but isn’t particularly elusive after the catch. Still, he’s on pace for career-high production. Grade: B

Marvin Hall, wide receiver: The sample size is small, but Hall is a big-play machine. Normally, fewer than 100 snaps on offense or defense wouldn’t merit a grade, but in his limited work, Hall has caught long pass after long pass, averaging over 40 yards with his five receptions. You couldn’t ask for much more from the role. Grade: A

T.J. Hockenson, tight end: This mark will seem harsh, but after his huge debut, Hockenson has been relatively quiet as a receiving option and a disappointing blocker. His pass-game production the past seven weeks has barely exceeded what he accomplished in the opener against the Cardinals. Known for his sure hands, he’s put multiple passes on the ground, including two in the end zone. He also had a third touchdown negated because of field awareness. He ran out of bounds before making the grab. As a blocker, Hockenson’s strength and technique aren’t matching his effort. He’s largely been ineffective as a run blocker, getting overwhelmed by his assignments when operating near the line of scrimmage. Grade: D+

Jesse James, tight end: A high-priced free agent target, James has been a disappoint in his first season with the Lions. He’s averaged one reception for 8.0 yards per game, while also failing to deliver as a blocker. Unlike Hockenson, who is smaller-framed and adjusting to the strength demands of the NFL, James doesn’t have those excuses, yet he’s continued to be similarly dominated when working attached to the formation. Grade: F

Logan Thomas, tight end: Thomas has more receiving yards than James while playing 40 percent of the snaps. Thomas might be Detroit’s best blocking tight end, which isn’t exactly saying much. There’s plenty of room for improvement here. Grade: C-

Taylor Decker, offensive tackle: Decker was a disaster in the opener, getting repeatedly beaten by the Cardinals edge rushers, while picking up multiple penalties. He missed the next week with injury, then settled down for a good stretch, until some struggles against Minnesota’s tough-to-block defensive ends. His seven penalties are a team-high. Grade: C

Rick Wagner, offensive tackle: Wagner, one of the NFL’s highest-paid right tackles, is in the midst of his most disappointing season with the Lions. He’s struggling to slow down edge rushers, allowing a team-high 24 pressures, and offering far less than expected as a run blocker, regularly failing to sustain his blocks or get push. About the only thing going well for Wagner is he hasn’t been penalized this season. Grade: D

Graham Glasgow, guard: Glasgow continues a career-long trend of solid, not spectacular play. He’s at his best run blocking, getting push at the point of attack and competent when on the move, whether pulling or climbing to the second level. As a pass protector, his play has slipped a bit this season. He’s allowed 13 pressures, which is too many for an interior lineman. Grade: B

Joe Dahl, guard: Much like Glasgow, Dahl is pretty solid. Despite adding weight and strength this offseason, you’d like to see more consistency as a run blocker. He opens up the occasional hole, but doesn’t routinely get the push you’d like to see from the position. As a pass protector, he’s given up nine pressures, which is average. Grade: B-

Kenny Wiggins, guard: The third man in Detroit’s guard rotation, Wiggins has shown enough to understand why the coaching staff wanted to reward him with playing time. As a run blocker, Wiggins is below average, but he’s done a reasonable job keeping pressure off Stafford. Grade: C

Frank Ragnow, center: Despite a few sloppy reps, Ragnow has been both the team’s best pass protector and run blocker. He’s particularly stood out in the ground game, where he’s shown the most consistent ability to get push at the line, offering a rare ray of hope for the team’s ground game. Grade: A-

DEFENSE: Trey Flowers, defensive end: Flowers started slow, in part due to missing so much practice time during the offseason, but his play has taken off in recent weeks. He’s been the team’s most consistent run defender, setting a strong edge, while finally starting to get home with his pass rush. He’s recorded three sacks the past two games. Grade: B

Romeo Okwara, defensive end: Okwara doesn’t flash often, but he’s a reliable member of the edge rotation, only struggling when he’s miscast as an interior lineman on early downs. He’s generated a decent amount of pressure, although it hasn’t translated to sacks. He has just one half sack through eight games. Grade: B

Damon Harrison, defensive tackle: Among the biggest disappointments of the season has been Harrison’s slow start. Long one of the NFL’s premier run-stuffers, he struggled with opposing blocks out of the gate, playing a role in Detroit’s overall run defense woes. In recent weeks, Harrison does seem to be turning a corner. Grade: C-

A’Shawn Robinson, defensive tackle: Robinson continues to be a solid run defender who offers little in terms of pass rush. His ability to bat down passes at the line has all but disappeared, as well. He hasn’t knocked a throw down this year. Grade: C+

Kevin Strong, defensive tackle: Coming from out of nowhere to claim a roster spot this offseason, Strong has had to play more than anticipated due to injuries to Mike Daniels and Da’Shawn Hand. The rookie showed improvement during the weeks he was active and flashed as an interior pass-rusher. Grade: C-

Devon Kennard, linebacker: Continuing to work primarily on the edge, Kennard doesn’t generate nearly as much pressure as you would like to see. He had a monster game in the season opener, but largely has been quiet in that department the past seven games. Grade: C+

Jarrad Davis, linebacker: If it wasn’t for his continued success as a pass rusher, Davis (40) would get failing mark. The Lions are maximizing his ability to get after the passer, but that’s a limited part of his job. In coverage, Davis is giving up big plays, while as a run defender he’s often out of position and continuing to miss tackles at an alarming rate. Grade: D+

Christian Jones, linebacker: Jones also has had some success as a pass rusher, but like Davis, is a serious liability in coverage. Jones (52) is a more reliable tackler in the open field than most of Detroit’s linebackers, but he’s been a non-factor in the team’s run defense. Grade: D+

Jahlani Tavai, linebacker: The size and power show up on film. Tavai is aggressive with his run fits and taking on blockers, but his tackling has been disappointing, and he looks overwhelmed in coverage. Grade: C-

Jalen Reeves-Maybin, linebacker: At this point, you have to wonder why Reeves-Maybin doesn’t get a longer look on defense over Davis or Jones. In his third season, the Tennessee product might be undersized for the scheme, but he has better instincts and cover skills than the rest of the room. He filled in admirably for Davis early in the year and has been outstanding on the kick coverage units. Grade: B+

Darius Slay, cornerback: Not many teams are testing Slay this season, but the two that went after him, Los Angeles and Minnesota, had plenty of success. He got the last laugh against the Chargers, sealing the win with the interception in the end zone, but that’s one of just three pass defenses on the season. And, as usual, his run support is subpar. Grade: B-

Rashaan Melvin, cornerback: Melvin started the year off well, but has faded in recent weeks. He got lucky when his man dropped a potential game-winning pass in the win over the Eagles, and he got torched by Giants rookie Darius Slayton for two touchdowns. According to Pro Football Focus, Melvin is allowing a 117.7 passer rating when targeted. He’s picked up slightly by his above-average run support and excellent tackling. Grade: C-

Justin Coleman, cornerback: Coleman gives up a lot of catches, but he also has shown a knack for jarring the ball free with 10 breakups and two forced fumbles. The playmaking has slowed the past couple of weeks, and he had a dreadful tackling effort against the Giants, but overall, he’s looked like a good free-agent addition. Grade: B

Mike Ford, cornerback: Filling in when Slay has been banged up, Ford has been surprisingly good in coverage, allowing just six receptions on 13 throws his direction. He’s a physical defender on the outside, and a willing tackler in run support, but he has drawn a pair of penalties in his limited playing time. Grade: C+

Tracy Walker, safety: The consistency isn’t all the way there, but Walker has made significant strides in his second season. Serving as Detroit’s tight end coverage solution, he helped keep Travis Kelce, Zach Ertz and Evan Engram in check. Walker is a good tackler and the next step in his development will be improving his fits in run support. Grade: B+

Quandre Diggs, safety: Diggs is gone, sent to Seattle in a trade before the deadline, and his 2019 performance played a part in that decision. The playmaking had dropped off, but more than anything, his tackling was a problem. He missed six tackles in five games, often bouncing off defenders when going for a signature big hit. Grade: D+

Will Harris, safety: Like Walker the year before, Harris is looking like a third-round find for the Lions. He’s shown comfort patrolling the deep parts of the field and can handle coverage assignments in the box, although not as well as Walker. Additionally, Harris has also been a solid special teamer. Grade: B-

Tavon Wilson, safety: Detroit’s best run defender in the secondary, Wilson has great instincts when it comes to shooting gaps and disrupting runs in the backfield. He’s combined that with better coverage this season, but missed tackles have been a problem for him, too. He’s whiffed five times through eight games. Grade: B

SPECIAL TEAMS: Sam Martin, punter: Martin is near the bottom of the league in gross and net punting, but he’s had a couple of unlucky bounces that are anchoring his statistical output. Included in that was a blocked punt in the opener that counted against him because it crossed the line of scrimmage. As a kickoff specialist, he’s done what’s been asked, keeping the ball high and out of the end zone, although he did send one out of bounds in the loss to Green Bay. Grade: C

Matt Prater, kicker: Prater is putting together another Prater-like season. He’s missed two of his 18 field goals and had a third blocked. Of his two misses, one came from beyond 50 yards, where he’s made his other five attempts. He also missed one extra point. Grade: B+

Jamal Agnew, return man: Agnew got benched early in the season for ball-security issues, but responded in a big way, with a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. That’s buoyed his respectable 28.2-yard average in that department. As a punt returner, he’s not finding room to breathe. The former All-Pro is averaging a dismal 2.7 yards, with 24 of his 27 total yards coming on a single return. Grade: C-