Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia speaks often about how much he values special teams and their importance in the overall makeup of his football team. That philosophy has been put to action this offseason as the Lions have begun building their 2020 roster.
Detroit's special teams were pretty good overall last year, coming in at No. 10 in Rick Gosselin's annual rankings of special teams based on 22 different categories, but Detroit's aiming to be even better in 2020.
"Sure, special teams is a big part of it in what we do," Patricia said last season during training camp. "We meet as a coaching staff – offense, defense, special teams – and everybody talks about the players and go through that. One of the things we all have to identify is what are their special teams roles. How many different roles can you play and how many different ways can you help the team?
"I think that's a conversation that we always have and we always stress the importance to the players that that's part of your job ... everybody's really got to be ready to go on special teams in some form or facet."
The Lions' special teams makeover this offseason started with the hiring of Brayden Coombs as coordinator. Coombs comes from Cincinnati, where he learned under well-respected and longtime Bengals coordinator Darrin Simmons. Cincinnati ranked No. 2 overall on Gosselin's 2019 special teams rankings.
Lions safety Miles Killebrew and linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in the NFL last season in special teams tackles with 15 and 13. Reeves-Maybin is still under contract for 2020. The Lions re-signed Killebrew this offseason.
Detroit also signed cornerback Tony McRae in free agency. He has familiarity with Coombs and his schemes as one of Cincinnati's best special teams players a year ago.
Former Vikings safety Jayron Kearse was a key component to Minnesota's special teams last season, and also signed with Detroit in free agency. He played 271 snaps on defense and 231 on special teams. He was a starter on all four special teams units for the Vikings last year.
The Lions also signed former 49ers linebacker Elijah Lee, who was a key player on San Francisco's special teams units. He played 20 snaps on special teams in this year's Super Bowl, the highest among 49ers players.
View photos of linebacker Elijah Lee. Photos courtesy Associated Press.
San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Elijah Lee (47) in action during an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders on Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018, in Santa Clara, Calif. The 49ers defeated the Raiders, 34-3. (Ryan Kang via AP)
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Elijah Lee (47) covers a kickoff return in an NFL game against the Green Bay Packers, Monday, Oct. 15, 2018 in Green Bay. (Margaret Bowles via AP)
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Elijah Lee (47) runs upfield during a Week 7 NFL game against the Dallas Cowboys, October 22, 2017 in Santa Clara, Calif. The Cowboys defeated the 49ers 40-10. (Kevin Terrell via AP)
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Elijah Lee (47) intercepts a fourth quarter pass and runs it back for a touchdown later ruled as an incomplete pass during the 2017 NFL week 16 regular season football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2017 in Santa Clara, Calif. The 49ers won the game 44-33. (Paul Spinelli via AP)
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Elijah Lee (47) runs during an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Sunday, Dec 3, 2017, in Chicago. The 49ers won 15-14. (Scott Boehm via AP)
San Francisco 49ers Elijah Lee (47) calls our a play during NFL football game against the Chicago Bears Sunday, December 23, 2018, in Santa Clara, Calif. (Terrell Lloyd via AP Images)
Seattle Seahawks running back Chris Carson (32) runs against San Francisco 49ers linebacker Elijah Lee (47) during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Elijah Lee (47) runs upfield during a Week 7 NFL game against the Dallas Cowboys, October 22, 2017 in Santa Clara, Calif. The Cowboys defeated the 49ers 40-10. (Kevin Terrell via AP)
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Elijah Lee (47) waits for the snap during an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018 in Los Angeles, Calif. (Greg Trott via AP)
San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Elijah Lee (47) chases the action during an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2019 in Santa Clara, Calif. The 49ers defeated the Packers 37-8. (Paul Spinelli via AP)
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Elijah Lee (47) looks into the backfield during an NFL preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in Santa Clara, Calif. The 49ers defeated the Cowboys 17-9. (Kevin Terrell via AP)
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Elijah Lee (47) during a fourth quarter time out of the NFL game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, December 9, 2018, in Santa Clara, Calif. (Eric Bakke via AP)
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Elijah Lee (47) leaves the field during an NFL Week 17 game against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018, in Los Angeles. The Rams defeated the 49ers 48-32. (Kevin Terrell via AP)
San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Elijah Lee (47) during an NFL regular season football game against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, Dec. 23, 2018 in Santa Clara, Calif. The 49ers won, 14-9. (Ric Tapia via AP)
San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Elijah Lee (47) runs in pass coverage during to the NFL Super Bowl LIV football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Chiefs defeated the 49ers 31-20. (Scott Boehm via AP)
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Elijah Lee (47) in action on defense during an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2019 in Santa Clara, Calif. The 49ers defeated the Cardinals 36-26. (Joe Robbins via AP)
San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Elijah Lee (47) chases the action during the game against the Minnesota Vikings in an NFL divisional playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020, in Santa Clara, Calif. The 49ers defeated the Vikings 27-10. (Paul Spinelli via AP)
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Elijah Lee (47) in action on defense during an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2019 in Santa Clara, Calif. The 49ers defeated the Cardinals 36-26. (Joe Robbins via AP)
San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Elijah Lee (47) during an NFL regular season football game against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, Dec. 23, 2018 in Santa Clara, Calif. The 49ers won, 14-9. (Ric Tapia via AP)
San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Elijah Lee (47) celebrates after the 49ers beat the Minnesota Vikings 27-10 in an NFL divisional playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Elijah Lee (47) defends during an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 17, 2019. The 49ers beat the Cardinals 36-26. (Cooper Neill via AP)
Detroit returns one of the best kickers in the NFL in Matt Prater, and Pro Bowl long snapper Don Muhlbach re-signed this offseason.
The biggest change on special teams for the Lions in 2020 is that they'll have new punter. Sam Martin, Detroit's punter the last seven seasons, reportedly agreed to terms with Denver in free agency. Martin ranked 18th in the NFL in punting average (45.3) and 12th in net average (41.8) last season.
The Lions have punters Matt Wille and Jack Fox currently on the roster, and could add a rookie in April's NFL Draft. The team worked with Texas A&M punter Braden Mann at the Senior Bowl. He's considered one of the top punter prospects in the draft.
Detroit's definitely had an eye on special teams in their free agency game plan, and there could be some really good competition on the horizon and some tough decisions to make in training camp on special teams.
