2003 LIONS
	Joey Harrington started 12 games last season.
	Head coach: Steve Mariucci (1st year). 2002 record: 3-13 NFC North finish: 2nd Season opener: Sept. 7 vs. Cardinals Schedule | Depth chart

To say the Lions are starting over for the second time in three seasons wouldn't be quite right.

They have a new head coach for the second time in three seasons but the new man -- former 49ers head coach Steve Mariucci -- should not have to suffer through the growing pains endured by his predecessor, Marty Mornhinweg.

Lions president Matt Millen has a better front-office support team in place, has a better grasp of his own job and the Lions won't be starting from scratch with a bare bones roster.

The only area in which Mariucci will be starting from scratch is the record. The Lions are coming off 2-14 and 3-13 seasons, and presumably have nowhere to go but up.

A lot is expected of Mariucci and he knows it, although he is quick to remind fans that the 2003 Lions will not be a one-man show.

"I hope I can make a difference, but it's going to be a lot of work," he said. "I'm one part of the equation here; there's a lot of people who are very important to the whole thing, from the top on down. And I'm a part of it. I'm trying to pull it all together here but I'm relying on a lot of people for help."

One such source of help is Millen, who groped through his first two seasons on the job, purging the roster of players he inherited two years ago and bringing in free agents of questionable value.

Since firing Mornhinweg and hiring Mariucci, Millen has solidified the front office by promoting Tom Lewand and Martin Mayhew, has taken over the operation of the personnel department and made several moves that seem to have upgraded the Lions in key areas -- linebacker, the defensive secondary, wide receiver and running back.

And, while there is little doubt that the team on the field in the Sept. 7 opener against Arizona will have Mariucci's trademark on it, it is also a fact that much of the foundation was in place when Mariucci arrived.

Quarterback Joey Harrington had a year of NFL experience under his belt.

The major elements of an offensive line -- offensive tackle Jeff Backus and Stockar McDougle, center Dominic Raiola -- were in place. Two promising young defensive linemen -- defensive tackle Shaun Rogers and defensive end Kalimba Edwards -- had gotten their NFL indoctrination out of the way.

And the West Coast offense Mornhinweg had installed was a virtual replica of the Mariucci system both men had learned from Mike Holmgren and had practiced in four years together when Mornhinweg was a top Mariucci aide at San Francisco.

There was a reason the Lions won only five of 32 games under Mornhinweg, however. They simply didn't have enough talent to compete on a regular basis. Millen and Mariucci worked on those shortages during the offseason and they will find out soon how successful they were.

Don't look for the Lions in the playoffs but they should improve on their record of the past two seasons.

Offense
Quarterbacks: Harrington has all the tools to excel in the NFL. He's smart, he has a great work ethic, he has the arm, the feet and the vision. But he has to complete more than 50 percent of his passes and he might have to develop a little more of a killer attitude if he's ever going to be more than a middle-of-the-road NFL quarterback. Backup Mike McMahon has exceptional athletic ability but has completed only 43.9 percent of his passes in two years and too often looks to run too quickly. Ty Detmer will be No. 3, although his skills and temperment might be best suited to Mariucci's West Coast offense. Grade: C-minus.

Running backs: The Lions had learned to appreciate running back James Stewart and fullback Cory Schlesinger. Stewart has run for more than 1,000 yards in two of his three Detroit seasons and catches the ball well out of the backfield, but a shoulder separation has sidelined him for the season. Either Shawn Bryson or recent acquisition Olandis Gary will likely replace Stewart. Bryson has been slow coming off last year's knee injury at Buffalo. Schlesinger is a fearless blocker and has developed adequate receiving skills.Grade: C-minus.

Receivers: The addition of rookie wide receiver Charles Rogers puts some pizazz into what was a disappointing crew a year ago. If Rogers blossoms as the Lions hope, he will make Az-Zahir Hakim better in the slot and Bill Schroeder better on the split-end side. Rogers has speed, leaping ability and the uncanny ability to get through a defender to the football. The depth is better with Scotty Anderson, Shawn Jefferson and rookie David Kircus. Tight end Mikhael Ricks added some bulk to help him on blocking assignments and undrafted rookie Casey Fitzsimmons showed receiving skills to compete with backup tight ends Matt Murphy and John Owens. Grade: B-minus.

Offensive linemen: The Lions finally seem to have some stability in the offensive line. They feel good about their young tackles -- Backus on the left and McDougle on the right -- and they like Raiola's develoment at center. Ray Brown, at 40, will start at the right guard spot and Eric Beverly at left guard, although veteran Tony Semple can't be counted out yet. Depth is adequate with Matt Joyce versatile enough to back up both offensive tackle positions, and Kerlin Blaise and Tyrone Hopson available at the guard positioins. Grade: C-plus.

Defense
Defensive linemen: With the recent signing of defensive tackle Dan "Big Daddy" Wilkinson, the Lions got a little stronger and deeper in their strongest area. Wilkinson will improve the Lions' run defense, playing beside the massive Shaun Rogers and playing in a rotation with Kelvin Pritchett and Luther Elliss (when he recovers from a torn pectoral muscle). Defensive end Kalimba Edwards brings pass-rush quickness from the right side, with Robert Porcher on the left and solid depth in James Hall, Jared DeVries and rookie defensive tackle-defensive end Cory Redding. Grade: B-plus.

Linebackers: Linebacking bordered on disaster at times last year but should be much improved by four key additions -- free agent middle linebackers Earl Holmes and Wali Rainer, second-round draft pick Boss Bailey and rookie James Davis, who looked better than expected for a fifth-round pick. Speedy, active Barrett Green will play the weak side and Brian Williams, if he can stay healthy, will help guide Bailey on the strong side. Jeff Gooch and Donte' Curry are solid backups. Grade: C-plus.

Defensive backs: The Lions are younger and faster at the corners this year after signing free agent cornerback Dre' Bly from St. Louis. Chris Cash, a second-year player, was expected to start at the cornerback spot, but a knee injury suffered against Cleveland has put his availability in doubt. Andre Goodman may replace Cash, but the Lions won't declare a starter until September. The safeties -- free safety Brian Walker and strong safety Corey Harris -- are veterans, as are their backups Lamar Campbell and Bracy Walker. Jimmy Wyrick and rookie Blue Adams are competing for backup roles. Grade: C-minus.

Special teams
Wide receiver Eddie Drummond was impressive as a rookie kick returner when he took over for injured Desmond Howard last year, but has a problem with injuries that creates some uneasiness for special-teams coach Chuck Priefer. Kicker Jason Hanson might be losing a little on kickoffs but is still long and accurate on field goals, and punter John Jett is reliable, coming off one of his better NFL seasons. Look for good things in coverage from Davis and rookie Terrence Holt. Grade: B.

Material from Pro Football Weekly.
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