ALLEN PARK, Mich. — The evolution of a championship team varies, by time and by tests. The simplest pattern — get good, stay good, get great, stay great, get there, get the trophy — rarely unfolds as planned.

Coaches leave. Injuries hit. Players retire. It crests, it drops and inevitably hits an inflection point. In some ways, the Lions are at that point.

“The year of the reckoning,” running back David Montgomery said as the Lions opened training camp Sunday. “We’re tired of being close. It’s cool to be close at first, but you don’t want to get comfortable with being close all the time. You want to finish it. This is the year for us.”

The Lions indeed should be close again, based on their timeframe and talented roster. But after two consecutive playoff appearances, they don’t seem appreciably closer, with their depth chart unusually unsettled.

They have to rebuild their offensive line, after Frank Ragnow’s retirement and Kevin Zeitler’s departure. They must adjust to new offensive and defensive coordinators, John Morton and Kelvin Sheppard. Injuries ravaged them last season, and they announced Sunday defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike already had undergone season-ending knee surgery. Cornerback Ennis Rakestraw also went down early in the first practice with a reported chest injury.

The Lions are favored to win the NFC North for the third consecutive time, but others are rising. The Vikings and Packers made the playoffs, and the Bears are perpetual quasi-threats. The schedule is tougher than ever. After the Lions’ rocket ride last season — explosive games, plumes of points, 15-2 record — fizzled in a humbling 45-31 playoff loss at home to Washington, perspective was delivered, whether the Lions needed it or not.

There are no do-overs in sports. But there are adjustments, and fresh enlightenment. I don’t know if it’s a reckoning after a year of Super Bowl talk, but there’s a tempering of outside expectations and enthusiasm. Not from Dan Campbell, of course.

“The message to the team was really what it’s been all along — it’s about who we are, what we believe in and staying hungry,” Campbell said. “Putting the work in, not being content, and I believe we’ll be just fine. We’ve got the right guys and they’ve been building it for a long time. There are dudes that are going to be ready to go.”

Hits and misses

Old dudes in new places, new dudes in old places. Rosters churn every year on every team, and I’m not here to be an alarmist. The Lions still have elite offensive talent, from Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs in the backfield, to quarterback Jared Goff, to pass-catching weapons Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Sam LaPorta. They still have Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker to anchor their line, although Decker isn’t healthy yet.

On defense, they bring back pass-rushing star Aidan Hutchinson, who had a scorching start last season with 7.5 sacks in five games before suffering a broken leg, an ugly omen. By the end, the Lions were down as many as nine starters on defense, and Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels tore them apart.

Goff threw three interceptions in that loss, and in the behind-the-scenes Netflix series “Quarterback,” he confessed the performance would “eat me alive the whole offseason.” The loss ate away at the Lions’ sheen of invincibility, after a two-year climb that included a 27-7 regular-season record and a trip to the NFC championship game, where they squandered a 24-7 halftime lead and lost to the 49ers.

They spent most of last season as a Super Bowl favorite, despite the spate of injuries. According to oddsmakers, the Lions are still in the top five among the Eagles, Chiefs, Ravens and Bills, projected to win 10 or 11 games. Cautionary tale: Buffalo has made it to the playoffs the past six seasons without reaching the Super Bowl.

Campbell isn’t focusing on playoff paths or homefield advantage on the first day of camp. Mostly, he’s focusing on the trenches, where the Lions have taken major hits.

Two years ago, Brad Holmes drafted guys for depth, not immediate playing time. Now his top two picks — defensive lineman Tyleik Williams and offensive lineman Tate Ratledge — almost assuredly will be needed quickly. Ragnow’s retirement wasn’t completely unexpected, and Ratledge, a second-rounder from Georgia, appears to have the tools and temperament to start right away.

Williams, the first-round pick from Ohio State, could step in alongside DJ Reader on the defensive front. Star Alim McNeill will be out until midseason, recovering from knee surgery. Hutchinson should be back to his dominant self at rush end, but injury histories are a concern with Marcus Davenport, Josh Paschal and Mekhi Wingo. There’s also some uncertainty about the status of linebacker Alex Anzalone, who’s entering the final year of his contract.

Young and hungry

The Lions weren’t overly active in free-agency, and Campbell knows the narratives are coming after an offseason of brain drain. His savvy offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson, left to become head coach of the Bears. Aaron Glenn took his respected experience to the Jets, leaving Sheppard to take over as a first-time coordinator.

Morton might not be as wildly creative as Johnson, but he’ll find plenty of opportunities for Gibbs and Montgomery, the most-productive tandem in the league. The Lions always will hammer the running game, and have done so behind a top-notch offensive line, coached by Hank Fraley. It’s now their primary concern, figuring out if Ratledge can start as a rookie, and whether Graham Glasgow and an array of other guards can slide in.

“Concern? My eyes are on the O-Line,” Campbell said. “I want to see what that unit’s going to do.”

He’s not the only one. Yes, Holmes needs to find a pass rusher or two. But offensive line is the Lions’ long-standing strength, and it’s in serious flux.

They get an early start to fix the flux, playing in the preseason Hall of Fame Game July 31 against the Chargers. Last season’s ending ate away at a lot of them, including Montgomery. His power running produced 775 yards but he was injured late, as Gibbs’ profile rose.

“This probably is the hungriest I’ve been,” said Montgomery, entering his seventh season. “I feel a lot of people kinda forget that I’m here in the offense too. … We got a bunch of young, hungry guys (on the offensive line) that are learning fast. They all have the same potential to be what we’ve been in recent years. Unique thing about this league, everything changes every year.”

Basically, a reckoning is always beckoning. The Lions are entering their third full season of championship contention, and getting antsy. But while getting close can be frustrating, staying close is the challenge too.

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