Well, another unsuccessful season by the Detroit Lions. This year was a bit more painful than past seasons, though. The firing of Matt Patricia and GM Bob Quinn midseason gave us the feel of a full rebuild about to start. As if the past 30+ years of losing wasn’t enough, we should expect a couple more years of bad seasons.
The 2021 offseason should be an interesting one for the Lions. They need to fill the void at HC and GM, figure out the Stafford situation, and much more. Every fan has a wishlist of what they would like their favorite team to do every offseason, and here’s mine.
Hire Robert Saleh
49ers Defensive Coordinator Robert Saleh grew up 15 minutes away from Ford Field. He was a Lions fan as a kid, and he understands the pain that fans have endured through the years. I feel as if this is every Lions’ fans dream hire this offseason. Saleh is exciting and has the qualities of a great Head Coach.
Matt Patricia sucked the life out of the organization, and I feel Saleh can turn the tide for this struggling team.
Trade-Up in Draft For Top QB
The Lions currently find themselves with the 7th pick in the NFL Draft. Besides the first pick, it is uncertain what direction every other team decides to go. Assuming Trevor Lawrence goes #1 to Jacksonville, the Jets are at a crossroads. It has been rumored that the Jets might stick with QB Sam Darnold, and take Oregon Tackle, Penei Sewell. If that is the case, the Lions should try to trade up to that spot and take a quarterback. Whether it’s OSU’s Justin Fields or Zach Wilson from BYU, they need to look long term at the position.
Matthew Stafford can be a great mentor for young Quarterbacks, so if they find a way to get a top-three quarterback in the draft while keeping Stafford, I see that as a win. Having a guy play under Stafford benefits everyone, as Stafford can remain a starter and the quarterback under him can learn from the veteran.
Re-sign Kenny Golladay
27-year-old receiver Kenny Golladay was a part of a shortlist of bright spots for this team. It is uncertain what Golladay’s asking price is, but Detriot should give it to him. He is arguably a top 10 receiver in the league, when healthy of course, and the Lions should not let him walk.
If Golladay does decide to walk, the receiving core would be near the bottom of the league, assuming Detriot will not re-sign Marvin Jones. It is important that they have good weapons for whoever is under center for us next year, and without Golladay, there isn’t much there.
Re-sign Romeo Okwara
Okwara came out of his shell in the 2020 season. The 25-year-old pass rusher recorded 10.5 sacks while playing all 16 games this year for the Lions. The Lions have been looking for an elite pass rusher for the past few years now, and they might’ve gotten one in Okwara. EDGE rushers tend to get paid very well, and they shouldn’t be afraid to pay him to keep him around.
Keep Young Players Motivated
As I have said, Matt Patricia nearly destroyed this team’s morale last season. This really hurt young (potential) stars like T.J. Hockenson, Jeff Okudah, D’Andre Swift, and Frank Ragnow, to name a few. They need to make it a priority to keep the confidence high for these players. Besides Okudah, all of these players had very promising seasons, and the team won’t succeed if they don’t continue to grow as players.
Speaking of Okudah, he himself did not have anything close to a successful season last year. It is important that they work with him to develop and become a top corner in the league, as that is the reason they drafted him at 3.
Let Jarrad Davis Walk
In 2017, Detroit took a chance on Florida linebacker, Jarrad Davis, with the 21st pick in the NFL draft. After four years, I think it is safe to say that he is a bust. I’m not sure how much Lions football you guys watch, but he is noticeably bad. He misses reads like no other, he’s terrible in pass coverage, and he’s a below-average blitzer.
Yes, Davis’ size and speed are intriguing, but he should not be a part of this roster next year unless it is a one-year deal to play on the Special Teams unit.
Go Defense in Free Agency
There a lot of big names in free agency this season on the defensive side of the ball. Despite the Lions’ limited cap, there are young, talented players they can go out and get. Marcus Williams, for example. The 24-year-old safety is a UFA this offseason, and I think they could get him for relatively cheap. Defensive end Leonard Williams is also a free agent. His asking price is estimated at around 8 million dollars a year, and that would be a great signing for the Lions.
If they wanted to splurge, 28 year old LB Shaq Barrett is available for a price of about 20 million dollars a year, that is if the Bucs don’t extend him to a long term deal.
Will Any Of This Happen?
Again, this is MY wishlist. You might be reading this and saying, “yeah right”. If I were running this football team these are the moves I would make. No, I don’t believe my whole wishlist will be fulfilled, but I feel a lot of Lions fans would be happy if it did.