Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams (Photo by Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports)
The Detroit Lions concentrated on building in the trenches while no big-name receivers were added. Was that a mistake that will haunt them?
New general manager Brad Holmes is trying to raise this franchise from the dead. If the truth is to be told, the former regime of Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia have left the Lions in shambles.
The Lions have neither a deep or overly talented roster. There are holes just about everywhere that need to be addressed. Even where there are strengths, there is little depth. In a league where injuries happen, that can be scary.
Enter Brad Holmes and new head coach Dan Campbell. This is the regime that principal owner Sheila Ford Hamp is wagering will turn the Lions into champions. After 60 plus years of ineptitude, the thought process behind these hirings should be about just that.
We’re not interested in a regime that will help the Lions find some moderate success. The Ford family has fooled around long enough. The plan has to be about building champions. That means building a championship roster.
This offseason has been a challenge for Brad Holmes. Pretty much as soon as he was hired he was told that Matthew Stafford had requested a trade. He had limited cap space to work with and due to financial restraints was forced to watch the mainstays of the receiving corps pack up and go elsewhere.
Every aspect of the Lions needed to be addressed. From a pathetic and lifeless defense that was left behind by Matt Patricia to the very heart and soul of the passing game finding new homes. They even had to find a new kicker.
There has been no shortage of needs for these Lions. However, the offseason is only so long and there is only so much that can be done in an attempt to rebuild a franchise from the bottom up. Yet despite what has been considered a successful offseason by most, there are still those who are banging the drums about what hasn’t been done.