Rebuilding Again: Six Offseason Things The Lions Need To Focus On
By Ashley Scoby
@AshleyScoby
It's no secret the Lions are about to enter into yet another "rebuilding" phase of its history. Here are some of the biggest areas the organization should focus on heading into the offseason, coming in two weeks:
Figure out the Megatron question
This will be the move (or lack of one) that defines the Lions' offseason. How the franchise handles its aging star, and the mammoth cap hit that he brings, could be a clue as to how successful the Lions will be in the near future. Will they keep Johnson? Will they restructure his contract so he isn't such a huge hit on the salary cap, leaving room to collect more roster pieces? Or will the organization cut its ties and go after a total rebuild?
Get major offensive line help
Bolstering the offensive line should be the Lions' top priority heading into the offseason. The unit was miserable for most of the season, and it will be miserable next year too if the team doesn't add some more pieces up front. Center has been a problem area, and the issue came to a dramatic peak when Matthew Stafford and Travis Swanson had a "miscommunication," and Swanson's failed snap ended the game against the Rams. Several linemen have shuffled positions this year, and the unit has had a hard time meshing into anything resembling cohesiveness.
Get Levy healthy and bolster the linebacking corps
At the current rate, the Lions probably still wouldn't have made the playoffs if DeAndre Levy had been healthy, but it couldn't have hurt. Getting him back will be a huge boost to a Lions defense that struggled most of the year. He was the second-leading tackler in the NFL last season, and is known for his mental aptitude on the field. Once he comes back from his hip surgery, though, Levy can't do it alone. The Lions need linebacker help. Their second-round pick, Kyle Van Noy, has had difficulty even seeing the field. Stephen Tulloch has looked lost at times. The coaching staff has consistently refused to answer questions about which linebacker makes the calls on the field, insinuating that there isn't a set-in-stone leader in Levy's absence.
Either develop tight ends or get help there too
Health-wise, and production-wise, tight end was one of the worst units for the Lions this year. Eric Ebron stayed healthy for most of the season, but dropped several balls and had a hard time with blocking assignments. Brandon Pettigrew was the primary blocking tight end, but tore his ACL last week. Tim Wright was brought in at the beginning of the season, but never really made an impact. There have been at least two games this season where the Lions finished the day with only one healthy tight end. The Lions are currently getting little out of the position, and fixing the tight end situation should be something to look at in the offseason.
Hire a GM that is capable of not just player evaluation, but of instilling a culture change
The Lions are an organization that can't be fixed by a simple draft class, or a couple free agents. It's a dysfunctional organization that needs a complete overhaul from top to bottom, and nothing short of that will fix a franchise that has been a loser for half a century. Martha Firestone Ford – and Ernie Accorsi, who was hired to help lead the GM search – needs to find a person capable of coming in and changing everything. Build a football franchise that's focused on consistently getting to the playoffs and winning, not one that's fixated on controlling journalists' practice reports, or worried about marketing campaigns.
Hire a coaching staff that can make in-game decisions and develop young talent
It sounds so basic that an NFL coaching staff needs to make correct decisions during games, and that it needs to not just draft talent but develop it. Nothing is simple, though, when it comes to the Detroit Lions. Head coach Jim Caldwell and his staff have consistently demonstrated confusion (not putting a Hail Mary defense on the field against Aaron Rodgers with no time on the clock) and a lack of ability to adjust (failing to come up with more creative looks for Calvin Johnson, not going away from Joique Bell when he struggles). It's unlikely Caldwell is retained (although no one really knows what Ford is thinking).
Believe it or not, the Lions have several good, young pieces on this team, who can be developed into solid NFL players. Ezekiel Ansah has been a monster on the defensive line. Ameer Abdullah will be a good running back once he figures out his fumbling issues. Zach Zenner has a high ceiling at the same position. Darius Slay has shaped himself into a shutdown corner this year. Devin Taylor came into his own at defensive end (game-ending facemask penalties notwithstanding). If the Lions can bring in a coaching staff that actually develops the pieces they already have, a franchise rebuilding process doesn't have to be so painful.
