Brian Baldinger: 'What's Wrong with (Lions) Building and Winning at Same Time?'
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Brian Baldinger currently provides expert NFL analysis for the NFL Network, Fox Sports, Compass Media Networks and Audacy Radio.
A former NFL offensive lineman, Baldinger had stops with the Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles during his playing career.
According to his bio, Baldinger can be seen on "Playbook", the ultimate NFL film breakdown program, and regularly as an analyst on NFL Network's signature show, "NFL Total Access".
Here is the conversation that Baldinger had with All Lions, discussing the Lions' 2022 season, the trade of T.J. Hockenson and the current rebuild.
*Questions and responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
What is your impression of the 1-6 Detroit Lions?
Brian Baldinger: Offensively, they're pretty good. I think that it is pretty clear. They've scored a lot of points during all these games, except for the shutout, which I don't really understand. But, I think Ben Johnson has done a real good job. I think he does a lot of good things with the motions, how they run the ball, how they've created matchups. I think offensively, they're pretty good. If D'Andre (Swift) could stay healthy and all that, they (would) have a real good one. But, regardless, Jamaal (Williams) is good, and the line is really good.
I don't understand the trade of T.J. Hockenson, to be honest with you. I think he's a really good player. He leads the NFL and tight ends with yards per catch. I like him a lot. I think they could have used him in better ways, but he's gone. And, then defensively, they just don't do much. I mean, they don't take the ball away. They don't really pressure the quarterback very well. They don't cover real well. I know Miami's Miami, but they didn't cover against Seattle. They gave up 48 points. They're not very good defensively, although I do really like Malcolm Rodriguez a lot. I realize you're starting three rookies with (Aidan Hutchinson) Hutch, (Kerby) Joseph and Malcolm (Rodriguez). But, Malcolm is a really good player, and he seemed to just be getting better and better. I liked him coming out of Oklahoma State. I didn't know how it was going to transfer, because Big-12 offenses aren't really like the NFL. But, he just does all these little things so good that you have to watch him.
The Lions made a decision to trade T.J. Hockenson, and they traded him within the same division (NFC North). When a move like this is made, whether it be to add or subtract a player, how can that impact a locker room?
Baldinger: Players don't feel like they are there for the long term. I don't know what there isn't to like about Hockenson. I think he's a really good player. He made the Vikings better the other day when they traded for him. He's better than Irv Smith. The Dolphins were doubling him the other day, and that's why Kalif Raymond got free. But, typically, when you lose a good player like that, you're like, 'Man, am I next?' Here's a top-10 pick. I loved him coming out of Iowa. I thought he was going to be a really good player. I liked him better than Noah Fant. I think he's better than Noah. But, regardless, I think players probably look at that and go, 'Are they still just building for the future? Like, why isn't T.J. part of the present?' Why wouldn't he be part of the core group, as we build this thing? You got a lot of young players playing. That's fine. But, you can go a lot of different directions, but you got to decide who your core guys are. I'm sure guys in the Lions are sitting there, going, 'Hock's our best tight end, might be our best overall receiver. And they're going to trade him to the Vikings to make them better?' They probably all said congratulations to him, since you're going to a first-place team. And, that's probably how they kind of left it. But, if I were a Lions player, I'm scratching my head, going, 'Is this the future, or what is the future, if we trade a player like that?'
A player that is for sure part of the foundation in Detroit is right tackle Penei Sewell. He is arguably one of the best tackles in the entire league right now, and has certainly taken that leap after his first year.
Baldinger: I can always find a play or two that Penei would like to have back. I don't know that he has the best balance of anybody, but he has as much power as anybody in that position. I think Lane Johnson might be the gold standard at right tackle. I'm really good friends with Lane, but I don't know that he has Penei Sewell's power. Like that guy can just dig people out of their spots. He's really, really got raw power. He's a very good run blocker. I thought he was really good at left tackle last year. I understand (Taylor) Decker's there. Like, I thought he was better at left tackle than right. But, I understand you're paying the left tackle. He's the first-round pick and all that. But, I think Sewell's playing really well. He's a big part of their success running the football. I think he's a big part of their success as an offense. I think they're a top-10 offense, and I have a lot of respect for Ben Johnson. I think he's very bright. I think he's very clever in a lot of the things that he does. They're very subtle. But, I think for Penei, hopefully, he's there for his entire career. That they wouldn't do anything to not allow him to get out of there.
Here is the dilemma facing the Lions right now. Supporters look and see the Giants winning games with a first-year head coach. The Jets have a winning record. The Seahawks are going through a rebuild, but are still winning games. Sheila Hamp came out and said to be patient, because the team's in a rebuild and a teardown. Brad Holmes said the team is still in the building phase. Is it logistically possible to go through a long rebuild since the NFL is all about winning?
Baldinger: You are in the win-now business, John. I don't really agree, if that's the philosophy of Brad Holmes, being, 'We're in the building phase.' Well, what's wrong with building and winning at the same time? I mean, nobody has less to work with than the New York Giants. And they've got six wins. The Chicago Bears, I mean, they're giving away good players. But, they're winning games and they're competitive. They were competitive against Dallas last week, and they're building an offensive line. They have figured out a way to be the best rushing football team in the league. I feel like there's a really good coaching job going on in Chicago.
So, it's hard for me, and I'm not here to disparage Dan (Campbell) or his staff. I know the guys on that staff really well. But, you've got to win games. You got to find ways to win games. And, you can't just say, no fan wants to hear, 'We're in the building phase.' Not when the Giants are winning games, when they're in the building phase. Not when the Bears are winning games, and are competitive in games, when they are also in the building phase and giving away good players.
I know the Lions were competitive against Miami last week, but they weren't competitive against New England at all. Like it was embarrassing what they did at the Patriots. You know, they weren't competitive against Dallas at all. Like to me, you got to find ways to win games. That's what it's about.
Campbell signed a six-year deal, so that's why it kind of signaled to everybody that there was going to be some patience needed. But, some concerns are popping up in terms of the rebuild, especially when they move on from a talented player at this point in the season.
Baldinger: There's not many teams that have the talent that the Lions have on the offensive line. So, when you have a good offensive line, you can do it. The Giants don't have as good an offensive line as the Detroit Lions do. They don't have a center like Frank Ragnow. They don't have a right tackle. The Giants got a rookie there, but they don't have a right tackle like Penei Sewell. The Lions have a good offensive line. You have got to play to your strengths. I feel like they're in a position where they should have more than one win. I just do.
The Lions' dynamic is interesting, just like all of the Detroit teams, which has been fascinating. Many of the professional teams had a coach in place first and then hired a new general manager, such as was the case with the Lions (with Campbell and Holmes).
Baldinger: It's backwards, John. Well, it happened to the Jets, because (general manager) Joe Douglas was there. And then, they finally got it right, where Joe was able to blow out the coach, along with the staff, and get his own guy. The Giants did it right. They just did it right. They got Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen together. They know each other. They just did it right. I think there's just one way to do it right. I think the general manager has to bring his coach in. And, when you do it the other way around, it's always a little bit off. John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan are joined at the hip. You go through the whole league right now, and I think there's one way to kind of do it. The Eagles' Howie Roseman and Jeffrey Lurie hired Nick Sirianni. I just think there's a way to do it the right way.
