Did Detroit Lions Miss Opportunity to Speed Up Rebuilding Process?

The Detroit Lions clearly have a rebuilding strategy in their efforts to put a consistent winner out on the field.

Despite certain fans and passionate sports radio hosts pleading with the organization to sign high-end, talented free agents, general manager Brad Holmes and the front office have stuck to the plan.

Competition and culture have been the buzz words flying around the Lions the past 12 months.

To their credit, Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell have at least started to make Detroit a destination a free agent can stomach considering when they discuss their football future with their agent and their family.

“I probably would just say the authenticity, to be honest with you,” linebacker Chris Board told reporters on Wednesday during his initial press conference after signing with the Lions. “I can just feel it’s like real here. You know what I’m saying? It just feels real. That’s kind of the main reason why I came and why I just decided to come here."

An interesting phenomenon has occurred over the past few NFL seasons that culminated with the Los Angeles Rams hoisting the Lombardi Trophy this past season.

NFL teams have been willing to forego draft capital in their pursuit of players that are true difference makers.

Once the Los Angeles Rams went "all-in" and decided to trade for Matthew Stafford, they then surrounded him with high-end talent, trading away a plethora of draft picks along the way in their quest for championship glory.

Other NFL teams have now lined up and shopped for their franchise quarterback.

The Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos now believe they have their franchise player to lead the way.

Wide receivers have also been on the move, most notably Tyreek Hill and Davante Adams, who were traded to the Dolphins and Raiders, respectively, in blockbuster NFL deals.

Should the Detroit Lions have been in the mix for Hill and Watson, two players who would have transformed the franchise?

To preface, Watson had a no-trade clause, and could have nixed a deal to Detroit.

But, if his decision ended up being the Cleveland Browns, Holmes and Co. could have put together a financial package that would have enticed him to play in Detroit.

Detroit is among several teams that had the draft capital to make some franchise-altering decisions in 2022.

Imagine Ford Field this upcoming September with Watson under center and teams having to decide how to slow down Hill, Amon-Ra St. Brown, DJ Chark, Josh Reynolds, D'Andre Swift and T.J. Hockenson.

Can you say playoffs and even NFL playoff wins!

The challenge for the Lions is dealing with a fanbase that's not all too keen on waiting and waiting and waiting for a respectable product to be put on the field.

Obtaining gritty and under-appreciated players can infuse competition in a locker room that has lacked accountability and cohesion. But, can those same players stop wide receiver Justin Jefferson or tight end Robert Tunyan in crunch time?

Can a rookie linebacker sack quarterback Aaron Rodgers or Lamar Jackson in critical moments of close games; thus, avoiding heartbreaking defeats at the end of regulation with no time left on the clock?

At some point, NFL teams must decide to pounce on players that can produce on the field.

For Detroit, though, that time is not the present -- at least in the mind of those making key decisions.

"We want to build things with a solid foundation for the future, so that we are consistently a terrific team," Lions principal owner Sheila Ford Hamp said this week.

And, that may be the best decision, since Holmes and Co. have garnered increased respect for the players drafted in 2021.

Building through the draft takes patience and the ability to handle players who do not live up to expectations.

But, if Holmes' track record as a talent evaluator can be applied reasonably in Detroit, the time to add will come soon enough.

Just not in 2022.

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