Detroit Lions Weblog

Lions Hedge Their Bets By Extending Backus

Last week the Lions re-signed dependable veteran LOT Jeff Backus for 6 years. Backus, who has never missed a game and has started all 80 games he has played with the team, would have been a very valuable commodity on the open market had the Lions neglected to re-sign him. Backus likely will never be an all-pro, but if the Lions had lost him in free agency they would have had a gaping hole at a roster position that has been among the least of their concerns in recent seasons.

Many analysts have questioned the Lions paying Backus for his somewhat less than dominant performance for the team. In free agency, it has become increasingly difficult to acquire starting caliber offensive linemen. Until the Lions have a viable in-house option, it would have made little sense to allow Backus to slip from out of their grasp.

One assurance that comes with Backus’s new contract is that he will arrive in Allen Park July 27th happy and ready to perform as dependably as we have grown accustomed to in recent seasons. As fans, we can’t reasonably expect a lot more at this point as the Lions try to overcome their interminable rebuilding program.