Detroit Lions Weblog

Lions Offseason Recap, Thus Far

The Lions 2006 season will forever stand as a disappointment.   The Lions, though often competitive, were a flawed and deficient team this season.   As a result, the Lions will embark upon their 2007 off-season facing the obvious necessity that a near complete rebuild of their team is likely the only solution to their continued poor performance.

The Lions began that process by making several coaching changes.   They have hired Rod Marinelli’s son in law, Joe Barry, to replace Donnie Henderson as Defensive Coordinator.   They have also fired Offensive Line Coach Larry Beightol, reportedly as a result of several differences of opinion between Beightol and Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz.   Special Teams Coach Chuck Priefer also retired and will be replaced by his long time assistant, Stan Kwan.  In spite of these changes, and many expected upcoming personnel changes, Team President Matt Millen appears to remain safe in his position, for now. 

Mike Martz (Oakland, Miami)  and Wide Receivers Coach Kippy Brown (Grambling) have been mentioned as potential head coaching candidates.   Neither appears close to actually being hired, so they should remain members of Rod Marinelli’s staff entering next year.

The Lions appear close to re-signing one of their two priority, potential free agents that are currently on their roster.   WR Mike Furrey is very close to signing a new contract, apparently the Lions are ill-advisedly chiseling on the numbers that they want to pay Furrey.   If Martz is going to remain, re-signing Furrey should be an eminent off-season priority.   The other major potential free agent is DE/DT Cory Redding.   Their has been little discussion about giving Redding a new contract, but hopefully those talks will soon ensue.

With the post-season senior all-star games having recently begun, the Lions must also amp up their preparation for the 2007 draft.  The speculation around what the Lions will do with the 2nd overall pick will grow as more information is gathered about the top NFL prospects.

Two separate moments have impacted my perceptions of the Lions future and their rebuilding process.   Last week I went to the Breslin Center in East Lansing, where the Detroit Tigers Winter Caravan was held.   Tigers Manager Jim Leyland gave a strong speech, which had some wisdom that can hopefully be imparted upon the entire Lions organization.   Leyland mentioned that it was not any certain philosophy and plan that allowed the 2006 Tigers to enjoy so much success, but “it was doing things the right way” that led to their eventual success.   He didn’t specify the individual components of doing things the “right way”, but he say that he firmly believes that there are both “right and wrong ways” of doing things.   This helped me to realize that systems, plans, philosophies are only the engine for success, and at the heart of that engine resides the impetus for driving it, or doing things the “right way”

Last weekend in the AFC playoff game between the Chargers and Patriots, I was truly inspired by one play that was made by a veteran.   Pats QB Tom Brady threw what should have been a game-ending interception.   Pats WR Troy Brown, who has overcome several well-publicized odds to become one of the greatest competitors in NFL history, stripped Chargers S Marlon McCree of the ball, allowing one of his teammates the opportunity to recover the ball, and an eventual touchdown for the Patriots. In order for the Lions to emerge from their continued incompetence, it will take players with the heart and substance of Brown to help lead them from out of the wilderness.   Whether that player is currently on the Lions roster remains to be seen.