Detroit Lions Weblog

Dominic Raiola Excited About the Lions Off-Season Moves, G Chester Pitts Acknowledges Lions Interest

The Lions de facto team leader, as a long suffering member of the organization and a player who never seems to be at a loss for words, Dominic Raiola made statements to the Detroit News’ Tim Twentyman about his feelings regarding the Lions off-season, thus far:

“You know it is a little more exciting because they’ve made the effort to make this team a little more stable and a little more solid,” Raiola said from his home in Hawaii.

“They’re spending money and trying to make this a better place for people to come to, a more inviting place. With (Matthew) Stafford on the team and Calvin (Johnson) on the team, it’s a little more exciting around here and you can sense there’s a little more buzz to the offseason.”

Dominic Raiola is Cautiously Excited About the Lions Off-Season Additions

“I think you have to really just know that the coaches have a history with these guys and they know what they’re doing. I think the impressive thing is that I didn’t know of any other names they were going after if this failed. This was no-fail. They were going to get these guys no matter what,” he said.

“I’ve been lobbying for Vanden Bosch since the end of the season. You can’t begin to describe what he brings to the table. He is always going 110 miles per hour.

“I’m excited about Burleson, too, because he gives us a lot a balance. You can stick anyone in that No. 3 spot and he’ll be that much better because of Nate and Calvin. He just makes us a much more complete offense.”

Burleson, With His Knowledge of Linehan's Offense, Should Help Calvin Johnson Immediately

Raiola is right. Just short of adding help for the offensive line and finding another running back, the addition of a solid, dependable route-running wide receiver, with good hands, is an essential element of building a productive offense for the Lions.

“You go out and get the top (free-agent) guys you wanted this year and you keep implementing the system that you’ve been teaching us, and it has to get better, right?

“I know that stuff doesn’t happen overnight and it doesn’t happen in March or April — it happens starting in September — but this is where you build a foundation of things to come.”

As for the prospects of the Lions drafting fellow Nebraska Cornhusker Ndamukong Suh with the No. 2 overall pick, Raiola thinks it’s a no-brainer.

“I don’t think I need to lobby,” he said. “I think they know he’s special. If Suh is there, I don’t think there’s any doubt who they’ll take.”

With Subterfuge Accounted For, Suh Looks to be the Best Option for the Lions in April

That’s the crux of the situation. The Lions, if Martin Mayhew and company continue to draft well, will eventually become a contender, as the long as the team is built upon a sound foundation.

Acquiring players through free agency and via trades, is a patchwork, quick fix exercise. Even if the Lions add help at running back, or sign a guard like Chester Pitts, who says the Lions have interest in him (and is rumored to be meeting with the team Wednesday), in the long run, they will need to continue to strike it rich with young players, like Ndamukong Suh.