I wasn’t supposed to have to do any of these team checklists, and that was a good thing: It’s a lot more fun to put up quick posts on the news of the day than to take an exhaustive look at one NFL team.
But after I outed myself as a biased Detroiter in our Barry Sanders-Emmitt Smith discussion, I got roped into doing our Lions checklist. So here we go with what the Lions need to do
.1. Get the rookies up to speed.
No team in the NFL had a more widely praised draft than the Lions, who selected Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley in the first round and Boise State receiver Titus Young and Illinois running back Mikel Leshoure in the second round. That’s three guys who look like they could make a real impact as rookies.
But relying heavily on rookies in a year with a lockout-shortened offseason could be tough. In a normal year, Fairley, Young and Leshoure already would have spent hundreds of hours in the presence of the Lions’ coaches. This year they’ve been limited in their contact to very brief introductions on the day they were drafted.
Fairley and Ndamukong Suh could be a lethal combination on the defensive line, and Young and Leshoure could both be big playmakers for the Lions’ offense. But it won’t be easy for the Lions to have them all ready for Week One.
2. Upgrade the secondary.
The Lions’ biggest need heading into the draft was improving the cornerback position, so it was a bit of a surprise that Detroit’s draft, though much-lauded, didn’t include any corners. That means that as soon as free agency starts, the Lions need to act fast to pick up a free agent cornerback.
Obviously, the No. 1 cornerback who would make every Lions fan stand up and cheer is Nnamdi Asomugha, but all indications are that the Lions aren’t ready to break the bank -- and breaking the bank is the only way to get Asomugha to Detroit.
Chris Houston, who started 15 games for the Lions last year, is a free agent. If the Lions aren’t willing to spend a fortune on Asomugha, they might just need to re-sign Houston and go into the season without having improved upon their biggest weakness.
3. Sign a linebacker.
The Lions did draft a linebacker, Syracuse’s Doug Hogue, in the fifth round. But it would be overly optimistic to think Hogue can start.
The Lions are known to want to sign a linebacker, and Justin Durant is reportedly their first choice. Durant started 42 games in his four years in Jacksonville, and he looks like he’d be a good fit in Jim Schwartz’s offense.
4. Keep Matthew Stafford healthy.
Stafford has missed more plays than he has played in two seasons since the Lions made him the first overall pick in the draft. In Year Three, the Lions need to figure out whether Stafford is a legitimate franchise quarterback, or whether they need to look elsewhere. And they can’t figure that out without seeing him on the field in extended action.
Stafford is promising to play all 16 games this season, but that’s not a promise that the Lions can have any confidence he’ll keep. About the best they can do is hope Stafford avoids the run of bad luck that has plagued his first two years, and make sure they’ve put together the best medical staff and the best offensive line they can to keep Stafford healthy.
5. Figure out if Jason Hanson can still cut it.
No active player in the NFL has been with the team that drafted him as long as Hanson, who arrived in Detroit in 1992. But the 41-year-old Hanson doesn’t get the distance on his kicks that he used to, and he has struggled with knee injuries. It may be time to let Hanson go. If so, Dave Rayner, who filled in after Hanson got hurt last year, would likely get the job.
6. Cool it with the big talk.
It’s been fun for Lions fans to hear all the optimism coming out of Detroit this offseason. Everyone seems to agree that the Lions are finally on the verge of turning things around after a decade as the worst franchise in football, Lions players are talking about playoff contention and Suh has gone so far as to talk about going 16-0.
But the Lions would be wise to dial down the talk a notch, and let their play do the talking. On paper, this is definitely a better-looking team than we’ve seen in Detroit since before Matt Millen arrived. But they won’t really be better until the standings say they’re better. Let’s see the Lions produce a winning record before we all start talking about how great this team looks.
