Detroit Lions Top Ten Weakest Positions (And How to Fix Them)
By Kent Platte
Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Middle Linebacker
Present Starter: Stephen Tulloch
I am, unapolagetically, a Stephen Tulloch fan. He was, however, done after last season and it’s just been drawn out another year. After fighting through knee issues for two seasons, he tore his ACL last year and it’s been painful to watch him for most of 20165. Tulloch likely won’t be back in 2016, leaving a generally easily replaced position up for grabs.
Free Agency Fix
Best Free Agent: Tahir Whitehead
Other Options: Sean Weatherspoon, Danny Trevathan
Yes, the best option on the market is presently a Detroit Lion. In 2014, Tahir Whitehead was rated in the top 5 for MLBs before inexplicably meeting the bench for much of 2015. It never appeared justified, as Whitehead wasn’t much worse that the much less athletic Josh Bynes or Travis Lewis early in the season. He came back into his own as the season wore on and Whitehead was back playing at a high level coming into week 16. Middle Linebacker seemed much more natural to him, and he’d be the best option to return. Barring that, former Falcon Sean Weatherspoon or Denver’s Danny Trevathan are both good options to fix the Detroit Lions MLB problems.
2016 NFL Draft Fix
Best Prospect: Reggie Ragland, Alabama
Other Options: Kentrell Brothers, Missouri; Scooby Wright III, Arizona
The Detroit Lions need some athleticism at the linebacker position badly. If they can’t bring back their own, they could look to the draft to solidify the position. Reggie Ragland is a top tier linebacker prospect with plus athleticism, while Brothers is a little less diverse in his talents. Still a good prospect, he just might take a little longer to come along. Scooby Wright is one of the most polarizing prospects in this draft, and while I have mostly been on the ‘don’t like him’ side, he’s a possible pick at a position of need.
Next: Outside Linebacker