Six different NFL teams are all in-need of a new head coach, the Detroit Lions have the most appealing situation for a coach looking for immediate success.
The regular season for the NFL came to an end Sunday. Six out of the 20 teams that didn’t make the playoffs are in-need of a new head coach. Those teams are the Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals, New York Giants, Oakland Raiders, and our Detroit Lions. So out of those six, which team seems most appealing for a potential head coach? The Lions.
To start off, the Lions have an elite quarterback in Matthew Stafford. Stafford is 29 years old and after nine years in the league he’s just entering his prime. Since Calvin Johnson retired two seasons ago, Stafford has really come into his own and become a solid leader of this team.
The Motor City has arguably one of the best wide receiver cores in the NFC. Golden Tate and Marvin Jones both had 1,000 yard seasons in 2017. And rookie Kenny Golladay looks to have a very promising career ahead of him, not to mention T.J Jones and tight end Eric Ebron. Stafford has an arsenal full of weapons to choose from.
On the other side of the ball, Darius “Big Play” Slay led the NFL with eight total interceptions this past season. Young players like Jarrad Davis and A’Shawn Robinson are still developing and with the right coaching they could grow to become dominant. And you can’t forget Glover Quinn who brings that veteran leadership to the defense.
The Lions special teams unit is as good as it gets. Kicker Matt Prater who is arguably one of the best in the league just signed a three-year extension midway through the 2017 season. Rookie return-man Jamaal Agnew led the entire NFL with the most punt return touchdowns. And Agnew, like many young Lions players, will only get better.
Finishing with a winning record is no longer enough for the Motor City, we need wins in January.
Of course the team has a lot holes that need to be filled. That’s up to general manager Bob Quinn to take care of and address in both free-agency and the upcoming draft. The organization has now made it clear, being a mediocre team is no longer enough.
Much like the Los Angeles Rams of 2016, this Detroit Lions team has all the essential weapons to be great. The Rams went 4-12 in 2016, they had fired their former head coach Jeff Fischer midway through the season. Hired head coach Sean McVay during the offseason who came in and turned that franchise around. They finished the 2017 regular season 11-5 and won the NFC West.
This offseason will be the defining moment of Bob Quinn’s career in Detroit. Who he chooses to bring in to takeover Jim Caldwell’s former job will define his future in the Motor City.
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The Lions are not a team in rebuilding like some of the other teams in search of a new head coach. Detroit already has many of the key pieces needed for success. And for a new head coach eager to prove themselves, there’s not a better destination than the Motor City.