Detroit Lions headlines: Short-term Ziggy, Secondary upgrade

GREEN BAY, WI - DECEMBER 28: Defensive end Ezekiel Ansah
GREEN BAY, WI - DECEMBER 28: Defensive end Ezekiel Ansah

Will the Detroit Lions opt out when it comes to giving Ziggy Ansah a long-term deal? That hot take and more we’ll cover in today’s headlines!

Should the Detroit Lions give defensive end Ziggy Ansah a long-term deal next year? And will the Lions look to their rookies from last season to fill the holes in their secondary?

Plus, new head coach Matt Patricia earns rave reviews from his peers at the NFL Scouting Combine. And Detroit still has plans for running back Ameer Abdullah. We’ll cover those topics and more in today’s headlines!

Expect Detroit Lions to pass on long-term contract for Ziggy Ansah – Detroit Free Press

Unless Ezekiel Ansah has a career-year, the Lions should avoid giving him a long-term deal in Detroit. The truth is Ansah is nearly 29-years old and has a history of injuries and inconsistent play. Pass rushers are always in high demand in the NFL. And Ansah would figure to get good money on the open market. But Detroit knows the player best. They can really decide what Ansah is worth and what he is not.

“Good chance” Lions fill cornerback needs internally – Pro Football Talk

The Lions are hoping Teez Tabor and Jamal Agnew can fill the voids within their defensive secondary this season as they’ll look internally to fill those needs. Unfortunately, no one knows if either second-year defender is up to the challenge. And Detroit may find out in training camp they need additional help and missed the boat to add a quality defender or two in free agency or the draft.

O’HARA: Patricia’s colleagues spoke highly of him at Combine – DetroitLions.com

The Matt Patricia love train continues at the combine. But the fact is Patricia has yet to coach a single game for Detroit. And he’s never been a head coach before. So, there are a lot of unknowns. And the track record for former Bill Belichick coordinators making the head coaching transition isn’t good.

How Ameer Abdullah fits into RB plans now, in future – ESPN.com

Despite his benching late last season, running back Ameer Abdullah still has a fan in general manager Bob Quinn. And the latter seems to believe Abdullah can still fill a role on this Lions’ roster in 2018. Which doesn’t bode well for fans who want Detroit to do a full platoon swap at the position this offseason.

Next: Lions draft - What flavor of running back do you prefer?

Peter Schrager mock draft 1.0: Cardinals trade up for Josh Allen – NFL.com

In the above mock, Schrager has the Lions drafting USC running back Ronald Jones II. Honestly, if they do land Jones, he should not be the only running back they draft. At this point, Detroit can not afford to place all their eggs in one basket. The Lions must find themselves a consistent rushing threat this offseason no matter the cost.

Schedule