Detroit Lions: Is Bob Quinn ready to give the defense a big boost?

Johnathan Hankins is a 26-year old immovable object that every team which plays a 3-4 defense needs at nose-tackle. Despite double or even triple teams, Hankins stops the run cold. Which would obviously be a huge asset after they were unable to stop anyone on the ground last year.

This inability to make opposing offenses one-dimensional last season kept the Lions on their heels defensively and held them back from being able to play impact defense.

Generally speaking, if you can dictate to your opponent that they can’t run the ball, this is a good thing. Now the idea of Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady or Drew Brees throwing the ball isn’t necessarily an inviting thought. But that’s how defense is played. Stop the run, then get to the passer.

Which is another problem the Lions had last year as they were unable to generate a consistent pass rush. The difference in defensive style will change things as the linebackers will often be used to help bring the heat. This will hopefully allow the Lions to put more pressure on enemy passers.

However, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. This is where Johnathan Hankins would come in again.

While Hankins will probably never lead the NFL in sacks, he is very adept at collapsing the pocket up the middle. While speed off the edge can make for a long day on quarterbacks, the inability to step up in the pocket causes all kinds of trouble.

How many times did we see the Lions pocket collapse up the middle on Matthew Stafford last season? It was disconcerting and caused havoc on the Lions offense. This is an element that Hankins can bring to Detroit.

Opposing passers making bad passes because they can’t step up in the pocket is a good thing. This means more opportunities for a ball-hawking secondary to turn the ball back over to Stafford. It also means more incompletions and getting off the field more consistently.

Now I’m not saying that Hankins will turn the Lions into Super Bowl champions, but I am saying that he will make the defense better in all facets of the game. Not only controlling the line of scrimmage, but allowing the linebackers more freedom to make plays because of the attention he will garner and helping collapse the pocket in the quarterbacks face on passing downs.

Plus at 26, he is a player that Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia could build around. A big signing that could have a positive effect on this defense for years to come.

By all accounts it looks like the offense has the opportunity be balanced and possibly even explosive.

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Meanwhile the defense still needs a few more parts in the front seven before they can truly reach their full potential, but signing Hankins would be a big move that would pay immediate dividends and make this defense much more competitive that much faster.

Something everyone from Bob Quinn on down to the most avid Lions fan would truly appreciate.