Will silence be Golden for the Detroit Lions and Tate?
By Robert Jones
In the modern NFL, the slot receiver has become a more and more important piece of the offensive puzzle.
Smaller receivers with quickness and good hands have become the security blankets for quarterbacks around the league.
Right now there is nobody in the NFL that exemplifies the qualities needed to excel in the slot more than Golden Tate. How often have we seen him turn a short pass into a big play while making a defender or two miss along the way?
Yards after the catch is what Tate does and as the contract numbers are rising around the league for premiere receivers, the focus on what will happen between the Lions and Tate is palpable.
Bob Quinn will say no more than addressing the fact that he is in negotiations with Tate’s agent. Meanwhile Golden has said he’s concentrating on preparing himself for next season and that all the money talk is strictly between his agent and the Lions.
Nothing else is being said.
The silence is almost deafening, because we all know how much the Lions want Tate signed to an extension. Yet the ghost of New England Patriots past lingers over the organization leading many to wonder if there is any way this can come to a solution that both sides will be happy with.
Yes, as we often reference, Bob Quinn is of course a former member of the Patriots scouting department. His job was to find talented players to replace the athlete’s that became too high priced to keep.
After all, how does an organization keep a dynasty alive for almost 20 years? They leave the sentimentality at the door and find young, talented, cheap players to replace the high priced ones. It becomes a revolving door. Out with the players that are too expensive to keep the cap in good position, then develop their youth and occasionally sign an impact veteran.
The next question is; will Golden Tate’s time in Detroit end the same way?