Detroit Lions: Linebacker is still an area of need on this roster
Due to a severe lack of star power, the Detroit Lions appear to still need more talent on their linebacker corps. And there are some viable free agency options.
The Detroit Lions will look entirely different in 2018. With the hiring of former New England Patroits’ defensive coordinator Matt Patricia this offseason, the defensive side of the ball is expected to implement a much more elaborate scheme. One that can drastically change from week-to-week depending on the weaknesses of their opponents using various fronts and formations.
In order for this scheme to work, the Lions will have to field versatile players who can play multiple roles. Basically, being able to adjust on the fly to fit an ever-changing scheme.
Alternating between a 4-3 and 3-4 defense requires Detroit to have a depth chat of talented linebackers who are scheme versatile. This offseason, the Lions went about adding several free agents to their roster in an attempt to fill that need.
Veterans Devon Kennard, Christian Jones, Trevor Bates and Jonathan Freeny were all added to a linebacker room that already housed existing linebackers Jarrad Davis, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Steve Longa and Nick Bellore. The latter being a candidate to be switched over to fullback.
Throw in a couple undrafted rookies in Al-Rasheed Benton and Chad Meredith, and this linebacker corps certainly has enough bodies to fill the depth chart. But does Detroit have enough talent at the position?
"“Linebacker is a sneaky area of need right now,” responded Michael Rothstein to a Twitter question. ” … with so many teams using three receiver sets, the nickel … would seem to be the way Detroit is going to end up playing a good amount of time. In those cases, Kennard and Davis are the likely first two options there, although Reeves-Maybin and/or Jones could see some work as well depending on situation. That said, it’s not a linebacker group that has many established playmakers.”"
For the most part, these linebackers are wildly inexperienced. In fact, the Lions’ biggest free agent acquisition of the group, Kennard, has never started more than 11 games in a season during his four-year NFL career.
Jones did post a solid 90 tackles and 2.0 sacks for the Chicago Bears last season in a breakout year. But he started just two games himself in 2017.
As for Freeny, Detroit is his fifth NFL team since entering the league seven years ago. And Bates has played just one regular season game since being drafted in 2016.
So unless the Lions are extremely confident that Patricia can “coach up” these wildcards like he did for so many years in New England, Detroit could certainly be on the market to add more linebacker talent to this inexperienced group.
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Some of the bigger names currently available in free agency at linebacker are Mychal Kendricks, NaVorro Bowman and Karlos Dansby. Some of the more under-the-radar adds could include veterans like Bruce Carter, Keenan Robinson and Andrew Gachkar. Both Carter and Gachkar have actually already worked out for Detroit this offseason.