Detroit Lions: Changing the culture by changing the roster

It appears as if the Detroit Lions will install a new culture in the Motor City by rebuilding this team rather than trying to win with an inherited roster.

If the Detroit Lions had to do it all over again, would they have hired Matt Patricia to become their head coach in the offseason? Despite the fact the Lions will end this year with their worst record since 2012, I think the answer would still be a yes.

At this point, Detroit must feel this is all part of the process. And Patricia’s impeccable history of success under New England Patroits’ head coach Bill Belichick as a defensive coordinator combined with his relationship with Lions’ general manager Bob Quinn is hard to deny.

But that strong resume’ undoubtedly took a hit this season as Patricia seemingly took a playoff-caliber team in Detroit and nosedived it into the NFC North basement. All the while fellow new head coach Matt Nagy has made the Chicago Bears divisional champions.

But Detroit seems committed to both Patricia and the process, undoubtedly hoping the Lions can make a quick turnaround in 2019. And as culture change seems to be the buzzword under this new coaching regime, rebuilding this roster appears to be the new direction they’ll attempt to use in order to install it.

Here’s what defensive tackle Ricky Jean-Francois told The Detroit News following Sunday’s loss to Minnesota about changing the Lions’ culture.

"“We can’t be on a level of a team like [the Vikings] until we understand that either people are going to buy in, or we’re just going to remold the culture around us. I’m not finger-pointing on who needs to be changed, or who needs to go somewhere, but if you want a different regime, you want a different buy-in, system like that … you change the people that sit in it.”"

This season, Patricia and company undoubtedly were hoping to lift this Lions’ team over the playoff hump based on their recent success with this roster. Mission failed. The new mission appears to be rebuilding it instead.

In 2018, Patricia seemed content trying to win with a group he inherited from former head coach Jim Caldwell. After this season, I believe we’ll see a much larger amount of turnover as Patricia attempts to put his own stamp on this roster.

This new regime in Detroit tried to win using Caldwell’s players. Now, it appears the plan is to install culture change through roster change rather than wind sprints and practices in the snow.