Do the Detroit Lions regret releasing Eric Ebron?

The Detroit Lions released former first round tight end Eric Ebron last offseason after four years of inconsistent play. Was it the wrong move in hindsight?

One area the Detroit Lions need to address this offseason is tight end. For several seasons, former first-rounder Eric Ebron manned the position. But Ebron struggled with inconsistency and dropped balls in the Motor City, resulting in his release early last year. He has revitalized his career with the Indianapolis Colts, receiving a Pro Bowl bid in 2018, while Detroit was unable to replace his production.

Following the release of Ebron, Detroit looked to free agency to fill his void. The Lions signed veterans tight ends Luke Willson and Levine Toilolo both to one-year contracts. They were also certainly hoping that 2017 fourth-round selection Michael Roberts would develop to have a much bigger impact in his second season.

Willson started in eight games for the Lions in 2018. He ended his first season (and possibly last) in Detroit recording 13 receptions for 87 yards and no touchdowns. Toilolo fared slightly better, posting 21 catches for 263 yards and a score as a 10-game starter. The bulk of his receptions came in the final five games of the season, which bodes well for a possible re-signing this offseason.

Finally, the biggest disappointment has to be Roberts. The second-year tight end out of Toledo flashed his playmaking ability against the Miami Dolphins in Week Seven, recording three receptions for 48 yards and two touchdowns in a big road victory.

Unfortunately, a knee and shoulder injury limited Roberts to just eight games last season. He would end up recording only nine catches for 100 yards and three scores.

For comparison’s sake, Willson, Toilolo, and Roberts combined to post 43 receptions for 450 yards and four touchdowns from Detroit’s tight end position last year. Ebron recorded 53 catches for 574 yards and four scores in 2017 alone. With the Colts last season, he posted a career-high 66 receptions for 750 yards and 13 touchdowns despite only starting in eight of his 16 games played.

So, do the Detroit Lions regret releasing Eric Ebron last offseason? Probably. The numbers and his production in Indianapolis seem to indicate the Lions should have had more patience with the former first rounder.

But also consider the fact Ebron thrived with a new quarterback under center, a new offensive-minded head coach on a new team. There’s no guaranteed he would have experienced that kind of production under the same old system in Detroit.