Detroit Lions: Fractured franchise, Less owner involvement

OWNER ERROR

The fingerprints of ownership are all over the retaining of head coach Jim Caldwell for the first two seasons under Bob Quinn. Whatever the reason was to keep Caldwell, it wasn’t in the best interest of the football team.

Quinn clearly has a better vision for the team with Patricia because they come from the same system. But Caldwell was kept to satisfy the owners. This is another reason why this team is no closer to winning a Super Bowl.

It worries me that Quinn allowed ownership to push him around on some of these decisions. I even wonder about the decision to give quarterback Matthew Stafford a huge contract. It seems very against the famous “Patriot Way.”

Had that contract not been offered, right now the Detroit Lions would be facing the decision of franchising Stafford for a second straight year. With what transpired last season, the Lions may have had some leverage on a more team friendly extension.

Or they could even be considering the option of letting Stafford leave. Instead, they are stuck. And Stafford eats up a big chunk of their salary cap for the next four years.

I’m not saying that Stafford should take a pay cut, but his contract will handicap the Detroit Lions to the point that other roster spots will be less talented. This stress on the salary cap puts all the more pressure on Quinn and Patricia to make smart moves.

Until ownership stops getting involved with every decision, this franchise will never win. The owners need to focus on the needs of Quinn and Patricia. Let them make the decisions. One thing is for sure, when the owners are involved in football decisions, it has never worked in Detroit.