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Detroit Lions: How Bob Quinn’s free agency splash changes the draft

By Michael Kirkland

ALLEN PARK, MI - FEBRUARY 07: General Manager Bob Quinn of the Detroit Lions speaks at a press conference after introducing Matt Patricia as the Lions new head coach at the Detroit Lions Practice Facility on February 7, 2018 in Allen Park, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
ALLEN PARK, MI - FEBRUARY 07: General Manager Bob Quinn of the Detroit Lions speaks at a press conference after introducing Matt Patricia as the Lions new head coach at the Detroit Lions Practice Facility on February 7, 2018 in Allen Park, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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Detroit Lions new end
(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) /

Lions grab Edge defender

Trey Flowers is the free agent that the most amount of fans wanted to see come to Detroit. He checks the boxes you might expect, he’s got the size for head coach Matt Patricia’s defense, he has experience in a defense nearly identical, and that defense is with the New England Patriots.

Flowers $90 million, five-year deal received mixed reviews among Lions fans. Some felt that Flowers 7.5 sacks in 2018 and 21.0 career sacks were not worth that kind of money. The Spotrac website suggests that his market value is lower at about $79 million over five years.

What is not up for debate is that Flowers brings experience and adds to the Detroit Lions ability to pressure opposing quarterbacks and stop the run. The 6-2, 265 defensive end is coming off of his best season as a pro, with 57 tackles to go with his best production in sacks, and he is only 26 years old. The Detroit Lions let former first-round pick Ezekiel Ansah go in free agency and are hoping Flowers can provide some consistency at the position.

Pro Football Focus (PFF) rated Flowers as the number six overall end with an 89.7 rating.

Lions sign another offensive lineman

The Detroit Lions have made a couple of moves along their offensive line. The first was a big loss when Quinn cut T.J. Lang, the starting right guard for the last two seasons. The second was signing help in the form of guard Oday Aboushi from the Arizona Cardinals. Aboushi started six games in 2018, earning a 61.7 grade from PFF.

Aboushi is in his seventh year and playing for his fifth team. the 6-5, 315 pounds former Arizona Cardinal will turn 28 in June. He was a fifth-round pick by the New York Jets in 2013. The former Virginia Cavalier has started 32 of the 42 games he has played in, according to the NFL’s website.

With Aboushi, Frank Ragnow, Graham Glasgow, Joe Dahl, Kenny Wiggins, Tyrell Crosby, the interior of the line returns two starters in Glasgow and Ragnow. Aboushi made his starts at right guard last year so he should be a top candidate to compete for the job in camp. Dahl and Wiggins have also started at various points at guard or tackle, too. Second-year tackle Tyrell Crosby could play inside but served as the backup right tackle last year and looked good.

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