Detroit Lions: Victory in the fall starts with winning the offseason

So Far Bob Quinn has added Trey Flowers at defensive end, Justin Coleman at cornerback, safety Andrew Adams, tight end Jesse James, slot receiver Danny Amendola and offensive lineman Oday Aboushi. For some fans, there are only a few players on that list they recognize, yet each one of these signing either fills a need or creates depth.

They all fit Matt Patricia’s system and in general make the Lions a better team. Are they all stars? Nope, but again, they make the Lions better, which is the purpose of the offseason.

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Another way of improving a team is to make changes where needed in the front office or coaching staff. Last season the Lions defense was putrid early as players had no clue what they were doing and were undermanned.

Between the acquisition Damon ‘Snacks’ Harrison and players finally starting to learn how to play Matt Patricia’s system, it allowed the Lions to end the season as one of the better defenses in the NFL.

Meanwhile, the offense did manage to lay a solid foundation to the ground game, but overall they were inconsistent and not nearly as efficient as they have to be.

Thus the sweeping changes to the coaching staff have been very heavy on the offensive side, while the defensive staff is preparing to build upon what they did last year.

Overall what the Lions have done so far this offseason has been very positive. They still need to win the draft and then the spotlight will be on Matt Patricia to see what he learned from last seasons failures. If the draft is as successful as last years was and Patricia makes strides of his own, then Lions fans should feel like their beloved team has won the offseason.

The NFC North is very possibly the toughest division in the NFL. Unless the Bears, Packers, and Vikings all have major injuries that affect their seasons, the Lions work will be cut out for them.

But with what should be better chemistry in the locker room, more players that fit Patricia’s scheme and increased talent on both the coaching staff and roster, the Lions seem to have everything headed in the right direction.

No fan base has been tested more than the long-suffering Lions fans but breaking free of the shackles of 60 years of losing doesn’t happen overnight. What Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia are doing is trying to build sustainable success, which means much of the breaking down process has been necessary before a championship can be built. And it all starts by winning the offseason.