Detroit Lions: Matt Patricia’s success depends on this offseason

The Detroit Lions offseason game plan has drawn criticism from many, but this course is most likely Matt Patricia’s only hope for success.

Free agency continues on at a less frenzied pace for the Detroit Lions and now we start to get into true strategy mode for general manager Bob Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia.

Their course early was efficient as they decided on their targets and reeled them in. They made the biggest early splash of free agency. Then they pulled back and have been working on the smaller deals that fill out a roster and create depth.

They have also been passed by in the eyes of most experts while other teams have raced along continuing to make splash deals. After a fast start, the Lions have become the tortoise while the rest of the league is the hare. But if we remember our fairy tales correct, slow and steady won the race.

So while there may not be any more big free agent signings on the horizon, the draft will still be a good place for the Lions to get an impact player with the eighth overall pick and hopefully fill out the rest of the draft class with as much success as they had last year. And now the draft is only about a month away. In other words, it’ll be here before you know it.

With the moves Bob Quinn has already made in free agency, he has created options. They don’t have to take a certain player or position if they don’t want to with their top pick. There are plenty of tight ends to go around, receiver depth is good so they don’t have to go that route and they can still get a quality interior offensive lineman on day two if they wish.

The only thing they won’t be able to do in the draft is to select any more former Patriots. This is something many fans, as well as the media, are happy about. Because everyone seems to be sick of seeing the Lions acquire New England discards.

And for some, it is a harbinger of failure to come for Matt Patricia. But is that much-anticipated failure really inevitable?