Head coach Matt Patricia spent the entirety of last offseason and the season itself, trying to teach his defensive scheme to these Lions. It also took over half of the season along with a key trade for Damon ‘Snacks’ Harrison for the Lions to start to figure it out.
As we all know, Matt Patricia is the former defensive coordinator of the New England Patriots. Despite having spent his first couple of seasons with the Patriots as an offensive assistant and assistant offensive line coach, he was truly a defensive coach who had a great deal of success with one of the longest running dynasties in sports history.
So while as head coach he is in charge of the entire team, the defense is still very close to his heart and even though it showed great improvement by seasons end, he understands that he needs more pieces for it to get better.
Which means I would find it hard to believe that he would have any regrets about being able to add a play-maker to his defense with the Lions top pick.
As the old saying goes, ‘defense wins championships’. A point that the Patriots proved on their way to another title this past season. But with Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia, there is no sure bet. However, there are a couple of players that I think would be of great interest to them should they still be available when Detroit is on the clock.
One possibility is LSU linebacker, Devin White. Patricia admits that he still loves linebackers and who wouldn’t love seeing White lined up in their defense. White is smart, physical and a leader. He could not only play but excel, in almost any defense. No one can make me believe that Patricia doesn’t like that idea.
Another possibility is Houston defensive lineman Ed Oliver. While he didn’t have a spectacular season last year, he is a versatile athlete that can wreak havoc from anywhere along the defensive line. He would be able to contribute from day one and would certainly make the Lions pass-rush better.
Then there is the media’s new favorite, Mississippi State edge rusher Montez Sweat. He exploded at the combine displaying freakish athleticism. He also produced on the field. The one drawback is the reports of a heart issue which could be a deal breaker for Bob Quinn.
Those are a couple of names that have a chance to be on the board when the Lions are on the clock, but obviously, if Josh Allen or Quinnen Williams were to somehow drop into Detroit’s lap, they would be easy picks to make. That is If the Lions choose to go for defense.