Love ’em or hate ’em: Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia will be back

The future is in their hands

The real concept we all have to grasp is that Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia will have a very high draft pick and plenty of spending money for free agency. If they do their job well, then the Lions might just meet the expectations of the Ford’s and contend for a playoff spot in 2020.

If not, then their ‘process’ will set this franchise back several years. There is no way to sufficiently stress just how important this offseason will be to the direction of the Detroit Lions.

It is absolutely a make or break offseason for Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia. If they screw the pooch, then whoever the Ford’s decide is next up to run this franchise will be behind the 8-ball right from the start.

And while free agency will give us a glimmer of what this team is assembling, the Lions first pick in the draft will be even more telling. There is plenty of defensive talent available that can help turnaround even the Lions awful defense.

So let’s speak plainly. If Quinn and Patricia have the opportunity to select Ohio State defensive end Chase Young and decide to go another direction, it’s over. If they pass on any gifted young defensive player available when they are on the clock, it’s time to pack the bags because the Quinn and Patricia era is coming to a screeching end.

With the defensive needs this team has at all levels, the defensive line, linebackers and the secondary, there is no way to justify any selection of an offensive player unless they are completely rebuilding.

And if they are, they won’t be in the playoff hunt with this current regime in command.

Yet if they give the defense the attention it needs this offseason and the talk about changes to the coaching staff on the defensive side of the ball in regards to bringing in some qualified coaches with ‘new ideas’ is true, along with the return of a healthy Matthew Stafford, this could be an almost new organization by next September.

But how many times over the last six decades have we played the ‘could be’ game with this franchise? If this regime is going to work out, then next season is the year to prove it. Nothing short of the playoffs and at least one win there should keep Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia in Detroit.

Anything less than that is unacceptable. Just ask Bob Quinn who fired Jim Caldwell for not being good enough. Don’t talk the talk if you can’t walk the walk.