Should the Detroit Lions take a chance on Kyle Van Noy again?

Although the Detroit Lions traded this former second-rounder to New England, should the Motor City welcome him back as a free agent this offseason?

Because of the current regime at the helm of the Detroit Lions, specifically general manager Bob Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia, you always have to look to the New England Patriots first when thinking about possible free agents for the Pride to sign.

After all, being former Patriots themselves, both Quinn and Patricia have signed several ex-Pats during their two-season stint together in Detroit. Names like defensive end Trey Flowers, wide receiver Danny Amendola, cornerback Justin Coleman, quarterback Matt Cassel, and running back LeGarrette Blount just to name a few.

So as both Quinn and Patricia prepare to enter a make-or-break third season together in the Motor City, where team owner Martha Firestone Ford has mandated the Lions be a playoff contender in 2020, this duo will undoubtedly look to drink from the New England well once again.

And this year, there are some very interesting names scheduled to hit the open market in March. Obviously, the biggest being 42-year old quarterback Tom Brady. With Matthew Stafford cemented under center in Detroit, a run at Brady is unlikely.

But there are some other names that could interest the Lions this offseason. Some of the more notable names include linebacker Jamie Collins, defensive tackle Danny Shelton, cornerback Justin Bethel, right tackle Marshall Newhouse, linebacker Shilique Calhoun, and wide receiver Phillip Dorsett. All of which could fill a need for Detroit while also helping to reinforce the scheme and Patriot culture that’s being preached.

But there is one New England free agent that should perk the ears of Lions’ fans. And that’s Kyle Van Noy. The 28-year old linebacker was originally a second-round selection (40th overall) by Detroit back in 2014.

But Van Noy would go on to miss half his rookie season due to an abdominal injury and played a total of 51 defensive snaps in eight games. But the reason his short tenure in Detroit didn’t work out was more than just about injuries.

The young linebacker claimed he had a Lions coach actually tell him they didn’t know where to play him. That seems to be confirmed by the fact Van Noy’s snap count would only increase by 29 defensive snaps the following season. He recorded a mere 10 total tackles and a single sack through 15 games in 2015, not posting a single start in his first two seasons.

Van Noy was finally named a starter in Detroit in his third season and recorded 23 tackles through seven games. But in late October, the Lions traded him along with a 2017 seventh-rounder to the Patriots for their sixth-round selection the next year. It was a disappointing outcome for Detroit, but a fresh start for Van Noy.

And Van Noy made the best of his new opportunity. Now a two-time Super Bowl winner, the sixth-year veteran has been a stalwart of the Patriots defense. In 2019, Van Noy recorded 56 total tackles as a 15-game starter and posted career-highs in sacks (6.5), pass defends (3), and forced fumbles (3).

Fully-versed in the Patriots’ scheme and culture, would the Lions consider bringing back Van Noy now that Patricia is at the helm? Here’s what Anthony Treash of Pro Football Focus wrote about Detroit possibly signing their former second-rounder as a free agent this offseason.

"” … bringing in Kyle Van Noy, another Patriot, to aid their pass-rush woes makes sense. Detroit tied for 29th in team pass-rush grade this past season and could use an upgrade over Devon Kennard … After playing mostly off-ball linebacker for most of his career, Van Noy transitioned to the edge and recorded a career-high 84.2 PFF grade in 2019, ranking 16th in the NFL.”"

One of many draft busts in the Detroit Lions’ tragic history, Kyle Van Noy’s success since leaving Motown proves his failure in the Motor City had more to do with scheme fit than his abilities. Now that Matt Patricia is in charge, bringing Van Noy back to Detroit makes sense for a team looking to spark their defense to make a run at the playoffs after a dismal 3-12-1 showing last season.