Six former Lions who are back on the market this spring
Eric Ebron, TE
As a Lion: Just the name Ebron still elicits strong reactions around Detroit. His dropped passes, brash persona, and modest production were never enough to please anyone around Motown, especially for those keeping an eye on perennial All-Pro Aaron Donald, who was picked three spots later in the same draft. After four seasons of struggling against the current to justify his high draft position, Ebron and the Lions decided that this wasn’t worth fighting for any longer after 2017.
Since he’s been gone: Ebron made a Pro Bowl and caught 13 touchdown passes for the Colts in 2018, before reverting to a form in 2019 that would look more familiar to Lions fans. For what it’s worth, he’s still only 26 years old.
Closing thought: Maybe the play from Lions’ tight ends over the last two years is some kind of karmic payback for how we treated Eric Ebron.
Kyle Van Noy, LB
As a Lion: Yet another second-round pick, and another member of the 2014 draft class, Van Noy never quite found his footing with the Lions either. Van Noy drifted in and out of the rotation as a linebacker, becoming a starter in 2016 but was unceremoniously traded away at midseason.
Since he’s been gone: We know the story by now: traded for just a 6th round pick, Van Noy heads to the east coast and turns into a playoff hero with two Super Bowl rings overnight. All due to the mystical wonders of the Patriot Way, of course.
Closing thought: Van Noy proved a lot of doubters in Detroit wrong, that much I think we can admit. How bad would it be to bring him back at a hefty price tag and be proven wrong again?
Top 5 former Lions who won a Super Bowl after leaving Detroit. dark. Next
My two cents
For better or worse, Ndamukong Suh and Detroit were made for each other. After five years apart, why not let bygones be bygones and bring the adopted son home to finish his career?
With about three more years of NFL experience, Drew Stanton can probably think about changing his last name to ‘McCown’. Solving the Lions’ woeful backup quarterback situation from a year ago could be as simple as getting a guy that they know and trust back in the mix (along with Jalen Hurts in the second round, of course).