Detroit Lions are still missing one of the biggest needs for success

Good teams draft playmakers

Every team needs players that are solid and can contribute to the success of the franchise, but that success is severely limited if there aren’t any playmakers on the roster. Consider how many the Lions possess right now. It’s not a very big number.

Matthew Stafford is the Lions’ most important player. Like any NFL team, without a franchise a quarterback you have no chance. However, he wasn’t acquired by Bob Quinn.

Beyond Stafford, the Lions’ number of play-makers are real slim. Receiver Kenny Golladay is on his way to becoming a star and Quinn deserves credit for taking a third-round flyer on the former Northern Illinois product. Center Frank Ragnow is going to be really good and anchor the offensive line for years.

But beyond them, where are the other play-makers Quinn was supposed to be drafting?

Defensive end Trey Flowers was signed last offseason to be an impact player. Coming back from an injury caused a very slow start to this past season, and while he did finish it playing well, he didn’t live up to his contract.

Play-makers are the biggest ingredient contenders have in common. It is also the most scarce commodity on the Lions roster.

Generally speaking, teams have to overpay for them in free agency. That’s why unless that superstar free agent is the final missing piece to a championship, then you don’t waste your money on them.

Good teams built through the draft and get the vast majority of their play-makers through the draft. This is where Bob Quinn has failed the Lions and their fans. On April 23rd when the 2020 NFL draft opens, Bob Quinn will have one more chance to find a couple of play-makers to give the Lions an opportunity to compete.

The truth of the matter is that Bob Quinn did a nice job of finding players that fill needs in free agency and could be productive with the Lions, but unless someone like Danny Shelton, Halapoulivaati Vaitai or Reggie Ragland who are still relatively young develop into stars, then the pressure is on to find some gems in the draft who will contribute big-time immediately.

Going from worst to first isn’t an unheard-of story. It happens almost every year in professional sports somewhere, but that jump doesn’t occur without players that make big plays. For the Lions to be one of those teams then Bob Quinn will have to find some play-makers or else he, Matt Patricia and the Lions are destined to fail again.