Detroit Lions: The best and worst move of 2020 so far

Which two moves stand above the rest as best and worst this offseason for the Detroit Lions?

The Detroit Lions made a myriad of decisions this offseason, from trading away cornerback Darius Slay to signing Desmond Trufant to drafting D’Andre Swift. Each decision they made impacted the team in one way or another.

Some of those decisions, such as trading Slay, seemingly hurt the team but did have some positives attached. Others, such as trading for safety Duron Harmon helped the team more than it hurt it.

Others, however, were nothing but head-scratching and seemed to do nothing but harm the team’s chances of competing in 2020 and beyond. One decision, in particular, was the most puzzling of all.

The Lions didn’t have the best offensive line in 2019, but there were a few very good players anchoring it in the middle with center Frank Ragnow and guard Graham Glasgow. Unfortunately, Glasgow’s rookie deal was up after the season and the Lions chose to make no effort to extend him in Detroit.

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Glasgow is one of the better young guards in the NFL and deservedly cashed in his services for a good chunk of money. However, at an average of $11 million a year, it did not make sense for the Lions to basically ignore him this offseason. He provided the Lions with a steady and reliable presence inside, successfully run blocking and protecting the quarterback more often than not.

What makes it even more of a bad decision was the consecutive decision to not sign an impact player at the position in free agency, instead opting to fill the position with a group of mid-round rookies and middling veterans.

Choosing to not even offer Glasgow a contract or fill his position adequately was hands down the worst decision made this offseason by Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia. Now, despite that terrible decision, there were many more good, even great, decisions.

Why drafting Jeff Okudah was the best decision made by the Detroit Lions this offseason

The Detroit Lions had a very successful draft from start to finish. From running back D’Andre Swift in the second round to two underrated defensive linemen at the end, the Lions were on top of things this draft.

But best of all was drafting Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah third overall in the first round. Despite some wanting to draft a quarterback or Auburn’s Derrick Brown, Detroit made the best decision to take the lockdown corner.

Okudah has everything you want in a number one corner. He’s fast, quick, and has some of the cleanest technique in football. He understands the intricacies of the game and lives for watching film and understanding every strength and weakness of his opponent.

He is hard to beat off the line of scrimmage and when he is, his recovery is usually quick enough to where he can catch the receiver before it hurts him. He’s not perfect, as particularly explosive receivers off the line of scrimmage can get a bit of separation off the snap, but he’s quick to recover and make a play on any throw his way.

Okudah’s mix instincts, smarts, and athleticism allow him to go toe-to-toe with any receiver with full confidence that he can win the battle. It won’t be long before he is considered one of the best in the game and young corners around the nation start emulating his game. Without a doubt, drafting Okudah and securing a lockdown corner for the foreseeable future (and hopefully longer) was the best decision made this offseason by the Lions.