Bob Quinn shouldn’t be making major decisions if he’s out in 2021

Possible Mandate-Esque Moves Going Forward

Now with the mandate verdict becoming increasingly clear, it’s even more important to keep Quinn’s influence out of the major decision making.

A change in general manager and head coach means a change in football philosophy, so the last thing you want is for Quinn to extend, sign, or trade for players that might not fit, or be seen as an asset to the next regime.

A nice example would be the much talked about Kenny Golladay extension.

Examples like this are why I thought it was more important to fire Quinn at the bye week than Matt Patricia, as trading Golladay before the deadline if you can get a good return would be the smart thing to do if this turns into a rebuild next season. But a GM with a playoff contention mandate wouldn’t make this trade.

Golladay’s stock within the league is at a peak that I don’t see him hitting again after a great 2019 season, statistically. But he’s really only a fringe top-10 wide receiver.

A second, or God forbid, a first-round pick from a receiver needy team looking for a Super Bowl run this season is far more valuable than paying Golladay top-five wide receiver money to play on a rebuilding team.

Another example that will be even touchier to Lions fans is the future of Stafford.

Quinn would never trade Stafford either at the deadline with a win-now mandate, that would be job security suicide. But if this is heading to a rebuild, trading Stafford to the highest bidder is more obvious than trading Golladay.

Stafford will be 33 next season, has had major injury issues the past two seasons, and to be honest … sometimes even when a player is capable of playing at a high-level – it’s just better for both parties to go their separate ways.

Stafford has put his all into this franchise for 12 seasons and has been more than good enough to win with. But unfortunately for the Lions didn’t do their part with the defense and/or running game to give him a fair shot at anything.

Conclusion

If Quinn was going to be canned during the season odds are that it would have happened this week. With the probability of him finishing out the season, Lions ownership has to be involved in every major decision with a mind that this is likely heading to another ‘blow it up’ offseason.

Whatever they do, they can not let Bob Quinn’s ineptitude creep into the next era with more piss poor transactions or lack thereof by the trade deadline further handcuffing the next general manager.