Detroit Lions: 3 general manager candidates to replace Bob Quinn
By Jacob Cox
The Detroit Lions could use a new GM and here are three candidates
The Detroit Lions didn’t have much pride on Sunday, losing in shutout fashion to the Carolina Panthers, 20-0. The Lions have a record of 4-6 on the season and look dead.
When you evaluate this team, you begin to see a trail of terrible draft picks leading to three losing seasons. And there’s only one man to blame for that … general manager Bob Quinn.
In early 2016, Quinn was named the Lions’ general manager. A year later, he’d fired then head coach Jim Caldwell claiming a record of 9-7 wasn’t good enough.
Quinn brought in a familiar face and former colleague to be the next head coach in Detroit, New England Patriots’ defensive coordinator Matt Patrica. Despite not having any head coaching experience, Quinn felt the Pride needed a defensive-minded coach to get the team over the top, considering the offense was what made them a solid team.
Not only was Quinn wrong about that, but in 2017, his first-round selection was a linebacker out of Florida named Jarrad Davis. Now, I don’t think Davis is bad but he hasn’t lived up to what a first-round selection should do. Quinn proved he hasn’t been impressed by Davis by not picking up his fifth-year option this past offseason.
Another whiff came in 2017, this time with the Lions’ second-round selection. Another Florida player, a cornerback, Teez Tabor. Now, if you don’t already know, Tabor isn’t even in the league anymore. Yes, he was that bad.
In 2019, when the defense still hasn’t improved, Quinn selected a tight end eighth overall. T.J. Hockenson is a fine player and may prove useful to the Lions future, but to grab him that high while passing on players that are defensive studs like defensive end Ed Oliver, linebacker Devin Bush and a guy that dominated them on Sunday, defensive end Brian Burns, is a major whiff.
To top all of this off, in April, Quinn drafted Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah third overall and he’s done nothing but get burnt all season long. Okudah has been so bad in coverage the Lions have decided not to sporadically use him off the bench. That’s unacceptable for your third overall pick.
With all of that being said, Quinn deserves to be unemployed. So let’s take a look at who could replace him in Detroit when that time comes.
3. Louis Riddick, Analyst – ESPN
You hear him on Monday Night Football. You see him all over ESPN when they dive into NFL talk. But what you may not know is that from 2001-2013, ESPN Analyst Louis Riddick was in the front office.
From 2001-2007, Riddick was with the then, Washington Redskins. He started out as a pro scout and got promoted to Director of pro personnel. He made the same jump with the Eagles as well, starting out as a scout, then to Director of pro personnel.
Louis has given great insight during his time with ESPN. He evaluates teams and players extremely well and seeing that the Lions need to draft better, it could be a nice fit.
Outside of the experience and proven football IQ, he also played in the league, which could also be really valuable. Rumors say the current Pride team doesn’t like head coach Matt Patricia, or at least former players say that.
With Riddick having been a player himself, he might be able to better gauge the locker room and be able to get them the help they need. I don’t think Louis Riddick is a home run hire, but he should be on Sheila Ford Hamp’s short list in case my top candidates aren’t available.