Getty Eric Ebron during a game with the Colts.
The Detroit Lions have plenty of money with which to work this offseason, and a big goal they will have like other teams is avoiding potential busts on the free agency market.
To that end, a good place to start in terms of players to avoid would be a former tight end of the team. While there might be no risk for the Lions to sign him, interestingly, Eric Ebron has surfaced on a new list. According to Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report, Ebron is a player who could be a major bust after he signs his next contract.
Here’s a look at what he wrote:
“Barring extensions, Eric Ebron will compete with Austin Hooper and Hunter Henry for a big contract on the tight end market. All three have solid pass-catching skills along with the ability to expose coverage voids in the middle of the field.
Injuries may hurt Henry’s stock. He tore his ACL in 2018 and suffered a tibial plateau fracture midway through this past season, which cost him four games. Ebron underwent surgery on both ankles in December, but he hadn’t missed more than three games in a single season before this past year.
At 6’4″ and 253 pounds, Ebron could serve as an oversized wide receiver because of his athleticism and underdeveloped blocking skills. Front-office executives will see him as a big-bodied pass-catching threat who could do major damage in the red zone.
During his first year with the Indianapolis Colts in 2018, Ebron finished with a career-high 66 receptions for 750 yards and 13 touchdowns with Andrew Luck under center. However, he dropped nine passes that year.
Potential free-agent suitors shouldn’t forget about Ebron’s inconsistent four-year stretch in Detroit, either. He hauled in only 11 touchdowns during those four seasons and averaged a mediocre 37.0 yards per game.
Whichever team signs Ebron will have a solid threat in between the 20-yard lines, but his infrequent trips to the end zone and inconsistent hands should significantly lower expectations of his projected impact.”
Certainly, Lions fans don’t have to be told how overrated Ebron was through the years. They watched it up close for the last handful of seasons. Rumors have had plenty of teams interested in Ebron when free agency begins, potentially even the Chicago Bears.
Eric Ebron Career Stats
Ebron, save for his recent Pro Bowl season in Indianapolis, has been inconsistent in the NFL. He’s scored 27 touchdowns and gone for 3,195 yards as a tight end. He was drafted by the Lions in 2014 and was an up and down performer during his time in Detroit. Known for mouthing off at the fans, Ebron often times was more notable for what he wrote on Twitter rather than his elite play.
After signing with the Colts, Ebron managed to have a 750 yard, 13 touchdown season in 2018. He was revealed to not be coming back to Indianapolis after that.
Lions Biggest 2020 Free Agency Need is Defense
The Lions aren’t likely to prioritize offense much or Ebron, considering their other needs. Detroit could not pressure the quarterback meaningfully in 2019, and struggled stopping the pass as well, something that has been painfully obvious for weeks and that is a glaring problem given what the team has done in the last few offseason periods. Part of the problem has been injury, but beyond Trey Flowers and Da’Shawn Hand, the Lions simply don’t have any young building blocks they can count on right now. The team has to find some form of consistency in the trenches, and that is why it’s a major need for them moving forward.
If free agency were to begin today, the Lions would undoubtably have to look at the defensive line and the backfield for potential upgrades, with another eye at linebacker. Having some extra money could help the team make some key additions there, and patch some of their other depth holes on the offensive side.
Dont count on Ebron being brought back, and according to some, it might be fair to assume someone who ends up with him is getting swindled.
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