Dan Campbell Sends Pointed Message to NFL Free Agents

Dan Campbell

Getty Dan Campbell coaching the Dolphins.

The Detroit Lions are going about remaking their team in a big way for the future, and the quickest way for them to do that is to continue to get an infusion of talent in free agency.

So far, the Lions have managed to change over a large part of their team with new players and different additions. It hasn’t been an easy process, but according to Dan Campbell, it will be worth it as the the team makes some big transitions on the field in the coming years.

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For all the players who have joined the Lions or who could want to in the future, Campbell has a pointed message: don’t show up unless you have something to prove and are hungry to display that on the field. Speaking with reporters, Campbell was asked about his takeaway from free agency thus far and didn’t shy away from saying he expects some attitude from the group given they are as hungry as the team.

This first class the Lions brought in as well as the draft picks will be expected to set the tone for the franchise moving forward, and it’s great to see Campbell getting the expectations in order quickly for the team as well as its current and future players.

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Campbell Credits Free Agents for Signing With Lions

As the coach knows, signing on with a team amid a pretty substantial culture shift can be a significant decision, so Campbell understands it’s not something to be taken lightly. As he said, he is very thankful that the players who have come into the mix have done so at this point in time, essentially taking a leap of faith on the team and the program that the Lions are trying to create.

Interestingly, Campbell spoke about some of the players who have signed the short-term deals with the team, and said that while not all of them may stay for the long-haul, they will be vital in setting the standard for the franchise, and the franchise will also do right by them in terms of being honest about what they will get out of their time in Detroit.


Lions 2021 Free Agency Approach Changed

Recent history will show that the Lions have been much more set on trying to improve their roster with free agency splashes rather than a draft heavy strategy. Recent offseasons have seen Detroit shell out the cash for veteran players such as Trey Flowers, Justin Coleman and Halapoulivaati Vaitai. Even before that, the Lions were plenty active, signing names such as Reggie Bush, Golden Tate, Az Hakim, Bill Schroeder and others. Not every move worked out and led to more winning on the field, which could be the reason for the shift from the team moving forward.

Detroit has still been reasonably active in free agency, but with a limited amount of cap space, the Lions always seemed they could be more active with the draft this year and have looked to shell out cheaper, shorter-term contracts than the longer ones top options command.

Even such, the hunger of the players is all that could matter in the end, and Campbell has wasted no time setting that standard.

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