Getty Nate Burleson during a Super Bowl week interview.
The Detroit Lions are heading for what some see as an uncertain future given what has happened this offseason, and many have lined up to proclaim the team in the middle of a rebuild or a teardown given some of the moves that have been made.
It’s true, the Lions have looked more committed than ever to starting over, but that might not mean the team is going to be a mess as some already believe. Opinions on that matter can vary, and another one was recently shown by Nate Burleson on Good Morning Football.
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Burleson was asked whether or not he believes in the vision of Dan Campbell for the team, and he stated emphatically that he does. The reason? He doesn’t believe what the Lions are doing is a complete teardown whatsoever.
Are you buying what Dan Campbell is selling?
@nateburleson is here for it.
Burleson explained:
“I don’t believe it’s a full teardown. Jared Goff went to a Super Bowl a few years ago, so it’s not as if they are playing with a bum at quarterback. So I feel like he does think he can win right now, and I’m here for that.”
Goff comes to the team with plenty to prove, but Burleson is right. It’s not as if he is a total lost cause at quarterback. The Lions may have torn apart their roster, but it’s possible with a new mindset moving forward that they can find some consistency moving forward and change things for the better.
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Burleson Thinks D’Andre Swift Can Change Game for Lions
Perhaps the biggest reason Burleson said he is a believer in the Lions being a bit better than expected? The way that Campbell has hinted he wants to build the roster, which will be around the ground game as well as potential young star running back in the making D’Andre Swift.
Burleson admitted that he believes the Lions ground game is going to be much improved thanks to what Campbell was saying when speaking with the media.
Burleson said:
“I feel like what the strength of this team is going to be is what Dan Campbell was saying, that’s run game. D’Andre Swift last year was fantastic. You add in Jamaal Williams who came over from the Packers, now you have that duo in the backfield. Dan Campbell can say a lot of crazy things and speak from the gut and not have anything written down, but when talking about Swift in particular, he said ‘we feel like Swift can turn into something special.’ I’m paying attention to the stuff that really matters. When he starts talking X’s and O’s, he is saying his running back could be special. What does that mean? The Lions are going to be a run team that opens up the pass game with that rush.”
While Campbell can make headlines with some of his better quotes, Burleson is right to look at the meat and potatoes of what he says. Swift and the run game has been a big focus, and if both of those elements round into form, the Lions could be in great shape to open some eyes this season.
Dan Campbell Building Lions Culture Right
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 Campbell, it will be worth it as the the team makes some big transitions on the field in the coming years.
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 recently, 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.
Dan Campbell on FA additions: “All these guys have something to prove and, man, so do we. .. We want hungry people that want to be here.”
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. Once the players come in and respond to him, there could be no telling what the team will look like.
Campbell’s words and leadership might be a big reason the Detroit rebuild doesn’t take as long in the end. That’s the hope, anyway, and likely something which Burleson would agree with.