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The Detroit Lions are just beginning the process on figuring out what to do with the direction of the franchise and already they’re seeing plenty of suggestions as it relates to what could come next.
A suggestion has come in from Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. In a lengthy piece, Breer explains what went wrong with the Lions and said that a big reason for all the trouble came because there was a lack of shared vision between different factions of the team, staff and front office. For this reason, Breer is advocating for a coach and general manager who are on the same page from the first day and can bridge the gap in the building.
As for who that is, Breer believes San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and Indianapolis Colts’ Assistant GM Ed Dodds or San Francisco 49ers’ VP of Player Personnel Adam Peters should be the targets because they would be compatible given their experience together.
To that end, Breer is right. Saleh could be a coaching rockstar in the making, and he knows Dodds from the time they shared in Seattle and Peters from working with the 49ers the last few seasons. In either situation, the front office and coaching staff could hit the ground running from day one and not have to play catch up like Matt Patricia and Bob Quinn did.
Lions’ General Manager Hire Likely Comes Before Coach
Before thinking about a coach, it’s wise to remember the Lions will in all likelihood be hiring a new general manager. When they hired Bob Quinn, he came from New England and had pro scouting experience. This time around, it’s very likely the team will want someone who has more experience in the role. Ed Dodds has been an assistant GM, while Adam Peters has been VP of player personnel in San Francisco. Either one of those roles offers a bit more than Quinn when he was coming to Detroit. Additionally, there are others on the market such as Rick Smith and John Dorsey who have been general managers before with great success. Don’t be surprised if the Lions consider experience something that is very vital this time around in the front office.
Other Lions Coaching Candidates
Regardless of who takes over the front office, there’s going to be plenty of names to consider both in the college and NFL ranks. Eric Bieniemy, Robert Saleh, Arthur Smith, Matt Eberflus are just a few of the big names this year from the pros, while Matt Campbell, Dabo Swinney, Brian Kelly and others could make the jump from college. A big goal for the next general manager will be not to get locked into one guy. That’s what happened to Bob Quinn, and it cost the franchise dearly when that guy didn’t exactly work out.
Breer’s scenario is an interesting one, but it’s likely only the beginning of the rumor and conjecture mill as it relates to where the Lions go next.
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