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Be careful, as you should with Lions. If you wish, be cynical with the idea that more old Pats come to town. But do not underestimate the impact of these traffic jams, as during a busy day, General Manager Bob Quinn boldly responded to many of the team's pressing needs.
It was decisive and impressive. For post-season contracts, this is arguably the biggest feat of free players in Lions history. On the first day, the teams were able to speak legally to the players. Lions did more than talk. They landed four players, three in their prime (25 years old and under), and showed the aggression and urgency that we expected, while picking guys who fit their plan.
The contracts can not be official until Wednesday, but the Lions have procured the most coveted trick, the Trey Flowers of New England. Seattle's Justin Coleman clinched the biggest contract in his history with a half-corner. They found a catcher of clever slot machines in the former Patriot Danny Amendola. Jesse James, who is only 24 years old. No, the Lions did not steal, but they did something more important: they found good players ready to take their money.
If nothing else, it slips a story about the Lions, their fourth season under Quinn and their second season under Matt Patricia. The Patriot Way, practiced by the Lions, did not scare the best free agents. And without undoing the bank from one individual to the other, they reinforced a defense that showed signs of improvement under Patricia.
You are allowed to be encouraged by this, while remaining discouraged by the Lions 6-10 record and its questionable history. You're allowed to demand playoff contests now, and if Quinn feels the pressure to deliver, all the better. The last season was docile and the Lions missed some targets as free agents. Armed with more pay (10th in the league), they quickly cashed Monday and were more calculating (and less desperate) in the April draft.
Long list of things to do
Do they still need passcenters and defensive playmakers? Of course. But they should not feel obliged to take one at number 8.
Do they still need another tight member and more offensive playmakers? Of course. But they are much less likely to scare fans by squeezing into eighth place.
Does Matthew Stafford still need more weapons? Sure. But it is not enough to offer him flashy options. Building a solid defense and racing game are also appropriate plans.
I know I know. The caveat never changes: March dollars do not necessarily produce flowers for the playoffs. But they produced Flowers, 25, an impact rush that will tell us what was projected – $ 80 million over five years. Flowers was considered the best defender available and the # 1 stand-alone player on some lists, in part because he was playing without the drama of Someone like Le'Veon Bell.
Flowers has recorded a decent total of 21 sacks in the past three seasons in New England, but this defense – previously handled by Patricia – is more about moving parts than featuring a player. In the last Super Bowl Patriots game last season, Flowers led the team with 7.5 sacks (plus two more in the playoffs) and was named one of the top 10 NFL players in the quarterbacks and hurry up, according to Pro Football Focus.
The flowers will not be as terrifying as Ziggy Ansah, but Ansah could not stay healthy and the Lions were passing. Lions' acquisitions have obvious commonalities: versatility, tenacity and familiarity with Patricia.
Even Coleman, 25, has ties to the Patriots and Lions were willing to pay too much ($ 36 million over four years) to buy it. He played two seasons on Patricia's defense in New England before heading to Seattle. And of course, Amendola, 33, had been working for five years with the Patriots and would get about $ 5 million for a one-year contract.
patriots
Amendola essentially takes the place of Golden Tate in the slot and will cost much less than the former Lion, now a free agent. Also worthy of note is Amendola's reputation as a strong team player, more able to adapt to what Patricia is trying to radically change Lions culture.
We can laugh about the influx of old Pats, from Quinn to Patricia, through all sorts of player plug-ins, and the jokes are there. Lions became the used Patriots of England, or Pattycats, or Minutemen of the Midwest.
This gives you a break. Bill Belichick did not insist on keeping some of these guys, and he does not make many stupid decisions about his staff. But the Patriots do not pay extra money and Lions do not really have a choice.
Lions have certainly improved their talents, as active and proactive as any team on Monday. Almost as important, they continued to improve their buying depth as Quinn gathered more players who proved they could handle Patricia's demanding system. There were murmuring whispers during a grueling training camp last summer, and discontent was evident in the first game, the 48-17 loss to the Jets.
Some players have adjusted, and Patricia too. More players are on the way, players are more likely to know what to expect. Quinn suggested at the NFL that Lions would be active in free agency because they know what they want and what they need.
"We are trying to get versatile players who will have to learn more than one position," Quinn said last month. "An NFL resume is huge, and you have a lot of hardware against NFL competition. It's a less dangerous bet than training anyone from the first to the seventh round. "
If possible, Lions have simply shown that they can be both safe and bold. On a wild day, they acted, and although the results still have to be seen on the ground, at least it seemed that they knew what they were doing.
Twitter: @bobwojnowski
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