The combine is here and when all the players perform their required tasks to confirm what teams has seen on film, or to prove themselves to be actually better than what was seen…the Lions may be presented with doing the unthinkable! Should they?
Here is a potential situation. The Lions have around $50 Million in cap space heading into the NFL Free agency period.
They’ve just cut/released Snacks Harrison and now have holes at DT, Edge, Guard, CB, Tackle, LB, Punter, etc.
If the Lions are to strengthen just one of these positions to the point it no longer is a position of need, say 2-5 years; they may have use up most of that cap space on just one position!
Or their could be another price that the team might be willingly pay more easily if the terms are right…
The Lions Had The Right Concept Now They Just Have To Do It Again?
What if there’s a way to for the Lions to serve the WIN NOW edict for Martha Ford but it’ll take dealing with some familiarity, and the eating of humble pie? Well that’s what may have to happen for this 2020 season to accomplish all things needed without the team doing what’s NEEDED to be done for them to be setup to win in the future!
If you “REALLY” want to be setup for the future it starts by trading Stafford, drafting Tua and signing a hold over Free Agent QB until the team’s feel that Tua’s completely ready to take the reigns!
If you want to try to “WIN NOW & BEYOND” then you do what we said concerning all this Darius Slay trade rumors:
Option B-2 (Keep Slay and Stafford)
With this option your building the next man up culture but in a better way because it accomplishes the 3-4 things all “winning NFL organizations” seem to have:reward-pride-stake!
But if it is a serious focus on pouring it all into this season then why use the concept that the Lions did with Mike Daniels and apply it to bringing in N’Damukong Suh on a 1-2 year deal to play hopefully along side of Snacks Harrison?
Perhaps a signing like this could persuade him to opt for retirement!
It certain wouldn’t hurt the historically bad defense that the Lions trotted out there week after week last season!
We that there’s mutual need on both sides!
He’s not in a position to demand “over the top” type money, and the team needs his skill set at his position!
All it may take, in our minds, is to guarantee a significant amount or all money; depending on the length of the contract!
Both will have to eat large slices of the humble pie one by one until it’s all gone!
Ndamukong Suh Ahead of Return to Detroit: “I think everyone wants a Super Bowl.”
Richard Sherman, a proven cornerback in his own right, has just said that Darius Slay doesn’t get enough credit becuase he plays for the Lions! And we’re wondering if the Lions to put up or shut up?
Darius Slay was and is the Lions defense!
He covers all opponents top receiving threats and essentially close off one side of the field for the team.
Opponents have done wonders against the other cornerbacks, safeties, D Line, and LBs!
Last year, on a historically terrible defensive performance overall; he was the only shining light of unquestioned hope!
So, we’re really wondering if this trend of players from other teams start bashing the Lions’ appeal, culture, style of play continues will make the Lions ownership actually start taking notice and making changes to improve their reputation as a winning organization?
Richard Sherman Darius Slay
Considering Free Agency will be strting very soon, will other players see quotes like this and say I’m not going to answer the Lions call unless I’m down to my final offer and only then will I accept an offer…but they’ll have to pay up considerably!
There’s no reason to negotiate with them on price, especially there’s any chance another might be interested; no matter if they’re a contender or not!
Could this be the reality for us Lions fans that have been wanting winner for decades and decades upon decades?
What’s to stop MORE players from voicing their disgust of playing for the Lions?
If, for any reason, the Lions trade darius slay, here’s one proposed option out there! It will send Slay to the Eagles, and the Lions would receive Sydney Jones and a 3rd pick back in the 2020 NFL Draft.
The question here is bonafied production versus youth! We wouldn’t touch the trade with a 10 foot pole and think it would be stupid for the Lions to do so also. Here’s an Eagles fan feelings about it!
Lions Trade Darius Slay
This Philly fan, along with many in the comments are opposed to the trade, but from the angle that Darius Slay is declining in his abilities!
What?!!!
Lions, if you’re reading, as you should…
Keep Slay!
Pay Slay!
Build around Slay!
And have a good Day!
What are your thoughts, is Sydney Jones (seemingly damaged goods) on a team friendly contract and an extra 3rd round pick payment enough to fuel your Lions passion?
Let us know!
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Oh…almost forgot…If you’re wondering who the hell is Sydney Jones, this may help…
The Lions have some big decisions to make both on and off the field, aka both in and outside the locker room. With both GM Bob Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia in a make or break season, results are needed and they’re needed fast!
The results on the field depends heavily on the Detroit Lions coach and his staff’s ability to put players in position to succeed. Inorder to have, keep, or get the players needed to succeed; that’s on Quinn and his staff to make sure the necessary pieces are on the team and ready!
Well the Lions have free agents of their own that are ready for new contracts, plus players entering into their last year of current contracts; and there’s only so much money to go around!
Add to all of that the fact that there maybe other available Free Agents that fits the team’s need more than the one who just became a free agent, so what do you if you’re Bob Quinn?
Here’s the dilemma
If you don’t re-sign Darius Slay you are basically creating, establishing, or reinforcing in the minds of on-lookers (players on the team, potential draft picks, and Lions fans) that the team really doesn’t want to be loyal!
That way of doing business may very well hinder the next move which would seem to be to sign Kenny Golladay to a long term deal before his contract ends.
If you won’t do right by Slay, by trying to low ball him, a guy who’s played his arse off for you, why would Golladay expect you to come to him with fair deal! He just might make the team pony up more money to retain his services!
And this goes on down the line of hierarchy of players!
Look for all of this to go away, the team probably should get ready to pay their own guys, and make that apart of “the culture”!
This will pay longterm dividends, otherwise it’ll become a poison pill and unfortunately Quinn and Patricia will be fired and gone, but we the Lions fans will have to deal with the symptoms of this for the next decade! likely!
What are your thoughts…
Will the Lions get this off-season right or is it doom and gloom on the horizion?
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In a LionsPassion.com small survey of Lions fans concerning the team re-signing Darius Slay for 5 years, 3 years, or Other (either Letting him walk, trade, or some variation to the 5 year or 3 year deal); where $17 Million is the base salary. The fans were split with 37% willing to do everything to keep and 37% willing to add stipulations to the contract or even play hard ball with the probowl cornerback.
If the Lions go the cheap/low ball offer Slay will have already have hs bags packed and be on the “proverbial plane” headed elsewhere…
So making a serious offer to Big Play Slay is in the Lions best interest for a long list of reason. Here are a couple that we see:
It says that they are interested in being loyal
It says that they value home grown talent
It says that they have learned from the flaws in the way of how they handled Barry, Suh, Calvin, and even Quandre Diggs, and are now ready to make players; especially home grown players a life long Lion; etc.
So what will life look like if the Lions try to play hard ball and let Darius Slay walk?
Well they’ll have considerable capspace that seemingly none of the best of the best Free Agents at his position would want because presumably the idea would be look at how they do their own people (drafted players); so the Lions would be an immediate scratch off all of their lists for years to come!
You won’t games like this where he makes life so much easier for coach Matt Patricia and us Lions fans!
And then the clock will be reset with the team:
Trying to draft a top level DB,
Or develop a Defensive Back on their roster into a bonafied starter
But with either path…the player(s) will likely know or be reminded of the team’s track record with contract negotiations and already have “their bags packed” too!
Not a got recipe for success!
Solution: Pay Big Play Slay…
and work like hell to develop all current or incoming DBs to make sure there’s not a gigantic dropoff when Slay goes to the sideline for a play or two!
Which route would you take with Darius Slay?
5 years @ $17M (at least)
3 years @ $20-25M
Other (either Letting him walk or some ADDING stipulations to the 5 year or 3 year deal)
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