Lions use draft to add some toughness
Detroit looks to get bigger ‘in the trenches’ adding centre, offensive tackle and fullback
Until Saturday, Detroit Lions executive vice-president Bob Quinn was very guarded in any words of criticism about players and former coaches.
After completing his third NFL Draft with the team, Quinn let his guard down just a bit to explain what the missing ingredient was that he was looking for in this year’s draft crop.
“I think it was lacking,” Quinn said when asked about the team lacking toughness last season. “I think, when you look at that team last year, you go back and you study what we did well, which I do every week, and then, at the end of the year, what we did poorly.
“So, I took it upon myself to implement some changes in terms of what we want to do, what we want to look at, what we want to look like as a team. And you know, when (new head coach) Matt (Patricia) came in, I said, ‘Listen, this is what I think we need to do,’ and he was on board. So, that’s kind of what our plan has been since February ...” It started in the first round, when the Lions selected six-footfive centre Frank Ragnow, who can also play guard. Things didn’t change during the second day of the draft with Detroit trading up to get 213-pound power running back Kerryon Johnson.
“I think, really, this game comes down to a couple things,” said Quinn, whose team has not had a 100-yard rushing performance since Reggie Bush on Nov. 28, 2013. “Like, NFL games come down to about five plays or less every week and most of these plays are short-yardage, goalline, third down, red (zone) area (and) special teams.
“So, if you can get your team to perform better in those situational areas and you can win the majority of those four or five plays, then you’re going to have a better chance to win. So, I think when I look back at our team last year, all those critical situations, like it’s goal-line, like we can’t run the ball like half a yard, that bothered me.”
Quinn did not ignore the defensive side getting safety Tracy Walker, who can also play cornerback, in the third round and moving up to get Alabama defensive end Da’Shawn Hand in Saturday’s fourth round.
But offence was his focus and he returned to that in the fifth round getting six-foot-three, 309-pound offensive tackle Tyrell Crosby, who might see time at guard, and then adding a fullback in the seventh round with Nick Bawden. Former head coach Jim Caldwell dumped the team’s only fullback a year ago, but Quinn signalled a change by bringing in Bawden a converted quarterback, who is six-foot-two and 245 pounds and was the lead blocker for the last two NCAA rushing champs at San Diego State University. “Something we looked at long and hard about guys (was) finishing plays,” Quinn said. “I mean, you go through the highlights they show on Ragnow and you can watch Crosby play against good competition out west and you see how Kerryon carries the ball and finishes his runs, that was something we talked about in February when Matt (Patricia) and his staff came in about what we thought can make the team better. “You know, you can really get specific into what you want, what you need for the team, but, in my mind, I’ve got to have a bigger, broader view, like, ‘All right. What do we want the team to look like, OK?’ All right, we want a big, strong, tough, physical team in the trenches. So, that’s my job to kind of fill those roles in terms of the player side, and then it’s Matt and his coaches to kind of implement that style in terms of scheme.
“So, it was an emphasis and I think so far, so good. We’ve got to get these guys in here. These guys have not played an NFL snap yet, so they’ve got to come in, they have a lot to learn. We have high expectations for all of them, but once they get in here we’ll throw them into the system.”
I think when I look back at our team last year, all those critical situations, like it’s goal-line, like we can’t run the ball like half a yard, that bothered me.