Post-season changes ahead for Lions
The end of the season is really just the beginning for the Detroit Lions.
Sunday's season-ending 37-35 loss to the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field may have had a few controversial officiating calls for fans to bemoan, but the outcome was not going to prevent the team from its third-straight losing season.
There is plenty of work to be done for the Lions and that began in November with the firing of general manager Bob Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia.
The end of the season will merely accelerate the interview process for a Detroit squad that has won just eight games over the past two seasons.
“The first thing is that change is inevitable and we know it's going to happen,” Lions offensive tackle Taylor Decker said Monday as the team went through exit meetings. “There's going to be turnover every year. We may have more turnover in roster and coaching staff this year, obviously, with the circumstances.”
But it's more than just finding a new coach and filling out a staff, as well as finding someone to build the team, which will have the seventh pick in the first round of the NFL Draft.
There's plenty of uncertainty on the roster as well.
The Lions have 18 pending unrestricted free agents such as wide receivers Kenny Golladay, who missed 11 games with injuries this season, and Marvin Jones Jr., who had eight catches for 180 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's loss along with a potential third touchdown wiped up by one of those controversial officiating calls.
“Who knows?” Jones said when asked about his future. “You never really know. Anything could happen, so you don't rule anything out or whatever.”
While he also has two years left on his contract, there's also talk it might be time for the team to part with 12-year veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford, who threw for two touchdowns on Sunday and became the fastest player in NFL history to reach 45,000 passing yards — doing it in just 165 games.
“I have two years left on my deal here, so there's a lot to discuss,” the 32-year-old Stafford said. “I'll obviously keep that between my family and I and all that, but we'll figure it out at some other date I'm sure.
“I'm not going to get into that hypothetical. You guys can talk to me after whatever my last game is here, who knows? Until that's final, I'm not going to have any thoughts on that. Sorry.”
At this point, calls to deal Stafford come from those that believe the team should blow up the roster and start from scratch. Decker, a five-year veteran, says that would be a mistake and he plans to make that known to team president Rod Wood. “I want to be here my whole career and I want to be a winner and I want this team and this city to win,” said Decker. “So, I know, I'm not going to overstep, but I'm going to have conversations (with Wood) and just give my opinion because I am invested in this team.
“There are people that, if it were up to me, I'd keep. That's not my decision to make, but over the past five seasons I feel I've put a lot into this organization and given what I can. If I can go put a word in for a coach or a player, I'll do it.”