One Man's Plan to Revive the Lions

Every Sunday during the 2000 NFL season, a hearty group of friends and I came together to watch our beloved Detroit football team take the field. "The Lions Den," as we affectionately called ourselves, grew while the Lions themselves fought for a second-straight playoff berth.

One home win, in Week 17 against an eliminated-from-playoff-contention Bears team, would have sent Detroit to the playoffs. Instead, Chicago kicker Paul Edinger booted a last-second field goal for a 23-20 win, the Lions sat out the postseason with a 9-7 record and have not finished .500 since.

It was that day I sensed the Lions were destined to try my fandom. It was Dec. 28, 2008, when the first 0-16 season in NFL history concluded, that the feeling was confirmed.

It's incredible, really, to think that a team could run off a winless season in today's NFL. But it's even more incredible to think that a turnaround might be just around the corner.
Look at the Falcons -- 4-12 last year, 11-5 this season with a wild-card spot. Or take Miami, with its 1-15 mark in 2007, followed by a 2008 AFC East division crown. The NFL, more so than any other major professional sport, is set up for teams to engineer quick turnarounds.

So there is always hope.

Believe it or not, there is some talent on the current Lions roster. Calvin Johnson is one of the best wide receivers in the game today, and Kevin Smith very quietly had a strong rookie year. Ernie Sims could be a sturdy defender with some help, while guys like Daniel Bullocks and Cliff Avril can play important roles, at least in spot starting roles.

The trick -- and a very difficult trick at that -- is taking a few viable pieces, and turning Detroit into a complete team. The upcoming offseason provides some opportunities -- starting with the first pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.

Focusing first on the draft obviously avoids the internal personnel questions the Lions have to answer. I get it -- they need a total overhaul.

They also need an owner that's not the NFL's equivalent of Colonel Kurtz from "Apocalypse Now."

The problem is, now that Rod Marinelli has been fired, I'm not sure how much more William Clay Ford will commit to doing; judging by the promotions of Matt Millen's interim replacements, not much. So we're taking all of that out of the equation and sticking purely to roster moves.

Which brings us full circle to the No. 1 pick. And to my contention that the Lions should 100-percent, absolutely not take a quarterback.

I don't care if Matthew Stafford, Sam Bradford, Tim Tebow, Nate Davis and Colt McCoy all declare. In fact, all the better for Detroit if they do -- it might generate some interest from teams looking to trade up.

Despite the earlier mention of Atlanta, the Lions cannot pretend that they're the Falcons. Plugging in a quarterback does not make this Detroit team a 2009 playoff threat. In fact, putting an unprepared Bradford or Stafford behind the Lions' abysmal line, opposite Detroit's sieve-like defense, lands them a lot closer to Joey Harrington than Matt Ryan.

Instead, the Lions should test the market. If they can trade down, add another first-round pick and a starter or backup: Do it. If not, the Lions have five of the first 85 picks, including two first-rounders (thanks, Roy Williams).

That, ideally, can bring in five guys that could contribute next season.

Detroit must start with its lines. There are several highly-rated offensive tackles that could help -- specifically Alabama's Andre Smith and Ole Miss' Michael Oher.

I suggest taking one.

In fact, of those five early picks, take zero skill position guys. If Detroit gets a pair of offensive linemen, a defensive tackle, a linebacker and a cornerback, then that becomes a very good three-round run.

Of course, that leaves the quarterback issue still unresolved.

The Lions can go one of two ways here: Either sort through the current QB mess (Jon Kitna, Daunte Culpepper, Dan Orlovsky, Drew Stanton, Drew Henson) and find someone to start for 2009 -- the verdict here is, if you can talk Kitna into amicably returning to the starting lineup, he's the best option -- or you pick up a free agent.

Matt Cassel and Kerry Collins leap off the page, but riding a J.P. Losman or lower-tier free agent for a season is not the worst thing Detroit could do.

Why? Because Detroit must be realistic in free agency.

Albert Haynesworth, Terrell Suggs, T.J. Houshmandzadeh -- these types of players are not going to want to play for the Lions. If they do, the Lions should not want to pay the type of money it will cost.

Instead, spread any cap space around and fill some gaps. Oh, and forget about picking up corner Leigh Bodden's $8-million option. He is not worth it.

There are some free agents on the current roster, too, that can help in 2009. Re-signing Jason Hanson is an absolute must, and bringing back Shaun Cody, Shaun McDonald and even Paris Lenon would help.

But both there and out in the free agent market, it's all about spending smart. Detroit has failed on that front in recent years.

Out of the 2009 free agent class, think Jonathan Vilma -- a solid linebacker who's out of position in a 3-4, but could anchor Detroit's 4-3 and let Ernie Sims roam free on the weakside. Think Jabari Greer at corner or, to a lesser extent, Eric Green -- guys with varying levels of success that would still be upgrades in the Motor City. Even think Bobby Engram, Antonio Bryant or Bryant Johnson at wide receiver -- players that are solid, if unspectacular, and could complement Calvin Johnson's growing potential.

An overhaul of the entire 53-man roster will not happen in one offseason, and it does no one in Detroit any good to pretend that splashing with one big-name free agent will drastically change things.

Detroit is not going to win the Super Bowl in 2009. The Lions are probably not returning to the playoffs next season.

Improving from 0-16 to, say 7-9, though? It can happen. More importantly, it can lay the groundwork for a postseason berth in two or three years.

The chance is there to improve rapidly in the NFL. Now it's up to the Lions to finally do so -- for the Lions Den's sake.