As you likely know by now, safety Glover Quin is no longer a member of the Detroit Lions after the team announced they were releasing him.
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But what you probably did not know is that Quin tried to ditch the Lions prior to the start of the 2018 season.
Quin joined “The Pride Podcast” and opened up about wanting to leave the Lions and head home to Houston rather than starting over with a new head coach.
Quotes via The Detroit News:
“I really don’t want to have to start over, again, in another different direction in Detroit,” Quin said. “I kind of felt like I’ve done what I can do, they’re going to start with a new coach, let them start fresh with another player and let me go.
“I actually tried to get out of my contract going into the season. I knew it was going to get to this point. I knew it was going to happen. I understand the business of football. … I was just trying to stop it before it even got it started.”
“My family lives in Houston and I was really missing being around my family,” he said. “If I’m going to have to start over with a new coach anyway, let me see if I can re-sign in Houston. Yeah, I’ll have to start over with a new coach and everything, but at least I get to come home every day and see my wife and see my kids.”
“Did I really want to go through all that? It just wasn’t good,” Quin said. “I tried to fight through it, come back and play. Dealing with the new coaches, didn’t go the offseason program, I needed a break. I needed time to get myself back together.”
BONUS CONTENT:
Drysdale: Full Detroit Lions 2019 ‘Perfect’ NFL Mock Draft Vol. 1
Round 2 (No. 43 overall) Irv Smith Jr. (TE) – Alabama
2018 proved exactly how important it is for Matthew Stafford to have a tight end who can make plays. When Bob Quinn got rid of Eric Ebron, his game plan was to upgrade the position but as we know, that backfired on him. Some have said the Lions should draft a tight end in the first round, which in my opinion would be a mistake, but selecting Irv Smith out of Alabama in Round 2 would be a huge get. Smith is not only a great run blocker but he can get open and makes plays in the passing game.
From The Draft Network:
Not many tight ends in college football can hold a candle to what Irv Smith did this season for Alabama. 710 yards, seven touchdowns and an average of 16.3 yards per catch are all eye-popping numbers which led to Smith wisely bolting for the NFL following the National Championship Game. There his athleticism, smooth routes and strong blocking skills should translate quickly into a versatile starting tight end.
While Smith may lack elite explosiveness, he still has the speed to win vertically as a flexed receiver while being one of the best blocking tight ends in the draft. The risk of drafting him is minimal, especially if he tests as well as expected. Smith may never be a top 2-3 tight end in the NFL, but he’s fully capable of being among the best in the next tier.
To read the rest of the mock draft, please click on the link below.
Drysdale: Full Detroit Lions 2019 ‘Perfect' NFL Mock Draft Vol. 1
