One thing is for absolute certain. The Detroit Lions must add a tight end (or two) prior to the start of the 2019 season.
http://gty.im/1127797668
The question is, do the Lions accomplish this via free agency or the NFL Draft? Or, maybe they take advantage of both of those avenues to solidify a position group that was one of the worst in the NFL this past season.
According to a recent report, the Lions are all over the free agent tight end market as they have been linked to Jesse James, Jeff Heuerman, CJ Uzoma, Maxx Williams, Tyler Kroft, Dion Sims, Geoff Swain, and as the tweet below says, “they are in on everyone.”
#Lions meticulously monitoring Free Agent TE market. Glaring need on roster. Interest resigning Toilolo / Luke Willson exists. Also pursuing Jesse James, Jeff Heuerman, CJ Uzomah, Maxx Williams, Tyler Kroft, Dion Sims, Geoff Swaim. As one Agent put it, "They're in on everyone."
— Chad Forbes (@NFLDraftBites) February 27, 2019
Let’s be honest, if the Lions are going to find a legit starting tight end moving forward, they will have to do so via the NFL Draft, as the players listed above are not starting material.
On Wednesday, Lions’ GM Bob Quinn spoke to the media at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis and he said he would not rule out taking a tight end with the No. 8 pick in the draft.
“I think we take every pick seriously,” Quinn said. “If it’s a player that’s worthy of the eighth overall pick, and he happens to be a tight end, then I’m not against that.”
Not surprisingly, the Lions’ beat writers and bloggers hopped all over that comment and published it, which is fine.
But we have to remember that Quinn has not given us a single reason to trust a word he says in a press conference. In fact, as Scott Warheit of Lions Wire reminded us, last year Quinn said Eric Ebron would be on the team in 2018, only to cut him and he did a similar thing with DeAndre Levy in 2017.
I’m largely joking and being sarcastic, but last year he said Ebron would be on the team in 2018 and then cut him. And in 2017 he did the same with Levy. It’s become the unofficial kiss of death.
— Scott Warheit (@swarheit) February 27, 2019
S0, as you read through the comments spewing from Bob Quinn’s mouth at this time of year (or any time of year for that matter), just remember, chances are he is not being truthful 100% of the time.
You know, like EVERY other GM in the NFL!
