Lions have holes at key positions
The Detroit Lions have revamed their secondary through free agency. However, there are still too many holes at key positions to consider them a contender for the playoffs.
If the Lions are going to make the playoffs after the 2008 season then they need to fill holes at running back, middle linebacker, right tackle, and defensive end.
The biggest and most glaring need is running back. As it stands the position is a mess. They lost TJ Duckett to the Seattle Seahawks, Tatum Bell is a free ageny, and running backs Kevin Jones and Brian Calhoun are recovering from knee injuries.
Getting Tatum Bell to re-sign with the club is the obvious choice, but that is always easier said than done. According to Nicholas Cotsonika of the Detroit Free Press , “After not using Bell the last 11 games last year, they must keep recruiting him by saying things will be different without Martz.” In the end they will probably resign Bell, and take a running back in the first round of next months draft.
Offensive tackle is another glaring need as Greg Foster was a disaster accoring to Cotsonika. The smart thing to do is to grab a tackle in the draft in the second round, since the draft is a very deep draft at tackles.
At defensive end they wil most likely fill the void within the team. Head coach Rod Marinelli came taught the defensive line position, and stated that it takes a while for pass rushers to develop. That is an obvious sign that they wil most likely stick with the guys they got.
Middle linebacker is the last major need for the Lions. There is going to be no obvious or easy way to solve the problem at the position. There are no obvious answers on the market, or within the club.
In the end the Lions have too many needs to be considered a ligitament playoff contender.