Detroit Lions' Offseason Strategy: Draft Offense, Sign Defense

If you just read that headline, I already know what you’re thinking.

“But the Lions just drafted Ndamukong Suh, how can you say they only draft offense?”

I’m not saying that, necessarily. However, the Lions have had four first-round picks in the last two drafts. Three of them (Matthew Stafford, Brandon Pettigrew, Jahvid Best) have been offensive players. Suh was, in fact, the only defensive pick.

A little surprising for Jim Schwartz, a young defensive guru. But it’s not like that means he’s neglecting defense altogether.

No, quite the opposite. In reality, Lions management is taking a fairly balanced approach at rebuilding the team. It’s just that the greatest impact moves on the defense have happened through free agency.

Consider the starters on the Lions’ defense last year, and some projected starters this year.

Julian Peterson: Acquired through a trade with Seattle.

Larry Foote: No longer with the Lions, but left the Super Bowl champs last year to sign in Detroit (and had intended to stay, just didn’t get re-signed).

Kyle Vanden Bosch: Acquired through free agency.

Corey Williams: Acquired through a trade with Cleveland.

Chris Houston, Philip Buchanon, Eric King, Johnathan Wade, Ko Simpson, almost every other secondary player not named Louis Delmas:  Acquired through trades or free agency in the last two years.

Then take into account the subjects of two rumors circling Detroit:  Pacman Jones and Keith Bulluck, both likely to become instant starters if they find their respective ways to Detroit.

It’s also true that two of the better impact players on defense last year were rookies: Delmas and DeAndre Levy. And those two will likely be joined by Suh, who should make some impact immediately. But nearly every player around them will be an import.

Compare this to offense, where nearly every major player will be either a recent draftee (Stafford, Pettigrew, Best, possibly Aaron Brown?) or a Millen holdover (Calvin Johnson, Kevin Smith, most of the offensive line).

That’s not necessarily a bad thing, since free agents were signed to contracts optimized with an uncapped 2010 in mind, and the players arriving through trades were invariably more valuable than the fifth or sixth-round picks the Lions gave up to acquire them.

Now, I realize, as I’m sure you all do, that two drafts is a very small sample size to judge an entire management and coaching staff’s tendencies on. I’m not even saying this will continue.

Indeed, the true trend of the Lions’ drafting tendencies has been to draft the most talented and hardworking player available, regardless of position. Suh is the posterboy for this philosophy, as his impressive physical skills are surpassed only by his immeasurable work ethic.

So it’s entirely conceivable that next year’s offseason could feature a full reversal of everything I’m saying right now. And if that happens next year, I’ll be sure to tell you about it.

Still, for right now, it seems like the trend is to fix the offense through the draft, and fix the defense through free agency.

Who’s to say that’s wrong? We’ll find out in about six months.