NFL Rumors: Detroit Lions to Pull Out of Nnamdi Asomugha Sweepstakes

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Is Detroit truly dedicated to winning?

After making great strides last season, they jumped to the top of everyone’s 2011 breakout candidate list following the draft.

They have a Super Bowl caliber offense with Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson, Titus Young, Brandon Pettigrew, Jahvid Best and Mikel Leshoure. They will boast the most dominant and vicious defensive tackle duo in the history of the league with Nndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley.

Still, this is a team that desperately needs a cornerback since safety Louis Delmas is the only legitimate playmaker in the starting unit.

Now it appears that they will pull out of the running for the most sought after free agent—Oakland Raiders elite cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha.

“Despite a glaring need at cornerback, the Detroit Lions don’t expect to be in the market for top cover man Nnamdi Asomugha when free agency begins after the NFL lockout.

Asomugha, who could command $18 million per year as the best available free agent, likely will be ‘too expensive’ for the Lions, according to a team source,” according to Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett.

Too expensive? Give me a break! You cannot put a price tag on winning.

Asomugha is not just the most talented free agent on the open market as he may very well be the single best defensive player in the league. He rivals Darrelle Revis for the most complete cornerback in the game today and perhaps even in the history of the game.

Asomugha is so awesome that quarterbacks refuse to throw it is way. He creates a dead zone, or black hole if you will, as he cuts off the entire side of his field.

He has the most fluid hips of any cornerback. More importantly, he has phenomenal instincts, quickness, speed and hands. Make no mistake about it—he’s a wide receiver playing defense. He has the strength to jam a receiver at the line of scrimmage and the recovery speed to play off if he so desires.

There is only one way to watch Nnamdi play—in awe.

Yet for some odd reason the Lions do not feel the need to make room to land Asomugha? Whether or not he would actually join the roster is irrelevant. This is a franchise that has been the laughing stock of the league since Barry Sanders retired well over a decade ago.

At least give Lions fans hope that you are at least making attempts to land the man who could single handedly revamp the secondary and lead the team to the postseason.

Whichever team on the brink of winning lands Asomugha—Texas, Philadelphia, New York Jets, Tampa Bay—will vault to the next level. Very few players in this league can boast the impact he makes on and off the field.

Detroit doesn’t even want to give it a shot. They’re pulling out of the sweepstakes well before the drawing begins.

-Brandon Galvin is a Bleacher Report Featured Columnist and Syndicated Writer. Follow Him on Twitter.

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