Detroit Lions: Why Jim Schwartz and Martin Mayhew Have Best Building Plan in NFL

The Detroit Lions are built to succeed not just now, but also for the foreseeable future.

General manager Martin Mayhew and head coach Jim Schwartz have crafted and molded a team that has young talent at key positions, and contracts that mean their skills will remain in the Motor City. Mayhew, in particular, has done a tremendous job overcoming the atrocious work of his predecessor, Matt Millen.

Where as Millen consistently drafted players destined to fail, Mayhew has drafted well, taking players he has deemed the best available rather than reaching for guys who fit the team's particular needs.

Players like Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson, Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley are the types of building blocks that can revitalize a franchise, as witnessed by the team's playoff berth this season.

Schwartz has used his defensive knowledge and history as the Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator to his advantage. He has lured established veterans such as Stephen Tulloch and Kyle Vanden Bosch to join the Honolulu Blue and Silver.

So while Detroit drafts the best talent they also fill in their holes through trades and free agency.

Players like Chris Houston, Justin Durant, Eric Wright and Kevin Smith are not on the Lions roster by accident.

Mayhew addresses needs and problems as they arise, a talent that can not be overvalued.

As it stands, Detroit has the best building plan in place in the NFL.

The tandem of Stafford and Megatron will haunt defenses for the next decade, and Suh and Fairley will form an imposing defensive front to complement them.

Around those pieces Mayhew and Schwartz will continue to find the complementary players necessary to succeed.

A winning formula that is already seeing dividends.