NFL Free Agency: How should the Detroit Lions handle it?

To spend or not to spend, that is the question. It’s the question that seems to surround the Detroit Lions every year during the free agency signing period. Fans and sports talk radio host alike, all clamor for the “Big Name” the flashy high priced NFL free agent.

The flavor of this year was ex-Tennessee Titans Defensive Tackle Albert Haynesworth. Haynesworth seemed to be a perfect fit for the Lions, who have missed an interior defensive presence since the end of the 2007 season when they traded away Pro Bowl defensive tackle Shaun Rogers.

Couple that with the fact that Haynesworth’s former defensive coordinator, Jim Schwartz, is the Lions new head coach, and it would seem as if it was a match made in heaven.

Yet when last Friday ended, the first official day when NFL free agents could negotiate/sign with a new team, Albert Haynesworth was a member of the free spending Washington Redskins.

Suddenly the same old accusations were being thrown around “The Lions are cheap!” “Old man Ford doesn’t want to spend any money!” “Fire Mil… er… I mean Mayhew”. Are the claims justified? Are the Lions just being cheap? Should Martin Mayhew, the teams new General Manager, be fired?

Consider the facts:

1. The Detroit Lions have reportedly $38 million dollars of salary cap space to spend (which would lead one to believe that yes, they had the money and should have spent it on Haynesworth).

2. The Detroit Lions went 0-16 last season. The worst statistical season in the history of the NFL. Do you realize how many holes a team has to have to go 0-16? While you’re guessing consider the fact that it’s never been done before.

3. That being said, one player, even one as talented as Haynesworth, is not going to make this team a contender. The Lions started free agency with holes at quarterback, No. 2 wide receiver, No. 2 running back, line backer, defensive tackle, cornerback, safety, kick returner, tight end, and offensive line.

4. The deal that Haynesworth received from the Washington Redskins was for $100 million dollars, with $41 million of that guaranteed.

5. Let’s face it, when you go 0-16, you aren’t exactly a free agent destination of choice.

The Lions couldn’t afford to spend that much money on a guy that would only be coming here for the money. Those very same Washington Redskins have taught the entire NFL a very valuable lesson in the years that Daniel Snyder has been the owner. You don’t build your team through free agency. The Redskins have dumped copious amounts of money into free agent contracts over the past few years, yet have very little to show for it.

The pattern that the Lions must, and are following, is that of the Tennessee Titans, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the New England Patriots.

That being: You build your team through the draft, and spend your free agent money on mid-level players. Guys that are in their 4th - 7th years in the league, and have either recently become starters, or were behind very good players that kept them from becoming starters. They must also be players that won’t cost you a ton of money. They must be players that plug holes, not players that you will shape and define your team around.

So far this free agency season the Lions have done a very good job of sticking to this plan.

They signed Maurice Morris, formerly of the Seattle Seahawks, as a No. 2 running back. He is a bit older than ideal, at 30, yet has a lot of tread left on his tires, as he’s never been a full time starter. He is the kind of running back that New England and Pittsburgh would sign to be their No. 2. He is a change of pace guy for the workhorse Kevin Smith, who averaged 4.3 yards per carry over the course of his career.

He is also a guy that catches the ball extremely well and is a willing and capable blocker. Think Mewelde Moore, where would the Steelers have been without him this past season?

The next player that Detroit signed was Bryant Johnson. A former 1st round draft choice of the Arizona Cardinals, Johnson spent last year as San Francisco’s No. 1 wide receiver, a position that was not ideal for Johnson. Johnson is a big, 6’3" 211 lb, sure handed wide receiver that will have a chance to thrive playing opposite Calvin “Megatron” Johnson.

In signing Johnson the Lions passed on the opportunity to sign Nate Washington, late of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Again, though, look at the numbers involved Washington signed with the Tennessee Titans for six years and $27 million dollars. Johnson signed with the Lions for three years and $9 million dollars.

Free agency is only five days old, and there are still a number of valuable players available. It is far to early for Lions fans to start pulling their hair out and demanding why the likes of Jabari Greer, Chris Carr, and Derrick Dockery (who by the way signed a front loaded contract with the team that drafted him into the league) were allowed to leave without a contract.

The fact is that before the season the Lions will have signed five or six more players, and more importantly (if all goes to plan) will have drafted at least 3-4 starters. This is a process, its not going to happen overnight.

This team is bad, extremely bad! Matt Millen just about destroyed this team, and it’s going to take Mayhew, Shack Harris, Tom Lewand, and Jim Schwartz time to fix it. So far though, they have shown that they get “it”. Which is far more than could be said for any of the decisions Matt Millen ever made.