5 Moves Detroit Lions Should Have Made This Offseason

"But."

It's the dreaded word that transitions a compliment to a passive-aggressive criticism.

Detroit Lions general manager Martin Mayhew did a solid job this offseason of managing the roster, but he should have signed Darrelle Revis. See how that works?

No, Revis isn't on this list, but now you understand where we're going here. So click through to move past the compliment and get to the nitpicking.

But He Should Have Signed a Veteran Right Tackle

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

Perhaps the Lions should have flipped some of that attention paid to the defensive tackles to their offensive counterparts. Riley Reiff and LaAdrian Waddle are serviceable starters. Behind them? Not so much.

"

They'll be okay at LT and fine at RT for however many games Waddle is healthy for (3-5). Otherwise? Trouble. https://t.co/5EWM564HSS

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) June 1, 2015"

Kent Platte of SideLion Report touched on why Detroit needed to bring in someone who can contribute today. LaAdrian Waddle battled his way through injuries throughout the entire 2014 season and may not be ready to go for Week 1.

This puts Detroit in the unenviable position of trying to balance his season-long health with rushing him back.

For all the hope inspired by Cornelius Lucas' presumed improvement, there's little actual evidence at this time that he can handle the job. In 2014, he gave up five sacks and 15 hurries in just 371 snaps at right tackle.

And things get even bleaker behind him. Corey Robinson is a lumbering seventh-round tackle who needs plenty of polish before he's ready to go. Michael Williams is a converted tight end without a regular-season snap at his current position.

There wasn't enough salary-cap space to make a game-changing decision here. However, veteran Joe Barksdale signed with San Diego for just under $1.1 million. While he struggled in pass protection (40 hurries allowed), he's an asset in the run game and would have provided the versatile depth Detroit lacks.

But He Should Have Added Talent to the Backup Quarterback Competition

Rick Osentoski/Associated Press

There's no middle ground with Kellen Moore. You either believe he's a potential All-Pro or a noodle-armed clipboard Sherpa. At least that's what Twitter would have you believe.

The truth—as always—is somewhere between those two extremes.

Moore looked solid against third- and fourth-team defenses last preseason, showing accuracy and anticipation. Yet the performance didn't inspire a backup quarterback battle. The coaching staff instead opted to keep Dan Orlovsky and his lifetime quarterback rating of 76 slotted as the second signal-caller.

Some may argue that the coaching staff should have elevated Moore to that venerable position. The debate proved moot since Matthew Stafford took every available snap, but the reluctance to give Moore a legitimate shot has been mocked as shortsighted.

Obviously, Moore didn't agree, considering he re-signed for two years with the same staff and players in place. If he felt he had a better chance elsewhere, he would have pursued it.

Neither of these players have showcased the type of talent necessary to win games in the NFL. The free-agent market didn't hold much promise either, but Mayhew could look back with regret should Stafford suffer a significant injury.

But He Should Have Re-Signed C.J. Mosley

Rick Osentoski/Associated Press

Head coach Jim Caldwell doesn't mess around with off-the-field transgressions. Defensive tackle C.J. Mosley knows this well after he served a suspension for a marijuana-related incident in a London hotel.

The Lions started the offseason with one defensive tackle under contract (Caraun Reid) and couldn't get too crazy cash-wise without restructuring a couple of deals. So the above is the only reason that makes any sense for Detroit's laissez-faire attitude toward re-signing Mosley. And now it's too late:

"

Ndamukong Suh told reporters that he lobbied for the Dolphins to sign C.J. Mosley. (Lions were also talking to Mosley.)

— Kyle Meinke (@kmeinke) June 16, 2015"

Mosley logged the fourth-most snaps (503) along the defensive line and provided a tough interior presence against the run. Detroit doesn't have a surefire fill-in for him.

Reid has sparked hope that his improved physique will give the necessary strength to hold up at the point of attack, but that's a leap of faith at this point. Plus, Tyrunn Walker and Gabe Wright are quicker than they are powerful.

Maybe the defense will be fine. Or maybe Mayhew should have leaned on his coach to look past a transgression that's growing more legal by the day considering the positional need and Mosley's $1 million salary ($1.05 million to be exact).

But He Should Have Signed Isa Abdul-Quddus to a Longer Deal

Carlos Osorio/Associated Press

Isa Abdul-Quddus played decently in his three starts last season, picking up 18 tackles and two passes defensed. Whether he can maintain or improve upon that is unknown, so he may never be a full-time starter.

He is, however, a nice depth piece who can play both safety positions in a pinch and contribute on special teams. His combination of versatility and affordability ($1.5 million for 2015) makes him the type of unheralded commodity that successful franchises always find.

So why didn't Detroit pull the trigger on a longer deal?

Perhaps Abdul-Quddus wanted more money for a multiyear deal or the opportunity to be a free agent after showcasing his skills further. Perhaps Mayhew hasn't seen enough to commit multiple years to him.

But Abdul-Quddus is only 25 years old. The Lions had an opportunity to cheaply secure a contributing role player entering the prime of his career and didn't.

But He Should Have Passed on Alex Carter

Uncredited/Associated Press

Nobody pitches a perfect game in the draft. For Mayhew, his wild pitch came in the third round. Yes, the Lions needed a cornerback, but the value for a project player wasn't there.

There are a lot of technical issues that have to be addressed with Carter. He can be a sloppy tackler (big no-no in Austin's world) and has trouble changing direction. That's a problem in a league that emphasizes quick throws on slants, which is probably why defensive coordinator Teryl Austin tempered expectations right away, per Josh Katzenstein of the Detroit News:

"

Teryl Austin on Lions CB Alex Carter: We anticipate that he’ll be able to help us at some point this year.

— Josh Katzenstein (@jkatzenstein) May 2, 2015"

The thought might be that even if Carter doesn't pan out as a cornerback, he can take over the role Abdul-Quddus would have been destined for with a longer contract.

With that said, it's still a stretch to use a hypothetical situation as the rationale for a third-round pick.

Nevertheless, Carter brings height and length to the table along with his intelligence and love for physical play. He could be a solid contributor in the future.

This article is about picking nits, though, and Carter's questionable transition to the pros warrants a little nagging.

All advanced stats, grades and positional rankings are courtesy of Pro Football Focus. Contract information courtesy of Spotrac.

Brandon Alisoglu is a Detroit Lions Featured Columnist who has written about the Lions on multiple sites. He also co-hosts a Lions-centric podcast, Lions Central Radio. Yell at him on Twitter about how wrong he is @BrandonAlisoglu.