Looking Past the Collective Bargaining(Part 2): Why Champ Bailey Won't Be a Lion

This is part two in a series of free agent cornerbacks that the Lions could decide to pick up in the offseason. 

Champ Bailey, currently with the Denver Bronco’s, turns 33 in June and is a 10-time Pro Bowler.  Even though he is an older player, he is still considered to be one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL.  Champ’s situation is similar to Nnamdi Asomugha’s, in that he is not likely going to stay with his current team, and like Nnamdi, he too, wants to “play for a contender” next season.

The Detroit Lions have some analysts suggesting that they could very well be a “contender” in 2011.  Does this mean that Bailey, if pursued, would consider playing for the Detroit Lions?

Probably not.

Why? 

Because Champ Bailey has issues with the Detroit Lions. 

The Lions chose his brother, Boss, in the second round of the draft in 2003 during the “Kill’em Matt Millen” Era.  In 2008, when he became a free agent, the Bronco’s picked him up.  As soon as Boss joined his brother in Denver, Champ publicly criticized the Lions for never using his brother’s skills properly.  Boss played for the Bronco’s one year (started in six games) and was cut in 2009, reportedly because of a knee injury.  That was not very long ago.

People will argue that Detroit won’t go after Champ because he will cost too much or that Champ would never agree to become a Lion because he does not perceive them to be “contenders.”  But could it be that his reasoning for not joining the Lions is because he is still holding a grudge?  And if so, would you blame him? 

During the Millen Era, the Lions took players in a random fashion that never seemed to fit together well.  Millen did not have a plan.  We all witnessed several potentially great players get destroyed in Detroit.  I’m not sure any player was used properly.  I, like many Detroit fans, could write an entire thesis on the damage Millen did to this team. 

However, this is not Millen’s team anymore. 

If Champ was right about the Lions not giving Boss a fair shot, and he was allowing this to cloud his judgment of ever playing for Detroit, I would strongly encourage him to “let it go.” 

As it turned out, his brother always struggled with bad knees and was never a great linebacker, but more importantly, this is a Jim Schwartz team. The Lions are no longer aimless and despairing.  They are no longer “directionally challenged.”  They are a team that works well together and the players have each other’s backs. As I stated in my last article, Jim Schwartz has a plan to bring this team into the playoffs. 

This new Detroit Lions team is a team worth playing for.