Tag: bob quinn

Jason Huntley, Ty Johnson competing for the same role in crowded Lions backfield

Jason Huntley, Ty Johnson competing for the same role in a suddenly crowded Lions backfield

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One year ago the Lions used a Day 3 draft pick on a fast, slippery, undersized running back with great burst but little power to his game. Ty Johnson proved worthy of the pick. He averaged 4.3 yards per carry and also proved a reliable receiver, catching 24 passes. It was a promising start for the speedster from Maryland.

It was not impressive enough to solidify his status in Detroit. On Saturday, the Lions used a fifth-round pick on Jason Huntley from New Mexico State.

Their scouting reports are eerily similar, though Huntley was more accomplished and carried a higher workload in college. Now it appears they are competing for the same roster spot in a suddenly overcrowded running back room.

According to Lions GM Bob Quinn, that is no accident. He mentioned Johnson specifically in his post-draft press conference when asked about Huntley and how he fits with the team.

“Listen, there’s going to be competition in that running back room,” Quinn declared. “We feel good about the depth of that room. The good thing about the running backs right now, we have them of all shapes and sizes. We have some bigger guys, we have some middle-sized guys. Huntley will be our smallest guy, but he’s extremely fast. So (I’m) very confident that we’ll find a role for him, and he is going to be in competition with Ty Johnson.”

Quinn continued,

“Ty Johnson was a sixth-round pick last year, so Ty knows. Ty’s a smart guy. Ty knows he has to come in and earn it every year. We’re excited about Ty Johnson and hopefully the progress he makes from year one to year two. We’re going to put Jason right in there with him.”

It’s an interesting choice to double up at a position that merited just 87 touches and less than 30 percent of the offensive snaps. After selecting D’Andre Swift in the second round and with Kerryon Johnson coming back, plus Bo Scarbrough’s effective work as the power back down the stretch, drafting competition for a relatively minor role is a bit perplexing.

The concept of competition to make players earn their spots is a positive step, a development that has been missing from the Detroit RB room for some time.

Lions vets kick off ‘virtual’ offseason program on Monday

Lions vets kick off ‘virtual’ offseason program on Monday

Even though the players can’t come to Allen Park to the team’s training facility, the Detroit Lions will still kick off the offseason program on Monday. Veterans will begin doing their supervised offseason workout program remotely, in accordance with the NFL’s policy adopted in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

GM Bob Quinn laid out what the program will be like during his post-draft press conference on Saturday night.

“The virtual program for our vets, we’ll start there first, we’ll start Monday,” Quinn stated. “Really, what it’s going to be is during phase one normally, the players can be in the building for four hours, two of which can be on field. So, what we’re going to do for the Lions, and every team can be a little different, the League gave us a couple different choices, we’re going to use two hours every day during the phase one to do online classroom. So, that’s what we’re going to do.”

Quinn correctly noted that the workouts are voluntary and will be conducted four days this week. There will be no in-person rookie minicamp or local tryouts, which typically take place in the days after the draft.

 

2020 Detroit Lions draft do-over goes down a divergent path

2020 Detroit Lions draft do-over goes down a divergent path

It’s too early to fully judge the Detroit Lions draft class of 2020. The overall positive reception nationally has been refreshing and uplifting, though the players have yet to even set foot in Detroit.

Not every pick made sense. Doubling up at offensive guard and running back, while not necessarily bad choices, is an interesting decision when the team still has other needs that did not get addressed. Here’s an alternative draft to what the Lions and GM Bob Quinn did after Thursday night’s first round, where there should be zero quibbles with the team taking Ohio State CB Jeff Okudah.

Second round

Actual pick: D’Andre Swift, RB, Georgia

Divergent pick: Yetur Gross-Matos, EDGE, Penn State

Instead of taking a running back — any running back, not singling Swift out — the Lions could have addressed the pass rush more prominently. Gross-Matos, who went to the Carolina Panthers at No. 38 overall, is a good scheme fit in Devon Kennard’s old role but with enough strength to also play more with his hand in the dirt in Detroit’s “multiple” front.

Third round

Actual pick. Julian Okwara, EDGE, Notre Dame

Divergent pick: Josh Jones, OT, Houston

This alternate path would have some major ripple effects. Jones is a tackle-only and a developmental project, albeit one with a very high talent and athletic ceiling. He could play right tackle as a rookie and kick high-priced Hal Vaitai into right guard, negating the need to draft an interior lineman. Okwara is a solid pick for sure, but if the Lions land an EDGE earlier he’s superfluous.

Jones wound up being the No. 72 overall pick, five slots later than Okwara. He projects to start right away at left tackle for the Arizona Cardinals.

Actual pick: Jonah Jackson, OG, Ohio State

Divergent pick: Zack Moss, RB Utah

Detroit traded up from 85 to 75 to land Jackson, who is instantly the best guard on the roster. He’s a smart pick, no doubt. But had Quinn held firm, he could have landed the bruising Moss at 85. He’s not as dynamic or as durable as Swift but his grinding style would work quite well in Darrell Bevell’s ground-and-pound offense. Moss went No. 86 to Buffalo. This is much better bang for the draft buck at running back.

Fourth round

Actual pick: Logan Stenberg, OG, Kentucky

Divergent pick: Kevin Dotson, OG, Louisiana

It’s hard to find any draft publication or analyst that ranked Stenberg above Dotson, who came off the board at No. 135 to Pittsburgh. Both are power-oriented guards with poor footwork and movement skills, but Dotson is higher-end athletically and less prone to drive-killing penalties than Stenberg, the No. 121 overall pick. Stenberg’s hyperaggressive attitude and surliness do hold an appeal that Dotson can’t match.

Fifth round

Actual pick: Quintez Cephus, WR, Wisconsin

Divergent pick: Isaiah Coulter, WR, Rhode Island

Cephus thrives as a big slot or physical outside receiver on contested catches, but he might be the slowest WR drafted in years. Coulter offers many of the same skills and outcomes but in a faster, bigger package with bigger hands and blocking skills. He’s not as NFL-ready as Cephus but the Lions don’t need a wideout now, they need one for 2021 and beyond. Coutler was taken five spots later than Cephus, to the Houston Texans.

Actual pick: Jason Huntley, RB, New Mexico State

Divergent pick: Bradlee Anae, EDGE, Utah

I’ve only seen Huntley play once, against Central Michigan in a game where I didn’t pay him enough of a scouting eye, so I can’t confidently comment on what he brings. But rather than doubling up on running back, instead double up on the pass rush. Anae thrived under Matt Patricia’s coaching at the Senior Bowl and he fits the profile of what the team likes as a JACK. The Cowboys drafted Anae seven spots after the Lions took Huntley.

Sixth round

Actual pick: John Penisini, DT, Utah

Divergent pick: James Proche, WR, SMU

Penisini stands a decent chance of being a fantastic late-round steal for Quinn and the Lions; he’s my favorite of the team’s selections after Okudah. In the divergent world, the prolific Proche would spend a season learning under veteran slot Danny Amendola before taking his role over in 2021. Proche proved more dynamic after the catch at the Senior Bowl than he showed in a more limited Mustangs offense in college. He came off the board four spots later than Penisini, to the Ravens.

Seventh round

Actual pick: Jashon Cornell, DE, Ohio State

Divergent pick: Bopete Keys, CB, Tulane

Cornell offers big-game experience and more NFL-ready capability as a DE than the lanky Keys does as a smaller-school corner. Keys went four spots later (to the Chiefs) than Cornell, and he offers size, speed and press-man skills that can, and must, be developed.

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Bob Quinn ready to incorporate better work-life balance learned during unusual draft process

Quinn open to adapting Lions organization to better work-life balance

Normally Bob Quinn doesn’t get to spend much time with his beloved kids during the months leading up to the NFL Draft. Such is the life of an NFL GM in the normal grind of draft preparation.

That changed this year, thanks to the coronavirus quarantine. Quinn, like everyone else in the Lions organization, worked from home. The unusual process led Quinn to a bit of an epiphany. Maybe all those hours spent away from loved ones isn’t the best way to operate.

“This could be a good lesson for us to have a good balance in our lives in the offseason, knowing that the draft is critically important to what we do, but maybe we can tone down the hours and work smarter rather than longer, maybe do a few things virtually a day or two a week,” Quinn said in his post-draft conference call.

Quinn continued,

“It’s hard being a coach in this league, it’s hard being a scout in this league, it’s hard being a G.M. in this league when you’re away all the time or in the office all the time. If we can figure out a better work/life balance for the months of February, March and April, I’m all for it. So as the leader of the organization on the football-side of it, myself and Coach (Patricia), we’re going to look at it and see what we can do for our employees to make their lives a little better.”

It would be a welcome change, and not just during the draft process. During the season it’s not uncommon for coaches to spend up to 18 hours a day at the team facility in Allen Park. The concept of working remotely and using technology to help achieve a better work-life balance is definitely something Quinn, and all NFL GMs, should strongly consider.

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Bob Quinn refutes report of backing out of Day 2 trade with the Texans

Bob Quinn refutes report of backing out of Day 2 trade with the Texans

During the coverage of Day 2 of the 2020 NFL Draft, Lions GM Bob Quinn really got under the skin of a former colleague. Per John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, Texans coach/GM Bill O’Brien was convinced his team had a trade worked out with the Lions for the No. 90 overall pick in Friday night’s third round.

O’Brien was visibly irate on camera from his home office. It rippled enough around the league that Quinn had to address the issue in his press conference call at the end of Friday night.

“Listen, we talk to a lot of teams,” Quinn said. “When we’re not on the clock, we talk to a bunch of teams, and it’s not just myself. We have four or five people that make calls. So I’m not sure what that was about. But we didn’t have a trade.”

The Lions had traded up to No. 75 overall earlier in the round to select Ohio State OG Jonah Jackson. Detroit did not pick again in the third round. The Texans wound up standing pat and selecting Florida EDGE Jonathan Greenard.

O’Brien and Quinn were on the same staff in New England several years ago.

Bob Quinn explains why no worthwhile trade offers came to the Lions

Bob Quinn explains why no worthwhile trade offers came to the Lions, noting the teams after Detroit got who they wanted without trading up

The Detroit Lions are very happy to have cornerback Jeff Okudah in the den as the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Judging by the national response, they should be. But the prospect of trading back, something the Lions ultimately could not do, is a common critique in the post-draft hours.

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Quinn was asked about the inability to trade back. It was a popular concept with fans and media, and Quinn himself stated the Lions were “open for business” in the days leading up to the draft. Yet there were no moves anywhere in the first 12 picks.

Quinn offered his explanation of why he believes the Lions didn’t get any real offers,

“I think that’s probably more of a question for the teams that were behind us. I don’t know. We had our normal pre-draft conversations with all the teams, and the few teams that showed a little bit of interest just ultimately – you know as we got through today, just for whatever reason decided to stay put. I think looking back, they probably got the guys they probably would’ve taken at three. So it takes two teams to tango.”

Presumably, Quinn is referring to the Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Chargers, who landed QBs Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert with the fifth and sixth picks, respectively. Each team got the QB they desired with no real threat from anywhere else.

Quinn elaborated on why it can be harder to execute a trade and the utter futility of creating a so-called smokescreen.

“Listen, teams do a very in-depth analysis of your roster and your needs and your contract situations. Not to put down the pundits out there, but the teams know better than the people who are reporting on it, about what teams need and what teams can actually do. So I think we did the best we can.

It’s pretty interesting because the two teams that are behind us directly were the Giants and the Dolphins, and I’m very close friends with both their head coaches. I worked with them for a very long time. I think they know myself, they know Matt (Patricia), and obviously we don’t share our inner secrets, but they can look at our team and can evaluate our needs and can look at our contracts. That’s just kind of how it went.”

How the Lions can win or lose on draft weekend

How the Lions can win or lose on draft weekend

Winning on NFL Draft weekend doesn’t always equate to winning in the regular season, but it’s much harder to win in November if the team doesn’t have a strong April. For the Detroit Lions and GM Bob Quinn, there are a few things they need to do to pull out a “W” from the 2020 NFL Draft weekend.

  • Draft an NFL-ready cornerback
  • Beef up the interior defensive line
  • Add at least one wide receiver with long-term starting potential
  • Inject a speed component to the pass rush

Check those four boxes in some fashion and Lions fans should be happy. Because of the style of defense coach Matt Patricia schemes, the cornerback is the most important position on the field and should be regarded as such. The means by which they check those boxes (order, trades, specific players) are not as critical as checking them.

How can Quinn and the Lions take a loss this weekend? Drafting a first-round quarterback ensures the team will not be appreciably better on the field than it was in 2019. Spending a pick before the fourth round on offensive guard, a position the regime clearly doesn’t value, would be a mixed message that proves there is no real plan. And drafting a specialist of any sort before the 200th pick, even though there is an underrated need to replace Sam Martin as both the punter and kickoff specialist.

 

#OnePride Q/A: Revisiting Bob Quinn’s previous drafts

With the draft right around the corner, we revisit the Detroit Lions’ previous drafts and see who were the #OnePride nation’s favorite picks

Throughout the week, we at Lions Wire presented the #OnePride Twitter fan base several questions, hoping to hear their voice on various topics concerning the Detroit Lions.

Through the use of Twitter polls, we were able to gauge fan’s thoughts on a variety of topics, including who was their favorite draft pick in each of general manager Bob Quinn’s previous drafts.

2016 Draft

Zack’s take: When Quinn took over as general manager, he made it clear he was going to build this team from the trenches, and he did just that in his inaugural draft.  Decker locked down Stafford’s blindside from the get-go, and Glasgow saw time at center and guard in his Lions’ ironman career.

With that said, Decker was my favorite pick from this draft class and still is. I love his hard nose mentality, and I think everything about him screams Motor City. Don’t get me wrong I loved Glasgow and his versatility, but having a franchise left tackle is vital, and Decker fits the bill.

2017 Draft

Zack’s take: There were some bright spots, but quite a few misses in Quinn’s second draft, but luckily for him, he nailed one pick in Kenny Golladay. He hit the ground running in Detroit, and has settled in the Lions’ number one receiver. With his rookie deal expiring, the ball is in Quinn’s court to lock up the big-bodied receiver long-term.

My favorite pick out of this draft was Roberts at the time because of his potential as a red-zone threat and need at tight end, but with time — and I’m sure with everybody else — I switched over to Golladay.

2018 Draft

Zack’s take: When Frank Ragnow was picked, most of us were left scratching our heads. He wasn’t identified as a potential target and most people believed the Lions would go defense. But at the end of the day, Ragnow never allowed a sack in his college career, was tactician at the center, and if it wasn’t for an ankle injury that hindered his senior season, he probably would’ve gone sooner. After his first season at guard, he shifted to his natural position at center and enjoyed what most would consider a Pro Bowl season.

There were also quite a few other highlights in this draft like little known Tracy Walker. With his versatility in the secondary, he is a matchup nightmare and has become a fan favorite. I am a sucker for an offensive lineman, so Ragnow was my favorite pick from this draft and still is to this day.

2019 Draft

Zack’s take: This was by far the closest vote in the draft polls, with Oruwariye inching Hockenson out by the slimmest of margins. There were a lot of mixed emotions when it came to this draft. Many were left bewildered when Hockenson was selected in the first round, thinking this was a luxury pick. Hockenson started the season hot, breaking the rookie TE receiving record in a single game, but cooled off as the season went on. As a rookie TE, struggling was to be expected, but Hockenson had a quality rookie season and should improve in his second year.

Oruwariye was heavily looked at a potential second-round pick, but the Lions were able to draft him in the fifth round. He only saw 219 snaps during his rookie season, but he made the most of it, snagging two interceptions—tied for the team lead with Darius Slay. There are some questions where he falls in the depth charts this season, mainly depending on the draft, but expect in an upward trend in 2020.

I was mixed on who my favorite player was in this draft, but I landed on Oruwariye because of the value of the pick and potential to find a home as the Lions’ CB2 down the road.

Keep your eyes open for future questions. We would love to hear your thoughts. If you have any questions you’d like to see answered, send a message, or leave a comment with your question. Thank you to all Lions fans and the #OnePride nation.

Lions GM Bob Quinn reportedly will have an IT guy in a Winnebago outside his house for NFL Draft

This is a lot, Lions.

The role of technology at the NFL Draft is going to a whole new level this year with the virtual draft because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, and team leaders are ready for it.

Photos and videos of general managers’ and coaches’ at-home setups have been bouncing around the internet recently, ranging from David Gettleman’s lone computer and a giant binder to John Lynch’s six-screen rig that seems way over the top. And perhaps they can’t be too careful, should the virtual NFL Draft experience any technical difficulties along the way.

But, amazingly, none of those setups compare with what Detroit Lions general manager Bob Quinn reportedly has planned, all in an effort to help his team win more than three games in the upcoming seasons.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Quinn is planning on having the Lions director of IT camped outside his house in a Winnebago during all hours of the draft.

And just in case anyone thought this poor guy would just be living in Quinn’s driveway for a few days, Schefter reported that he’ll go home each night and return back to the driveway for the next day of the draft.

That’s… a lot.

While it’s certainly not the plan for anyone involved in this year’s draft, there could absolutely be some technical challenges or bandwidth problems with so many people communicating at once — like what happened during the virtual test run Monday. No one’s done a virtual draft like this before, so we have no real idea what could happen.

But having the team’s IT director camp out in a Winnebago like Randy Quaid in Christmas Vacation seems excessive and an awful lot of effort. Although, when the team perennially struggles to even reach the mediocre mark, perhaps Quinn’s got the right idea and is giving himself any advantage he can.

Whether you think this is awesome, stupid or somewhere in between, you can still enjoy some NFL fans’ jokes about it.

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Lions IT director will be stationed in Bob Quinn’s driveway for 2020 NFL Draft

Just when you thought things couldn’t get more unusual. ESPN’s Adam Shefter is reporting that the Detroit Lions IT director, Steve Lancaster, will be stationed in a Winnebago in Bob Quinn’s driveway for the 2020 draft.

Just when you thought things couldn’t get any more unusual.

ESPN’s Adam Shefter is reporting that the Detroit Lions IT (information technology) director, Steve Lancaster, will be stationed in a Winnebago in Bob Quinn’s driveway for the 2020 draft, ready to address “any technical issues”.

With the NFL holding a virtual draft in 2020, Quinn and the Lions appear to be taking no chances that they will have any technological mishaps when they are on the clock during the draft.

At his virtual press conference last Friday with local media, Quinn laid out how the Lions were adjusting to the parameters of a virtual draft.

“I’m at my house, I have a home office that I use occasionally during the season and occasionally during the offseason – not very much – but I’m staring at a TV to my right. I have three monitors to my left, I have two laptops. I have a huge, what we would call our draft phone, I have my home phone. I have two cell phones, and I have a printer.”

Quinn went on to mention that the team had backup plans for the internet, power sources, and phones for each staff member’s home who will be involved in the Lions draft.

Now, with Lancaster and a Winnebago involved, Quinn has apparently taken another step to make sure they are prepared.