February Mailbag, Part II: Lion Concerns, HOF snubs, Matt LaFleur, Draft DEBATES, Darkhorse Free Agents
A full mailbox for all of your offseason needs.
Exceptional submissions, all.
Into 2025, our plan is to open up a Go Long Mailbag each month for paid subscribers.
Part I of the February Mailbag is accessible here. Also, here’s my chat with Art Stapleton on everything New York Giants, Matthew Stafford, Sanders vs. Ward.
Answers below on…
Lions’ offensive line. Is a regression imminent?
The Matt LaFleur Question. It’s high time he won a “big game.”
Hall Talk. Eric Allen got in, but at who’s cost?
As a GM, do you prefer the workout warrior or the prospect with the best tape? Once again, we look at those Philadelphia Eagles as a blueprint.
Three best bang-for-buck free agents on the market. Shop accordingly.
Let’s get to it.
Tyler,
The Lions had their best regular season ever in 2024, and yet it feels like their Super Bowl window may not be open beyond next year. Aside from replacing both coordinators, my biggest concern is the offensive line will take a (big) step back in 2025 because of age. Is my concern overblown? What are the comps for a team in the salary-cap era maintaining elite offensive line play year after year?
Thanks for all the great content at Go Long this past season!
Tim
Let’s first give a hand to Tim, a weekly staple inside the Gameday Chat. Tim’s been supplying all emotional highs and lows of this current Detroit Lions golden age so your question carries extra weight.
Another season, another heartbreak, and I think you articulated this moment in time perfectly.
Despite a 15-2 season, the uncertainty clouding this team is real.
For a few reasons:
Brain drain. How much will the losses of Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn sting?
The schedule. Check out this murderer’s row of road opponents: Washington (12-5), Philadelphia (14-3), Cincinnati (9-8), Baltimore (12-5), Kansas City (15-2), Los Angeles Rams (10-7), Chicago (5-12), Green Bay (11-6), Minnesota (14-3).
Playoff Jared Goff. It’s been different than Regular Season Goff.
Then, there’s the issue you raise: age and the offensive line.
Feels like yesterday that we took a trip to Lions HQ to sit down with Penei Sewell and the front five at the start of this rebuild. Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell made a concerted effort to build their team — first — with a nail-eating offensive line. Now, there are questions. Bob McGinn dissected this position group more than any other on our podcast and his weekly findings always surprised me. In comparison to the rest of the division, the Lions are in good shape. But there’s no telling when age zaps a proud offensive lineman. Happens all the time. Including Cult Hero/Swing Tackle Dan Skipper, the Lions have four mainstays on the wrong side of 30 years old. Graham Glasgow obviously declined.
The gut feeling here: Detroit will be OK on the line.
The very best lines coached by the very best assistants figure it out. The Philadelphia Eagles, under Jeff Stoutland, constantly evolve. Jason Kelce’s retirement was a mere pothole because they planned for his age/departure by drafting Cam Jurgens 51st overall in 2022. Like Detroit, they’ve got an elite right tackle (Lane Johnson). Would be surprised if the Lions didn’t invest in a lineman this draft. Maybe Christian Mahogany continues to grow into a 17-game starter. I wouldn’t leave it up to chance. Holmes hasn’t selected a lineman in the first three rounds since laying that first brick with Sewell in ‘21.
It’s time to deliver Hank Fraley a premium prospect and Fraley's presence should calm your nerves. Nobody’s Stoutland but he’s in the same tier. And through all of the offseason turnover, Fraley stuck around with a promotion to run-game coordinator. A center himself for a decade, he knows how to relate to players.
Detroit will find a way to keep on mauling, running the ball at will and giving the immobile Goff the time he needs.
It’s that schedule I’d be worried about most.
Hi Tyler,
My question is, what pieces of the puzzle do you think are missing for the Packers to win the Super Bowl?
Thanks,
Ian
We touched on this in Part I to an extent with the need for a veteran wide receiver and an edge rusher.
But the answer probably has nothing to do with any of the 53 players on the roster.
Rather, the head coach.