The Detroit Lions Offseason
2022 Dream Draft Pick: Aidan Hutchinson
The Detroit Lions have the 2nd overall pick in the draft and assuming the Jacksonville Jaguars don't take the best player in the NFL draft, Hutchinson should be on the wish list of the Detroit Lions come late April. Hutchinson would change life in Detroit not just as a pass rusher but also as a leader and I can't imagine the Detroit Lions let the homegrown Michigan Wolverine leave his home state.
The To-Do List
Cut Trey Flowers
The Detroit Lions new head coach should clean how house in 2022 of the old coach in Matt Patricia and the biggest waste of money on the roster from the Patricia regime is defensive end Trey Flowers whose production in three seasons in Detroit is awful and his $23,000,000 cap hit certainly isn't worth his role on the team and with the #2 overall pick in hand and one of the best edge rusher classes to come out of college in a long time, the Lions can not solve this problem but instantaneously improve the position by a lot. Trey Flowers was one of the worst signings of the 2019 offseason due to no fault of his own because only a fool wouldn't take the contract Matt Patricia and the Lions offered him to play in Detroit but no one in their right mind thought that he was worth $90,000,000. The Lions would save themselves over $10,000,000 if they cut Trey Flowers loose in 2022 and while they aren't clamoring for cap space as they have plenty to try and grab guys in free agency, they need to cut the dead weight in order to keep this franchise moving Dan Campbells knee-cap biting image.
Draft Aidan Hutchinson no matter what
The Detroit Lions have reportedly told teams that if any wanted to come up and trade up for the #2 overall pick they certainly could and this likely due to the weak quarterback class in 2022 and considering that the #1 overall is held by the Jacksonville Jaguars who drafted their quarterback last year in Trevor Lawrence, the Lions hold the pick that will allow teams to draft the quarterback off the board. Trading the #2 overall pick would be the smart decision as the Lions have lots of needs all over the roster and drafting Kenny Pickett at #2, in my opinion, is a terrible idea but unfortunately for them it takes two to tango in the NFL draft when swapping picks and no one is going to give up a kings ransom for the Pittsburgh product and with the Lions need for a star in the motor city I would argue that the Lions need to stand pat and draft the best player available which would be Michigan's very own Aidan Hutchinson whose widely regarded as the best player in the draft and probably the most beloved athlete in the state of Michigan after his performance in the 2021 college football season. Dan Campbell wants tough, hard working, lunch-pail players who will come into Ford Field and play the hearts out and Aidan Hutchinson is probably closest thing Campbell is looking for in a player and his ability to absolutely wreck offenses on a consistent basis will turn things around for the Detroit Lions in his rookie year. If Dan Campbell drafts Aidan Hutchinson he will have secured the hearts and minds of the Lions fan base and give them foundational player for the franchise in Hutchinson. No player is a better fit for the Detroit Lions on draft day than Aidan Hutchinson and I would be shocked if they decide to go in any other direction.
Decide on a quarterback in this draft or the next
The Detroit Lions have a decision to make in this draft as to what to do about the quarterback situation, more specifically however they need to decide if they are even going to address the position in 2022 or should they try and figure it out in 2023. The 2022 NFL draft is a bad quarterback class with only Kenny Pickett looking like the most competent of the group and the Detroit Lions don't exactly want to spend a top pick on any of the quarterback prospects in the draft and with a potentially better quarterback class in 2023, it would be wise to have plan on how to address the position. If the Detroit Lions want to draft a quarterback they do have the final pick in first round after trading away Matt Stafford to the Rams and if their a quarterback they like that falls in the draft like a Malik Willis, Desmond Ridder, or a Matt Corral to them at #32 they need to be ready to either pull the trigger or potentially trade out of the pick. Trading out is probably the smartest move considering the final pick in the NFL draft is usually the most likely to be dealt and after the Ravens made such a move when they drafted Lamar Jackson, NFL teams will value that pick exponentially. Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, and Bo Nix will be available in the 2023 NFL draft and potentially others as well that could have a Joe Burrow like rise for the 2022 season and if I were the Lions, I am planning for next years quarterback class and collect as many 2023 draft picks as I can.