Look, this is what is right now. This is the only thing that basically anyone wants to talk about and the Detroit Lions are willing to talk right back about it. What are the Lions going to do to replace Aidan Hutchinson in the next 19 days?
The answer is whatever is right. I know that sounds like a non answer from the Lions, but this team has a culture and they are not willing to budge off of it for nothing at all. They’re not going to make a trade just to do it.
“Look, we’re open to anything. Brad’s (Lions GM Brad Holmes) working through it. We are not going to be in a hurry.” Lions head coach Dan Campbell said. “Brad would tell you man, he’s doing his homework. The crew is doing their homework. They’re looking at everything. But we’re not going to just make a move to make it. It’s got to be right. It’s got to be the right guy, and the pieces have to fall in place.”
That’s the way the Lions have been talking all week. They’re all about trying to make sure that whoever they get, that guy is going to be right on all accounts. That means the trade has to be right, the contract has to be right and the fit and personality of the player has to be right.
Now with that, there’s some concern that the Lions might do things we’re used to them doing. Meaning they might cheap out and make moves for players that might be good at some point or used to be good before injuries. Other comments that Campbell made on Wednesday certainly point to the Lions looking for someone that can contribute in a big way immediately.
“I think if it is somebody that makes sense that we’re looking at, I think that’s the idea. We need to get this guy in as fast as possible. And if it wasn’t, it would be more, well, look, I think we’re going to find a way to get this guy in immediately. You know, I was going to say, well, some of the terminology will, even if it’s limited, I think, you know, you try to get, get that player going as fast as possible. I don’t want to tell you absolutely, they would walk right in. But I think that’d be the idea.”
That’s telling to me. The Lions are looking for a player they feel comfortable enough to fast track into the defense before really knowing the playbook or the team’s terminology. That says the Lions aren’t looking to find a bunch of lower level guys they can glue something together with, they want a player. With that said, they’re well aware those guys aren’t just growing on trees.
“Brad (Holmes) knows the ins and outs of what it would take to acquire somebody. I don’t know all of those, but I know enough to know that if it’s somebody you know is highly productive, they’re 6-foot-6. 285 pounds, run a 4.4 and has 35 inch arms, those guys don’t just fall off trees.”
We’re going to see soon enough what Lions do. Right now it’s hard to see them doing nothing at all.