Pride of Detroit
Our Detroit Lions mailbag answers a tough philosophical roster building question.
All week, Detroit Lions fans have been debating whether it’d be smart to go after Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, who is disgruntled and requested a trade. Earlier in the week, we ran a poll asking Lions fans if they would trade a pair of first-round picks to land Garrett. As of this publishing, more than 4,400 votes had been cast, and it’s a near 50/50 split. About 49 percent say they would make that trade, while 51 percent say no.
At the crux of this debate is a philosophical roster-building question: is it better to go all-in during a Super Bowl window, or is it better to keep that Super Bowl window as long as possible?
This situation isn’t quite as black and white as that question. It’s not like the Lions will have no opportunity to make the Super Bowl four years down the line if they trade Garrett. And Detroit could also make other, less drastic moves to show they’re serious about winning the Super Bowl in 2025.
Still, the question is a fascinating one. An all-in approach gives you the best chance to win right now, but there is no such thing as a guaranteed Super Bowl. There are some examples of all-in approaches working (Rams with the Matthew Stafford trade), and plenty of it not working out (Dolphins trading for Tyreek Hill, and Jalen Ramsey). And while a pair of first-round picks certainly hurts Detroit’s ability to keep their Super Bowl window open, if there’s someone who can maintain strong draft classes without those assets, it may be Brad Holmes.
On the other hand, everything the Lions have done so far is working. Why change it? The Lions may not have won the Super Bowl, but almost everyone would agree that their roster—when healthy—was good enough to challenge for a Super Bowl. If anything, the 2024 season was proof that depth is critically important, so throwing so many assets at one player could prove to be reckless.
If Detroit keeps their strategy going, there’s no reason to believe they can’t continue to be contenders for the next 5-10 years. They may have to start paying their best players, but if Holmes continues to work his magic in the draft—particularly with his first-round picks intact—the Lions will be able to keep the roster full of talent. And, sooner or later, all those bites at the Championship Apple will eventually result in a Super Bowl... right? Or do the Lions run the risk of being the Buffalo Bills—constantly close, but never in the big game?
In this week’s Midweek Mailbag, Erik Schlitt and I debate this philosophical battle and answer more of your Lions' questions. Here’s a recap of the show:
