A good start, but Detroit Lions still need defensive playmakers
The first wave of free agency is all but done, and the Detroit Lions did well to land the best right tackle on the market.
After watching their running game struggle for most of the past two decades -- and with quarterback Matthew Stafford still taking too many hits -- Ricky Wagner was a wise and prudent signing, even if the Lions set a new contractual bar at his position.
Bob Quinn, in his second free agent go-round as general manager, also made a handful of mid-level signings that should help the defense. Paul Worrilow is an underrated player who lost his starting job in Atlanta but should find one in Detroit. Akeem Spence can be a nice rotational contributor at defensive tackle the next few years. D.J. Hayden is a former first-round pick who still untapped potential. And while the Cornelius Washington signing didn't set Twitter ablaze, he should help the team at left defensive end.
Lions add defensive linemen Akeem Spence, Cornelius Washington
But with those five additions in the books, the Lions are in the exact spot they were when last season ended -- with a glaring lack of playmakers on the defensive side of the ball.
No one should panic. No one should lament what the Lions have done in free agency to this point.
But the fact is that the Lions still can use help at every level of defense, and they need to spend the next six months looking for it.
Smart NFL teams will tell you that free agency is for patching holes and the draft is where teams are built, and that's the approach Quinn and the Lions have taken the last two years. Make sure you have enough of everything to field a team by the time the first week of free agency ends and know that the best signings are the ones that bring the most value beyond their contracts (see: Anquan Boldin a year ago).
It's rare that true difference makers reach free agency, though there were some on the market this year. And yes, the Denver Broncos won a Super Bowl a few years ago thanks in large part to their free agent additions. The New York Giants reversed their fortunes last year thanks to some big-ticket signings. But the best way to lay a solid foundation is by nailing the draft.
The Lions did well in that regard last year, landing starters with their first three picks -- Taylor Decker, A'Shawn Robinson and Graham Glasgow -- that should be anchors in the trenches for years to come.
Given what has happened in free agency to this point, and what's left on the market -- the Lions could add a tight end today, and they'll need a receiver if Boldin decides he wants to retire or spend his last NFL season near his home in Florida -- expect to see the Lions put a heavy emphasis on defense in April's NFL draft.
They need a pass rusher to pair with (and be insurance for) Ziggy Ansah, and the 21st pick just might be a sweet spot to find one. They need a playmaking linebacker, someone reminiscent of the just-cut DeAndre Levy in his prime, and there are several potential fits in the first round. And they need a ball-hawking cornerback for their takeaway-deficient secondary, and this just so happens to be one of the best drafts for defensive backs in recent memory.
Maybe the Lions don't fill all three needs this spring. There is a limited supply of talent, after all.
Or maybe Quinn swings a trade or reaches deep into owner Martha Ford's pockets to sign a surprise free agent.
But as the free agent frenzy winds down and dawn rises on a work-in-progress roster, everyone can agree: There's still plenty of work to be done, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Deep NFL draft seems to match Detroit Lions' needs
Contact Dave Birkett: dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.