ATLANTA, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 25: Head coach Matt Patricia and Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
The Detroit Lions might need a new coach and quarterback this offseason.
The Detroit Lions have been trending towards a full-scale rebuild, and the dam might’ve finally broken after Matt Patricia and the Lions were shut out by a bad Carolina Panthers defense while allowing a player who was making his first career start in PJ Walker move the ball at will. As good as Matthew Stafford has been and as much money as he’s owed, giving him a fresh start might be the best decision for both parties.
If the Lions want to get a new coach in there to change the culture, they need the right quarterback, and these three combinations could get Detroit back to the postseason.
These three coach/quarterback combs could help the Lions return to the postseason
3. Eagles AHC Duce Staley and Eagles QB Carson Wentz
Staley has been on the Eagles sidelines for the last half-decade, serving as both the running backs coach and associate head coach on a team that won a Super Bowl. Staley doesn’t have coordinating or play-calling experience, which has made some teams nervous about hiring him, but someone who was assigned the duties he has been assigned on a franchise that has as many consecutive playoff appearances as Philadelphia should get a few looks this offseason. If the Lions are lucky enough to get Staley, his ideal quarterback for Year 1 might already be in Philadelphia.
Yes, Wentz has been legitimately awful this season, as a guy who was an MVP favorite before he got hurt is now leading the league in interceptions. However, given the tornado of injuries that has ravaged the Philly offense, the lack of a true offensive coordinator, and poor perimeter talent, it’s not unreasonable to believe that Wentz’s struggles are the result of one year in which nothing has gone right in Philadelphia. If the Lions are willing to take on Wentz’s contract, perhaps sending Stafford the other way to make the money match up, Staley can hit the ground running with a Pro Bowl quarterback that already knows the type of offense he wants to run.