Lions: A look at former Lions currently excelling elsewhere in the NFL
By Bob Heyrman
Quandre Diggs
How about Quandre Diggs putting on a show Sunday night with the Seattle Seahawks? The safety intercepted Rams quarterback Jared Goff twice, taking one of those picks to the house.
Since joining the Seahawks, Diggs has produced 3 interceptions, 1 touchdown, 1 fumble forced, and 1 fumble recovered in just 4 games of work. That’s all worth a fifth-round pick, right? Come on; Bob Quinn got absolutely hosed.
The Detroit Lions defense wasn’t playing well at the time of the trade, but the wheels appeared to fall off after GM Bob Quinn dealt the team favorite Diggs. Quandre was a Lions’ captain, a leader in the secondary. He’s made a pro bowl as a reserve. He’s not a perfect player by any means. He does miss too many tackles, usually trying to lay the lumber and failing to wrap up. He’s a decent centerfielder, understanding he’s not Ed Reed but who is?
Since being moved for a very underwhelming fifth-round pick, he’s excelled. Matt Patricia claims he wasn’t producing the way he was expected too. Ok, no one on the defense has. Perhaps coaching a player or unit to their strengths is a better option than trying to ask players to do something they are not comfortable doing. The best head coaches can adapt to the talent they have rostered. Matt Patricia needs to scheme to a player’s strength.
Jeff Risdon recently mentioned; Diggs was struggling in Detroit early this season, but he was being asked to play injured. He went to Seattle, got a whole bunch of blood drained from his hamstring, and he’s been phenomenal since. How did the Lions training staff misdiagnose this?
He is and will be missed in Detroit.