Detroit Lions GM rumors: John Dorsey should not be the top choice

The Detroit Lions need to search beyond John Dorsey when considering who to hire as their next general manager.

While this wouldn’t be the worst hire a person could drum up, I’m not a fan of bringing in John Dorsey to be the Detroit Lions‘ next general manager.

Dorsey’s NFL Draft resume is quite impressive, but he also has a rich history of selecting players with shaky pasts or giving them another chance.  The two names that come to mind first are Kareem Hunt, who Dorsey had during his time with the Kansas City Chiefs, and trading up in the draft to select a troubled Antonio Callaway.

Hunt had been seen on video assaulting a woman. Although eventually receiving a second opportunity from Dorsey, the Detroit Lions who were running back starved, publicly mentioned they had no interest in pursuing Hunt after he was let go by the Chiefs.  So will ownership shift gears a couple of years later and be comfortable bringing in Dorsey along with risking similar roster decisions in the future?

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Dorsey also had the stones to select Baker Mayfield first overall; despite his stellar college career, he was not considered a ‘sure-thing’ to excel at the professional level.  After an up and down start to his career, Mayfield has certainly settled in during the 2020 season.  Part of that lackluster early success is on head coach Freddie Kitchens who had been hired by Dorsey yet had no business being an NFL head coach.

I’d like to see the Detroit Lions front office be an aggressive one, not spending foolishly, but also not afraid to make a splash whether it’s on the trade front or in free agency, and I understand that somewhat describes Dorsey.

Dorsey landed a talented receiver in Jarvis Landry from the Miami Dolphins for just a fourth and seventh-round pick.  The Browns also famously added Odell Beckham Jr to bolster the teams receiving corps, again another massive personality.

Not only was the hiring of Kitchens a poor choice, surrounding the first time NFL head coach with two strong-minded, stubborn coordinators who could not stand one another was also a terrible decision.

Despite having respectable, successful resumes, offensive coordinator Todd Haley and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams could not stand each other.  For a first-time head coach to not only try and deal with the large egos on the football field, but he also needed to try and keep the gas can away from the fire in the coach’s room.  Just not a position a veteran general manager should put a first-year head coach in.

Don’t forget it was also Dorsey who opted to keep Hue Jackson on as head coach in Cleveland after producing an 0-16 season.  The Lions can ill-afford these mistakes again.  Dorsey himself possesses a large, somewhat egotistical personality.  He’s failed to admit his mistakes in the past, something the Lions have been used to over the last few seasons.

If the Detroit Lions have their sights set on Kansas City Cheifs offensive coordinator, Eric Bieniemy, to be their next head coach, I fear the organization will lock-in on Dorsey as the pair are familiar with each other.

With his inability to identify the right coaching talent, or when it’s time to move on from said coach, I’d prefer if the Detroit Lions shy away from hiring John Dorsey.