Detroit Lions: John Dorsey brings much-needed experience to front office

The Detroit Lions are expected to add an experienced name to their inexperienced front office.  John Dorsey is expected to be hired to assist the newly appointed general manager (GM), Brad Holmes.

John Dorsey spent from 2013-2016 as the GM in Kansas City and from 2017-2019 in Cleveland before that Dorsey spent two decades as a part of the Green Bay Packers organization as a player, scout, and executive.

It was not too long ago that I wrote John Dorsey wouldn’t be a great option to be the Detroit Lions general manager, even understanding the previous success he endured with the Kansas City Cheifs and Cleveland Browns after landing both Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield.

Dorsey also found standout tight end Travis Kelce and defensive tackle Chris Jones.

My reasoning had never been his ability to evaluate talent. He’s clearly got an eye for that, although like anyone in a decision-making position will still have their fair share of swing and misses.

I was reluctant to see Dorsey come in and make coaching decisions.  Dorsey hasn’t had much luck recently in this regard.  Like the Lions, Dorsey has a history of being loyal to a fault.  Dorsey stubbornly stood behind Hue Jackson as Cleveland’s head coach, allowing him to return to the role even after going 0-16.  Later Dorsey hired an inexperienced head coach in Freddie Kitchens to run the show, who at times looked clueless on the sidelines.

It wasn’t just hiring Kitchens; Dorsey played a role in adding a pair of high-ego coordinators to surround the first-time head coach with Gregg Williams and Todd Haley.  The two coordinators had hungry egos, and they’d look to eat every chance they’d get.  It was a recipe for disaster.

The Detroit Lions have had plenty of similar hires, but after having what appeared to be a clueless head coach on the sideline over the past three years, the franchise couldn’t risk it again.

Dorsey has a history of taking a chance on a player even despite a troubled past.  It was Dorsey who drafted Kareem Hunt, who led the league in rushing with Kansas City before being filmed abusing a woman leading to his release.

Dorsey opted to give Hunt another chance in Cleveland, where he’s excelled once again in a timeshare with Nick Chubb.  Dorsey also traded up to draft a troubled college receiver in Antonio Callaway, but this move failed to reap any benefit for Cleveland.

He also added Jarvis Landry from the Miami Dolphins for just a fourth and seventh-round pick to pair with Odell Beckham.  While Beckham has failed to excel and remains a constant distraction since leaving New York, Landry remains extremely valuable to Mayfield and the Browns.

Although I was nervous about having Dorsey as the GM, I’m utterly excited about having an experienced voice and talent evaluator like Dorey being a voice in Detroit’s front office.