The Detroit Lions should look to add OL Joe Thuney
By Pat Pitts
The Detroit Lions wish list for the 2021 season is longer than a child’s Christmas list. Head coach Dan Campbell and general manager (GM) Brad Holmes have a lot of work to do before August.
One inevitable decision came on Tuesday with the announcement stating the Detorit Lions will not use the franchise tag on star pass-catcher Kenny Golladay. It was surely a difficult decision but the right decision, which happened at an opportune time. Another team decided to let a player walk, one that would be crucial in protecting Jared Goff.
Joe Thuney, Patriots OL, will not be franchise tagged this offseason either. The Detroit Lions front office should be sprinting to their phones.
Thuney is a star on the O-line since being drafted by New England. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), since 2017, Thuney has finished every season inside the top 15 offensive linemen. In a few of those seasons, he was not even the best linemen on the team.
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Detroit has made some significant upgrades to their line over the past few years by adding Frank Ragnow and the major improvement of veteran Taylor Decker, both earning a grade of 80+ by PFF in 2020.
Adding Joe Thuney to this offensive line will give Swift and the Detroit Lions running backs a regular opportunity to break a big gain.
Thuney will also give Goff more time in the pocket. It will make the Lions faithful happy.
Campbell has a chance to rebuild this snake-bitten franchise into a Super Bowl contender. It is great to see the big-name free agents sign with your team, but it is even better to sign a guy like Thuney so others around him benefit most.
Next. Seven-Round Mock NFL Draft with trades. dark
The chance to have three offensive linemen in the top 15 is one the Lions need to jump on. It isn’t a flashy move, but it’s a correct one.