The Detroit Lions officially kick off their offseason program with the OTAs on Wednesday. The three phases of offseason workouts will give the coaching staff a chance to evaluate their roster. After being decimated by injuries last season, the Lions will have an opportunity to see what they have and whether they need to make any more moves before training camp.
One of their needs, however, is obvious enough that it doesn't have to wait until training camp. Lions GM Brad Holmes didn't deviate from his offseason strategy, retaining Detroit's key players and selecting the best player available in the draft. This meant that the Lions didn't address the edge until the sixth round when they drafted Ahmed Hassanein.
The biggest question for the Lions remains whether they did enough in the pass rush rotation. A top storyline for their offseason was regarding the potential acquisition of an elite pass rusher to pair with Aidan Hutchinson. The Lions barely made any significant upgrades there, let alone an elite one.
Lions Must Target FA Jadeveon Clowney Before It's Too Late
Fortunately for them, there are still veteran free agents who could be difference makers for Detroit. If the Lions are still not interested in bringing back Za'Darius Smith for some reason, there is another Pro Bowler who is still waiting for his new team.
Jadeveon Clowney, who was released by the Carolina Panthers earlier this month, remains unsigned. Even though there are some concerns about his fit in Dan Campbell-led Lions culture, Clowney still has a ton of gas left in the tank, putting up 5.5 sacks in 14 games last season.
There is an argument to be made for the Lions needing to swing big for talent to take the next step into being Super Bowl favorites. Clowney may not seem like a Lions player at first, but the high risk can come with high reward. If he is available on a team-friendly one-year deal that could also help him win his first Super Bowl, signing Clowney would be a win-win move for both sides.