Lions must try to win now for current regime

The Detroit Lions should be thinking about building for one big run before Matthew Stafford’s time is done.

Unfortunately, the powers that be — head coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn — don’t have the luxury of patience.

After going 3-12-1 last year, the duo is on borrowed time. Another bad season, and it’s likely ownership will clean house in the Motor City. In this regard, Detroit has to be thinking about immediate upgrades, much as it was last offseason when the team spent big dollars in free agency on defensive end Trey Flowers, cornerback Justin Coleman, receiver Danny Amendola and tight end Jesse James.

Holding the No. 3 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, the Lions must have a much more productive spring this time around.

However, things have gotten off to an odd start. Earlier this month, a report surfaced about the team looking into a potential trade of Stafford, a notion that was shot down quickly by Quinn at the time, and then Patricia again on Thursday from Indianapolis. Per NFL.com:

“It’s comical, kind of, to me, to be honest with you. Not interested in doing any of that. There’s no conversation of that whatsoever. In fact, I was away, I was actually at my college — yeah, the Mighty Engineers — and I was back there when that news broke and I’m looking at my phone, I’m like ‘What is going on?’ and ‘Who is this guy?’ and ‘Who put this out there?’ It was really confusing so just one of those things that, for me, I kind of laugh at ’cause it’s not even a conversation.”

With talk of Stafford being dealt officially shot down, the Lions can move on with other business.

Free agency begins on March 18, and the team has a projected $47 million in cap space. With the free-agent class being strong across many positions, perhaps Quinn looks at upgrading the front seven while searching for a cornerback, either to compliment Darius Slay or to replace him if he’s dealt away in the final year of his deal.

It’s atypical for a three-win team to be very aggressive in all facets of the offseason, but the Lions’ main men have little choice. With Patricia entering his third season and Quinn going into his fifth, results need to be seen.

With Detroit not having won a playoff game since 1991 — only the Cincinnati Bengals are experiencing a longer drought — the time is now for the Lions.