Free Agency 2017 a Sign of Times For Detroit Lions

For the longest time, the Detroit Lions were not the team NFL players wanted to be on. But we can see from free agency this year that things are changing.

Remember Barry Sanders back in 1999?

He suddenly retired because he was frustrated with the direction the organization was going in. The Detroit Lions have had a few superstars go through there since then but none wanted to stay. DT Ndamukong Suh caught the first thing smoking out of there in 2015.

WR Calvin Johnson retired prematurely like Sanders after the 2015 season. I guess he didn’t know head coach Jim Caldwell was truly starting something over there. The Lions then went to the playoffs in 2016, making it two out of three for Caldwell.

And this is having a profound effect on the Lions’ ability to attract free agents these days.In recent years pass, solid free agents wouldn’t get on a plane that was flying over Detroit. Getting stuck in the city of Detroit was the last thing they wanted.

Players now look at Detroit as a suitable destination as OT Ricky Wagner went over there from Baltimore. But is doesn’t stop there, former Green Bay Packers OG TJ Lange is there now. A player going from the Green Bay Packers to the Lions is a sign of the times.

The Lions aren’t far from becoming contenders and the free agent O-linemen bring them closer. A couple of D-linemen and an RB could have them on their way to the promised land. And they can get all of the above in the 2017 NFL Draft in about a month.

Then the Lions have a real shot!