NFL: Detroit Lions Finally Make A Move In The Front Office

I can't remember the last offseason when the Detroit Lions have been so busy.

During the year, Bobby Ross retires and is replaced with Gary Moeller. Since Moeller made no moves when he first got in, I thought he might stick with most of his coaches, which would have been a mistake.

Instead, Moeller fires his offensive and defensive coordinators along with a wide receivers coach just to begin with. I don't like seeing anyone out of a job, but these and more firings are very necessary for the health and winning of the Lions. It was past time to prune the dead branches and give the Lion tree life again.

Realizing and reading that Moeller might not even be there next year, I eagerly anticipate the next announcement. Although the offer came last year and the rumor was surfacing again, the hiring of Matt Millen as general manager did not seem like a strong possibility, since Moeller had signed on for a couple of more years. Much to my surprise, Millen was signed. This shows the Lions' fans that the organization may finally be serious about being a contender for the Super Bowl.

The next question one might wonder is, what qualifications does Millen have to be a GM for the Fords? Well, let me tell you, I don't really know. But that is only from an experience standpoint. After all, Bobby Ross was a highly experienced coach and look what he did. Millen is young (42), has won four Super Bowls, and has seen most of the NFL team's personnel through his analysis or game film watching. The Detroit Lions needed some new ideas from younger people in the front office. Millen seems to shoot from the hip and tells it the way he sees it, not bowing down to his bosses. This is going to be a nice change from the old regime. William Clay Ford Sr. must have finally listened to his son, Bill Jr., who wants the Lions to be a winning, perhaps championship, franchise. Millen knows what it takes to win a Super Bowl. He has seen, first hand, what type of player is needed on a team to win championships.

Being a football analyst for the past few years, Millen knows what players are out there, who performs, and who doesn't. From the pre-game interviews, he can tell what kind of people these players are. Being younger himself, Millen can relate to the players and know what they go through. Millen was a hard-nosed football player who, I'm sure, will bring in the same type of players.

As of this point, Millen has not said if Moeller will be the coach. But whether Moeller is fired or not, I'm confident Millen will bring in the right person for the job. The players seem to like Moeller, but we will see.

In most cases, I believe, the coach needs a GM for opinions about the personnel. they have assembled. These people must have a positive coexistence. Having no experience as a GM is a plus, because Millen has no preconceived notions about the job or the players. If Millen doesn't work out, at least the Lions tried with a younger guy who is passionate about the game of football. I am anxiously awaiting all of the next Lion moves in the offseason. It promises to be a busy and productive one that, hopefully, leads to a Super Bowl championship sometime in the near future.