The Lions have been submerged in an interminable rebuilding program for several years. This rebuilding process has been particularly nettlesome during Matt Millen's short tenure. I compare the continued personnel failings of the Lions to pulling upon the end of a piece of string. As you pull the string in an attempt to find it's source, it unravels and unwinds until you reach it's end. For the Lions, that source was Matt Millen's poor decision not to retain two inherited offensive linemen, Jeff Hartings and Mike Compton.
Compton and Hartings each were contributors to Super Bowl champion teams after they left the Lions. Hartings has been a Pro Bowler, too. When a NFL executive takes over a team they often set out to make the mark by overhauling their roster. In this particular case, Millen should have followed this overused maxim, "If it aint broke, don't fix it" Hartings and Compton were solid contributors for the team and since that point no player who has attempted to fill their shoes has played up to their quality level. The Lions have been unable to develop any sort of consistency along their offensive line in recent seasons. Hartings' and Compton's replacements have generally been major disappointments. The Lions poor offensive line play has culminated with the 41 sacks they have allowed season, along with innumerable QB hurries and pressures.
Matt Millen's tenure in Detroit is likely nearing it's end point. Millen, a consummate football man who is well-liked, should have known better than to go against his blue-collar football instincts when he arrived in Detoit. Whomever takes over the helm for Millen will certainly have to place a priority upon aquiring some quality offensive linemen, possibly by drafting Wisconsin OT Joe Thomas with the first overall draft pick in the 2007 draft. It is also likely that a disappointing player like G Damien Woody, depending on future salary cap ramifications, may actually be jettisoned. Hopefully, the loss of a former Pro Bowl performer doesn't hamper the Lions to the same degree that the losses of Compton and Hartings appeared to have.
