Lions General Manager Martin Mayhew says the problem in Detroit last year was a simple matter of not having enough talent.
Specifically, Mayhew says, when he took over control of a teams that had been built by previous team President Matt Millen, he inherited a roster on which backup-quality players were forced into starting roles.
“We had a number of spots where a player would have been perfect as, say, a third defensive end or a nickel, or as a backup special teams player,” Mayhew told the Detroit News. “But they were forced onto the field and were a little overmatched, overwhelmed at times.”
Mayhew said he hopes players like recent acquisitions Kyle Vanden Bosch, Corey Williams, and Nate Burleson will move into starting roles, allowing some players who were starters last year to move down the depth chart where they belong.
“That’s definitely something that we took a long look at after the season,” Mayhew said. “We feel like a lot of guys on our team are quality players and they belong in the league, but they need somebody ahead of them and they need to be in a rotation or in the right role.”