When the Lions announced that head coach Matt Patricia and General Manager Bob Quinn would return for the 2020 season, word from ownership was that the expectation is that the team will be playoff contenders.
The implication that failing to reach that level would negatively impact a potential return for the 2021 season wasn’t made explicit, although it probably didn’t need to be. The team’s offseason moves will factor heavily into whether they can make a big jump from 3-12-1 and one of the new arrivals believes he’ll help push the team where it needs to go.
Linebacker Jamie Collins said he thinks the Lions are close to “doing big things” and that his experience will be crucial to getting them there.
“One play here, one play there,” Collins said, via the team’s website. “When you’re a player, you look at the game different than outsiders and fans. We break down the game and process the game and digest the game just different than the average person. It’s always one or two plays that’s the difference in the game and I just feel like me being a veteran now, I can bring some veteran, some professional little things to get us over the top, and I’m definitely up for the challenge.”
The move to the Lions marks Collins’ second departure from the Patriots. He wasn’t able to help the Browns change course in two-plus years in Cleveland, but the Lions are banking on this time working out better after he rebounded in his return to New England last year.