[ad_1]
Article content
The Detroit Lions will be a different team offensively next season.
Part of that is offensive co-ordinator Anthony Lynn coming on staff with new head coach Dan Campbell and part of that is the fact that the club will not have Matthew Stafford at quarterback for the first time in 12 years.
Officially, the Stafford trade, to the Los Angles Rams for quarterback Jared Goff and two first-round draft picks, cannot be announced until a new NFL season begins next month, but Lynn alluded to that fact in his first media session on Wednesday.
“I think everyone knows what the rumours are and what’s been said and everything,” Lynn said. “I can’t talk about that because he’s not on our team, but I was in L.A. with the young man. I know he’s a winning quarterback. He’s the No. 1 pick (overall in 2016) for a reason, so good player.”
For over a decade, the Lions have relied too much on Stafford to carry the team to victory and Lynn wants to get away from that.
Article content
“I know, being a former running back and all, the narrative that has always followed me as a ground and pound guy,” Lynn said. “I believe in this league, the defences are too good to be one dimensional. You have to be balanced in your attack and your approach.
“That’s going to be our intention, but at the end of the day we just want to win damn games. So, if we have to throw it 50 times, we will, and if we have to run it 50 times, we will.”
The 52-year-old Lynn holds no grudges about being let go after four seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers despite a 33-31 record.
“That’s not my call,” Lynn said. “That’s the ownership’s call. All I know is I’m a Detroit Lion now and I’m happy to be here and looking forward to this challenge.”
The move reunites him with Campbell, who played in Dallas back when Lynn was a coach.
“In a lot of ways, he’s the same because he’s a hard worker, he’s highly competitive and he’s a high-character man,” Lynn said of Campbell. “That’s the reason why I’m here, because of Dan Campbell. I have all the respect in the world for him. Watching him as a player, and grow and develop into a coach and now a head coach, I couldn’t be more excited to be here and serve him as his offensive co-ordinator.”
And Lynn believes there are pieces on the Lions’ offence to work with starting with an offensive line that features tackle Taylor Decker and Pro Bowl centre Frank Ragnow.
“I think the offensive line, on the offensive side of the ball, is the deepest position, so it will be an emphasis to run the football and run it efficiently because I believe the more ways you can run it the more ways you can throw it,” Lynn said.
Article content
He wants to make D’Andre Swift an every down running back and believes tight end T.J. Hockenson, who was a Pro Bowl selection in his second season, still has a higher ceiling. With receivers Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones free agents, but Lynn is confident those holes will get filled.
What he likes is the foundation being built by the club and the co-operation at all levels to a common goal.
“Everything’s been all-inclusive,” Lynn said. “I love the way we work with our personnel department and our head coach. It’s been outstanding.
“I love the staff that Dan’s putting together. Good people and I believe to have a good staff you have to have good people first and they just happen to be damn good coaches. I’m excited to work with this staff.”
[ad_2]
Source link
