Thursday open thread: Did the Lions make a mistake by not signing LeGarrette Blount?

Wednesday morning news broke that LeGarrette Blount’s free agency had finally come to an end. After the Detroit Lions’ interest in the former Patriot back leaked, fans were waiting eagerly to hear where he would end up landing. Many were not happy with Wednesday’s news.

There has been a lot of hand-wringing over whether the Lions need an upgrade in the backfield. By pure numbers, the Lions have the same amount of running backs they had when they entered training camp last year: six. But some aren’t pleased with the players that they do have, considering the list is almost identical to last year’s crew, who ultimately disappointed in 2016.

Blount ended up signing a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, and while we don’t know the exact contract terms yet, Ian Rapoport is reporting that the deal is worth up to $2.8 million. With all of that in mind, today’s Question of the Day is:

Did the Lions make a mistake by not signing LeGarrette Blount?

My answer: No. While I still believe the Lions could really use some competition at the power running back position (see my thoughts on free agent Christine Michael here), Blount probably wasn’t worth what he got in Philly. He may very well succeed there, but there is very little chance he’ll reach anywhere near the success he had in New England in 2016.

Blount isn’t a pretty runner and requires a decent offensive line to be successful. While Detroit certainly appears to have upgraded their roster on the o-line, there’s no guarantee that it will all come together immediately, especially when there are still very valid concerns about the team’s run blocking skills.

I’ll admit that I got a bit caught up in the Blount hype. He’s a player I’ve wanted the Lions to acquire for two straight offseasons now. And while I admit I would have liked to see him in a Lions uniform this year, passing on him—especially considering how much he likely cost—is by no means a “mistake.” This isn’t a guy that was going to score double-digit touchdowns in 2017. In fact, there was no guarantee he’d even make the final roster. He’s just someone I would have liked to see compete for a spot and push Detroit’s current backs to another level.

Your turn.