Thursday open thread: Did the Detroit Lions make the right move releasing Eric Ebron?

The biggest move the Detroit Lions have made so far in this free agency period hasn’t been an addition, but a subtraction. After weeks of trade rumors, the Lions gave up and straight up released tight end Eric Ebron, freeing up $8.25 million in cap space, but creating a massive roster hole at tight end.

Considering Ebron’s finish to the 2017 season, it’s a pretty big shock to see the Lions go from exercising his fifth-year option a year ago to completely parting ways with him on Wednesday.

The move sent shockwaves through Lions fandom, but now that some time has passed, I’m curious how everyone is feeling now? So today’s Question of the Day is:

Do you think the Lions made the right move cutting Eric Ebron?

My answer: I still don’t like it.

First, let’s be clear: The Lions couldn’t get anything for Eric Ebron in a trade. The argument cannot be made that Detroit should have traded him instead, because the market wasn’t there.

But look around the NFL right now. 31-year-old Jimmy Graham just got $10 million per year. Trey Burton, who has never had more than 330 receiving yards, just got four years and $32 million. The going rate for a player like Eric Ebron is right around the $8.25 million deal the Lions just threw away.

I’m guessing a lot of you are going to say you’re going to withhold judgement until you see what the Lions do with the $8.25 million in savings, but to me, that’s irrelevant. The move has made the Lions undoubtedly worse, and they did it so late in the free agency game that there’s no real chance they adequately fill Ebron’s role. Sure they may end up using the money on a big splash like Dontari Poe or Ndamukong Suh (though I doubt it), but there were likely other, more creative ways to get those deals under the cap.

When it all comes down to it, I thought the Lions were much better served eating one more year of Ebron’s contract, hoping that he can recreate some of the magic he had in the last two months of the season in 2017. At the very worst, Ebron would’ve remained inconsistent and the Lions could’ve picked up a fifth or sixth compensatory pick. Instead, they have a little more cap space and a big hole on the roster.

Your turn.