Detroit Lions: 8 Players who could be gone in 2019
By Zac Snyder
Luke Willson
Bob Quinn opened himself up to criticism for his decision to release Eric Ebron after initially deciding to pick up the fifth-year option on his rookie contract. Ebron got to hit the open market and eventually signed with the Indianapolis Colts for less than the Lions would have paid him on the option. It might have been some small early validation for Quinn, but the decision has blown up in his face.
Ebron has gone on to be a big part of the Colts offense, scoring 13 total touchdowns through his first 14 games as a Colt. He had just 12 total touchdowns in four seasons in Detroit.
The situation might not be so bad if the Lions had any tight ends producing, but that hasn’t happened. Luke Willson was signed to be the biggest tight end target in the passing game but that hasn’t worked out and Willson has so far been eclipsed in the passing game by Levine Toilolo.
Willson was a much cheaper option, but the Lions are finding you get what you pay for. So far, that has been not much.
As a local guy from just across the river in Ontario, Willson coming to the Lions was initially a good story but the good feelings haven’t translated to anything on the field. Willson was signed to just a one-year contract and it is hard to see his stay extending, even as the Lions need another near complete overhaul of their tight end depth chart.