Detroit Lions fans across the Twitterverse were very unhappy yesterday, as in exchange for a fifth-round pick, the Lions traded away starting strong safety and team captain Quandre Diggs along with a seventh-round pick to the Seahawks.
Those fans weren't the only people voicing their concerns of the trade on social media, as Darius Slay, Damon Harrison, and Kerryon Johnson were among the many Lions shocked and upset by the move, being that Diggs was obviously very loved on the team.
Fans have a right to be confused, as Diggs has been a very quality football player who has stepped up to become a leader on the Lions defense.
Last season was a career year for Diggs. After posting 78 total tackles, three tackles for loss, eight passes defended, and three interceptions (one of those being a pick-six to open the game against Sam Darnold in Week 1 last season), Diggs earned a Pro Bowl alternate invite, joining Slay to represent the Lions in Hawaii in January.
In the midst of his fifth season in the NFL, it appears on the surface that Diggs has entered his prime and is still a dark horse candidate to return to the Pro Bowl. But the sad reality of the NFL is that it is a business, and even talented, well-liked players can be traded at a moment's notice.
Getting rid of Diggs allows the Lions to free themselves of the $5 million+ that they were going to owe him next season and the year after, and if he continued to play like a Pro Bowl player, he would have been due for a huge payday in 2022.
Despite the solid reputation he has built, it has been clear that Diggs' play has slipped this season. Per Pro Football Focus, Diggs has missed six tackles this season, which is a mistake that coaches hate to see on film time-and-time again. While his grit is clearly there, a safety with a 5-foot-9 frame who is missing tackles isn't an ideal member of the defense.
Diggs has not been playing the same as he has in the past, and general manager Bob Quinn has taken the Patriot-approach of getting rid of him early rather than too late. That is why he dealt away fan-favorite Golden Tate, who hasn't been as impressive since leaving Detroit.
This trade also proves that Detroit believes in its depth at the safety position. In his rookie season, Tracy Walker has stolen a lot of Diggs' playing time while providing a youthful energy and hard hitting to the Lions defense.
In addition to Walker, Tavon Wilson has been on the team more than a few years and has been a capable back-up, and second-year safety Will Harris has shown signs of potential in his sophomore season.
Next season, it's quite likely that Walker and Harris will be the two starting safeties in Detroit. Both of those young players have much bigger frames than Diggs, and more importantly, both will be on rookie contracts for the next few seasons.
In a vacuum, this trade makes sense for the Lions, as they can pay Walker and Harris this season for a quarter of Diggs' salary.
Even though the move was seen as a risk by those Twitter complainers, Quinn is making a big statement with this trade. He believes in his young secondary and that they are ready for increased roles in head coach Matt Patricia's defensive plan and can be fundamental pieces in the man-coverage-heavy schemes, in an NFL filled with tall receivers that Diggs has struggled guarding more than a few times in his career.
Quinn better hope that this risk pays off, because he knows better than anyone that Lions fans aren't quiet when it comes to voicing their concerns. It wouldn't be surprising if a few billboards popped up around Detroit criticizing the move.
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