Ask any Lions fan about the weaknesses of the team in the dismal 3-12-1 finish, and the list doesn’t get too long before the struggles of linebackers in coverage comes up. It was an especially acute issue against teams with good tight ends.
That’s why the move to sign Jamie Collins is such a smart one for GM Bob Quinn and the Lions. His presence helps correct what was one of the team’s biggest issues on defense.
Simply put, he’s the best coverage LB in the NFL. In fact, in 2019 in New England, Collins turned in the best coverage performance, as judged by QB Rating allowed, by a linebacker since 2011. So says PFF, accounting for a minimum threshold of 25 passing game targets:
It wasn’t just a fluke season, either. Collins has consistently graded out very well in coverage, outside of the injury-ravaged 2017 campaign in Cleveland with the winless Browns. Detroit runs a very familiar defensive scheme to what Collins thrived in for the Patriots, too.
