Like We Were Saying: Lions Shouldn't Draft QB, Should Bring Back Kitna

When quarterback Jon Kitna landed on injured reserve six weeks into the 2008 season, many people figured his Lions career was over. It wasn't an especially earth-shattering notion at the time; the team would use the opportunity to see if Dan Orlovsky was a long-term option, or, worst case, get Drew Stanton some work in the hopes that he might emerge as something more than an embarrassment in 2009.

But these are the Lions we're talking about. Orlovsky was injured a month after taking over for Kitna and Daunte Culpepper was summoned off his couch to take over. Predictably, things didn't go so well.

Grand Rapids Press' Brian VanOchten thinks new head coach Jim Schwartz might choose to bring Kitna back for one more season because, "He makes the most sense. He can be their Kerry Collins. [Schwartz] may just want a quarterback to come in and just sort of keep things under control. Jon Kitna is the most qualified to do that."

Seems perfectly reasonable, particularly if the front office isn't particularly jazzed about the future of Orlovsky or Stanton. Furthermore, Kitna's return would allow the organization to draft a quarterback this April and groom him for a year before giving him the job. Somebody like, say, Matthew Stafford, right? Um, not quite. Again, via VanOchten:

It seems logical for the Lions to see that there will be a better crop of quarterbacks coming out in 2010 at the top of the draft and their draft pick -- barring a miraculous turnaround in Schwartz's first season on the sideline -- should put them in great shape for landing one [Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy or Tim Tebow].

On top of that, Mark Sanchez (USC) and Matthew Stafford (Georgia) hardly seem like franchise-saving quarterbacks.

I take the broader point, but if the Lions draft Tebow in 2010, I think commissioner Roger Goodell would be well within his rights to absolve the franchise on the spot, no questions asked.

If all this sounds vaguely familiar it's because Chris Burke first pimped the "don't draft a QB, go with a vet" philosophy three weeks ago.

And who knows, unlike years past, maybe the Lions' front office will draft players who give them a chance to actually be competitive.