The Lions’ Quiet Storm might be exactly what Aidan Hutchinson has been missing opposite him, and Dan Campbell sees what he can be
Lions fans have spent years dreaming about a splashy addition opposite Hutchinson. Dan Campbell’s comments suggest Detroit may value something very different.
For years, Detroit Lions fans have been asking the same question: who is going to be that guy opposite Aidan Hutchinson? The Lions have been searching for an edge rusher, or at least fans have been talking about it for a long time, and it’s always been about a name-brand player. Lions fans want Maxx Crosby. They want Trey Hendrickson. They want Josh Sweat. They want guys whose names you know.
I understand that thought process. It makes so much sense because you know who these guys are. They’re loud. They’re on ESPN all the time. They’re in all the highlight videos. They have endorsements. But I think part of the problem is that it causes you to ignore the guys who aren’t as loud, aren’t constantly on ESPN, don’t have the endorsements, but still get the job done. There are a lot of guys out there like that. The Lions have a guy like that now, and judging by Dan Campbell’s comments on Monday, that guy is DJ Wonnum.
The way Campbell talked about him was telling. He’s quiet, but he gets the job done. Here’s what Campbell had to say:
“DJ’s another one of those guys. I’m glad we got DJ here. He- I don’t mean this in a bad way; I mean this in a very good way. It’s been kind of a quiet, just steady training camp for him. I think he’s come in and just done his job. I think he’s done it. He’s been very consistent in what we’ve asked him to do.” Campbell said. “There’s nothing flashy about it, he’s a crafty, sneaky, smart veteran football player that understands how to play the run, understands how to— he’s got some slipperiness as a rusher. And I think he’s going to complement Hutch very well on the other side. So I think he’s exactly what I expected to get here to this point. I love that. My first taste was what we saw in Minnesota, and those times he would come in, and he was a rotational player, played special teams. But I just remember when he came in, man, he was one of those guys, just a man. He’s a lunch pail guy that’s going to give everything he’s got and he plays a smart brand of football. And I love that about him.”
That makes so much sense. That’s exactly what Detroit is about. Believe me, the Lions have some loud players, some flashy guys, guys with the big endorsements and names everyone knows. But this organization has always been about the lunch pail guy, the player whose name you don’t really know but who comes in, goes to work, and gets the job done.
Why Wonnum fits what the Lions need
You saw it last year with Al-Quadin Muhammad. He’s not a big flashy name. Not everybody knows who that guy is, but he had double-digit sacks last season. The problem? He wasn’t good against the run. The Lions had him on run snaps for something like 82 snaps. That’s not good. You need somebody who’s balanced, and I think Wonnum fits that.
When Detroit signed him, that’s exactly what I personally saw. Here’s a guy who can set the edge in the run game. But more importantly, look at how he played in Minnesota with Danielle Hunter. He ate off the one-on-one opportunities Hunter gave him. Hunter and that Minnesota Vikings defensive line would open up opportunities, give him one-on-one situations or just open looks, and Wonnum would take advantage of those.
That’s what the Lions need. Of course you want a guy who can make his own way and create his own stuff, and I think Wonnum is capable of some of that. They say in basketball, can he create his own shot? I think Wonnum can do some of that, but not like Hutchinson can create his own shot. There aren’t a whole lot of players in the league who can do what Hutchinson does. Wonnum is essentially your 3-and-D guy. A really good defender who could be open for those 3-pointers and hits them.
The bigger picture for Detroit’s edge rotation
It’s clear as day he’s going to start opposite Hutchinson in Week 1. Eventually, Derrick Moore will get more and more opportunity, and maybe he’ll take over for Wonnum down the line. But the combination of Moore, Wonnum, Ahmed Hassanein, and Eric O’Neill, who Campbell also spoke glowingly of, gives Detroit what it’s been chasing. The Lions finally have a deep edge rusher rotation that fits with what their interior rotation looks like.
This team is ready to get after the quarterback like we’ve never seen. Now they have to do it in real games. But right now, this is exactly what the Lions have been trying to build. Let’s see where it goes.
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