Detroit Lions DT Nick Fairley would look good in New England
The Detroit Free Press and Yahoo! Sports are reporting that the Lions are out of contention for defensive tackle Nick Fairley, the team's first-round pick in 2011. Detroit and Fairley's representatives had conversations in the past week about a potential return for Fairley, but those talks appear to have broken down. Fairley is visiting Cincinnati on Wednesday. A message left with Fairley's representatives seeking confirmation was not immediately returned.
The 27-year-old Fairley was Detroit’s first-round pick in 2011 with the No. 13 pick out of Auburn. It appeared this was the perfect fit for Nick working alongside DT Ndamukong Suh. The Detroit Lions did not pick the player options on either defensive tackle last year, and both are no longer Detroit Lions' property.
The Lions were troubled by the inconsistent play of Nick Fairley. Weight problems were the major cause, but Fairley slimmed down to 290 lbs. in 2014, and had a productive season for Detroit. A knee injury forced Nick to miss the final eight regular season games, but he did return for the 24-20 playoff loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
If Nick Fairley could put forth the effort that he displayed in 2014, he represents high value for a team looking to fil a huge hole in its defensive front. The New England Patriots have the need if they are unable to coax nose tackle Vince Wilfork to return.
Paul Murphy is a freelance writer from New Hampshire.
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