After initial bet fails to cash in, Lions placing fresh wagers on accomplished vets Robinson, Patrick
Allen Park — I was eight years old when I was rudely introduced to the idea there’s no such thing as a sure bet.
On the eve of Mike Tyson’s heavyweight championship fight with Buster Douglas in 1990, my uncle graciously asked if I wanted to place a $5 wager on the fight, allowing me to have Tyson. By the time the opening bell rang, I had a concrete plan for the candy and baseball cards I’d spend my winnings, only for Douglas to shock the world as a 27-to-1 underdog, knocking Tyson from his undefeated perch.
Where am I going here? How does this relate to the Detroit Lions? Well, it’s an obviously exaggerated example, but the Detroit Lions had every reason to feel good about their plan to replace wide receiver Josh Reynolds.
Banking on Donovan Peoples-Jones wasn’t akin to wagering on an undefeated Tyson, but it was a reasonably good bet. Peoples-Jones had the size, athleticism and track record of production to fill the void at a fraction of the cost. Plus, he had the benefit of spending a half year in Detroit's system, further reducing the uncertainty.
There is no Douglas in this anecdote, but by the end of training camp, and probably well before that, it was clear Peoples-Jones wasn’t the answer. At least not right now. He’s sticking around on the practice squad for the time being to see if a little more time on task is the missing ingredient.
In the meantime, the Lions are exploring alternatives, placing a pair of low-level wagers on veterans with accomplished pasts, looking to prove they can still have an impact in this league.