So a week after the draft, I've still been pondering some of the Lions draft picks, especially the Broyles pick. I know most of us Lions fans thought wide receiver was the last position we would address in the first couple rounds, and in the eyes of some, our draft went downhill after making a great selection of Riley Reiff in the first round...

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I personally hate all this talk of us bringing in a running back, especially Peyton Hillis, but after the Pats and Cowboys game, Alex Flanagan, the NFL Network reporter, said that she talked to Jerry Jones and he said that he has received several offers for Tashard Choice, who is on the block. She said that if the offer was there, Jones would move him. Mayhew completely manhandled Jones in the Roy Williams trade and we certainly got the better end of that deal. Do you think Mayhew is going for round 2 and is trying to get Choice for a late round pick, or even a player???

 

Choice isn't a bad player, and while I don't agree it is a lack of talent at running back as much as it is our blocking up front, he would be an upgrade at running back and would be a great between the tackles runner for us. 

 

Your thoughts?

Hey guys, I was at the gym today and I just caught a glimpse of something on ESPN saying, "Do the Lions have enough on offense to support the defense?" or something along those lines. Could anybody fill me in? I wasn't able to hear what Steve Young was saying because there weren't any subtitles, but when I saw that, it kind of pissed me off. We certainly have a top 5 offense in this league. If anybody saw it and could fill me in, that would be great. Thanks! GO LIONS!!!!!!

Ok, first off I would like to say that I have damn near suffered a heart attack these past two weeks. I hate seeing us down like this trying to come back and win, we need to be able to play like we did against the Bucs and Chiefs and dominate from the first drive. But, with that being said, on to the positive..........

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Dating back to last season, the Lions have allowed just one offensive touchdown in 13 quarters. Going against a bad Vikings offense next week, there's no doubt in my mind they could extend that to 17 quarters. Had the coaches not been so passive in play-calling last week against Tampa, we could have zero td's allowed on defense. Just an interesting fact I realized.

 

GO LIONS! GO LIONS! GO LIONS! GO LIONS! GO LIONS! GO LIONS! (Sorry, had to get to 75 words)

Now, before I start, I would like to apologize. I do not mean to even potentially jinx anything before the season, but I can't help notice......Matthew Stafford looks like a top 5 QB so far. He's 12/17 3 td's and 0 int's with 156 yards. Every one of his throws are right where only his receiver can bring it down and he puts such incredible velocity on each throw, but yet makes it look so easy. The two throws that really caught my attention this week were the deep completions to Pettigrew and Burleson. Both throws were on last year's rookie phenom Joe Haden, and both throws landed perfectly in the receiver's hands. Now I don't want to "count my chickens before they hatch" or jinx anything, but Matthew Stafford looks like an elite QB so far. If he can stay healthy and play at this level, there is no telling what the Lions can do this year. Forget playoffs, I'm thinking beyond that. Call me crazy, but this kid has given me all the reason to believe in the hype surrounding this team. So long story short....Is it just me, or is Matthew Stafford becoming one of the elite QBs in this league after each week?

 

GO LIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am very surprised that the Lions did not take a LB or CB in the first three rounds. I thought for sure they would draft at least one of each position in those rounds, as they were obviously our biggest holes on the roster. It is quite obvious now that the Lions will be targeting those positions in free agency, and I've read a lot lately that the Lions will be targeting Stephen Tulloch, the MLB from the Titans. Adding him will complete the Lions LB corps in my opinion. Moving Levy back outside, and having a competition between Carpenter, Palmer, and the rookie Hogue, will be a very tough LB corps. That leaves the secondary. There is a lot of interest in Nnamdi Asomougha around the league, which leads me to believe that the Lions are not willing to get into a bidding war with another team. Chris Houston apparently will not be back next season either, which means we no longer have just one CB slot to fill, but two. Do the Lions go out and get a big-name guy, or try and bring in two guys who aren't going to be perennial pro bowlers, but are above servicable? Anybody have any ideas as to where the Lions could go in FA or trades?

 

Sorry its kind of a broad subject and pretty plain, but this has been a big question to me now that the draft is over.

Ok, so today's loss to the Jets was beyond heartbreaking. We were by far the better team, and we couldn't get the W because some of our key pieces got injured. So right now we stand 2-6, and most likely won't be making the playoffs. We probably lost Matthew Stafford for an extended period of time, and we have Drew Stanton at QB with Shaun Hill out. We lost our kicker (which cost us the game) and we had one of our starting CBs go down. So here's my question.........

What do we take from this loss??? Honestly, nothing good has come from this game with the injuries we sustained and our inability to close a game. This sucks. I've been an optimistic Lions fan for longer than a lot of people, but this was a kick in the teeth to hopes. Somebody please point out some positives, because I'm having a hard time finding very many. 

p.s.- If anybody heard anything on Stafford, please post. I probably won't be able to sleep tonight knowing he could end up on IR.......

Has anybody checked out ESPN's Rookie Watch? It makes me sick! They have Bradford ahead of Suh, after Bradford had some awful performances (particularly against our very own Detroit Lions) and Suh has had nothing but spectacular performances. Suh is the best DT in this league, Bradford may not even be a top 15 QB. Maybe I'm just biased, but watching Suh out there, he's unstoppable, watching Bradford out there, he's inconsistent. Here's the list, its a little irritating.....

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?page=rookiewatch8

I don't see us losing more than 2 or 3 more games the rest of the season!

Here is my belief:

We've already played the toughest part of our schedule, playing well in every game but one. In each of our losses, except for the game against Minnesota, we have lost by a touchdown or less (it was just 2 points in losses to the Packers and Eagles). I truly believe if we had Matthew Stafford and a couple other guys healthy (Levy and Delmas) we may have only lost the Minnesota game. 

This week we have a bye. After that, we play a VERY overrated Redskins team and the New York Jets, in Detroit. After last week's win at home against the Rams, I truly believe Ndamukong Suh when he says, "I promise we won't lose another home game". Our toughest opponents for the rest of the season play against us in Detroit (the Patriots and Jets). If we win every game at home for the rest of the season, that alone gives us 6 wins. With games in Buffalo and Tampa almost certain to be locks, we could win 8 games to finish the season. I think the toughest game for the rest of the season is the game against Miami, in Miami. Finishing the season 8-1 will give us a 9-7 record, something most of us never could have imagined.

Now, the key to finishing the rest of the season strong is this bye week. During the bye, if we get Levy, Stafford, Best, and Delmas fully healed (yes Best and Delmas played, but they were hurting), that is a start. Also, we must find a way to limit the penalties. I think having a few more home games will get us the calls we deserve (so far we either beat ourselves or got beat by the zebras, NOT the other team). We must also find a way to get this offensive line to push the pile better. Best should have at least three 100 yard games so far, but there has been ZERO push up front. The secondary has been a pleasant surprise so far, but we CANNOT afford a collapse. We have to maintain the play we have had these past three weeks.

Ok, enough talk, tell me what you think........

Is going on with the Jason Fox development??????

When the Lions first drafted Fox, they envisioned him being the franchise left tackle in a year or so, now, 5 months later, I haven't heard his name since late pre-season. With Jeff Backus falling off terribly in the first two games, there still hasn't been any Jason Fox chatter. I know its not too accurate, but on the depth chart, Fox is listed as a right tackle. I thought he played well in pre-season, and probably played better than Gosder.

I know it is kind of early and random, but what have any of you heard in his development and what they have planned for him. 

Thanks

First the knee, then the shoulder, then the other shoulder, now its the talk. After Matt Stafford was injured in Sunday's 'should have been win' against the Bears, the chatter has started. Now analysts and so-called experts feel that Stafford is too "injury-prone" to be a successful franchise QB after his third injury in 11 starts. Some feel that only the hit against Cleveland warrants an injury, but the other hits are just normal shots a QB is going to take. Others say that its just part of being a young QB in this league, and that Troy Aikman and Phil Simms dealt with injuries early on in their careers too. So here's where the debate begins...

To me, Stafford is a warrior. He came back into the Cleveland after suffering a brutal shoulder injury and won the game for us. I don't know another QB in this league that would do that for his team, not even Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Brett Favre, or Drew Brees.  However, that doesn't mean he isn't injury-prone. While most feel three serious injuries in 11 starts is a brutal number, I feel that doesn't mean he is injury-prone. Against the Bears last season, Stafford took a brutal hit when he was dragged down from behind. His knee was caught under him and he dislocated it. I think just about any QB that took that hit would dislocate his knee too. This was not just due to Stafford's body not being able to hold up to the hit. Against the Browns, definitely the biggest shot Stafford has taken, he was just rocked by Cleveland's Robaire Smith, a 6,5 310 monster who was coming full-force at Stafford. This hit would take out just about anybody in the league, and Smith even said, "He couldn't believe Stafford came back into the game". One can not even consider this injury as just being "injury-prone". This week, against the Bears, Julius Peppers went almost untouched and sacked Stafford. The 6,7 290 Peppers is one of the most deadly defensive players in the league, and he absolutely rocked Stafford. Some feel that the hit shouldn't have created an injury, but anytime somebody that big and that fast hits you, you're bound to bend something the wrong way. I feel Stafford isn't injury-prone at all, but rather is just susceptible to big hits, being in the wrong position, and miscues by teammates. So what should we do about this when he comes back???

The Lions oline is not good enough to be running 5 blockers alone and going with 3 or 4 wide. If we want to have a successful offense in both keeping our franchise QB healthy, and having a running game, we MUST use our TEs more effectively. Didn't we draft Brandon Pettigrew because he was such a great blocker, and one of the best blocking TEs to come out of college? Yes. Then why did we not use him ONCE to block Julius Peppers? I don't know if Pettigrew pass blocked once that whole game. Our TEs may be the most lethal part of our offense and Linehan only used 50% of their potential against the Bears. Unless we start realizing what we have in our players, and how to be more efficient on offense, I think this team will struggle greatly. 

That's just my opinion on it all guys. Lemme know what you think.

This is a judge of how our positions stack up through three pre-season games. 

QB: A-

Matthew Stafford has a season under his belt, some more weapons to throw to, and a reliable RB to hand-off to in the backfield. So far, he has looked like a seasoned vet out there. One that could make the Pro Bowl this season. 

 

RB: A-

With the addition of Jahvid Best, this went from being one of the weak points of the Lions roster, to being one of its strong points. Best has looked like an all-pro thus far. Elusive, explosive, and dynamic are all understatements. The depth at the position is another positive. Any one of the other RBs could be a backup to Best. Let's also not forget about Jerome Felton, and what he has shown this pre-season in his ability to run the ball.

 

FB: A-

Jerome Felton has been very impressive in carrying the ball this season. I haven't seen enough of his leadblocking this pre-season, but in today's game, FB's are more often asked to run the ball and pass block, than hit the whole and knock some LBs heads off.

 

WR: A+

Last year, our WRs may have been graded out to a B- at best, and that was simply because of Calvin Johnson. This year, the additions of Nate Burleson and Tim Toone, and the improved play of Bryant Johnson and Derrick Williams, this group is deadly. Oh ya, and Calvin Johnson just happens to be the most talented receiver to ever step foot on the gridiron.

 

TE: A

The Lions in my opinion had a great tandem last season at TE with Brandon Pettigrew and Will Heller. This year, it only got better. With the addition of Tony Scheffler, one of the better receiving TEs in the league, and Pettigrew healthy, this unit is very exceptional. Dan Gronkowski has also done very well in the pre-season. 

 

O-Line: B

Jeff Backus is very solid and reliable at the LT position while Rob Sims is a great pick up at LG. Dominic Raiola is very durable, but his lack of size is slowly becoming a problem in an league where D-linemen are only getting bigger. Stephen Peterman is a very good run blocker who gets good push, but is often very heavy-footed in pass blocking. The RT position is a little bit of a worry with Gosder Cherilus, Jon Jansen, and apparently Corey Hilliard is competing for the spot as well. This is not a group of perennial pro bowlers, but they get the job done and keep the franchise investment on his feet, allowing 0 sacks this pre-season.

 

DEFENSE

DE: B+

With the additions of Kyle Vanden Bosch, Willie Young, and Lawrence Jackson, this unit is much improved since last season. Cliff Avril and Turk McBride have both stepped up their play as well. This unit looks like a totally different unit from the one last season. 

 

DT: A

Arguably the strongest position on this team, the Lions have a great starting tandem in Corey Williams and Ndamukong Suh as well as exceptional reserves in Sammie Hill and Landon Cohen. Opposing running backs will hate running between the tackles against these guys.

 

OLB: C+

The Lions have an excellent vet in Julian Peterson who didn't have as strong of a year last year as he appears to be poised to have this year with the additions to the D-line. The weakside linebacker spot seems to be a weak point on this roster. The coaching staff hasn't been as impressed with Zack Follett as they hoped to be. He is struggling in play recognition and pass coverage. They must find some consistency at the position.

 

MLB: B

This off-season, the Lions let Larry Foote sign with Pittsburgh as opposed to try and keep him, in hopes that Deandre Levy could build off of a surprise rookie season. So far, Levy has been struggling with injuries, and he may miss the season opener. When healthy though, Levy is one of the better young middle linebackers in the NFC. Let's hope he can get healthy because behind Levy, we have nobody.

 

CB: C-

The Lions cleaned house at CB after last year's disastrous group. This year, they brought in a whole new crop, however, they don't appear to be a whole lot better. This year's 3rd round pick Amari Spievey was just recently moved to safety due to his poor hip rotation and ball skills while his tackling ability suits him better for safety. Trade acquisition Chris Houston has been ok so far, but nothing to rave about although he is an excellent tackler, something our CBs last year were not. Free agent acquisition Johnathon Wade has been the most consistent corner on this roster until he broke his finger. Hopefully he will be ready for the season opener. Let's just hope the defensive line can get to the QB before he can get the ball off, or else this defense is in serious trouble.

 

FS: A+

Ok, so I'm sure many of you think that an A+ is a little ridiculous to rate our second year safety Louis Delmas, but sorry, you're all wrong. Delmas is a top 3-5 safety in this league, and hands down the best one in the division. I would only put Ed Reed, Darren Sharper, and Troy Polamalu ahead of him, while Polamalu is debatable with his injury history. Delmas is the hard-nosed, ballhawk every coach dreams of at safety, and honestly, I wouldn't trade him for any safety considering all the years he has ahead of him. This is the strongest, and maybe the only strong point of our secondary.

 

SS: B-

I don't know if this is too high or too low of a rating. I feel that C.C. Brown, Randy Phillips, and Amari Spievey (for the one game he played in) have played very well so far, but none of them are elite players by any means. I feel that the competition at this spot is what is creating such strong play amongst these guys. Phillips has been a total surprise as an undrafted rookie out of the U, and C.C. Brown has played well considering he was only expected to be a backup. This position battle will come right down to the wire. 

 

Special Teams: B+

Getting rid of Stan Kwan automatically makes this unit better. With the additions of some special teams players such as Caleb Campbell and Dante Wesley, there is a major improvement amongst talent. Our coverage has been much improved and I think the coaching is as well. Our return men are much better than last year with Aaron Brown playing better, Tim Toone returning punts, and the possibility of throwing Jahvid Best back there to return kicks, the returns should be MUCH better than last year. At kicker, Jason Hanson should return fine, and at punter, Nick Harris will be as reliable as ever. This unit shouldn't be half bad.

It is very obvious that the Lions are thin at LB right now, and with Shawn Crable being a free agent, why isn't this a no-brainer? Crable could be a backup to Julian Peterson for now, and then after Peterson's contract expires, Crable can start. Yes, he can START. Crable played the same position at Michigan and showed 1st round talent there. It wasn't until the Patriots tryed to play him at a 3-4 OLB that he wasn't successful. If Crable learned the Lions defense for a year, with his athleticism and size, he could start next season. 

Give me your thoughts on this......

The Lions have a need at weakside linebacker after trading away Ernie Sims, and I have heard talk of signing Keith Bulluck, or waiting for Bobby Carpenter, or just letting Zack Follett start all together. I think Jacksonville set us up with a great option. Today, the Jags rescinded their RFA offer to OLB Clint Ingram after reaching a deal with Freddy Keiaho, the former Colts linebacker. Ingram could fill in at the weakside linebacker position and share time with Zack Follett. The two would provide great energy and fresh legs. Ingram is relatively young at only 27 years old, and he has some ability to rush the passer. Then, next year when Julian Peterson's contract expires, the Lions can move Ingram to the strongside and keep Follett on the weakside. It makes perfect sense. I don't know about the rest of you, but I think this would be an awesome signing.

Tell me what you think.........

I just found this link on mlive.com, and it says that the Redskins are actively shopping DT Albert Haynesworth. This is strange because espn.com reports the complete opposite, saying that the Redskins in fact are NOT trying to shop the all-pro DT. This article also came out today. I think you have to trust the hometown source, rather than espn. Who should we believe??? Here's the link:

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/06/AR2010040604120.html

This past week, we learned a few things.........Albert Haynesworth is on the block, Donovan McNabb is going to be a Redskin, Anthony Hargrove is staying a New Orlean Saint, the Lions filled their need at LG, and the Browns still have no franchise QB. So what does this all mean for the Lions? Well, read on........

I think that when draft day rolls around, the Lions will be the most active team when it comes to trades. They have been very active this off-season, but the draft will really be crazy. First off, at this point, I don't know if the Lions choose either Russell Okung or Ndamukong Suh, I think they are going to be trading down with Cleveland and drafting one of four guys: Joe Haden, Eric Berry, Earl Thomas, or CJ Spiller. Cleveland is in dire need of a franchise QB after missing out on the Donovan McNabb sweepstakes and trading Brady Quinn. However, rumor has it that they love Jimmy Clausen. I think Clausen would be great for their "West Coast Offense". The Lions will also acquire another second round and fourth round pick from the Browns as well. From there, the Lions will trade this year's third and a later pick for this year or next year for Albert Haynesworth. It is somewhat ironic that the Lions just let Anthony Hargrove sign with the Saints without even giving him an offer when they had so much interest, but then after finding out Haynesworth was on the block, everything became clear. Some may be concerned about Haynesworth's lack of effort and poor work ethic, but no way will Haynesworth go half speed for former coach Jim Schwartz. After all, Schwartz is the reason Haynesworth is the highest paid DT in this league. The Lions then have their d-line solidified at DT, with a very solid rotation of Sammie Hill, Corey Williams, and Albert Haynesworth.

Without a need at LG, we don't have to draft an OT or try and trade up for a guy like Iupati; our offensive line is solidified. With drafting a DB or RB in the first round, it fills one of our two biggest needs. If this is really what Mayhew and Co. are planning on, we could even see a playoff run this season and a possibly an NFC North title. Only 3 weeks away until the draft. Could this be glory? Tell me what you guys think........

I was reading Jared Gaither is on the block right now, and I think that Detroit should move in on him. He is 6,9 345 pounds, and in my opinion, is right up there with Jake Long, Ryan Clady, and Joe Thomas as one of the best Left Tackles in the league. Adding him to our o-line would be a phenomenal addition. I saw that Baltimore is asking for a high 2nd or low 1st, but since Detroit wants to move out of the second overall pick, how would this sound?????

Detroit Receives: Jared Gaither, OT

Baltimore's 2010 1st Round pick

Baltimore's 2010 5th Round pick

 

Baltimore Receives: Detroit's 2010 First Round pick

 

I think the Ravens would like this trade because it leaves them with a couple of options. They can take Eric Berry to replace Ed Reed (who may still retire), Ndamukong Suh who could play both DE and NT in the 3-4, or Gerald McCoy who could be a great 3-4 DE for them. The Lions would get a franchise Left Tackle who is only 24 years old, and they would still be able to get a late first round pick and draft a Running Back, Linebacker, Cornerback, Safety, whatever they want (or better yet need), they could get. Detroit would also get a late round pick that they could use to acquire some depth and special teams help. 

 

TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So we all can agree that the Lions o-line is far from stellar, and that if we want to have success running the ball and keeping Stafford healthy, we must add a few solid players. Assuming we don't sign Chester Pitts, let's run through a quick scenario...........

 

The Lions coaching staff was not satisfied with the play of RT, Gosder Cherilus, this season, mostly in part due to injuries. While the coaches were satisfied with his run blocking, his pass blocking was mediocre or worse at times. In my opinion, our fix for the LG position is already on our roster in Gosder. Gosder is a better run blocker than pass blocker, and now that he is close to 330 pounds, he may be a better fit inside. His pass blocking may not be good enough for OT, but for a LG, he could be a great pass and run blocker. To replace Gosder, we have a few options, especially in this draft which is VERY deep at OT...........

Scenario #1: In the third round, we can draft a guy such as Hillsdale's Jared Veldheer, who could have the most NFL ready frame of any incoming OT. He is 6,8 321, and he has tremendous athleticism. He could play RT for a year, then move to LT where he could anchor our blindside for the next 10-15 years. This guy reminds me a LOT of Johnathon Ogden.

 

Scenario #2: In the second round, a guy such as Charles Brown out of USC may be available. Brown is a top 3 pass blocker in this draft, if not the best. He is very, very athletic, and although he is slightly undersized in terms of weight, but he has the height, the long arms, and great technique. He mirrors his man well, and he keeps the defensive player off his body. In drafting Brown, we could move Backus to RT and put Brown at LT. We would have our franchise LT to go along with our franchise QB, and we wouldn't need to spend a first round pick on him either like we would have to with Okung, Bulaga, Davis, or Campbell.

 

Scenario #3: This is the scenario that has been discussed several times, and that is to draft Russell Okung. The only difference from my scenario and the scenarios created by others on this site, is I have Backus moving to RT instead of LG. Okung and Cherilus would be a dominant left side that could protect Stafford, and open holes for the RBs. I am not a fan of spending a first round pick on an OT when this class is so deep, but if we trade down, this is definitely an option. 

 

I think any of these scenarios would turn our offensive line into a top 5 or 10 offensive line and could turn our offense into possibly the most lethal in the league if we are able to get a RB as well. With Calvin and Stafford, anything is possible in the passing game, especially with an o-line to give them time!

What do you guys think???

With some recent roster shake-ups, and acquisitions of draft picks, it looks to me as if the Browns may be looking to trade up in the draft. The Lions have been in talks with Cleveland and Buffalo about the possibility of moving down, as both teams were looking to move up. It looks like Cleveland is trying to get the edge in talks by acquiring some more picks. 

Today, the Browns traded Brady Quinn to the Broncos for some picks, and OLB, Kamerion Wimbley to the Raiders for a third rounder. I bet Detroit would love to get their hands on a first, second, and maybe two thirds. Detroit meanwhile, has been trading away its late round picks recently, and Martin Mayhew has even said he believes in building through the draft, not trade or free agency. I think there could be a deal in the works for the second overall pick. All this talk about Mike Holmgren saying there is no franchise QB in this draft could just be a smoke screen. I would love to have Suh, but then again, I would love to have the rest of the holes on this team filled as well. 

Anyhow, tell me what you guys think. This is starting to get interesting.

With the talk of whether the Lions should draft Suh or not, I started to think of different ways they could rotate their DTs. The most interesting way came to my mind when I thought about Albert Haynesworth down in Tennessee when Schwartz was the defensive coordinator. Schwartz would put Haynesworth in situations to take the double-team away. The Lions, could do the same thing with Suh, and put him opposite Vanden Bosch as the starter. On passing downs, move him inside to the 3-technique, move Corey Williams to the nose, and bring in Avril/Hunter to replace Suh. Hill would be on the sidelines, allowing him to be prepared for the next few plays. This would give us fresh legs, a great pass rush, and a great run defense. A lot of people may think 307 pounds is too big for a DE, but Suh ran faster than a lot of the DEs at the Combine. I think with his talent, it would be awesome. No OT would be able to run block him, and then most OGs couldn't even pass block him. Our D-line would look like this:

Suh-Williams-Hill-Vanden Bosch

 

Looks solid to me. Now tell me what you think!

I was on mlive.com today and I saw that former NFL DT, John Thornton, spoke out against taking a DT with the second overall pick. Now, he knows that Suh and McCoy are far ahead of most guys in this year's draft, but he still says that taking a DT second overall would be foolish. Here's the link to the article:

http://blog.mlive.com/highlightreel/2010/02/john_thornton_on_lions_first-r.html

I'm not too sure Thornton is either right or wrong. It is true that a DT will not make as big of an impact as an elite pass rusher, a franchise LT, or an electrifying RB, but have we seen a DT as good as Suh in recent years? I still say that if we can't trade the pick, and Suh is still there, then we should draft him. I don't see an OT worth taking, and I don't see a DE worth taking. The only guys I see taking THAT high(other than Suh) are Eric Berry, and Joe Haden. CJ Spiller is also a possibility if he has a "Chris Johnson-like" Combine, but if not, he's getting drafted between 10-15. 

Tell me what you guys think of this. 

 

• Free Agency and Off-season
Sign

David Baas, OG, 49ers: Jason Avant, WR, Eagles: Kevin Walter, WR, Texans. Trade for Shawn Crable, OLB, Patriots. If released, sign Vernon Gholston, OLB/DE, Jets.

 

Round 1, Pick# 9 - CJ Spiller, RB, Clemson

The Lions are shopping the number two pick and I came up with a few teams that would possibly be interested. Of those interested, I feel Buffalo is the most. Whenever a rebuilding team gets a new head coach, it seems they almost always want a new QB(assuming they need one). The Lions trade with Buffalo so Buffalo can draft one of two QBs, Sam Bradford or Jimmy Clausen. The Lions however, take their offense to the next level with this pick and draft CJ Spiller. Spiller is a multi-dimensional RB. He catches the ball well, runs between the tackles, and can break it to the outside. The Lions like Spiller a lot as it is already, and after the Combine, they'll like him even more. NFL COMPARISON: Chris Johnson

 

Round 2, Pick# 2 - Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State

The Lions need a CB badly, they're secondary was the worst in the league. Wilson is a future shutdown CB and he could immediately take their passing yards per game allowed down at least 30 yards. NFL COMPARISON: Asante Samuel

 

Round 2, Pick# 9 - Morgan Burnett, S, Georgia Tech

The Lions found a future Pro Bowler in Louis Delmas in last year's draft, but unfortunately, their other safety spot was up in the air half the season. The Lions find their starter opposite Delmas here in Morgan Burnett. Burnett is a ballhawk and hitter like Delmas is and he is very smart as well, exactly what Jim Schwartz wants in his safeties. Delmas and Burnett will be trouble for any QB to throw on. NFL COMPARISON: Brandon Meriweather.

 

Round 3, Pick# 2 - Austen Lane, DE, Murray State

The Lions pass rush was horrendous this past season. If they want to win games, they must generate a pass rush. Austen Lane is my sleeper in this year's draft. He is fast, and is a monster. With the proper training and coaching, he will be unstoppable. NFL COMPARISON: Jared Allen

 

Round 4, Pick# 2 - Linval Joseph, DT, ECU

The Lions had a much improved run defense this past season, but it was not stellar. Grady Jackson is on the verge of retirement and the Lions must find his replacement. The Lions get their NT of the future in Linval Joseph. Joseph is very raw and could have benefitted from staying another year in school, but the Lions are happy to take him here. With some coaching, Joseph will be a force. Him and Sammie Hill will make one of the most unstoppable DT tandems in the league someday. NFL COMPARISON: John Henderson

Round 4, Pick# 9 - Alterraun Verner, CB, UCLA

The Lions addressed their secondary earlier in the draft, but depth is always nice. The Lions find a starting nickel back here in Verner. Verner is smart, has good footwork, and good ballskills. One of the big knocks on him is that he gambles far too much. NFL COMPARISON: Aqib Talib

 

Round 5, Pick# 2 - Brandon Carter, OG, Texas Tech

The Lions offensive line stepped up this year, only to falter. The OG spots were revolving doors for most of the season, and after Stephen Peterman, the RG got hurt, there was nobody at RG. The Lions get their RG of the future, and possibly present in Brandon Carter. Carter is a beast of a man and could scare even an NFL d-lineman. The guy has a loose screw in the head, but that's fine, he'll take it out on the Vikings, Packers, or Bears. Carter is going to make one heck of an NFL player whether people see it or not. NFL COMPARISON: Nobody To Compare To

 

Round 6, Pick# 2 - Austin Howard, OT, Northern Iowa

Jeff Backus was a pleasant surprise at LT this season, but at 32 years old, he won't be around for much longer. The Lions need a franchise LT to protect their franchise QB. Austin Howard is a beast of a player, leading one of the top offenses in D-II football. He is very athletic, and he is a very fit 320. With some proper coaching and a solid strength training program, this guy could dominate in a year or two. NFL COMPARISON: Sebastian Vollmer

 

Round 7, Pick# 9 - Phil Costa, C, Maryland

The Lions have had a solid center over the years in Dominic Raiola. However, his actions towards the fans and his age are a concern amongst the coaching staff. Raiola is also a small guy around 6,0 290 lbs and is by no means a force. He plays tough, but these new-age DTs play tougher. The Lions get a big, tough center in Phil Costa. Costa only played center for one year, but played OG the other two. He has good feet, and great size(6,3 300 lbs). Costa could see playing time this season if Raiola slips up with some unfriendly actions towards the fans. NFL COMPARISON: Brad Meester

Round 7, Pick# 32 - Brett Swenson, K, Michigan State

Mr. Irrelevant: Jason Hanson was not himself this year. He missed kicks he has never missed in his entire life. His age started to show throughout the season. The Lions get their future kicker here in Brett Swenson out of the hometown school, Michigan State. Swenson is one of the best in all of college football and his accuracy is second to none. Swenson will find himself a place somewhere on this team, whether it is the roster or practice squad, we'll just have to find out. He could push Jason Hanson right into retirement though if he really performs. NFL COMPARISON: Jay Feely

 

 

I think the Lions should trade for Shawn Crable who has not performed well in a 3-4 scheme and move him back to the 4-3 SLB blitzing LB where he was dominant at Michigan. We could then trade Peterson for some picks and save ourselves A LOT of money. David Baas would come in and be an awesome LG for us and we then would not have to worry about the revolving door at that position. Kevin Walter and Jason Avant, the hometown guys would shore up this lackluster WR corps that allows teams to double and triple team Calvin Johnson. Both are sure-handed and run exceptional routes and will most likely be elsewhere other than that respective teams next season. If released, Vernon Gholston could have his career revamped by moving him back to a 4-3 DE, his natural position. The talent is there, but maybe the scheme or even the people around him just isn't what he needs. I would love to see the Lions grab him on a two year deal for about a million each season, maybe even less.

 

TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK

 

Let's face it, the Lions secondary sucks. In this year's draft, we are most likely going to draft at least one CB, most likely within the first two rounds. That is unless they could find a veteran CB to either trade for or sign. The Lions could find their guy in Antonio Cromartie. Rumor has it that the Chargers are shopping Cromartie for a RB. I know the Lions don't have a RB that compares to Cromartie, but what if we were to trade a RB and another player for him? Here is my proposal:

Lions Trade

Aaron Brown, RB

Bryant Johnson, WR

 

Chargers Trade

Antonio Cromartie, CB

 

We want to draft a RB and WR anyhow, am I correct? Both Brown and Johnson are not elite players for us and neither appear to ever be either. Brown can't remember his plays and his lack of size prevents him from being an every-down guy. Johnson had way too many drops this season, and was pretty much a non-factor. Both of these guys could be replaced much easier than we could find two top CBs in this draft. I think if we were to draft Kyle Wilson in the second or even the hometown guy Donovan Warren in the third or fourth, we would have an excellent secondary. Tell me what you think...

So, I was wondering what you guys thought of a mock like this:

 

• Round 1, Pick# 7 - CJ Spiller, RB, Clemson

Lions trade second overall pick to Cleveland. Cleveland takes Eric Berry: Word has it that GM Martin Mayhew said that if the Lions trade down to pick 6 or later, then they will take Spiller. Spiller is that extra home-run threat the Lions need.

Round 2, Pick# 2 - Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State

Starting CB from day 1. Reminds me a lot of Asante Samuel.

Round 3, Pick# 2 - Cam Thomas, DT, North Carolina

Will start next to Sammie Hill at either DT or NT.

Round 3, Pick# 7 - Austen Lane, DE, Murray State

From trade with Cleveland: Lane is a phenomenal athlete that with a little work, he could be a top 5 pass rusher. At 6,6 270, he runs a 4.6! What a freak! No doubt will start from day 1. Small school prospect who will be awesome after spending some time in the Lions strength training program.

Round 4, Pick# 2 - Rodger Saffold, OG, Indiana

Will start at LG and be a total surprise.

Round 5, Pick# 2 - Sherick McManis, CB, Northwestern

Very underrated CB who has great awareness and football smarts.

Round 6, Pick# 2 - Seyi Ajirotutu, WR, Fresno State

Could see significant time at WR. Highly underrated with great size and speed.

Round 6, Pick# 7 - Alex Daniels, DE/OLB, Cincinnatti

From Cleveland: Daniels put up impressive numbers this year at Cincinnatti. He could end up being our starting SLB in 2011 when Julian Peterson's contract expires, or he could be another DE, possibly a starter one day. Either way, a great value in the 6th round. And if need be, he could be our powerback as he played RB at the University of Minnesota.
The trade is not unrealistic by any means as we acquire Cleveland's first, third, and sixth round picks in exchange for our first pick. I think this has a lot of solid players, most of whom will start. What do you guys think?

Now this may sound stupid to some of you, but what if we were to replace our whole LB corps and trade both Ernie Sims and Julian Peterson for draft picks? See, getting a 3rd for each Peterson and Sims, while dropping Peterson's monster contract, would be of tremendous help to this rebuilding team. Wonder who we would get? How does Joey Porter and Antonio Pierce sound? These two guys have as much left in the tank as Peterson and Foote, and they will come at a cheaper price. We could then keep Levy at WLB, and possibly groom Follett to be our MLB in a year or two. I think Levy-Pierce-Porter is even better than the combination we have right now of Levy(or Sims)-Foote-Peterson. In such a deep draft class, we could get guys in the third round that would be first or second round talent in a previous draft. 

Tell me what you think. It is just a thought, but I would love to see it happen. 

Could you imagine if DeMaryius Thomas, WR, Georgia Tech were to come out in this year's draft? The Lions would possibly have a chance to grab him in the second round if he were to. I know drafting another WR seems like a crazy idea, but hear me out. Thomas is 6,3 230 pounds and runs right around a 4.4. He reminds me a lot of another GT wideout, somebody we're pretty familiar with; Calvin Johnson. If Matthew Stafford were to have both of these two former Yellowjackets to throw to, the Lions could have an offense similar to that of the 2007 Patriots' in just a few years. The potential is unimaginable, just think................

Tell me what you think about this mock. If we could have a draft like this, we would be set for the future. Here it is:

 

1st Round- Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska(starter)

2nd Round- Charles Brown, OT, USC(starter)

3rd Round- Myron Lewis, CB, Vanderbilt(starter)

4th Round- Myron Rolle, SS, FSU(starter)

5th Round- John Jerry, OG, Ole Miss(starter)

5th Round (From Broncos)- Sherrick Mannis, CB, Northwestern(possible starter)

5th Round (For Ernie Sims)- George Johnson, DE, Rutgers(will have significant role)

6th Round- Mike McLaughlin, LB, Boston College(will play significant special teams role)

7th Round (For Drew Stanton)- Brandon James, RB/KR, Florida(will see significant playing time on offense and special teams)