Posts belonging to Category Lions

It’s hard not to like the players the Lions added in this class, but I do have some concerns about their strategy. You can add flashy players in the draft, and it appeases fans the media critics, but you still need to remember you’re the Detroit Lions. They weren’t in a position to make these luxury picks and expect immediate results, as many in the media are already predicting. Down the road, this could develop into an elite draft class, but only if they support these players with solid drafts in the years to come.

Nick Fairley certainly falls into the flashy category, and I would have no problem with the selection if he were their only flashy pick of the draft. While many have been quick to anoint Fairley and Suh the elite interior pass rush until in the league, they’re forgetting the fact that both players are liabilities against the run. Yes, they will make some bone-crunching hits on quarterbacks but if your interior line is incapable of stopping the run, you won’t be playing deep into January. Suh and Fairley are each at their best when supported by a nose tackle playing next to them to eat up space and multiple blockers.

Titus Young is an elite playmaker, and without character concerns would have been a 1st-round pick. However, I have the same mixed feelings about the selection as I did with Fairley. Were they really in a position to take a slot receiver over a less-sexy position such as an offensive lineman or cornerback?

I believe Mikel Leshoure was the best running back in this class so I can’t argue with the Lions taking him at No. 57. The combination of Leshoure and Best could be a dangerous weapon if offensive coordinator Scott Linehan uses them correctly.

Doug Hogue will add depth at linebacker, and due to their lack of playmakers at the position could actually compete for serious playing time at the strong-side position. Bobby Carpenter doesn’t exactly have the starting job locked down, so Hogue could make a run at the position at some point this season.

Johnny Culbreath is a left tackle project. He needs to bulk up, but definitely has the athleticism to play the position. He may spend the year on the practice squad before being given a chance to compete for a job in 2012.

As I said in the into, the Lions added three great playmakers but I’m just not convinced that this was the year to use three luxury picks. All the Lions did in this draft was make their strong suit even stronger, but it wasn’t the defensive line or the offense that kept them out of the playoffs in 2010. Until they find some serious upgrades in the secondary and on the offensive line, no amount of offensive weapons can turn them into a legitimate contender.

Smith's off-field problems may keep him out of the 1st round

To the best of my knowledge only two teams have set up pre-draft workouts/visits with Jimmy Smith, the Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions.

Normally I wouldn’t put much stock in this fact since teams frequently take players in the late 1st-round without having met beforehand. However, Smith isn’t the type of player you take in the 1st round without doing your homework.

Smith already has multiple arrests and a failed drug test under belt, which has caused some teams to reportedly remove him from their draft board altogether. With that in mind, I simply can’t see a team spending a 1st-round pick on him without having spent a decent amount of time getting to know him first.

Of course, it’s possible that he has made other visits which the media is unaware of, and it’s also possible that more visits will be set up between now and the draft. But if we read between the lines at this point in time, it looks as though Smith may be a longshot for the 1st-round.

5. Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings need a quarterback, but the 12th pick is too early to reach for Locker or Mallett. To make matters worse, the 43rd pick may be too late to land either of those two, and possibly too late for Ponder as well. They may try to trade down to the late 1st-round in order to land a quarterback in a reasonable draft slot.

4. Carolina Panthers
There isn’t an obvious choice at No. 1 this year and the Panthers could get a similar player at a cheaper price if they trade down. If they can convince a team like the Bills or Bengals to trade up for a quarterback, the Panthers would gladly move down.

3. New England Patriots
The Patriots are a candidate here because, well, they always trade down. A great defensive lineman is likely to be on the board at No. 17 and the Patriots can probably find a trading partner. They may be able to pick up an additional 1st-round pick in the 2012 draft, continuing the cycle which Bill Belichick has mastered.

2. St. Louis Rams
If A.J. Green and Julio Jones are off the board the Rams will immediately begin shopping the 14th pick. There isn’t another receiver worthy of a top-15 pick and there isn’t anyone else that fills a glaring hole. The smart move would be to move down and possibly consider Jonathan Baldwin later in the round.

1. Detroit Lions
The Lions want a cornerback or a linebacker and there may not be anyone worthy of the 13th pick on the board at either position.  Unless Prince Amukamara or Von Miller somehow falls, the Lions will try hard to trade back. When they do, Akeem Ayers and Jimmy Smith could become targets.

Rackley is one of the top small-school prospects

According to Josh Buchanan of JBScouting.com Lehigh offensive lineman Will Rackley is lining up a number of visits and private workouts.

He’ll be one of the busiest prospects over the next month, as he meets with the Browns, Cowboys, Rams, Chiefs, Dolphins, Lions, Jaguars, Patriots and Jets.

Rackley played left tackle in college but is probably best suited for guard at the next level. That said, his potential versatility certainly gives his stock an extra boost.

Based on the amount of interest in Rackley he is starting to look like a pretty safe bet to go in the first three rounds. A team like the Cleveland Browns, who could use help at both right guard and right tackle would be a good fit. The St. Louis Rams, who desperately need to upgrade their interior line would also make sense.

Matt Peterson tracks the offseason needs of every team in the league. Today’s franchise, the Detroit Lions. [full archive here].

Season Recap - Since becoming head coach in 2009, Jim Schwartz has made all the right moves in attempts of recovering from the mess left by ex- general manager Matt Millen. Detroit was very competitive this season and ended the season on a four game win streak, all without the play from young star quarterback Matthew Stafford, who still faces doubts over durability issues. With another offseason in the Schwartz era, look for the Lions to make a run at the playoffs in 2011.

Needs:
1. Outside Linebacker – Detroit has a young star in the middle with Deandre Levy, but lacks talent on the outside. Starter Julian Peterson was recently released and Zach Follett may be forced into retirement due to a serious neck injury. Detroit upgraded the D-line last offseason, but its main focus will be in the back part of the front seven this year. (more…)

It seems like every day a new reporter finds “sources” to tell him that Andrew Luck is leaning toward staying in school. I’m inclined to call “BS” on anyone who says Luck is leaning towards staying at Stanford, especially since it sounds as though Jim Harbaugh is as good as gone. But I’ll humor those who think he’s staying for a moment and throw together a quick mock draft based on the scenario that he stays. Here’s the top 10 of the “what if Luck stays” mock draft…

1. Panthers – Da’Quan Bowers – DE – Clemson
The Panthers don’t need a quarterback, so they won’t take one unless Luck is there. Their pass rush was abysmal this season, and they missed Julius Peppers even more than anyone could have anticipated. Bowers is coming off a monster year and should be an instant-impact pass rusher at the next level.

2. Broncos – Patrick Peterson – CB – LSU
With Josh McDaniels gone, the Broncos may be ready to give up on Tim Tebow after just three games. However, I don’t think they’ll reach for someone like Newton or Mallett with the second pick. The safe bet is to take Peterson, the best available player. Champ Bailiey may not return, and even if he does he’s on the downswing of his career.

3. Bengals – A.J. Green – WR – Georgia
One of the biggest decisions any team has to make this offseason is the Bengals’ looming decision about Carson Palmer. They could cut him loose and draft a new franchise quarterback here. I don’t think they’re willing to give up yet, however. A.J. Green is an elite talent and could be the young receiver Palmer needs to get the offense back on track.

4. Bills – Ryan Mallett – QB – Arkansas
The Bills need a quarterback to build around and should be able to get one in this year’s draft. But who will it be? Mallett, Locker and Newton are all worth considering. It’s pure speculation at this point, but I think Chan Gailey and Buddy Nix will lean toward the strong-armed Mallett.

5. Cardinals – Prince Amukamara – CB – Nebraska
The Cardinals are another team in need of a quarterback, but I expect Ken Whisenhunt to push for them to bring in a veteran.  As a result, they’ll turn their attention to the defense in the draft, landing either Amukamara, Cameron Jordan or Nick Fairley here.

6. 49ers – Cam Newton – QB – Auburn
Until a GM and a coach are in place it’s tough to predict how the 49ers will handle the draft. But one thing is certain: they need a quarterback. If they need to make a decision between Newton and Locker, expect Newton to be their guy.

7. Cowboys – Cameron Jordan – DE – California
Jordan isn’t nearly the most well-known of the top 3-4 defensive ends, but I believe he is the best of the bunch. The Cowboys will be looking to improve the defense, making Jordan a strong possibility here.

8. Texans – Nick Fairley – DT – Auburn
The Texans need to address their secondary, but with Peterson and Amukamara off the board they must turn their attention to the defensive line. Fairley is an elite pass-rushing interior lineman who reminds me of Ndamukong Suh.

9. Lions – Robert Quinn – DE – North Carolina
The Lions offense is progressing, but the defense still has some holes. Kyle Vanden Bosch hasn’t worked out and the Lions will likely look to upgrade their pass rush this offseason. Quinn may be the best pass-rushing end available in this draft class.

10. Browns – Julio Jones – WR – Alabama
The Browns are now committed to Colt McCoy, but now they need to supply him with some weapons. Jones, Justin Blackmon, Michael Floyd, Jon Baldwin and Torrey Smith could all be options depending on who leaves early for the draft.

Matthew Stafford played seven years of football in high school and college without missing a single game due to injury. Since entering the NFL, he can hardly stay on the field.

Martin Mayhew may be just as clueless as his mentor, Matt Millen

Maybe it’s just bad luck. But Martin Mayhew’s stubborn unwillingness to fix the offensive line certainly hasn’t helped.

Since drafting Stafford with the 1st pick of the 2009 draft, the Lions have drafted just two offensive linemen: Lydon Murtha (7th round, 2009) and Jason Fox (4ht round, 2010). Murtha is no longer with the organization; Fox has yet to appear in a game this season.

Instead of upgrading the offensive line to protect his franchise quarterback, Mayhew has spent luxury picks on guys like Brandon Pettigrew and Jahvid Best. Both are solid players, but a losing organization like the Lions has no business making those picks early in the draft. They are contributors, but not players to build around.

So what could they have done differently?

Well for starters, how about taking Michael Oher instead of Pettigrew in 2009. Oher was selected three picks later by the Ravens. Even Alex Mack, who the Browns took immediately following the selection of Pettigrew, would have been a significant upgrade over Dominic Raiola at center.

Then this past year the Lions traded up to select Jahvid Best with the 30th pick. If they were willing to move up, why not make a run at Bryan Bulaga who slipped all the way to the 23rd pick? The asking price for the 23rd pick is not significantly higher than the 30th, and the addition of Bulaga would have been well worth it.

As long as the Lions think protecting Stafford with Jeff Backus and Gosder Cherilus is a good idea, they will remain the laughing stock of the league.

Perhaps hiring Matt Millen’s understudy was a bad idea. Who knew?

Cardinals – Need a lot more than one aging receiver to fix their quarterback situation.

Falcons – Why mess up a good thing between Matt Ryan and Roddy White?

Ravens – No room with Boldin, Mason and Housh. Moss would pout, ruin chemistry.

Bills – Ryan Fitzpatrick has been pleasantly surprising. Don’t mess with a good thing.

Panthers – Think Moss will be a good soldier on a team competing for the No. 1 pick?

Bears – Lovie and Martz have their hands full already with Jay Cutler in the locker room.

Bengals – T.O.  and Moss in the same locker room? No thanks.

Browns – If Mangini can’t get along with Braylon Edwards, how would Moss fit in?

Cowboys – The last thing they need is another distraction.

Broncos – Do you really think McDaniels will get along with Moss better than Marshall?

Lions – Can you picture Moss accepting role as a No. 2 receiver on a 2-5 team?

Packers – Chemistry on offense seems to be great. Don’t mess it up.

Texans – See above.

Colts – Manning prefers his no-name receivers. And it works just fine for him.

Jaguars – Last place Jags aren’t going anywhere. Don’t waste the money.

Chiefs – Already hold a big lead in a weak division. Why mess with what’s working?

Dolphins – Marshall and Moss is too much ego for any coaching staff to handle.

Vikings – Been there. Done that.

Patriots – Been there. Done that.

Saints – Brees seems to be doing o.k. for himself without an elite receiver.

Giants – Can you picture Moss backing up Nicks and Smith?

Jets – I think they’ve learned their lesson with Braylon Edwards.

Raiders – Been there. Done that.

Eagles – Been there. Done that.

Steelers – After trading Holmes, adding Moss would be a step backwards.

Chargers – Vincent Jackson is back.

49ers – Can you picture Moss being happy in last place in the worst division?

Seahawks – The last thing Mike Williams needs right now is a bad influence.

Rams – Last thing this young, overachieving team needs is a bad influence like Moss.

Bucs – See above.

Titans – Kenny Britt has enough issues to overcome without Moss influencing him.

Redskins – McNabb and T.O. didn’t work. Why would it work with Moss?

OFFENSE
1. Sam Bradford, Rams
Compared to other quarterbacks in the league Bradford’s numbers are mediocre at best. But for a rookie, he has more than lived up to expectations.

2. Aaron Hernandez, Patriots
Hernandez was expected to take on a more prominent role in the passing game due to the departure of Moss and he stepped with with six receptions against the Ravens.

3. Jahvid Best, Lions
Best falls down the board as he continues to remain unproductive running the ball. He’s still a weapon as a receiver, but he hasn’t looked like a complete player lately.

4. Mike Williams, Bucs
Williams has clearly stepped up as the Bucs top receiver. He’s been targeted 40 times by Josh Freeman, 16 more than other other wide receiver on the team.

5. Chris Ivory, Saints
He’s only started two games, but it’s impossible to ignore Ivory’s 158-yard breakout performances against the Bucs.

DEFENSE
1.Koa Misi, Dolphins
Misi regains the top spot after record a sack and two pressures for the second straight game. The Dolphins pass rush has noticeably improved since he joined the starting lineup in Week 3.

2. Nate Allen, Eagles
Allen losses his stop atop the rankings after a rough week against the Falcons in which he got burned for a touchdown.

3. Earl Thomas, Seahawks
Thomas played a key role in keeping the Bears passing attack in check. He isn’t as well rounded as Allen, but he’s is emerging as an elite safety in coverage.

4. Ndamukong Suh, Lions
Suh is a one-dimensional player at this point in his career, but he does that one thing very well. He’s arguably the most dominant pass-rushing interior lineman in the league, not just among rookies.

5. Lamarr Houston, Raiders
Houston doesn’t have the sack totals to get much attention, but he’s been quietly consistent and effective as a pass rusher all season.

OFFENSE
1. Jahvid Best, Lions
Best remains the most effective player in the Lions offense. He’s averaging just 3.5 yards per rush, but is also averaging over 10 yards per reception.

2. Sam Bradford, Rams
Every rookie is bound to have a game like Bradford’s against the Lions at least once. It’s a minor setback, but he’ll learn from it.

3. Aaron Hernandez, Patriots
Hernandez ranks second to Best in receiving yards by rookies.

4. Mike Williams, Bucs
Williams has improved throughout the season and has his biggest game yet with seven catches for 99 yards against the Bengals.

5. Rob Gronkowski, Patriots
Gronkowski has just six catches (two for touchdowns) but he has been as good as advertized in terms of being an elite blocking tight end.

DEFENSE
1. Nate Allen, Eagles
Allen isn’t just the best rookie safety, he looks like one of the best free safeties in football this season.

2. Koa Misi, Dolphins
Misi and Dolphins are coming off a bye week. He’s still tied for 2nd among rookies with two sacks.

3. Tyson Alualu, Jaguars
Alualu has been impressive both against the run and as a pass rusher. He has two sacks, two hits and seven QB pressures.

4. Earl Thomas, Seahawks
Thomas looks like an elite safety in coverage. Teams are avoiding throwing his direction, and he’s made them pay with three picks when they do.

5. Ndamukong Suh, Lions
Suh is a nightmare for interior offensive linemen to block in passing situations (leads rookies with three sacks) but he is still developing against the run. He’s been a liability at times when teams run directly at him.