The 2010 NFL draft has come and gone and the Detroit Lions have not made any recent free agent signings that are worth mentioning. The Lions are expected to still make some moves before the season starts, but we have to remember, that is not guaranteed. So what if the Lions were to enter the season with the team they have intact? What should the fans expect from them in the upcoming season?
The first step to predicting how they will do would be to look at the players involved and how much they have improved in each position, if at all. For each position I will give a grade for the 2009 season and a grade for what I expect for the 2010 season.
Quarterback - The first mistake Schwartz made in the 2009 season was to have a battle between Culpepper and Stafford. The only purpose it served was to take snaps away from the rookie, whom I believe Schwartz was planning on starting all along. This year Stafford will get all of the starting reps and be more prepared for it. Having a season under his belt will help as well. Will he improve on his accuracy and touch?
2009 Grade = D
2010 Grade = C
Running Back - Last year the Lions had Kevin Smith who could not run people over or run past them. When he went down, the running game actually improved with Maurice Morris. That only shows just how dismal the running game was. This year the Lions drafted Jahvid Best with their second pick in the first round. Best has elite speed and great ability to change directions and make plays happen. He is by far the best chance the Lions have had for a play maker at RB since Barry Sanders retired.
2009 Grade = C-
2010 Grade = B+
Receiver - In 2009 the Lions had Calvin Johnson and a few players who jogged around with no idea how to get open or catch a ball. This year the Lions have Calvin Johnson and Nate Burleson, who should be much better at getting open and is known for his sure hands.
2009 Grade = D+
2010 Grade = B-
Tight End - Brandon Pettigrew looked to be finally catching on in 2009 when he went down with an injury. He is expected to be ready for the upcoming season, but the Lions have also added a pass catching TE in Tony Scheffler who will do two major things for the Lions. Give them insurance in case Pettigrew has a set back or give them a great two tight end set if Pettigrew is healthy. In a two tight end set, with two good receivers on the outsides, it will be very hard for defenses to cover as well as it should help with run blocking to open holes for the speedy Jahvid Best.
2009 Grade = C
2010 Grade = B+
Offensive Line - To many fans disappointment, the Lions will once again return with 4 of the same 5 starters from last year. The fans have complained that the offensive line is the weakest link on the Lions. There are actually some good reasons to think that might not be true this year even though they only made one change.
1) The Lions defense has been so horrible that the Lions were falling behind quickly ever game. Defenses were able to pin their ears back and go after the quarterback, which makes it much harder for O-lines to block against. This fact was only made more evident because the Lions did not have a RB who could make a defense pay if he got by them.
2) With slow running backs and only one good receiver on the offense, defenses felt free to blitz more often.
3) The weakest link on the O-line was Left Guard. The offensive line needs to play as a unit more than any other unit on the team. When one player breaks down, it often causes the players next to him to break down as well. With Left Guard falling apart so often, it would effect both the Left Tackle and the Center. That is 60% of the line.
The Lions have more speed at RB, a better Defense and have added a new Left Guard in Rob Sims. I would not expect the offensive line to be one of the better in the NFL but it still should be much better than it looked in 2009.
2009 Grade = D-
2010 Grade = C
Offense 2009 GPA = 1.34
Offense 2010 GPA = 2.66
Defensive Line - In 2009 this was by far the weakest link on the entire Detroit Lions team. They rarely put any pressure on the opposing QB and far too often left too many holes for linebackers to fill on run plays. QBs usually had anywhere from 4 to 7 seconds to find an open receiver. The D-line was the main point of focus in this off season and draft. In the first day of free agency the Lions added Kyle Vanden Bosch who had double digit sacks two years in a row before, and shortly after they traded for DT Corey Williams. Williams was an up and coming beast at DT before he was moved to DE and failed to live up to expectations. The Lions will have him back in the 4-3 defense at DT and expect him to return to form. Then in the draft, the Lions used their #2 overall pick on another DT Ndamukong Suh who is highly considered to be the best DT to come out of college in over a decade and maybe ever. These additions along with the return of Sammie Lee Hill who was coming on strong at the end of last year and Devries and Avril at DE should make the Lions D-line on of the better lines in the NFL.
2009 Grade = E
2010 Grade = A-
Linebacker - Gone is Larry Foote and Ernie Sims. The Lions have not added any linebackers who are expected to replace them. The replacements will come from within the existing team. This might just be a very good thing. Replacing Foote at MLB is DeAndre Levy who actually already took over the position last season when Foote was injured. As a rookie, Levy called all of the defensive plays in the last weeks of the season and looked like a veteran doing it. Replacing Sims at this time looks to be a fan favorite, Zack Follett. Follett has speed and can hit like a truck. He has the mentality to charge in and make the crushing blow while wrapping his arms around the ball carrier rather than just driving a shoulder into the runner and expecting him to fall over. The only questionable problem for him will be his pass covering abilities. But then, those were the same problems that Sims had. Still, they will be playing behind a much improved D-line and they should look improved for it.
2009 Grade = C-
2010 Grade = B
Cornerback - As always, every bad team in sports has to have their fall guys. Last years was Anthony Henry and Phillip Buchanon. Often I heard about how bad the Lions corners were. How they were not able to cover anyone. Anyone remember Leigh Bodden? He had 6 interceptions with the Browns before coming to Detroit where he had only one. Everyone said he could not cover and he ended up on New England and intercepted 5 passes. Lets make one thing clear. Deion Sanders in his prime would not be able to cover a decent receiver for 6 or 7 seconds without being beaten on most of the plays. The Lions never placed any pressure on the QBs and that forced Bodden, Henry and Buchanon to cover for far too long. They are not Deion Sanders so of course they will get beaten after that long. Well to replace them in the 2010 season the Lions got Chris Houston from Atlanta and drafted Amari Spievey. This new improved defensive line should put plenty of pressure on the opposing QB, so I am expecting these CBs to look a lot better.
2009 Grade = D-
2010 Grade = B-
Safeties - Louis Delmas played better than most expected him to in 2009 and by the years end, was making all of the secondary play calls for the Lions defense. Ko Simpson was injured most of last year and is back to claim his starting spot in 2010. Personally, I do not see him as an improvement. In the games I have seen him play, I felt he looked like a hesitant tackler, allowing RBs to make their move before trying to adjust rather than charging in and taking them down. As with the cornerbacks and linebackers, the better D-line should make these guys look better.
2009 Grade = C+
2010 Grade = B-
Defense 2009 GPA = 1.17
Defense 2010 GPA = 3.03
On paper, the Lions are set to be a much improved team going into the 2010 season. They should be able to keep themselves competitive against any opponent. So now we go on to look at their upcoming schedule (pronounced with a SK in my home) and see how they compare.
WK-01 at Chicago - The Bears under achieved last season and should be a little better this year. The problem is they have forgotten how to use Forte and they are not strong in WR while their defense is not like it used to be.
Outcome - Flip a coin
WK-02 vs Philadelphia - With McNabb gone to Washington, the Eagles will likely not be quite as good as in the past. Without Westbrook, they will have even less of an offense. This game being in Detroit, I will give it a break even chance.
Outcome - Flip a coin
WK-03 at Minnesota - Most expect Favre to come back and play. He wont want to hang it up with the big mistake in the playoffs being his last play. With him back, the Vikings are still a better team than the Lions. Especially in Minnesota.
Outcome - Loss
WK-04 at Green Bay - The only thing keeping the Packers from being the best team in the NFC may have been their offensive line. When OT Bryan Bulaga fell to them in the first round, they got a lot better. Even without him however, they are still far better than the Lions at this stage. In Green Bay, the Lions chances of a victory are nearly zilch.
Outcome - Loss
WK-05 vs St.Louis - Finally the Lions have an opponent they should be favored over to win. The Rams were worse than the Lions last year and it is still too early for Bradford to come into his own. The Lions have improved far more than the Rams have in the last year.
Outcome - Win
WK-06 at NY Giants - They got their easy week out of the way and its back into the frying pan for the Lions. The Lions have improved a lot but Superbowl contenders they are not. The Giants are.
Outcome - Loss
WK-07 Bye Week (Record 2-4) Coin flips will give them one win and one loss.
WK-08 vs Washington - The Redskins were better than the Lions last year, even if the Lions did beat them. They have added a probowl caliber QB and improved their RBs. The Lions have improved more than the Redskins have in the last year.
Outcome - Flip a coin
WK-09 vs NY Jets - Lets face it. Mark Sanchez looked more accurate than Stafford did last year. They have a better defense. For now, the Jets are still a better team.
Outcome - Loss
WK-10 at Buffalo - Both teams have added top RBs in the draft. I cannot help myself here. I am just not impressed with the Bills.
Outcome - Win
WK-11 at Dallas - The Lions have improved greatly, for a large part thanks to Dallas. Now it looks as if Dallas is realizing its mistake with Roy Williams. Yet, as much as it pains me to say this, I think the Lions are still one more season away from being better than the Cowboys.
Outcome - Loss
WK-12 vs New England - Brady and Moss or Stafford and Johnson? At this point in their careers, its easily Brady and Moss.
Outcome - Loss
WK-13 vs Chicago - I gave it a flip of the coin earlier. This time they are in Detroit. The Lions will have a slight edge.
Outcome - Win
WK-14 vs Green Bay - The Packers were far better than the Lions in Green Bay and they will still be a lot better in Detroit.
Outcome - Loss
WK-15 at Tampa Bay - The Bucs are one team that just seems to be spinning their tires rather than getting any better. Thankfully the Lions tires have finally found some traction.
Outcome - Win
WK-16 at Miami - The Dolphins are running into troubles. Ricky Williams is planning on retiring after next year and Brown is getting in trouble. One just gets the feeling that Miami is in a slow decline now, but still dangerous for another year.
Outcome - Flip a coin
WK-17 vs Minnesota - The Lions will give them a fight here in Detroit, but it will still come down to who is QB for the Vikings. Favre will still beat Stafford.
Outcome - Loss
Final Record = 6 wins 10 losses
Personal opinion = I think that when it comes down to it, the Lions will lose more of the fifty fifty games than they will win. As it stands, Detroit has 8 starters with 16 or less games of experience. That will still call for plenty of rookie type of mistakes.
My estimate will be 5 wins and 11 losses, but we will see if any more veteran players are signed.
Showing posts with label 2010 NFL Free Agency. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2010 NFL Free Agency. Show all posts
4/9/10
Lions Fans Having Emotions Thought to be Long Lost
It has been a long time. A long time since the Detroit Lions fans have had reasons to feel the way they do now. It is a feeling that has been missing for so long they have forgotten what it even feels like. It is a feeling of hope.
Hope had been fading year after year since the Lions lost to the Washington Redskins 41 to 10 in the NFC Championship in 1991. A large chunk of hope was lost in 1999 when the fans learned Barry Sanders, the most electrifying running back in NFL history decided to retire. The last threads of hope faded away as Matt Millen repeatedly drafted players who would end up as busts in the NFL and then in 2008, when the Lions became the first team to ever finish the season winless (o-16), hope was something many thought would never exist again. Not for a Lions fan.
One of the more common sayings I have heard from those fans without hope was... "The Lions are bad, they have always been bad and they always will be bad." There were calls from radio stations for fans to choose a new team to be their favorite teams.
I cannot count how many times I have had to laugh along with someone making fun of the fact I would wear a Lions coat and a Lions hat. They would be amazed to find out I never liked the hats I found, so I had one made up in the style I liked. I was not one of those who believed the Lions would never be good. I always believed that someday they would be great, but I feared it would not be in my lifetime.
Today there is hope again. The fans are feeling more excitement than they have in decades and the Lions havent even played one preseason game yet. That hope comes from the aggressiveness that GM - Martin Mayhew, and coach Jim Schwartz has shown in the off-season with free agents.
On the first day of free agency the fans learned of the Lions acquiring DE, Kyle Vanden Bosch and WR Nate Burleson, along with the trade to get DT Corey Williams and a 7th round pick for a 5th round pick. Not too many days later the Lions signed CB Jonathan Wade, a fast player who will help with depth in a position the Lions were hurting in. Then they gave the Falcons a 5th and a 6th round pick for CB Chris Houston and a 5th round pick. Chris Houston is expected to be a much faster CB who will start for the Lions.
Soon after, the Lions addressed their back-up QB spot by trading with the 49ers. The Lions gave them a 2011 7th round pick for Shaun Hill.
Recently the Lions gave up a 5th round pick in this years draft to the Seattle Seahawks for LG Rob Sims.
In a couple of short weeks the Lions have acquired two starting Defensive linemen, both who have a history of double digit sacks, a wide receiver who might open things up for Calvin Johnson, a starting cornerback with speed and a left guard who should stabilize the revolving door at the position in recent years, and added a decent back-up quarterback.
This coming on the heels of a 2-14 season that had the bright spots of two rookie defensive players, S- Louis Delmas and MLB- DeAndre Levy, who both showed signs of greatness. Along with Delmas and Levy were three other rookies who showed flashes they could all be very good in the near future. QB- Matthew Stafford, TE- Brandon Pettigrew and DT- Sammie Lee Hill.
Now the Lions are heading into the NFL Draft with the #2 overall pick. With the Rams releasing of Mark Bulger, it is all but definite that they will draft QB- Sam Bradford, leaving the Lions with what most experts believe is the best defensive tackle to come out of college in may year, Ndamukong Suh. Adding Suh would likely give the Lions one of the best defensive lines in the NFL and a huge improvement in the pass rush.
The 2010 draft is one of the deepest drafts in memory and the Lions should be able to fill a few of their holes with quality players.
Any way you look at it, the Detroit Lions are already a much improved team on paper and Mayhew has shown he knows how to judge talent as well as make trades that cost the Lions very little.
The Lions may not be good yet, but the moves the Lions have made have given fans a reason to hope. To hope that the future may actually be brighter than we have seen in a long time.
Hope had been fading year after year since the Lions lost to the Washington Redskins 41 to 10 in the NFC Championship in 1991. A large chunk of hope was lost in 1999 when the fans learned Barry Sanders, the most electrifying running back in NFL history decided to retire. The last threads of hope faded away as Matt Millen repeatedly drafted players who would end up as busts in the NFL and then in 2008, when the Lions became the first team to ever finish the season winless (o-16), hope was something many thought would never exist again. Not for a Lions fan.
One of the more common sayings I have heard from those fans without hope was... "The Lions are bad, they have always been bad and they always will be bad." There were calls from radio stations for fans to choose a new team to be their favorite teams.
I cannot count how many times I have had to laugh along with someone making fun of the fact I would wear a Lions coat and a Lions hat. They would be amazed to find out I never liked the hats I found, so I had one made up in the style I liked. I was not one of those who believed the Lions would never be good. I always believed that someday they would be great, but I feared it would not be in my lifetime.
Today there is hope again. The fans are feeling more excitement than they have in decades and the Lions havent even played one preseason game yet. That hope comes from the aggressiveness that GM - Martin Mayhew, and coach Jim Schwartz has shown in the off-season with free agents.
On the first day of free agency the fans learned of the Lions acquiring DE, Kyle Vanden Bosch and WR Nate Burleson, along with the trade to get DT Corey Williams and a 7th round pick for a 5th round pick. Not too many days later the Lions signed CB Jonathan Wade, a fast player who will help with depth in a position the Lions were hurting in. Then they gave the Falcons a 5th and a 6th round pick for CB Chris Houston and a 5th round pick. Chris Houston is expected to be a much faster CB who will start for the Lions.
Soon after, the Lions addressed their back-up QB spot by trading with the 49ers. The Lions gave them a 2011 7th round pick for Shaun Hill.
Recently the Lions gave up a 5th round pick in this years draft to the Seattle Seahawks for LG Rob Sims.
In a couple of short weeks the Lions have acquired two starting Defensive linemen, both who have a history of double digit sacks, a wide receiver who might open things up for Calvin Johnson, a starting cornerback with speed and a left guard who should stabilize the revolving door at the position in recent years, and added a decent back-up quarterback.
This coming on the heels of a 2-14 season that had the bright spots of two rookie defensive players, S- Louis Delmas and MLB- DeAndre Levy, who both showed signs of greatness. Along with Delmas and Levy were three other rookies who showed flashes they could all be very good in the near future. QB- Matthew Stafford, TE- Brandon Pettigrew and DT- Sammie Lee Hill.
Now the Lions are heading into the NFL Draft with the #2 overall pick. With the Rams releasing of Mark Bulger, it is all but definite that they will draft QB- Sam Bradford, leaving the Lions with what most experts believe is the best defensive tackle to come out of college in may year, Ndamukong Suh. Adding Suh would likely give the Lions one of the best defensive lines in the NFL and a huge improvement in the pass rush.
The 2010 draft is one of the deepest drafts in memory and the Lions should be able to fill a few of their holes with quality players.
Any way you look at it, the Detroit Lions are already a much improved team on paper and Mayhew has shown he knows how to judge talent as well as make trades that cost the Lions very little.
The Lions may not be good yet, but the moves the Lions have made have given fans a reason to hope. To hope that the future may actually be brighter than we have seen in a long time.
3/21/10
Should the Detroit Lions Sign Adam "Pacman" Jones?
Adam "Pacman" Jones has been nothing more than a problem in his NFL career. As talented a cornerback as he is, his off field incidents have been ridiculous. Recently Jones worked out with representatives of five NFL teams present, the Lions being one of them. Should the Lions take a chance on Pacman?
His incidents have ranged from shootings at night clubs to spitting on women to possible dealings with drug dealers. Jones has been suspended by the NFL for a full season before and was not a clean character after he was reinstated. So why would the Lions bother to sign him?
Outside of being a problem child for the NFL, Jones is also a very talented cornerback. This happens to be a position the Lions are desperate to address. Jim Schwartz, the Lions coach was also one of the coaches on the Titans who drafted Jones. Considering that Jones ran a 4.4 40 yard dash at the recent workout, it is obvious he still has the tangibles to be a very good cornerback in the NFL.
So we have a player who the Detroit Lions need in a bad way, but has a serious history of causing trouble. Yet I believe the Lions can address this situation and come out on top. If the Lions were to offer him a one or two year contract with very little money upfront, the contract would only hurt them while he was playing for them. If he finds himself in any real trouble again, they can cut him and not suffer for it. Another thing the Lions could do is give him a somewhat lucrative contract that is based mostly on incentives. This may give him reason to try hard in order to get his money.
Whether the Lions sign Pacman or not, they will likely still draft a Cornerback in the 3rd or 4th round of the draft. Signing Jones would then allow them to bring the rookie CB along rather than throw him right into the kettle. If Jones lasts only 6 to 8 games before getting into trouble, it will still have been an asset to the Lions and the rookie. If he stays clean and straightens out his life, it would be a huge asset to the Lions in coming years.
Make no bones about it. The odds of Jones finally going straight and staying away from trouble are probably slim, but it is not out of the question. I have heard it many times before that the human brain does not fully develop until we are 25 to 28 years old. This is often the reason young adults do make such stupid decisions. Jones is now 26. So it is not unfathomable to think that he could be ready to grow up now. I think it would be in the Lions best interest to sign him and find out. So long as they go about the contract in a wise way.
His incidents have ranged from shootings at night clubs to spitting on women to possible dealings with drug dealers. Jones has been suspended by the NFL for a full season before and was not a clean character after he was reinstated. So why would the Lions bother to sign him?
Outside of being a problem child for the NFL, Jones is also a very talented cornerback. This happens to be a position the Lions are desperate to address. Jim Schwartz, the Lions coach was also one of the coaches on the Titans who drafted Jones. Considering that Jones ran a 4.4 40 yard dash at the recent workout, it is obvious he still has the tangibles to be a very good cornerback in the NFL.
So we have a player who the Detroit Lions need in a bad way, but has a serious history of causing trouble. Yet I believe the Lions can address this situation and come out on top. If the Lions were to offer him a one or two year contract with very little money upfront, the contract would only hurt them while he was playing for them. If he finds himself in any real trouble again, they can cut him and not suffer for it. Another thing the Lions could do is give him a somewhat lucrative contract that is based mostly on incentives. This may give him reason to try hard in order to get his money.
Whether the Lions sign Pacman or not, they will likely still draft a Cornerback in the 3rd or 4th round of the draft. Signing Jones would then allow them to bring the rookie CB along rather than throw him right into the kettle. If Jones lasts only 6 to 8 games before getting into trouble, it will still have been an asset to the Lions and the rookie. If he stays clean and straightens out his life, it would be a huge asset to the Lions in coming years.
Make no bones about it. The odds of Jones finally going straight and staying away from trouble are probably slim, but it is not out of the question. I have heard it many times before that the human brain does not fully develop until we are 25 to 28 years old. This is often the reason young adults do make such stupid decisions. Jones is now 26. So it is not unfathomable to think that he could be ready to grow up now. I think it would be in the Lions best interest to sign him and find out. So long as they go about the contract in a wise way.
3/7/10
Why The Lions Three Free Agency Signings Was Good
I have heard some grumbling over the Lions signings so far in free agency. So I figured I would explain why I think each of them have been good so far. Much of this will sound redundant from some of my other articles but I felt it would be good to sum it all up in one place.
Lions trade a 5th round pick to the Cleveland Browns for DT - Corey Williams and a 7th round pick. In the 2006 and the 2007 seasons, Williams had 7 sacks each year. That is a couple more sacks than any Lions got last year. Those were the last two years Williams played for the Packers. Then Williams was traded to the Browns who ran a 3-4 defense and moved him to Defensive End, and his production fell off the charts. Keep in mind that even Aaron Kampman's production fell off when the Packers changed to a 3-4 defense. Since Detroit plays a 4-3 defense, it is logical to believe that Williams might return to form. If he does not? The Lions payed very little to get him. Virtually all they did was move from a 5th rounder down to a 7th rounder.
When free agency began at 12:01 AM on March 5th, coach Jim Schwartz was already waiting in the drive way of DE - Kyle Vanden Bosch. Many would have wanted him to go after Kampman, but Vanden Bosch was the right choice. As Schwartz had a history with Vanden Bosch, he was pretty sure he could sign him. The odds of getting Kampman were much lower and if the Lions would have chased Kampman first they might have ended up with neither. It was better to go for the sure thing. Kyle Vanden Bosch is 32 years old. For a running back that would be very worrisome. He is a defensive end. He does not take near as much punishment. In Vanden Bosch's first 3 years with Tennessee, he had 201 tackles and 31 sacks. As the Titans Defensive Tackle play fell, so did Vanden Bosch's. It is evident that Kyle is not a great DE, but he is a good enough DE to put up good numbers if he has a DT who will draw a double team. If the Lions draft Ndamukong Suh and if Williams works out, Vanden Bosch should be a good addition.
Then the Lions signed WR - Nate Burleson. Nate will turn 29 in August and for a WR that is not old. On a bad Seattle team in 2009, Burleson hauled in 63 catches for 812 yards and 3 touchdowns. Only 16 catches and 99 yards less than T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Now playing opposite Calvin Johnson there is no reason he should not duplicate those number. Burleson has good speed and sure hands. He works hard every play. He is a huge up-grade over Bryant Johnson. It sounds like the Lions over paid for him with a 25 million contract and 10 million guaranteed, but most if not all of the guaranteed money will be paid upfront in the 2010 no-cap year. So we are talking about spending another 14 million over the next 4 years? For a decent receiver that is not very expensive.
As some are worried that all of the players are older, it is not a worry to me. There are usually not very many younger players available in free agency and when they are, there is usually a reason for it. Far more often than not, in free agency you will be signing veterans who are in the last few years of their careers, over priced players or stars with baggage. It is rare to get a very good player in his prime who is a hard worker. When one of those are available, they will command top money and choose to go to a better team. Not a team in rebuilding mode.
The only DE I would rather have had over Vanden Bosch would have been Kampman. But as I said, I was glad they went for the sure thing to help the team rather than lose the race for Kampman and miss out on Vanden Bosch as well. Their were not a lot of great DT's in free agency this year that I am aware of. Considering how well Williams played as a DT, and knowing he is a pass rushing DT, makes me all the more glad the Lions got him. He and Suh would wreak havoc in the middle. There were a few top receivers out there, but do you truly believe someone like Brandon Marshall would have been willing to play 2nd fiddle to Calvin Johnson? No, the secret was to find a #2 receiver and the Lions did just that.
If you want young players who can turn into stars, that will come in the draft. If you wanted younger players who were already stars? you were dreaming. The Lions just are not good enough yet to make those want to come to Detroit. The Lions signed good veterans who still have 3 to 5 years left in their careers. They addressed a few of the many holes they had. They set themselves up to put more of a focus on certain positions in the draft.
Lions trade a 5th round pick to the Cleveland Browns for DT - Corey Williams and a 7th round pick. In the 2006 and the 2007 seasons, Williams had 7 sacks each year. That is a couple more sacks than any Lions got last year. Those were the last two years Williams played for the Packers. Then Williams was traded to the Browns who ran a 3-4 defense and moved him to Defensive End, and his production fell off the charts. Keep in mind that even Aaron Kampman's production fell off when the Packers changed to a 3-4 defense. Since Detroit plays a 4-3 defense, it is logical to believe that Williams might return to form. If he does not? The Lions payed very little to get him. Virtually all they did was move from a 5th rounder down to a 7th rounder.
When free agency began at 12:01 AM on March 5th, coach Jim Schwartz was already waiting in the drive way of DE - Kyle Vanden Bosch. Many would have wanted him to go after Kampman, but Vanden Bosch was the right choice. As Schwartz had a history with Vanden Bosch, he was pretty sure he could sign him. The odds of getting Kampman were much lower and if the Lions would have chased Kampman first they might have ended up with neither. It was better to go for the sure thing. Kyle Vanden Bosch is 32 years old. For a running back that would be very worrisome. He is a defensive end. He does not take near as much punishment. In Vanden Bosch's first 3 years with Tennessee, he had 201 tackles and 31 sacks. As the Titans Defensive Tackle play fell, so did Vanden Bosch's. It is evident that Kyle is not a great DE, but he is a good enough DE to put up good numbers if he has a DT who will draw a double team. If the Lions draft Ndamukong Suh and if Williams works out, Vanden Bosch should be a good addition.
Then the Lions signed WR - Nate Burleson. Nate will turn 29 in August and for a WR that is not old. On a bad Seattle team in 2009, Burleson hauled in 63 catches for 812 yards and 3 touchdowns. Only 16 catches and 99 yards less than T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Now playing opposite Calvin Johnson there is no reason he should not duplicate those number. Burleson has good speed and sure hands. He works hard every play. He is a huge up-grade over Bryant Johnson. It sounds like the Lions over paid for him with a 25 million contract and 10 million guaranteed, but most if not all of the guaranteed money will be paid upfront in the 2010 no-cap year. So we are talking about spending another 14 million over the next 4 years? For a decent receiver that is not very expensive.
As some are worried that all of the players are older, it is not a worry to me. There are usually not very many younger players available in free agency and when they are, there is usually a reason for it. Far more often than not, in free agency you will be signing veterans who are in the last few years of their careers, over priced players or stars with baggage. It is rare to get a very good player in his prime who is a hard worker. When one of those are available, they will command top money and choose to go to a better team. Not a team in rebuilding mode.
The only DE I would rather have had over Vanden Bosch would have been Kampman. But as I said, I was glad they went for the sure thing to help the team rather than lose the race for Kampman and miss out on Vanden Bosch as well. Their were not a lot of great DT's in free agency this year that I am aware of. Considering how well Williams played as a DT, and knowing he is a pass rushing DT, makes me all the more glad the Lions got him. He and Suh would wreak havoc in the middle. There were a few top receivers out there, but do you truly believe someone like Brandon Marshall would have been willing to play 2nd fiddle to Calvin Johnson? No, the secret was to find a #2 receiver and the Lions did just that.
If you want young players who can turn into stars, that will come in the draft. If you wanted younger players who were already stars? you were dreaming. The Lions just are not good enough yet to make those want to come to Detroit. The Lions signed good veterans who still have 3 to 5 years left in their careers. They addressed a few of the many holes they had. They set themselves up to put more of a focus on certain positions in the draft.
Detroit Lions Off Season - What's Next?
The Detroit Lions got off to a strong start with the additions of two free agents in Nate Burleson and Kyle Vanden Bosch along with a trade to acquire Corey Williams . So what is next in line for the Lions brass?
According to Tom Kowalski, in an article on Mlive.com, the Lions are backing off of free agency to an extent as they stick to their strategy. Their plan was to sign only players who will be seen as starters for the next several years. That being done, they are now only looking at younger players who might add some competition and may become a starter in the future. What they do not want to do is add stop gap players who will be gone after next year. After the draft, they will look at what positions they did not address and then look to fill them with those stop gap type of veteran players. So which positions will be looked at in the draft now?
1) Cornerback - With the release of Philip Buchanon, the Lions have put themselves in dire straits to address both of the corner back positions. The lack of any starters in that position makes the cornerback one of the most important players to draft early.
2) Defensive Tackle - Though the Lions have signed two defensive linemen, it is still a position that needs to be looked at. Sammie Hill is looked at as a good up and comer but he has yet to prove he can be a true starter. Corey Williams had two consecutive seasons of 7 sacks before being moved to defensive end where he was a sub par player. Now he should be back on the inside but he is still a bit of a question mark. Vanden Bosch may be a very good DE as he was a few years back. He needs the DTs to create some havoc for him to beat his man one-on-one. The Lions would be making a big mistake not to still draft a beast like Ndamukong Suh if he is there.
3) Left Guard - There is no doubt that the Lions need to add a good Left Guard to their offensive line. Some fans believe this is the most important position to address. Unlike many fans, I am not so down on Jeff Backus at Left Tackle anymore. I used to hate him there, but in 2009 he settled down after the first few games and played well the rest of the year. If the Lions add a good solid, steady, left guard, Backus might be fine. If the Lions do not address the Left Guard position however, they will be entering the season with basically the same line that has given up around 200 sacks in the last four years.
4) Running Back - Kevin Smith is recovering from a bad knee injury. Let's face the facts here. Smith was too slow as it was. I don't expect him to get any faster after knee surgery. Even when healthy Smith is not a RB to make a defense worry. Neither is Maurice Morris. Morris has been in the league for 7 or 8 years. If he hasn't had a big year by now he probably isn't going to. However well he played in the last few games last year, he isn't going to do that for a full season. As much as many fans love Aaron Browns speed, he is not an every down back and Schwartz is not going to give him the chance to be one. When Smith went down with an injury and the season was virtually over, that was the time to see what Brown could do. If Schwartz was not willing to find out then, I don't see him wanting to when they are still in the run early on. So the Lions absolutely need a solid RB with enough speed to hit the home runs. Without that, defenses will not respect the Lions running game and they will focus on the pass.
5) Strong Safety - Louis Delmas showed great talent at the Free Safety position, and should even be better in 2010 with another season behind him and a much better defensive line to pressure the opposing quarterbacks. The Lions need to give him a Strong Safety who will be a strong compliment.
Needing to fill six positions with only seven picks is simply asking the Lions to be too successful in their draft. They will need to fill at least one of those positions with a veteran stop gap player. The most prominent players to do that with would be one of the veteran running backs available in free agency. Particularly Thomas Jones and Ladainian Tomlinson.
Originally, Tomlinson stated that he wanted to go to a team who might contend for a ring, but since has recounted a bit and said it is more important to him to get the carries. Most fans and even most experts believe LT is finished as his last two years have not been very good. Nobody wants to consider the fact that the Chargers run blocking was horrible. Don't forget that many thought Sproles would play well and he was no better than LT. The fact that LT had double digit touchdowns in 2009 makes him an interesting addition all on itself. Even if you are not a fan and think he is finished, can you honestly believe he is not a huge upgrade from what the Lions have now?
The most intriguing of the two however would be Thomas Jones. Though he is 31 years of age, he has improved the last three years straight; running for over 1400 yards in 2009. The problem with him however is that he will likely require a much larger salary.
Either one of these backs would be a great upgrade over the Lions current players. They would come with the prestige to draw fans and sell tickets as well as memorabilia. Most importantly though, would be that they would give the Lions a RB that opposing defenses would have to respect.
Another back I can now add to this list would be Justin Fargas as the Raiders have released him earlier today. He would not command the respect which the other two would from opposing defenses, but he would still be a big improvement over the current Lion running backs and he would likely come at a much cheaper price.
So long as one of these players are available, I would expect the Lions to talk to them going into the draft. If one is willing to sign with the Lions, it will be one less position they need to focus on in this years draft.
According to Tom Kowalski, in an article on Mlive.com, the Lions are backing off of free agency to an extent as they stick to their strategy. Their plan was to sign only players who will be seen as starters for the next several years. That being done, they are now only looking at younger players who might add some competition and may become a starter in the future. What they do not want to do is add stop gap players who will be gone after next year. After the draft, they will look at what positions they did not address and then look to fill them with those stop gap type of veteran players. So which positions will be looked at in the draft now?
1) Cornerback - With the release of Philip Buchanon, the Lions have put themselves in dire straits to address both of the corner back positions. The lack of any starters in that position makes the cornerback one of the most important players to draft early.
2) Defensive Tackle - Though the Lions have signed two defensive linemen, it is still a position that needs to be looked at. Sammie Hill is looked at as a good up and comer but he has yet to prove he can be a true starter. Corey Williams had two consecutive seasons of 7 sacks before being moved to defensive end where he was a sub par player. Now he should be back on the inside but he is still a bit of a question mark. Vanden Bosch may be a very good DE as he was a few years back. He needs the DTs to create some havoc for him to beat his man one-on-one. The Lions would be making a big mistake not to still draft a beast like Ndamukong Suh if he is there.
3) Left Guard - There is no doubt that the Lions need to add a good Left Guard to their offensive line. Some fans believe this is the most important position to address. Unlike many fans, I am not so down on Jeff Backus at Left Tackle anymore. I used to hate him there, but in 2009 he settled down after the first few games and played well the rest of the year. If the Lions add a good solid, steady, left guard, Backus might be fine. If the Lions do not address the Left Guard position however, they will be entering the season with basically the same line that has given up around 200 sacks in the last four years.
4) Running Back - Kevin Smith is recovering from a bad knee injury. Let's face the facts here. Smith was too slow as it was. I don't expect him to get any faster after knee surgery. Even when healthy Smith is not a RB to make a defense worry. Neither is Maurice Morris. Morris has been in the league for 7 or 8 years. If he hasn't had a big year by now he probably isn't going to. However well he played in the last few games last year, he isn't going to do that for a full season. As much as many fans love Aaron Browns speed, he is not an every down back and Schwartz is not going to give him the chance to be one. When Smith went down with an injury and the season was virtually over, that was the time to see what Brown could do. If Schwartz was not willing to find out then, I don't see him wanting to when they are still in the run early on. So the Lions absolutely need a solid RB with enough speed to hit the home runs. Without that, defenses will not respect the Lions running game and they will focus on the pass.
5) Strong Safety - Louis Delmas showed great talent at the Free Safety position, and should even be better in 2010 with another season behind him and a much better defensive line to pressure the opposing quarterbacks. The Lions need to give him a Strong Safety who will be a strong compliment.
Needing to fill six positions with only seven picks is simply asking the Lions to be too successful in their draft. They will need to fill at least one of those positions with a veteran stop gap player. The most prominent players to do that with would be one of the veteran running backs available in free agency. Particularly Thomas Jones and Ladainian Tomlinson.
Originally, Tomlinson stated that he wanted to go to a team who might contend for a ring, but since has recounted a bit and said it is more important to him to get the carries. Most fans and even most experts believe LT is finished as his last two years have not been very good. Nobody wants to consider the fact that the Chargers run blocking was horrible. Don't forget that many thought Sproles would play well and he was no better than LT. The fact that LT had double digit touchdowns in 2009 makes him an interesting addition all on itself. Even if you are not a fan and think he is finished, can you honestly believe he is not a huge upgrade from what the Lions have now?
The most intriguing of the two however would be Thomas Jones. Though he is 31 years of age, he has improved the last three years straight; running for over 1400 yards in 2009. The problem with him however is that he will likely require a much larger salary.
Either one of these backs would be a great upgrade over the Lions current players. They would come with the prestige to draw fans and sell tickets as well as memorabilia. Most importantly though, would be that they would give the Lions a RB that opposing defenses would have to respect.
Another back I can now add to this list would be Justin Fargas as the Raiders have released him earlier today. He would not command the respect which the other two would from opposing defenses, but he would still be a big improvement over the current Lion running backs and he would likely come at a much cheaper price.
So long as one of these players are available, I would expect the Lions to talk to them going into the draft. If one is willing to sign with the Lions, it will be one less position they need to focus on in this years draft.
3/5/10
Lions Start Free Agency Fast
So far, at 12:30 PM on the first day of free agency, the Lions have made three moves. They signed DE - Kyle Vanden Bosch and WR - Nate Burleson. The Lions have also made a trade for DT - Corey Williams.
WR - Nate Burleson is a fast receiver who works and plays hard and has good hands. His addition is a vast improvement over Bryant Johnson last year and should give Stafford another real target to throw too. He may also keep defenses honest enough not to double team Calvin Johnson so often.
DT - Corey Williams was an up and coming defensive tackle, racking up 7 sacks two seasons in a row before he was traded and moved to the outside. He has not been very good on the outside. If Williams can find his old self back on the inside with the Lions and they draft Ndamukong Suh, the two of them will reek havoc in the middle. Something the Lions have not done in several years.
DE - Kyle Vanden Bosch showed decent talent in Tennessee a few years ago, but since has not been much of a force. Many believe his drop in productivity was not on account of a drop in his play but because the Titans no longer had strong play from the defensive tackles. With the addition of Corey Williams and if the Lions draft Suh, this could become one of the best defensive lines in the NFL.
The one question mark in the Lions decision so far is the release of CB - Phillip Buchanon. At this time, this move does not make any sense as Buchanon was the only real starter the Lions had at the cornerback position. With this release the Lions now need to address both of the CB spots on the roster. One can only hope they have a real plan in mind because it is of my opinion that you should never release a player unless you already have someone better or as good to replace him. Not in hopes of finding someone to replace him.
WR - Nate Burleson is a fast receiver who works and plays hard and has good hands. His addition is a vast improvement over Bryant Johnson last year and should give Stafford another real target to throw too. He may also keep defenses honest enough not to double team Calvin Johnson so often.
DT - Corey Williams was an up and coming defensive tackle, racking up 7 sacks two seasons in a row before he was traded and moved to the outside. He has not been very good on the outside. If Williams can find his old self back on the inside with the Lions and they draft Ndamukong Suh, the two of them will reek havoc in the middle. Something the Lions have not done in several years.
DE - Kyle Vanden Bosch showed decent talent in Tennessee a few years ago, but since has not been much of a force. Many believe his drop in productivity was not on account of a drop in his play but because the Titans no longer had strong play from the defensive tackles. With the addition of Corey Williams and if the Lions draft Suh, this could become one of the best defensive lines in the NFL.
The one question mark in the Lions decision so far is the release of CB - Phillip Buchanon. At this time, this move does not make any sense as Buchanon was the only real starter the Lions had at the cornerback position. With this release the Lions now need to address both of the CB spots on the roster. One can only hope they have a real plan in mind because it is of my opinion that you should never release a player unless you already have someone better or as good to replace him. Not in hopes of finding someone to replace him.
Vanden Bosch over Kampman was Smart Choice
When the NFL free agency opened up at 12:01 AM today, and the Detroit Lions head coach, Jim Schwartz was already sitting in the driveway of Defensive End, Kyle Vanden Bosch. They have since signed him to a 4 year deal. The move to go for Vanden Bosch was a smart move by the Lions brass.
In my personal opinion, Aaron Kampman is the better DE of the two. His stats have shown as much with double digit sacks before moving to the 3-4 defense. But if the Lions would have gone after Kampman first, there was a better chance that he would still have signed with another team and in the mean time, they might have lost there chance with Vanden Bosch. Schwartz has a history with Vanden Bosch from when he was a defensive coordinator for the Titans. He knew there was a much stronger chance of signing Vanden Bosch than Kampman, so he went with the higher chance of making a deal.
It was important for the Lions to sign a defensive end in free agency and it would have been a hard hill to climb if they would not have gotten one. The importance of making a deal made Vanden Bosch the smarter play.
In signing Kyle Vanden Bosch, the Lions will not need to address the DE position in the draft now, allowing them to hit other positions that are in bigger need.
In my personal opinion, Aaron Kampman is the better DE of the two. His stats have shown as much with double digit sacks before moving to the 3-4 defense. But if the Lions would have gone after Kampman first, there was a better chance that he would still have signed with another team and in the mean time, they might have lost there chance with Vanden Bosch. Schwartz has a history with Vanden Bosch from when he was a defensive coordinator for the Titans. He knew there was a much stronger chance of signing Vanden Bosch than Kampman, so he went with the higher chance of making a deal.
It was important for the Lions to sign a defensive end in free agency and it would have been a hard hill to climb if they would not have gotten one. The importance of making a deal made Vanden Bosch the smarter play.
In signing Kyle Vanden Bosch, the Lions will not need to address the DE position in the draft now, allowing them to hit other positions that are in bigger need.
3/4/10
Free Agency, the Next Step to Lions Respectability
The NFL Free Agency period begins at midnight tonight. It is the next step for the Lions to take toward being respectable. It is an important step and one that will have huge ramifications on the upcoming NFL draft.
The Lions are expected to chase Defensive Ends and Running backs the hardest. In particular, the two defensive ends they are expected to talk to are Aaron Kampman of Green Bay and Kyle Vandan Bosch of Tennessee. If they can land one of these two, it will give them more leeway as to where they spend their upcoming draft picks. Many believe that the Lions might draft a DE in the 2nd or 3rd round. If they land Kampman or Vandan Bosch, they can use that early pick somewhere else.
The Runningback they seem interested in is Thomas Jones. Which to be honest is news to me since I just read something of that nature this morning. Yet this makes great sense. There are a lot of fans who are not real high on Thomas Jones, but you have to step back and look at this. Thomas Jones just might be one of the most under rated players in the league. In Arizona, Jones did not play much and did not play well. When the Bucs got him in 2003, he only got 137 carries but he averaged 4.6 yards per carry. They did not find him worthy and the next season he ended up in Chicago. In 14 games he had 948 yards and the following two seasons he ran for 1,335 yards and 1,210 yards. For some reason that was not good enough and in 2007 Jones started for the New York Jets. In three years there he has ran for 1,119 yards, 1,312 yards, and 1,402 yards. Yet that isn't good enough for them.
Thomas Jones has ran for 5 consecutive seasons of over 1,100 yards. In his last three years he has improve each of those years. Yes he is 31 years old and there is this general belief that a running back suddenly becomes worthless when he hits 30. Well Jones just ran for over 1,400 yards as a 30 year old. Until he actually shows he is slowing down, he is worth having on your team. If you are worried he is not fast enough, don't! In his last two seasons he has 14 carries of 20+ yards and 3 carries of 40+ yards. That is far better than what Kevin Smith has done, or Kevin Jones before him. The best part is that he is durable. Jones has not missed a game in his last four years.
Understandably, Jones is not the long term answer. Still, he is a very good running back who still has a couple years left in him. If the Lions do a good job drafting, they will be much more ready to draft an elite running back in the next couple of years to take over for Jones.
As it stands, there has been plenty of talk that the Lions could draft a RB in the second round and a DE in the 3rd round. If they can address both of those needs in free agency, then both of those rounds can be used for other positions like cornerback, left guard or safety. All things considered, the Lions could add good players at OL, RB, DT, DE, CB, and S. This would be with free agency and only the first four rounds of the draft. Tell me that would not help the Lions move back to respectability!
The Lions are expected to chase Defensive Ends and Running backs the hardest. In particular, the two defensive ends they are expected to talk to are Aaron Kampman of Green Bay and Kyle Vandan Bosch of Tennessee. If they can land one of these two, it will give them more leeway as to where they spend their upcoming draft picks. Many believe that the Lions might draft a DE in the 2nd or 3rd round. If they land Kampman or Vandan Bosch, they can use that early pick somewhere else.
The Runningback they seem interested in is Thomas Jones. Which to be honest is news to me since I just read something of that nature this morning. Yet this makes great sense. There are a lot of fans who are not real high on Thomas Jones, but you have to step back and look at this. Thomas Jones just might be one of the most under rated players in the league. In Arizona, Jones did not play much and did not play well. When the Bucs got him in 2003, he only got 137 carries but he averaged 4.6 yards per carry. They did not find him worthy and the next season he ended up in Chicago. In 14 games he had 948 yards and the following two seasons he ran for 1,335 yards and 1,210 yards. For some reason that was not good enough and in 2007 Jones started for the New York Jets. In three years there he has ran for 1,119 yards, 1,312 yards, and 1,402 yards. Yet that isn't good enough for them.
Thomas Jones has ran for 5 consecutive seasons of over 1,100 yards. In his last three years he has improve each of those years. Yes he is 31 years old and there is this general belief that a running back suddenly becomes worthless when he hits 30. Well Jones just ran for over 1,400 yards as a 30 year old. Until he actually shows he is slowing down, he is worth having on your team. If you are worried he is not fast enough, don't! In his last two seasons he has 14 carries of 20+ yards and 3 carries of 40+ yards. That is far better than what Kevin Smith has done, or Kevin Jones before him. The best part is that he is durable. Jones has not missed a game in his last four years.
Understandably, Jones is not the long term answer. Still, he is a very good running back who still has a couple years left in him. If the Lions do a good job drafting, they will be much more ready to draft an elite running back in the next couple of years to take over for Jones.
As it stands, there has been plenty of talk that the Lions could draft a RB in the second round and a DE in the 3rd round. If they can address both of those needs in free agency, then both of those rounds can be used for other positions like cornerback, left guard or safety. All things considered, the Lions could add good players at OL, RB, DT, DE, CB, and S. This would be with free agency and only the first four rounds of the draft. Tell me that would not help the Lions move back to respectability!
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