It's Official: Lions select Matt Stafford #1

[Fire]

Even after taking Stafford, which I would not have done, they still could have had a nice draft. Passing on Oher at 1.20 was stupid. Protect your investment and move Backus to guard improving 2 O-Line positions with 1 pick.

Passing on Laurinaitis and/or Maualuga at 2.1 was also idiotic when MLB is such a gaping hole. Lenon was the starter last year and he sucks. He is also a UFA and they did not fill the position later in the draft or through free agency.

Pettigrew and Delmas could be great players at their positions, but spending high picks on TE and S are luxuries that Detroit can't afford with all the other holes they have.

On day 2 they make a nice trade with the Jets, but waste it by taking Levy (who they could have probably gotten in the 5th or 6th), an OLB who they plan on converting to MLB. That brilliant thinking allowed them to pass on such MLB's like Phillips, Brinkley, McKillop, Beckwith, Ellerbe, and McRath.

Then at 3.18 with all holes filled and looking like a Super Bowl contender, they take a guy to fill their only glaring weakness, kick returner. Derrick Williams, who proved at the combine and Senior Bowl that he is slow and can't catch the friggen ball.

The rest of the draft went well.

 

[Fire]

The defense will take care of the rest

First Cooley, now you?

What kind of drugs did Outlaw Nation get a hold of?

 

[Remote Controller]

First Cooley, now you?

What kind of drugs did Outlaw Nation get a hold of?

I didn't do a very good job with the sarcasm. I meant the defense would help the Stafford/Calvin combo because they were gonna make them have to score. I did a horrible job of slamming the Lions def.:shake:

 

[Fire]

I didn't do a very good job with the sarcasm. I meant the defense would help the Stafford/Calvin combo because they were gonna make them have to score. I did a horrible job of slamming the Lions def.:shake:

A good defense is a quarterbacks best friend.

Mr. Stafford is going to be a lonely man for a long time.

 

[Cooley Cadets]

Even after taking Stafford, which I would not have done, they still could have had a nice draft. Passing on Oher at 1.20 was stupid. Protect your investment and move Backus to guard improving 2 O-Line positions with 1 pick. Passing on Laurinaitis and/or Maualuga at 2.1 was also idiotic when MLB is such a gaping hole.

I have already stated I would have loved to have seen Curry/Jerry as the 1st round picks but who are you kidding, there are gaping holes all across the team. They came away day one filling 3 of them with the top ranked player at QB, TE, and S. Just because they did not go the route you or I would have preferred it is idiotic thinking they blew it.

Lenon was the starter last year and he sucks. He is also a UFA and they did not fill the position later in the draft or through free agency.

Dizon should continue to develop into 1 ILB and I will definitely give Schwartz a 1 year bye to prove that his 1st OLB selection will be able to sucessfully make the transition inside.

Pettigrew and Delmas could be great players at their positions, but spending high picks on TE and S are luxuries that Detroit can't afford with all the other holes they have.

A complete TE is not a luxury and neither was a serious upgrade at the safety position. When all you have is holes I can buy into taking the top talent available in the opening rounds.

On day 2 they make a nice trade with the Jets, but waste it by taking Levy (who they could have probably gotten in the 5th or 6th), an OLB who they plan on converting to MLB. That brilliant thinking allowed them to pass on such MLB's like Phillips, Brinkley, McKillop, Beckwith, Ellerbe, and McRath.

You may be right about Levy being available later but that was the initial impression with the Raiders 2nd pick only to find out later that Chi-town was also eyeballing him so again I'll give Schwartz a bye for sticking with his evaluation of top quality. Even if he is wrong he stood by his rankings and there is something to be said about that when you select a small school product early.

Then at 3.18 with all holes filled and looking like a Super Bowl contender, they take a guy to fill their only glaring weakness, kick returner. Derrick Williams, who proved at the combine and Senior Bowl that he is slow and can't catch the friggen ball.

Just as a TE was not a luxury neither is having only 1 viable WR. Calvin provides the bulk of the work, Petti provides the check down and Williams, in addition to special teams, will provide the threat to open up the field.

The rest of the draft went well.

I am quickly becoming a Mutha fan.

I'll be the first to admit I'm just not right but just because I'm a homer and freely admit it doesn't mean I'm wrong.

 

[Fire]

Good points, but:

1. Levy is not a small school product, he went to Wisconsin. I believe you are referring to Sammie Lee Hill, who I did not mention at all.

2. I have zero hope of Dizon developing into a good ILB, since he could not keep Lenon off the field at all last year.

3. Calvin is not there only viable WR. They also have Bryant Johnson, Ronald Curry, Keary Colbert, Shaun McDonald, and many others.

As far as me being "idiotic thinking they blew it", I never stated that they did. I just think they had a chance to improve the team a lot more than what they did. Especially with their 5 picks in the 1st three rounds. Only time will tell for sure, and I am willing to give the new regime the benefit of the doubt for a while, but I have seen so many Lions drafts that could have been so much better than what they did (anyone remember me screeming for David Harris when they took Drew Stanton for one example) that I am probably jaded into thinking that this draft will turn out the same way.

Anyway, it's good to see another Detroit fan here.

 

[Fire]

Now if this turns out to be true, I will give Schwartz and Mayhew some major kudos:


Was Larry Foote in the Lions' plans all along?

by Tom Kowalski Tuesday April 28, 2009, 12:16 PM


Let's put a couple of factors together and see what we come up with -- the Detroit Lions passed on a taking a middle linebacker in the first two rounds, Pittsburgh inside linebacker Larry Foote was just released in a widely anticipated move and Foote has not hidden his desire to return to Detroit and play for his hometown Lions.


"I think he'd enjoy that,'' said Foote's agent, Ken Kremer. The Lions haven't been in contact with Kremer yet but that's expected to happen soon. The big question now is how much interest the Lions have in signing Foote.


Before, during and after the draft, Lions general manager Martin Mayhew and head coach Jim Schwartz continually said that the team would have roster holes after the draft and that they believed they could fill some of them. Were the Lions just waiting for Foote to get released? It's a move that many league insiders anticipated and Foote himself was waiting to get cut.


"I don't think he was shocked by it,'' Kremer said.


Many Lions fans were surprised when the team passed on Ohio State's James Laurinaitis and USC's Rey Maualuga with the team's No. 20 and No. 33 selections. It's possible the Lions knew that Foote would be released soon and they might be in the running to sign him. Another factor why the Lions would pass on a rookie and try to get Foote -- or another veteran -- is the fact that defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham has a well-documented disdain for starting a lot of rookies at the same time.


Foote, who will be 29 in June, has played seven years in the league and has started the last five seasons and hasn't missed a game due to injury in the last six years. He's also helped the Steelers win a couple of those Lombardi Trophy things.


Were the Lions waiting in the wings to sign Foote and fill a huge hole in their defense or is this all just a coincidence? We should find out fairly quickly.

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf...e_lions_p.html

 

[WesDawg]

FM, I will tell you something right now. Larry Foote is a fine football player. Larry Foote has also been a 3-4 MLB his entire career and had his play elevated by the NFL's most LB-friendly scheme and DC. He was released because he was Pittsburgh's 5th best LB. I'm very grateful that he played for us and hope he succeeds wherever he ends up, because he won't be unemployed for long. I would only advise against thinking he could be the savior for a defense. He's no Aaron Curry.

 

[Fire]

FM, I will tell you something right now. Larry Foote is a fine football player. Larry Foote has also been a 3-4 MLB his entire career and had his play elevated by the NFL's most LB-friendly scheme and DC. He was released because he was Pittsburgh's 5th best LB. I'm very grateful that he played for us and hope he succeeds wherever he ends up, because he won't be unemployed for long. I would only advise against thinking he could be the savior for a defense. He's no Aaron Curry.

And I will tell you this right now. I don't see him as a savior, especially for a defense that gave up the second most points in NFL history, just a big improvement over Paris Lenon and someone who could bring leadership and a winning attitude to a team that sorely needs it. Plus, I believe he is only 28 yrs old.

 

[WesDawg]

I can't speak to his leadership skills since he was never really looked at to fill that role, but yes, he's an upgrade over Lenon and could groom Levy, who I think has more natural ability.

 

[Cooley Cadets]

1. Levy is not a small school product, he went to Wisconsin. I believe you are referring to Sammie Lee Hill, who I did not mention at all.

My bad - typing off the cuff

2. I have zero hope of Dizon developing into a good ILB, since he could not keep Lenon off the field at all last year.

Lenon had experience and size over Dizon didn't he? Dizon is no Curry so the 1st season was a period of transitioning and developing. Did people expect him to start immediately? Being undersized but having a great motor I have no problem holding off until I get a chance to see him this preseason before I write him off.

3. Calvin is not there only viable WR. They also have Bryant Johnson, Ronald Curry, Keary Colbert, Shaun McDonald, and many others.

I'll grant you Johnson2 could fit the role of a #2 WR but I'm personally not a big fan. Curry Colbert and McDonald are not viable #2's by any stretch of the imagination.

As far as me being "idiotic thinking they blew it", I never stated that they did. I just think they had a chance to improve the team a lot more than what they did. Especially with their 5 picks in the 1st three rounds. Only time will tell for sure, and I am willing to give the new regime the benefit of the doubt for a while, but I have seen so many Lions drafts that could have been so much better than what they did (anyone remember me screeming for David Harris when they took Drew Stanton for one example) that I am probably jaded into thinking that this draft will turn out the same way.

The "idiotic" comment on my part was turning your prior comments back on you. Recognizing there are different approachs to rebuilding I can see them addressing other positions through FA. Foote has already been mentioned but I also noticed Arizona cut Hood and LaBoy. I didn't have specific players in mind (hope the coach did) but figured the fall out of the draft would create options for them. That is part of why I am glad they didn't jump into FA hot and heavy early on.

I had a similar reaction with the Stanton pick - don't remember if I had a specific player but being a U of M fan I did not see anything good resulting from Spartan signings.

I have to keep reminding myself to distinguish this from prior regimes. New coachs as a general rule get a first year bye until I can evaluate their process and product.

Anyway, it's good to see another Detroit fan here.

We're out there it just hasn't been safe for us to provide to many public sitings lately.

 

[Remote Controller]

1. Levy is not a small school product, he went to Wisconsin. I believe you are referring to Sammie Lee Hill, who I did not mention at all.

My bad - typing off the cuff

2. I have zero hope of Dizon developing into a good ILB, since he could not keep Lenon off the field at all last year.

Lenon had experience and size over Dizon didn't he? Dizon is no Curry so the 1st season was a period of transitioning and developing. Did people expect him to start immediately? Being undersized but having a great motor I have no problem holding off until I get a chance to see him this preseason before I write him off.

3. Calvin is not there only viable WR. They also have Bryant Johnson, Ronald Curry, Keary Colbert, Shaun McDonald, and many others.

I'll grant you Johnson2 could fit the role of a #2 WR but I'm personally not a big fan. Curry Colbert and McDonald are not viable #2's by any stretch of the imagination.

As far as me being "idiotic thinking they blew it", I never stated that they did. I just think they had a chance to improve the team a lot more than what they did. Especially with their 5 picks in the 1st three rounds. Only time will tell for sure, and I am willing to give the new regime the benefit of the doubt for a while, but I have seen so many Lions drafts that could have been so much better than what they did (anyone remember me screeming for David Harris when they took Drew Stanton for one example) that I am probably jaded into thinking that this draft will turn out the same way.

The "idiotic" comment on my part was turning your prior comments back on you. Recognizing there are different approachs to rebuilding I can see them addressing other positions through FA. Foote has already been mentioned but I also noticed Arizona cut Hood and LaBoy. I didn't have specific players in mind (hope the coach did) but figured the fall out of the draft would create options for them. That is part of why I am glad they didn't jump into FA hot and heavy early on.

I had a similar reaction with the Stanton pick - don't remember if I had a specific player but being a U of M fan I did not see anything good resulting from Spartan signings.

I have to keep reminding myself to distinguish this from prior regimes. New coachs as a general rule get a first year bye until I can evaluate their process and product.

Anyway, it's good to see another Detroit fan here.

We're out there it just hasn't been safe for us to provide to many public sitings lately.

Curry and MacDonald have both had close to 100 catch seasons....haven't they. Curry ended one season as the #1 wr in the NFL the last 6 or 7 weeks.

 

[WesDawg]

Was looking around the Steelers official and fan sites and it's possible the Foote release was an unsubstantiated rumor. But he does appear to want out.

Combing the msg boards for something more solid.

 

[Remote Controller]

Curry and MacDonald have both had close to 100 catch seasons....haven't they. Curry ended one season as the #1 wr in the NFL the last 6 or 7 weeks.

Furrey sorry!

 

[Cooley Cadets]

Curry and MacDonald have both had close to 100 catch seasons....haven't they. Curry ended one season as the #1 wr in the NFL the last 6 or 7 weeks.

If 1 60+ reception season is close to 100 Curry can be your guy he certainly is not mine.

McD had a one year wonder season like Flurry where he almost hit 80 receptions. Like Flurry he could not repeat and is not likely to see those type of numbers again.

 

[Remote Controller]

If 1 60+ reception season is close to 100 Curry can be your guy he certainly is not mine.

McD had a one year wonder season like Flurry where he almost hit 80 receptions. Like Flurry he could not repeat and is not likely to see those type of numbers again.

You are talking about being on the otherside from a freak, and not having a Raider QB. ....and he did all of that in the 2nd half of the season. Both can add plenty with Calvin on the otherside!!!

 

[Fire]

Was looking around the Steelers official and fan sites and it's possible the Foote release was an unsubstantiated rumor. But he does appear to want out.

Combing the msg boards for something more solid.

Not released yet, but seems to be a week away barring a trade. Rumor has it Detroit offered a 7th rounder sometime during the draft. Here is an update from a Detroit beat writer:

Steelers Will Keep Foote For The Next Week
Posted by Mike Florio on April 28, 2009, 3:07 p.m.

In his Tuesday comments to the Detroit News, linebacker Larry Foote said that the Steelers tried to trade him before deciding to cut him.

It appears that those efforts might be ongoing.

Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette confirms our report (thanks, Ed — you are a true gentleman, despite that French-sounding surname), but Bouchette writes that the Steelers will keep him on the roster through the coming weekend, during which a mandatory minicamp will be held.

Our guess is that the Steelers are still hoping to get a phone call from a team that might want to trade for Foote, and that with so many minicamps coming up this weekend, the Steelers might be thinking that a market for Foote could emerge quickly if a linebacker on another team suffers a serious injury during the coming surge of non-contact (eyeroll) helmets-and-underwear practices.

It’s also safe to assume that the Steelers dangled Foote during draft weekend, and that they likewise found no takers.

They might find a taker for Foote as quickly as the Fins did last summer for defensive end Jason Taylor, when a blown Achilles’ tendon in D.C. instantly became the second-round draft pick with which the Fins finagled Pat White.

 

[Cooley Cadets]

You are talking about being on the otherside from a freak, and not having a Raider QB. ....and he did all of that in the 2nd half of the season. Both can add plenty with Calvin on the otherside!!!

If you want Calvin to suffer the same draw back as Andre Johnson in Hou either of them can get #'s and have a fantasy impact but it will not help the team.

 

[Fire]

Lenon had experience and size over Dizon didn't he? Dizon is no Curry so the 1st season was a period of transitioning and developing. Did people expect him to start immediately? Being undersized but having a great motor I have no problem holding off until I get a chance to see him this preseason before I write him off.

I did not suggest that we cut him now. Go ahead and give him another shot, I'm sure the new staff will. After all, he was a high second round pick (granted that it was by former linebacker Millen)that could not come close to sniffing the starting line-up after getting every chance to beat Lenon out.



I'll grant you Johnson2 could fit the role of a #2 WR but I'm personally not a big fan. Curry Colbert and McDonald are not viable #2's by any stretch of the imagination.
[/QUOTE]

If you grant me Johnson2 could fit the role of a #2 WR, then the others just need to be a #3, which I believe they can.

 

[Cooley Cadets]

I did not suggest that we cut him now. Go ahead and give him another shot, I'm sure the new staff will. After all, he was a high second round pick (granted that it was by former linebacker Millen)that could not come close to sniffing the starting line-up after getting every chance to beat Lenon out.

Digs on Detroit or Millen are old news and I know it is all the rage to keep dissing both until something changes but that argument has been overplayed. Dizon should still become a solid blue collar type player who will not make anyone overlook the 2 on the outside but that is not what is needed at this point.

If you grant me Johnson2 could fit the role of a #2 WR, then the others just need to be a #3, which I believe they can.

I will also grant you that Kevin Walter could fit the role of a #2 WR that does not mean it will get Houston into the playoffs. David Anderson and Andre Davis can be #3s but the same is true. By saying J2 could be a #2 it doesn't mean I expect him to thrive or supply much of a distraction from the legitimate weapons. Like Walter he may get some nice stats from a fantasy aspect but will not be a difference maker on the field.