First of all -- great information from everyone!! I have been working long, so haven't been able to assimilate it all yet. I know there will be plenty of slow time this summer to look over even more things in detail. Some "quick hit" impressions:
* The Lions seem to be taking their time on the FA market, and in a way, this makes sense. A couple of the people they have brought in (LS?) are camp bodies to be sure. I think what the Lions don't want to do is bring in too many UDFAs. While they had a lot of needs heading into the off season, and there are positions that could be improved, it stems back to a problem they had a bit last year: Too many bodies, too few snaps. The Lions have brought in a lot of new blood already through FA and the Draft -- and a quick glance at the position groups tells me there is some tight competition at almost every position.
Thought: The Lions are bringing in fewer players, so they can really light a fire under the guys that are there. Since, outside of QB, they already have 4-5 deep competing for 2 spots in most places, and in most the starting spots even are up for grabs, meaning roughly half the guys hanging on the roster right now will not be making the team at most position groups. I'll look at this a little closer.
*If that is the case, it means the Lions are pretty confident in the players they have right now winning starting jobs, and don't feel it is necessary to mess with a Legion of UDFA rather than working the guys they have
*It then follows that they really need to bring in a couple more OT, and CB, and DE. There is sufficient competition everywhere else to warrant sticking with who they have. There are only 80 players allowed in training camp (as the NFL Owners Vetoed a motion to increase that number for the off season, since it is harder than ever to find quality injury replacements during the season.), so some guys are already going to get cut before camp, if my quick math is correct.
*"Grades" for the Lions' draft seem to be all over the place. I liked the Hondo article that had the various scouts grading the Lions' draft -- what is funny is that the pick pundits said was the biggest steal - Avril - was the lowest grade by those scouts. My thoughts? they were looking at him as a 3 down DE -- which is not where he will start with the Lions. IAF is the 3-down DE with White; Avril will be the rush-specialist on obvious passing downs, and I expect them to move him around the two end spots, and even different LB spots to bring pressure from as a rush specialist -- similar to how Justin Tuck was used by the Giants last year.
*I'll be releasing my initial gut grades - for the whole draft, GM/scouting grade, pick-by-pick, very soon. Still working on it.
*Keep the info coming in on the UDFA, and draft analysis. I'm trying to figure out a good way to get it all compiled in one spot, so I'll let you fellows know what I come up with (if anything) -- for now, I'll do what I usually do -- summarize and reiterate the info and ideas from your comments, and around the web, adding my two cents in as we go along.
*Initial look is that GB, Min, and Chi all had good drafts and offseasons as well so far -- I think that the NFC North may really earn back the black-blue division moniker this season, and maybe even put two teams to the playoffs. It was close last year, and I think the Pack have come back to the pack a little, and the others have all improved. Only time will tell.
*Soccer night again, but look for an update/post late tonight/early am tomorrow.
2 comments:
I have to agree with you on the UDFA. They do have a lot of depth at many positions. I know that some of our talent isnt the greatest by any means but they are trying change that. It doesnt mean that they are going to find a diamond in the rough so to speak out of the UDFA'S but, it happened before with other teams. Maybe we can get that lucky with some of these guys they have brought it. I am definetly looking forward to this season to see the progress made. The divison is looking a lot tougher this year, espically with the defense Minnesota has got together. Chicago will be back in form I think this year with last year not being so great.
I have read a couple of these draft grades on the lions. They all say it was a bad draft for us and that we took a step back instead of going forward. They couldnt be so wrong. They filled the needs that had to be filled. This is kinda the defining year for Marenelli to really see if he can make this team succeed. He showed signs of that the first 8 games besides the 2 blow outs. I have a lot of pride comming into this year that they are gonna compete and succeed. Go Lions!!!!
I enjoy reading your blogs that you post. You do a damn good job. Its nice to have a place like this where us TRUE Lions fans can go and voice our opinons without getting someones negative opinion about it!!! Kepp up the good work.
Here is a post I put on this site:
http://mvn.com/nfl-lions/
It's a pretty good Lions blog, but it is not updated very frequently. If you do a bloglines feed, it is a nice add.
"DOC — April 30, 2008 @ 8:57 am
Same old story for the lions. Seems like there is no brain power running this team. Kitna isnt the answer at QB, they need a decent RB, and they jump at the bit for cherilus.
DetFan1979 — April 30, 2008 @ 7:44 pm
Doc — how is it the same old story? They picked up a guy who, in weaker RB classes, would have been a low first, high second round pick in Smith. Cherilus would NOT have been there later — in case no one noticed, Othah, Baker AND Brown — the last 3 OL rated with a first OR second round grade, were gone by pick 26 — 19, 21, and 26 were all OT — and Carolina traded up to 19 just so they could get an OT as they knew that by the end of round one the starting talent was taken."
My post was in response to the first one I copied in there.
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