After a one week hiatus, the Detroit Lions Bloggers are back with answers for the Church of Schwartz. I will link to the full set of answers from the Lions Bloggers Panel here once it is up.
Here are the questions, along with the answers I submitted:
1. Do you like what Roscoe Parrish would bring to the Lions? How much would we have to pay the Bills to get him?
I like what Roscoe Parrish would bring to the Lions a few injuries ago. While he was a pretty good return man at one point, how much he has left I'm not certain. I can't see Buffalo taking anything shy of draft picks for him -- and he is worth more than a 6th and less than a 3rd. I would rather see the Lions take a shot on a return specialist in the 6th round who is young and hungry, rather than acquire Parrish. I don't think the upside with him is greater than that of a flier on a return guy later in the draft.
2. George Foster looks like he's turned over a new leaf. Where do you see him playing next year for us(if at all)?
I see him as a backup swing tackle, and possibly even a backup OG if he can do well there -- he has size, but some quickness and would work better at OG than Backus. I think many are underestimating Daniel Loper heading into this draft. I have no doubt that he will win the LOG spot -- and my gut says depending on who the Lions draft, he could push Backus for the LT spot. People in Tennessee I've talked to have indicated they were hoping Loper would stick around, but knew that he was too good to stay a backup for long. Only Tennessee's excellent line with few injuries kept down his playing time.
3. Whom do you prefer if they are available at 1.20: Rey Maualuga or James Laurinaitis?
I find myself in a "do I have to pick one?" mode again... From what I've seen, both are two down MLB in the NFL unless they can develop some currently lacking cover skills. While that isn't all bad, I think the Lions can find a better player available at the 1:20 spot. One thing you won't see from this front office is any Dizon-like reaches for need. They can find a very solid 2 down MLB later in the draft just as well as they can drafting one of hype guys early on. They may even be able to find a 3 down backer who will take a few lumps, but develop well in the 2nd or third. Of course, this won't even be a problem since we all know they are going to shuck convention and take Curry at #1. :P
10 comments:
With us just signing Curry Parrish is out now. As far as the # 20 goes it depends on who goes #1 if Curry is the pick I see OT at #20 If stafford goes #1 I see LB or DT. #20 all depends on #1.
Oops I didn't read that very good. if Maualuga is at #20 and #1 went other than Curry than he would be my pick but he will be long gone.
Sorry about first post forgot the name
Mark in AZ or LionWing19
WOW! I would take Laurinitis hands down.
Now, that is contingent upon the Lions NOT taking Curry at #1.
Laurinitis didn't have as good of numbers in the 40. Laurinitis didn't have as high of a vertical jump as so-and-so.. Laurinitis didn't have a good experience dropping into coverage.
I DON'T CARE. Laurinitis hits like a Mack truck. Laurinitis is the best PURE middle linebacker in this draft and has some great stats to back it up. More importantly, look at the tape. This kid plays FOOTBALL. He hunts, kills, and destroys. He is violent.
Third down, we have another really good LB named Dizon that can cover. Marinelli wasn't big on him at points in the season, but Dizon really played well when he was in the game late in the season (after he learned the defense AND got over his injuries). Dizon is NOT a bust. He may not be as great as touted, he may have been a slight reach. But remember what happened in the second round when the run on LB's started.
Now, with that. I will also be the first to admit that I was calling for Teddy Lehman to be a starter at this point last year, and that wasn't worth a poop. Just, don't call me Kiper. That would hurt.
Nubs--
You're exactly right, Laurenitis is the best PURE middle linebacker in this draft--but is that what we really need? Given Gunther's tendencies toward an aggressive, blitzing, multidimensional defense that will flex between 4-3 and 3-4 alignments, don't you think that Laurenitis will be much more limited than Maualuga?
Peace
Ty
I should have been clearer, but that's what I get for waiting til the last minute to type my response.
I like Luarinitis much better than Rey -- and think he will have the better career. But in Tenn the titans only took Bullocks early -- the rest of the LB were picked in the 3rd or later.
Laurinitis will be a great two-down MLB -- a hard hitting thumper roaming the middle. But with all the nickle situations that teams are forced into -- especially in no huddle; with all the TE/WR mismatches OC's make against anyone who is a liability in coverage...
A 2 down MLB doesn't have quite the same value as it once did -- just like the Roy Williams hit-machine type SS.
When you put these two things together, the Lions may not consider Rey or Laurinitis to be BPA. my point was that pick could be used in other ways, (or most likely traded) and a comparable -- though not quite as good at first -- 2 down ILB could be found at the top of the 3rd or at pick 82.
Also, if Laurinitis and Rey are there at 20 -- then one of them is likely to fall to #33 if the Lions don't take them --
PLUS -- both of them available at #20 to me screams "TRADE" with someone wanting to move up and "snatch" son of animal...
As for Dizon -- it's not that I don't think he has potential, but I still feel the Lions reached up quite a bit in the 2nd to get him.
Dizon may yet pan out, but Millen made that pick based soley on the "vertical" stacking and need. He needed a MLB, Dizon was top on his board, took him. Ignored the horizontal of the better impact players available at that point on his own board.
It is that type of drafting that has left the Lions so hard up on talent.
So for Laurinitis and Rey -- I rank Laurinitis #1, Rey #2; but I think if they are going with a pure MLB it is likely they will find talent close to those two later in the draft - or see what Dizon has - rather than use a first rounder there. If one of them falls to #33 take him in a heartbeat. That is value.
Ty - I'm not sold on Rey -- If I had to choose one of them, I would go Laurinitis.
agree with nubs and detfan. animal jr will be the better player in the long run. maybe i'm partial to him cuz his dad was a road warrior, but i've had my eye on him for a few years now and i really believe he could be our next spielman....or as close to him as we can get in this draft.
another thing - the lions have uncovered EVERY stone there is to uncover on EVERY prospect they're interested in. that alone gives me more hope and optimism than i've had in a long time.
GO LIONS
With all the recent additions of O-linemen, it appears that the first choice is only going to be Stafford or Curry. Have nothing to back this up other the free agent signings.
With all the reasons you guys gave for versitility, and many nickle packages, it would be nice to have three guys to rotate at OLB. Bring in size with Curry and Peterson, or have Sims in with the other two. This would also bring competition to these two positions.
Just an idea. If Curry is drafted, and he is better in pass defense then Sims, could you see a LB core with Sims in the middle, or the old guy Peterson in the middle?
This is just me, but it looks like Gunther's defense brings most of the heat from corner spots. Usually that meant he was filling the "hole" with a filling safety. Or he would slide a CB over, and carry the safety "on top" of the receiver, sliding the CB over to cover a quick TE slant. That would mean Laurinitis wouldn't really be used in coverage much.
I don't see Ernie used in the middle much at all. He gets swallowed up. Any time a bigger guy (lineman) gets their hands on Ernie, he can't shed them, he bounces off them, losing five yards or so. Ernie can't blow up bigger people at P.O.A.
Peterson I don't know about. I need to see him play more before I know what he can do.
LAURINITIS vs Manauluga. Hopefully we don't need to know. That is also why I like the Lions going CB with #20 pick and hoping that one of the LB's slides to #33 if the front brass decides to go OT or QB with the #1.
It's too bad we can't trade Ernie for a late first, or a second and third, before the draft so we can improve our size at the LB position.
With Backus, Cherilus(?), Loper, and Foster on the roster, I do not see us drafting a tackle this year. An interior lineman, as Birkett mentions, maybe a good posibility. Like Josh idea to see if Wood would be available at 3.1. Still believe Unger would bring great value at #33 if still available. The kid was a 3 star recruit out of high school, who started his first 2 years at left tackle only to move to center after a JC transfer cmae in. That is a hint at being a team player, while being focused to be a starter. Good feet and body positioning for a college interior lineman is not the norm.
Also on Rey. Not sold on him being a high draft pick. He does have the physical tools to do it. At USC, he had perhaps the best talent surrounding him with Mays at FS, Cushings and Matthews on his flanks, and one of the best defensesive lines in front of him.
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