Ahhh... breathe in that suffocating, stinging air. The smoke is floating thicker than at a Rastafarian frat party, or a 6-alarm blaze at a smoke flare factory...
Yep -- it's the week of the draft all right!
Candidates for the #1 overall pick have their agents negotiating with the Lions, while the players make the radio circuit and subtly (or not so subtly) try to kiss the right backsides in public to lobby to be the pick as well.
Matt Stafford was offering up how he's gonna buy a Ford if he gets drafted, and Aaron Curry came right out and said he told his agent and the Lions he would take a deal LESS than what Jake Long got at #1 overall last year! (I'd be all for that... and it confirms what I said earlier about Curry being serious about minimizing the cost factor fear and wanting to be the first pick -- and come to the Lions.)
I laughed at the all the "Lions have honed in on" stories. They are just blowing the smoke around and feeling giddy from the contact high. The players don't know. The agents don't know. The media certainly doesn't know.
So what do we know? We know already that Mayhew and Co. are worlds more competent than Millen was. We know that Mayhew has come right out and said that Schwartz and Him will have final say -- and that they both will have to agree on a player before they take him. This means no more Joey situations where the GM is saddling the coach with a guy he doesn't want.
I also found it interesting that the Lions are finally discussing all the players who may be available at given spots, and trade scenarios, how their board is stacked, etc. ahead of time (like, well, like good teams do.) . This should mean an end to the "A voice from the back of the room yells out how about Calhoun?" type situations.
I believe what Mayhew says about how they are picking -- it lays the responsibility equally on him and Schwartz. This negates his ability to effectively scapegoat the coach and ties him directly into how successful Schwartz is, and vice-versa. The Lions front office and coaching staff are a true team at this point, and we'll have to wait for results. I also believe what Mayhew was saying about general draft practices as it didn't give away anything other teams could use to their advantage.
Actually, it made worrisome trends for other teams with Mayhew indicating he would go any position if talent was there because "with our roster, you can't pass up talent". This should further open trade options for the Lions at #20 and #33.
I don't believe anything he or anyone else says about players at this point -- there is more stink from crap flying around than off a manure spreader in the hot summer sun laying down the fertilizer on hungry fields.
Who will it be? How will they do?
Only time can tell that -- and while we will have some ideas come Monday, we won't truly know for quite some time...
8 comments:
Just a gut feeling I have that we need to be lucky in this years draft. And hopefully we do draft best available football player at each position.
My feeling is due more to this year's talent. Every couple of years there is a draft with a lot of busts and very few Pro Bowlers. I am seeing this draft as one of those years. Most of the players projected in the first round this year would not really be mentioned in the previous couple of drafts.
I would not be too upset if we traded some of this year's picks for next year.
Killer just reported on Mlive that Curry's set with negotiations, and that now the Lions have offered a number to Stafford and are waiting to see if he accepts that offer.
This is a brilliant move on the Lion's part. They can get Curry for a reasonable number 1 pick salary; or they float a number out to Stafford that's maybe slightly more and say: "choose before Friday to play for us for that money."
What's great about it is this: They can get Stafford for a reasonable price, OR Stafford can basically say "No." and the Lions take Curry for a reasonable price.
This gives Stafford an out if he doesn't really want to be in Detroit without making him look like a whiny Eli Manning when he got drafted by the chargers. This ALSO gives Detroit an out with the media if they end up taking Curry. "We WANTED Stafford, but he wanted too much money, or he decided he didn't want to play for us, so what was the point of drafting him?"
My guess is that Stafford passes on the contract and the Lions draft Curry. 60%/40% Curry/Stafford at this point.
They've basically given Stafford a free pass to say "I don't really want to play for the Lions." It's gut-check time for Stafford to see if he REALLY wants to be in Detroit. The question is: Does he take it? If so, we know he's taking not a HUGE sontract and not just doing it for the money, so he's going a long way towards proving himself to Lions fans if he takes that contract and is drafted by the Lions.
I know I'll be a lot happier with Stafford knowing he's not just in Detroit for the money, but because he WANTS to be.
Kudos to Mayhew for putting everyone in a position to win and get what they want; now to see how it all works out in the end.
Great fun isn't it. Amazing how much the media says they don't know what the Lions are doing, yet they are doing exactly what Mayhew said when he took over and what he has said about the draft.Here's hoping Stafford doesn't agree to terms.
........and with the Lions first pick in the NFL Draft they select......B.J. Raji
Aaron Curry
Matthew Stafford
or maybe Brandon Pettigrew???
I hope Stafford will pass on the offer. I would love to see ANYONE else come to the Lions.
1. Georgia ran a pro style offense with NFL equivalent coaches. They couldn't turn him into a super star what makes the Lions think they can? We have a Stafford on our team right now; Drew Stanton. Stanton came from a team with a less than adequate line with less then desirable surrounding support, a very strong arm and he has very similar numbers to Stafford, give the kid a chance.
2. Why pay 30-50 million for a player that may not even see the field this year. Draft someone that will play and probably from day one.
3. I just want this done, the Stafford wives on the other forums are driving me crazy already anointing him a pro bowl career before he even throws his first NFL pass. Give me a break, let a player prove something before anointing him with such accolades.
4. Give me Curry, Raji or one of the tackles. Fix the trenches and everything else will fall into place. Grab a corner or safety early second or third round and draft BPA the rest of the way drafting for need. There are a few linebackers that can be found third and forth round area that will have good NFL careers, it won't be the end of the world if we don't get Curry.
5. If I had input I would want Curry because he is not only one of the most talented players, he is probably the most well rounded person who people of all ages can aspire too and undoubtedly will be good for any community he chooses to put his time and effort toward. That is a lot of money to drop on an individual who isn't ready for the responsibility of acting like an "all pro" in every aspect of life and profession. At this point he is the clear leader in character and he has shown early to have outstanding maturity for a young man coming out of college.
My clear choice is Curry but I love football and will try to see the positive in anyone coming to the Lions franchise. I just truly believe that the pick can be better utilized with someone that plays a different position than qb. Can't wait for Saturday.
Lik
Post a Comment