Lions add draft flexibility via FA
With the second pick in the 2007 NFL draft the Detroit Lions select...
Well that question just got a lot more difficult after the start of free agency. A few days ago it seemed like everyone had the Lions taking offensive tackle Joe Thomas out of Wisconsin. Detroit certainly needed offensive line help and Thomas was "sure fire" guy after cementing himself as the top OL in the draft at the combine. The 6-6, 311-pound Outland Trophy winner clocked in a 4.82 in the 40.
Most experts had the Lions taking Thomas, those who didn't seemed to go into two different directions. With Kevin Jones questionable to start the 2007 season with a severe foot injury, some thought the wise thing to do would be to get insurance at the position in the form of star Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson. Peterson burst onto the college scene in his very first game and looked like a Heisman trophy winner in the making. But Adrian suffered a number of setbacks including a broken collar bone last season raising red flags. There is no doubt of the talent there, the big question is health especially given Peterson's straight up running style. But could the Lions pass on his talent with a need at RB?
The other major school of thought revolved around a pass rushing defensive end, a key element in head coach Rod Marinelli's Tampa 2 defensive scheme. Gaines Adams out of Clemson secured his spot as the top rated defensive end with a couple of 40 runs in the 4.6 range and racking up 12.5 sacks in his 2006 All-American season. Not bad for a nearly 6-5, 260-pound player who draws comparisons to Javon Kearse. If not Adams, Jamaal Anderson out of Arkansas was another candidate to meet this critical need for the Lions, made even more critical with the trade of James Hall.
But then the trade with the Denver Broncos happened. The Lions traded cornerback Dre' Bly and a 6th round draft pick to Denver, in return they received offensive tackle George Foster, running back Tatum Bell, and a 5th round draft pick. Foster played right tackle in Denver and started 45 out of the team's 48 games there the past three seasons helping pave the way for a number of 1,000-yard rushers. One of those 1,000-yard rushers was Tatum Bell, who started for the first time last season and amassed 1,025 rushing yards while splitting carries with another Bell, Mike. In his three seasons in Denver, Bell has 2,342 yards and 13 touchdowns. The speedster has an impressive 4.9 yards-per-carry average.
Cross offensive tackle off the list with Jeff Backus on the right side, and Foster now on the left. Also cross running back off the list with Bell headed to camp.
Cross defensive end off the priority list as well after the Lions went out and signed Tampa Bay defensive end DeWayne White to a five-year deal worth an estimated $29 million. The 27-year old White has primarily been a backup in Tampa, sitting behind Simeon Rice. While he has never had more than six sacks in a season, Rod Marinelli is very familiar with him having coached the line in Tampa and likes his upside.
So where does that leave the Lions on draft day with the second overall pick? With a lot of options, that is for sure. The only position that seems out of the question would be running back with the addition of Bell assuming Jones will at some point return. but even that is in doubt given the Lions are potentially looking to take a run at former Spartan TJ Duckett. Obviously they feel they still have some needs at running back. Opposite White at DE will be Kalimba Edwards, who has never lived up to his potential, meaning Detroit could well try to upgrade that position in the draft. Foster brings some quesion marks from Denver at tackle while Thomas seems to have few questions surrounding him.
The moves also open up the possibility to look at other options with the second pick in the draft. Calvin Johnson is considered the best prospect in the draft. Would Matt Millen really consider taking a wide receiver in the top ten of the draft for the fourth time in five years? How about Brady Quinn? Quarterback Jon Kitna is no youngster at 35, leaving Detroit with plenty of long-term question marks at the most critical position on the team.
The Lions have huge needs at cornerback with the subtraction at Bly, and at middle linebacker after the failure of the Boss Bailey experiment in 2006. But neither position has a player close to be of value to the second pick in the draft. A trade down scenario appears to be the Lions best bet. Then again, free agency has just begun, who knows what the next few months hold for Detroit. One thing is for sure, the draft just got a lot more interesting this past weekend.
Well that question just got a lot more difficult after the start of free agency. A few days ago it seemed like everyone had the Lions taking offensive tackle Joe Thomas out of Wisconsin. Detroit certainly needed offensive line help and Thomas was "sure fire" guy after cementing himself as the top OL in the draft at the combine. The 6-6, 311-pound Outland Trophy winner clocked in a 4.82 in the 40.
Most experts had the Lions taking Thomas, those who didn't seemed to go into two different directions. With Kevin Jones questionable to start the 2007 season with a severe foot injury, some thought the wise thing to do would be to get insurance at the position in the form of star Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson. Peterson burst onto the college scene in his very first game and looked like a Heisman trophy winner in the making. But Adrian suffered a number of setbacks including a broken collar bone last season raising red flags. There is no doubt of the talent there, the big question is health especially given Peterson's straight up running style. But could the Lions pass on his talent with a need at RB?
The other major school of thought revolved around a pass rushing defensive end, a key element in head coach Rod Marinelli's Tampa 2 defensive scheme. Gaines Adams out of Clemson secured his spot as the top rated defensive end with a couple of 40 runs in the 4.6 range and racking up 12.5 sacks in his 2006 All-American season. Not bad for a nearly 6-5, 260-pound player who draws comparisons to Javon Kearse. If not Adams, Jamaal Anderson out of Arkansas was another candidate to meet this critical need for the Lions, made even more critical with the trade of James Hall.
But then the trade with the Denver Broncos happened. The Lions traded cornerback Dre' Bly and a 6th round draft pick to Denver, in return they received offensive tackle George Foster, running back Tatum Bell, and a 5th round draft pick. Foster played right tackle in Denver and started 45 out of the team's 48 games there the past three seasons helping pave the way for a number of 1,000-yard rushers. One of those 1,000-yard rushers was Tatum Bell, who started for the first time last season and amassed 1,025 rushing yards while splitting carries with another Bell, Mike. In his three seasons in Denver, Bell has 2,342 yards and 13 touchdowns. The speedster has an impressive 4.9 yards-per-carry average.Cross offensive tackle off the list with Jeff Backus on the right side, and Foster now on the left. Also cross running back off the list with Bell headed to camp.
Cross defensive end off the priority list as well after the Lions went out and signed Tampa Bay defensive end DeWayne White to a five-year deal worth an estimated $29 million. The 27-year old White has primarily been a backup in Tampa, sitting behind Simeon Rice. While he has never had more than six sacks in a season, Rod Marinelli is very familiar with him having coached the line in Tampa and likes his upside.So where does that leave the Lions on draft day with the second overall pick? With a lot of options, that is for sure. The only position that seems out of the question would be running back with the addition of Bell assuming Jones will at some point return. but even that is in doubt given the Lions are potentially looking to take a run at former Spartan TJ Duckett. Obviously they feel they still have some needs at running back. Opposite White at DE will be Kalimba Edwards, who has never lived up to his potential, meaning Detroit could well try to upgrade that position in the draft. Foster brings some quesion marks from Denver at tackle while Thomas seems to have few questions surrounding him.
The moves also open up the possibility to look at other options with the second pick in the draft. Calvin Johnson is considered the best prospect in the draft. Would Matt Millen really consider taking a wide receiver in the top ten of the draft for the fourth time in five years? How about Brady Quinn? Quarterback Jon Kitna is no youngster at 35, leaving Detroit with plenty of long-term question marks at the most critical position on the team.
The Lions have huge needs at cornerback with the subtraction at Bly, and at middle linebacker after the failure of the Boss Bailey experiment in 2006. But neither position has a player close to be of value to the second pick in the draft. A trade down scenario appears to be the Lions best bet. Then again, free agency has just begun, who knows what the next few months hold for Detroit. One thing is for sure, the draft just got a lot more interesting this past weekend.
posted by Paul @ 6:35 AM
1 Comments:
At 12:14 PM,
Anonymous said…
Hey guys, good job with the information. My sources tell me the Lions will take Joe Thomas if a trade down is not feasible. For more inside analysis check out my site and keep up the good work.
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