2009 Lions Offseason/Preseason News Thread

[Wilfredo Ledezma]

Free Agents

- Drew Henson
- Dan Orlovsky (probably won't return, from what I've heard)
- Rudi Johnson
- Aveion Cason
- Keary Colbert
- Shaun McDonald
- Travis Taylor
- John Owens
- Damion Cook
- George Foster
- Moran Norris (played well for a midseason signing, notice Kevin Smith was productive towards the end of the season when Norris was his FB, rather than the start of the season when Felton was)
- Andy McCollum
- Shaun Cody (time to let him go)
- Langston Moore
- Paris Lenon (LOL if he can find a starting job elsewhere)
- Ramzee Robinson
- Travis Fisher
- Ryan Nece
- Dexter Wynn
- Jason Hanson (figures to return)


Potential Cap Casulaties

All these guys are still under contract, but could be cut to free up cap room.

- Daunte Culpeper (Personally, I'd be interested to see what he could do with a full offseason to learn the playbook; He's not the long-term answer, but with Orlovsky not expected back, I'd keep Daunte)

- Dwight Smith

- Edwin Mulitalo

- Chuck Darby

- Michael Gaines

- Dan Campbell (if the dude could just stay healthy, he'd be worth keeping on board, blocking is his strength)

- Leigh Bodden (I hope to God they don't cut Leigh, but he's owed a hefty roster bonus in the spring, and they may just end up dumping him. His numbers suggest he should be cut, but since we gave up Shaun Rogers to get him, and he's had success, I'd like to keep Bodden)

- Mike Furrey (hard to believe just 2 years ago he led the entire NFC in receptions. obviously that was a product of Martz being the OC...while I think Furrey would be a good depth guy, he makes to much $ to play second fiddle to Calvin)


MOVES I'D LIKE TO SEE

* Switch to a basic defensive set. A standard 4-3 or a 3-4, no more 'Cover Two' or 'Tampa Two'.

* Jeff Backus moved to Left Guard. I've read articles that say that many scouts think he would be much better suited at Left Guard. We're paying him Pro Bowl money for a mediocre effort, so moving him over could help both of us.

* Do NOT Draft a QB with the #1 Pick. Assuming we cannot trade the #1 Overall pick, I want a Left Tackle (Andre Smith).

Andre Smith-Jeff Backus-Dominic Raiola-Stephen Peterman-Gosder Cherilus

Defensive Overhaul

Other than Dewayne White, Ernie Sims, and Cory Redding, we don't have any starters, so I hope to God Mayhew doesn't treat free agent signings as if he's only finding backups for Travis Fisher & co. It needs to be imperative that the FA's we sign are clearly better than the shit we already have.

Lateral Move Free Agent Signings Have Killed Us.

This FA class is deep, it has pro bowlers (Alb Haynesworth, Terrell Suggs), quality veterans (Jordan Gross, Stacy Andrews), and intriguing upside players like Reggie Williams in it...not to mention all the guys around the league who could be cap casulaties (Stallworth, Derek Anderson, Torry Holt, Jason Taylor etc.)

Don't Fuck Up!

[Tahoe]

I think Avril started the last 2 games and he is a keeper at DE.

[Wilfredo Ledezma]

I think Avril started the last 2 games and he is a keeper at DE.

Yeah I forgot about Avril. He definitely was a bright spot this year. He'd be great in a 3-4 scheme btw, as kind of a hybrid OLB/DE like Adalius Thomas, Shawne Merriman or LaMarr Woodley is.

Who knows, whoever our Def Coordinator ends up being will tell alot about Avrils' future.

His pash rush speed is a mega asset.

[Tahoe]

Langston Moore, Moran Norris, Rayan Nece - FAs.

Moore and Nece are worth keeping if we can't rebuild to that depth level...if that makes any sense. We can't address every single need. We'll obviously get a LB and some DLine help but these guys could be some good fill.

I'd keep Norris if he isn't that much more than Felton. Which I think is the case.

[Tahoe]

And I think Sandeford (?) can be last years Furrey for way less money.

[Wilfredo Ledezma]

And I think Sandeford (?) can be last years Furrey for way less money.

Yeah, I was impressed with the glimpses Standeford showed. Considering he'd be less than half the price of Furrey, I'd say definitely bring him back...

[umichjenks]

Did anyone listen to his press conference? Martin Mayhew says you cannot blame him because of his association with Millen, but then turns around in the next sentence and wants praise for working with winners in his past. How is he not being a hypocrite? You can't blame him for associations with losers but you have to give him recognition for working with winners.

Pat Kaputo had a great response when he said, "well Millen also worked with some of those guys and other winners and look what happened".

[umichjenks]

As far as moves I would like...

Take Andre Smith with the first pick or trade down a few spots. Get Spikes or Laurinitus at MLB. Then get a DE with the first pick in the second round and continue to draft defense the rest of the draft.

[Wilfredo Ledezma]

As far as moves I would like...

Take Andre Smith with the first pick or trade down a few spots. Get Spikes or Laurinitus at MLB. Then get a DE with the first pick in the second round and continue to draft defense the rest of the draft.

I don't want any part of Laurinaitis. He may be a ball-hawk type LB, but he has major flaws, plus we already wasted a pick on a Lauriniaits type player last year in Jordon Dizon.

I agree with Andre Smith on the first pick (apparently the only reason he got suspended for his bowl game was because he was talking to agents, hardly considered a 'character issue').

With the #20 pick, I'd look to get either a corner (Alphonso Smith from Wake Forest) or a defensive tackle (Tyson Jackson from LSU).

I think we'll be able to snag an OLB like Brian Cushing with the #33 pick...then from there, I'd draft an Offensive Guard & Defensive End with our 2 Third Rd Picks.

[WTFchris]

I don't want any part of Laurinaitis. He may be a ball-hawk type LB, but he has major flaws, plus we already wasted a pick on a Lauriniaits type player last year in Jordon Dizon.

I think we'll be able to snag an OLB like Brian Cushing with the #33 pick...then from there, I'd draft an Offensive Guard & Defensive End with our 2 Third Rd Picks.

You probably would have said the same about this guy (that year Arrington was considered far and away the best LB prospect):

New Mexico’s Brian Urlacher is a 245-pound PFW All-America strong safety/rover. Although he is a dominating player, Urlacher just has not gotten the type of exposure he deserves. A superior athlete, Urlacher spearheads the defense, returns punts, covers kicks, plays on all special teams and finds time to play some offense. He has the best hands on the team, makes a ton of tackles, always seems to be around the ball and has amazing versatility and stamina.
For the past two years, Urlacher has played so well that if he played at a big school that got a lot of television exposure, people would have been talking about him as a Heisman Trophy candidate. While he’s a different type of player than Charles Woodson was, Urlacher does just as much for his team. If you are wondering why he ended up at New Mexico, the reason is he was a late bloomer who has grown by leaps and bounds in terms of size and ability since his early high school days, when he was a 5-9, 160-pound receiver with unspectacular speed. Urlacher played linebacker his first two years at New Mexico, and although he did not start as a sophomore, he still had over 100 tackles. In ’98, he became a full-time starter at strong safety/rover and led the nation in tackles by some counts and the Western Athletic Conference by everyone’s count. Although Urlacher is not a great cover guy, some scouts say they might leave him at strong safety and use him as the Bengals used David Fulcher when they went to the Super Bowl in ’89. Most scouts, however, like Urlacher best as a weak-side linebacker.

And Dizon was an OLB in college. We played him out of postion (which is what you want to continue by drafting an OLB).