Lions trade for Julian Peterson

[Jethro34]

Lions trade Cory Redding to Seattle for Julian Peterson
BY CARLOS MONARREZ • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • March 14, 2009

The Lions have confirmed they have traded defensive tackle Cory Redding and a fifth-round selection in next month’s NFL draft for Seattle Pro Bowl linebacker Julian Peterson.

The deal, which is contingent on both players passing physicals, went through after Redding agreed to restructure the seven-year, $49-million deal he signed with the Lions in 2007, according to Foxsports.com.

Seattle reportedly was working on trading or releasing Peterson, a former player at Michigan State, after he refused to take a pay cut in his $6.5-million salary for this season. Peterson, a 6-feet-3, 240 pound strong-side linebacker, has been to five Pro Bowls.

Peterson, addition fills a big need on the linebacker corps but also raises questions about what the Lions intentions are for Aaron Curry, a draft prospect from Wake Forest the team will host Sunday. Curry played on the strong side in college but he is supposed to be versatile enough to play in the middle – Lions coach Jim Schwartz has called him “multidimensional” -- even though he has had only a few practices at that position.

Redding became the highest-paid NFL defensive tackle after the 2006 season, when he racked up eight sacks after the Lions converted him from a defensive end. Redding struggled the past two seasons and he missed the final three games of the 2008 season on injured reserve with a knee ailment.

[Jethro34]

On the one hand I really like this move. I'm a Peterson fan, he's a local product, and I think he can help the team a ton.

On the other hand, do we have a DT on the roster anymore? Peterson is proven, but he's not getting any younger and he's been through serious injury.

Does this completely eliminate Curry as a possibility? It would certainly seem that we need to draft at least one DT now, and probably more than one and probably quite early in the draft.

Don't you wish we had Albert Haynesworth?

So I'm torn on this one. I don't think Redding was worth what we were paying him. But the best LB corps in the world struggle when they're playing behind a horrible line.

[Jethro34]

By the way, I also wonder if this means the team will go with a 3-4.

They can use Grady Jackson for now in the middle of the line. Avril would probably move to LB and have Peterson at the other OLB spot, moving Sims as one of the ILB and likely drafting Laurinitis for the other.

Either way, it certainly looks like Curry's visit tomorrow will concentrate completely on testing him at MLB.
It also would seem that he's not going to be their pick unless he's the easiest to negotiate with. So...Stafford or Smith then? Maybe Monroe? Maybe Raji just moved way up.

[Zekyl]

We have been discussing this in another thread all day. I think the offseason thread. Maybe the Syndicate can move that over into this thread? I hadn't even thought of the 3-4 possibilities with this. We do still have Darby on the roster, so I assume in a 4-3 he would be starting with Jackson. Schwartz seems to like having space-eaters on his d-line, leaving his linebackers free to make plays.

[Tahoe]

I thought we'd be gong to a 3-4 next year. But we are close, imo, if thats what they want to do. If they would trade Dizon and Sims (rumors) it'd look to me that they are going to it this year.

A draft of Curry at 1 and Connor Barwin (I've said a million times hes good, but we'll see) and maybe even Ziggy.

White, Grady, AF on the line. Ziggy replaces Grady in a couple years.

Move Avril back to lb. He's like Barwin. Both fast.

Barwin, Curry, Peterson, Avril. We'd be big and fast at LB. I doubt they go that way but its possible.

[DrRay11]

Neither of Schwartz and Cunningham have much experience with a 3-4... I'll believe it when I see it.

[Tahoe]

What the fuck do you do just follow me around and poo poo every one of my posts?

[DrRay11]

lol no. I didn't even read who posted that, i'm sorry.

[DrRay11]

For the record though, I'm not opposed to a 3-4, I just don't see it happening with the previous experience of our coaches.

[Tahoe]

I doubt they do it, but I have heard them mention it. Maybe it was just when the question was asked but you can do so much more with it, imo, if you have the players.