2009 Lions Roster

[Wilfredo Ledezma]

Ok, basically who on the current roster stays and who goes (if you could choose)?

Here's who I'd keep...

- Cory Redding
- Calvin Johnson
- Dewayne White
- Ernie Sims
- Leigh Bodden
- Dominic Raiola
- Kevin Smith
- Daunte Culpepper
- Jeff Backus (only if he moves to guard)
- Gosder Cherilus
- Cliff Avril
- Don Muhlbach (long snapper)
- Jason Hanson
- Nick Harris
- Gerald Alexander
- Daniel Bullocks
- Mike Furrey (he's not been the same since Martz left, but I like Furrey)
- Dan Campbell (he can block when he's healthy)
- Jared DeVries, Alex Lewis, Casey FitzSimmons (veteran depth guys, not starters)

Keep 'Em As Projects

- Jerome Felton
- Landon Cohen
- Ikaika Alama-Francis
- Andre Fluellen
- Manuel Ramirez
- Jordon Dizon
- Adam Jennings (punt returner we recently claimed off waivers from ATL)
- Drew Stanton


GET THE FUCK OUT

- Dwight Smith
- Brian Kelly
- Stanley Wilson
- Travis Fisher (worst CB we've had since Chris Cash)
- Keith Smith
- Ramzee Robinson
- Anthony Cannon
- Ryan Nece
- Paris Lenon
- Corey Smith
- Chuck Darby
- Stephen Peterman
- Edwin Mulitalo
- Damion Cook
- Andy McCollum
- Aveion Cason
- Rudi Johnson
- Moran Norris
- Jon Kitna
- Dan Orlovsky
- Brian Calhoun
- Michael Gaines
- John Owens
- George Foster (good riddance)
- Shaun McDonald (let somebody else overpay him)
- John Standerford
- Stu Schweigert
- Kalvin Pearson


...yeah I'm that bored...hopefully Scott Pioli (fingers crossed) does a COMPLETE overhaul of this roster...

[WTFchris]

Could you denote which of those are FA's versus cuts you are making? I would probably agree with most of your picks, but salary cap implications may require you do alter some plans.

[Wilfredo Ledezma]

FA's

- Shaun McDonald
- George Foster
- Rudi Johnson
- Chuck Darby
- Damion Cook
- Andy McCollum
- John Standerford
- Stu Schweigert
- Ryan Nece
- Travis Fisher
- Moran Norris
- Anthony Cannon
- Ramzee Robinson
- Edwin Mulitalo
- John Owens
- Aveion Cason

Orlovsky, Peterman, Keith Smith & Stanley Wilson are all restricted, and could get 1 year tenders like they got last year...

*Leigh Bodden has a 4 year deal, but he's due a 8 mill roster bonus in Feb (or we can cut him and he'll get nothing), I think you have to keep him because it's obvious it was the Cover 2 which hurt his play. He is a man cover corner, with a proven track record of being successful at that.

[WTFchris]

I'm fine with letting every one of those FA's go. We might need a couple back for depth on small deals, but that is about it.

As far as cutting other guys, I'm sick of dead money on this team so I'd be leery of that. Plus most of the guys you'd cut are probably just backups forced to start because we draft like shit. A good draft and FA period (I remember seeing we'll have some space with that dead money gone) should push those guys back to the bench.

[DrRay11]

I agree on Bodden, Wil. Plus if we drop him, corner is going to basically be a number 1 priority. I say "a" as opposed to "the" because we are so bad we are going to have about 7 number 1 priorities.

[Zekyl]

And once it becomes a top priority, we're going to be bidding on guys with skills similar to or less than Bodden anyway.

[Jethro34]

I say sign a bunch of UDFA's for depth. If guys aren't going to play anyhow, why tie up salary cap money on guys that may insist on bigger deals or long-term deals? Keep as much cap space as possible so the team is a player in free agency and has the space down the road when our back-to-back drafts of guys at the top of every round ends up costing us.

[Wilfredo Ledezma]

I forgot to originally mention Shaun Cody in my first post in this thread.

obviously he's been worthless ever since we used a 2nd rounder on him.

[Zekyl]

Should we just talk about the draft here? At this point I figure we can start looking at this stuff since there's no other optimistic thing from this season to concentrate on.

My thoughts the Lions new GM:

First: NO SKILL POSITION PLAYERS in the first few rounds unless someone slips into my lap. We need help in the trenches first and foremost. O-Line, D-Line, and potentially linebackers if the right guy is there. Less David Carr/Reggie Bush, more Julius Peppers/Mario Williams.

We may not have the best quarterback going into next year whether it be Orlovsky, Stanton, or Culpepper taking the snaps. The same with Kevin Smith and whoever else we end up with in the backfield (although Smith has shown flashes when he's given a running lane), but what I've learned is that if your offensive line can give these guys time and lanes, even mediocre players can get the job done. But if you put a stud back there in those positions and he's got a piss-poor offensive line, he's not going to accomplish anything other than being banged up for 17 weeks.

Second: As much as I love Laurinitis, he's not a #1 overall pick. My first overall pick better be a god damned miracle worker for us. He needs to be able to completely anchor our offensive line or completely anchor our defense, no questions asked. If we were in the 5-10 range, I'd take him in a heartbeat but not right here.

Third: I'm praying for underclassmen on the lines to come out for the draft and taking every chance I can to influence their decisions to do so. The more there are, the more some higher prospects will slip meaning we'll get better players later. Plus, some of the top linemen are uncerclassmen and I want the best players available.

Fourth: If the tackle from Alabama comes out, I take him, no questions asked. I would even be willing to call the kid as soon as the season ends and say "how would you like to be the #1 pick?" Offer him the exact contract Jake Long got and see if he bites. It'll probably have to go up a bit because its a new season but that's where I'd start the negotiation.

Fifth: With the second pick I either go after the best d-lineman possible, or one of those top guards if they manage to squeek their way into the back end of the first round

Sixth: Then I do the exact same with the top pick of the second round. I either take a guard if I didn't with the last pick, or I go for the best defensive lineman or linebacker available.