littlebrownjug

March 10th, 2014 at 5:45 PM ^

Watkins is a good player, and he would fit nicely with Calvin. Having said that, this team has so many holes (esp. on defense) and doesn't have a 5th round pick, so I think that the only truly stupid move is to trade up. This seems like an especially bad idea given how deep the draft is. Detroit might have a legitimate chance to trade a back a few times to pick up picks if teams want to trade up to get Lewan, Evans or one of the DBs. Personally, I would love to see them draft Lewan if they stay at 10, and then slot Rieff at RT or LG.

Just my two cents.

Ghost of BCook…

March 10th, 2014 at 6:07 PM ^

I agree with you as long as the price is fair (aka in line with what it has taken other teams to move up in the first round).  That 2nd WR spot was really the only weakness on the offense this past year.  

Even the defense wasn't as bad as many seem to think.  D-Line doesn't need any more guys, just coaching (and the return of Jason Jones shouldn't be overlooked).  The secondary was bad outside of Glover Quin, but from what I hear this is a deep draft for secondary so maybe they can get a guy or two in the middle rounds.  You also have to hope that Chris Houston will more closely resemble his '11 and '12 version than last year and that the offseason helps Slay with the educational aspects of the NFL - his talent and ability were never in question. 

I'd be comfortable with a swap of the firsts with whoever the Lions trade with, a 3rd, and a 7th.  Don't give up the 2nd if you can help it....

rainingmaize

March 10th, 2014 at 6:53 PM ^

Holes or not, we need to come out of this draft with an elite WR. We have almost no wide receiver depth, just released our no. 2 WR, and our TE is a free agent. Also, Megatron is going to be 29 years old next year. We have to get an elite wide out in order to take pressure off of Megatron, keeping him effective the majority of his long term deal, and to spread out the defense so we can continue to have success in the run game. 



FYI, the last time we tried to trade up in a draft, Mayhew was in love with a CB by the name of Patrick Peterson. I bet he's kicking himself for not adding another draft pick.

FreddieMercuryHayes

March 10th, 2014 at 5:49 PM ^

Am I the only one that thinks this is ridiculous?  Did the Millen era not teach them anything?  This team has so many damn holes, and they want to trade away possible picks/players/whatever to get another WR when they already have the best WR in the NFL?  Do they need another solid number 2 option?  Yes.  But WR is a very deep position in the NFL and a solid No. 2 guy will be available without trading, or even in a later round.  I can barely remember the last time the Lions had an actual defensive back.

alum96

March 10th, 2014 at 6:14 PM ^

Only this fanbase (and Cleveland's) would buy into the notion that a guy who will touch the football 4-6x a game is going to "turn things around".

The sad thing is when Calvin was out there literally was nothing out there - Titus was supposed to be that #2, but he was a head case... Broyles is a walking MASH unit...and Burleson at this point of his career is probably a #3.   The offense is actually ok now if Stafford was on his game and not a turnover machine as he was the last 8 games.  The OL is probably the best since Lomas Brown / Glover/ Utley/ Andolsek era as we had young guys perform for once.  But that QB killed em.  What is telling to me is you throw ANY WR on Tom Brady or Drew Brees or Rodgers teams and they look like All Pros.  You take away Calvin from Stafford and he looks like the 25th best QB in the league.  Those guys make other players better, Calvin makes Stafford. 

HipsterCat

March 11th, 2014 at 11:12 AM ^

Rodgers has had a ton of reciever help with Nelson, Jones, Cobb, Finnley and even jennings for most of his career. those are all above average NFL recievers.

Brees has had a solid OLine, darren sproles, Jimmy Freakin Graham, Marques Colston

Brady had a lot of injuries around him but still had the same solid Oline which paved the way for 2 700+yard backs in ridely and blount, and he still had eddleman, amedola, GRONK (for a few games) which when they were healthy brady was elite. when they were gone brady had a couple games with a sub 50% completion percentage and it was brady's worst season in completion percentage since 2003.

Stafford has never had those kinds of weapons or multiplicity on offense and is like 25 years old still. All those QBs are the elite qbs in the league, are 30 or older, having been playing for 10+ seasons, and have much better talent around them. as you stated yourself outside of CJ the lions have 0 reciever talent

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

March 10th, 2014 at 7:28 PM ^

What exactly are these massive holes that need filling?  Don't need an RB.  Don't need a QB.  Don't really need a first-round lineman this year; the line was awfully good last year.  Definitely don't need a DL.  CB isn't really a massive pressing need; you can work with Slay, Mathis (if they re-sign him), Houston, and the plethora of low-round picks they have like Bentley and Green, etc.  It's a workable group.

A linebacker or safety would be useful.  Depending on what happens in free agency, of course.  But there's Glover Quin on the roster and two pretty good LBs as well in Tulloch and Levy.  At this point we're talking about a hole that's really no bigger than the one at #2 receiver.

I would agree, if the Lions were rebuilding, a WR is not the way to do it.  But this isn't Matt Millen's Lions with talent at none of the positions.  This is a pretty good Lions team.  There may be some needs as big as WR, LB and S being near the top of the list, but WR is just as viable a need as any of them.  Let's see what they do in free agency, too; any of these spots, WR included, could be filled via that route.

jtmc33

March 10th, 2014 at 5:52 PM ^

NO!

Stay at 10 and draft Evans.  If he's gone by then, draft Okie State's CB or trade down for additional first round pick to use on a CB, S, WR, or RT.   Too many holes to fill to trade away at least next year's first round pick

Ghost of BCook…

March 10th, 2014 at 6:25 PM ^

I'm confused by the need for a RT that has been echoed by a few posters.  Jason Fox and LaAdrian Waddle both performed really well at the position last year in their first real NFL action.  I would imagine they will only improve into the future.  Reiff is solid at LT, Sims and Warford above average at OG.  Definitely need a center to groom with Raiola in his twilight, but unless you are a Pouncey, centers are mid-round guys. 

alum96

March 10th, 2014 at 6:43 PM ^

Agreed.  Need a 3rd/4th rounder to develop behind Dominic.  Sims you will need to replace in maybe 2-3 years but he has been nothing but solid since he got here.  The other 3 positions are young esp if Waddle turns out.  We still have Fox I guess too but can't count on him - I think I've played in as many Lions game as he has in 4 years.  This is the best condition the Lions OL has been in, in a long time esp with Dom adding that weight.

MgoBlueprint

March 10th, 2014 at 6:00 PM ^

I grew up in Baltimore, so I'm obviously a Ravens fan. I think Sammy is by far and away the most talented receiver in the draft, but I dont think hes worth mortgaging a future over. Ive watched Stafford from his time at UGA and I dont think the Lions will take the next step until they replace him. 

goblue20111

March 10th, 2014 at 6:15 PM ^

This is a preposterous statement with no basis. 

The guy threw for over 5000 yards and over 40 TDs.  He was asked to throw the ball over 700 times in a season.  I'm confident Caldwell, who Peyton Manning has spoken highly of as a QB coach, can correct some flaws in his game.  The guy is not a bad QB by any stretch of the imagination.  

MgoBlueprint

March 10th, 2014 at 6:23 PM ^

I dont watch the Lions as closely as most of you all, but like I've said Ive watched Matt since he was playing in Athens. He has a cannon, but he tends to rely on his arm too much. He was surrounded by talent last year and failed to make the playoffs. He has the most talented receiver since a young Randy Moss in Megatron. He had a healthy Reggie Bush, a very solid Joique Bell, Fauria (sp) stepped up as well. I dont think he was as successful as he shouldve been given his paycheck, talent, and the tools at his disposal.

goblue20111

March 10th, 2014 at 6:35 PM ^

Fuaria was a red zone threat only and Stafford took advantage of it every chance he got.  He didn't have a reliable short yardage guy.  Pettigrew dropped less balls but than normal but that doesn't say much. No relaible number option at receiver.  Reggie and Joique aren't really every down NFL backs that can eat away yards and take the pressure off your QB.  

To say the Lions won't take the next step with him is wrong.  He took them to playoffs already.  Wo are you going to get that's better to replace him? No free agency retreads please.  You're not going to find another Tom Brady dicking around in the 6th round either.  

He has flaws.  He underperformed but he's definitely fixable.  He's not Joey Harrington.  

alum96

March 10th, 2014 at 6:34 PM ^

He throws a lot of empty yards when the Lions trail.  I looked 12 months ago at his previous year and he had something like 30% of his yards when the Lions trailed by 17+ and teams were in prevent.  He has the best WR in the game.  He had very good 1-2 punch at RB last year.  He had a nice TE.  He had the best OL the Lions have had in 15+ years.  And he imploded the last half of the year.  He thinks he is Favre but Favre was a winner.  Matt is a statistics man.  Youth is not an excuse, this was his 5th year.  His accuracy lacks. His decision making lacks.  He has a strong arm. 

Baba Booey

March 10th, 2014 at 6:05 PM ^

If they were one player away this might make sense but there too many holes to fill and they need all the picks they can get. I love Watkins but only if he drops in their lap at 10.

alum96

March 10th, 2014 at 6:09 PM ^

Thoughts?

 

It is the Detroit Lions.  Nothing will ever change no matter how many moving of checker pieces their front office does.  It is still the Lions.  Always will be. 

The Lions are not 1...2...5 players away.  Watching the Seahawks v 49ers, it looked like a different sport. 

The Lions are in the NFL "Fan zone" that the league is built around - you have 3-4 awful teams, and 3-4 top end teams and everyone else gets put in the "Fan Zone"; that perpetual 6-10 to 10-6 area where you really are a major pretender but the "close losses" (which are again designed for in a parity induced league) and "2 players away" ethos has people drinking Kool Aid.  They are currently the San Diego Chargers East or Dallas Cowboys North.  Same type of nothingburgers.

Unless Matt Stafford turns into Rodgers they are still light years away and even if that happens that defense is average.  They are elite at nothing and Sammy Watkins won't change that.

Source: Lions fan for well over 3 decades now.

MgoRayO3313

March 10th, 2014 at 6:16 PM ^

I agree. Although the 'fan zone' idea maybe a bit much the rest of the analysis is spot on. We are still the lions. As much as people do not care to hear the excuse, it always finds a way to hold true. Detroit's (coupled with Cleveland) sole purpose is to be the cubs of the nfl.



And that sourcing was dead on as well.

alum96

March 10th, 2014 at 6:30 PM ^

I am open to debate to the fan zone.  The NFL has changed from the era of the 49ers and Cowboys.  You have to rebuild your team every 3-5 years now with free agency and salary cap. 

The NFL is now built on parity.  A few horrid teams and a few elite teams (each fleeting) and a lot of teams in the middle who are deemed to be "close" by design.   If you get a franchise QB you can evade the fan zone for a long time (see Patriots, Saints, Packers, Steelers) but all in all that is how it is now designed... to keep every fan thinking they have a chance as opposed to in 1989 when you are like - well the 49ers won, hope we can at least make the playoffs and lose. :)

Curious what you disagree with.

Naked Bootlegger

March 10th, 2014 at 6:21 PM ^

Like thousands of multi-decade Lions fans, you share my EXACT feelings.   We could be a 10 win team next year, or a 10 loss team next year.   But we're stuck in perpetual parity purgatory, unless we can strike gold with a few lower round draft picks and/or lower tier free agents that suddenly blossom.   Glimmers of hope were the OL outperforming expectations last year, including contributions from undrafted FA's (Waddle).   But until Stafford matures (mechanics and such) AND the DL dominates on a consistent basis, we're nothing more than a mediocre team in a league filled with mediocre teams.

That said, I wish we would've gone through our horrible, horrible stage (0-16) in the past 1-2 years to reap the benefits of the newish rookie salary structure.  

Sammy Watkins?   That selection might marginally tingle my football loins.    Just like Andre Ware marginally tickled my football loins in the early '90s.   Please, someone, tickle my football loins.

alum96

March 10th, 2014 at 6:32 PM ^

Last year was unprecedented goodness in the NFL draft and UDFA - we got a starting OL player in UDFA, we got a starter in the 3rd round, we got a nice 1st round player, we got a punter. Etc.  For this franchise it is amazing - usually it takes us 5 drafts to get 3 starters lol.  We need a few of these back to back and our franchise QB to get his head out of his butt and valute the football.  But by then Calvin will be "old" etc.  So we're right back to square one.

The Lions currently are suffering from years upon years of getting almost nothing except in the 1st round of the draft.  And in Millen's era - just nothing at all. 

Mr. Yost

March 10th, 2014 at 6:15 PM ^

Because as good as Mike Evans may be...he's not the answer. We don't need Dez Bryant. 

Give me Watkins and his playmaking ability in a heartbeat.