Naked Bootlegger

March 14th, 2014 at 9:02 AM ^

His hands are sometimes suspect, but he's a great blocker.   One of few TE's that act as a legit 6th OL AND pose a receiving threat.   As a Lions fan, I'm good with this signing.  

Everyone Murders

March 14th, 2014 at 9:50 AM ^

To me, not only is Pettigrew an offensive threat (recent drops notwithstanding, he can catch the ball - see 2011, for example), but he also helps keep Stafford off his backside.  The drops can be maddening, but as you note he's a true additional OL capable of blocking a DE or an LB.  People that can do that and catch the ball are a valuable commodity.

Mr. Yost

March 14th, 2014 at 9:27 AM ^

I keep saying this...you don't build a team through FAs. You build it through the draft.

Don't waste money on a 2nd FA WR when you can just draft one and pay him basically nothing in comparison. He's younger and will likely be far more productive over the next 5-7 years than the FA.

I'd rather the Lions take a WR in the 1st round than sign Smith. However, I think they should go defense and then get Jordan Matthews (WR-Vandy), who I feel is the most underrated player in the draft in the 2nd round.

The Lions really don't need too many more FAs. Maybe a backup QB unless they resigned Hill and I missed it.

DRAFT first then sign your FAs who are still out there for less money after the draft. For example, maybe you don't get the safety you want. Okay, go get Ryan Clark after the draft for a year as a stop gap until the 2015 draft. Signing Clark now vs. after the draft would be a waste of money.

Tator Salad

March 14th, 2014 at 9:06 AM ^

Let's get stafford more weapons, then he'll be better right? Oh wait pettigrew can't catch!



Until they help their secondary they will underachieve

Don

March 14th, 2014 at 9:15 AM ^

If all you're getting is a guy who's a good blocker but is unreliable at catching the ball, 4 years and $16 million seems a bit high to me.

But then expending a first-round pick—20th overall—on a guy who's not a true difference maker at TE was dumb from the beginning. If you're going to be picking a TE that high, you'd better be getting a Tony Gonzalez-type player.

pescadero

March 14th, 2014 at 9:58 AM ^

"If all you're getting is a guy who's a good blocker but is unreliable at catching the ball, 4 years and $16 million seems a bit high to me."



$4M per year would have been #15 in salary among TE in the NFL last year.

 

TE who made more than $4M -

Rob Gronkowski     

Jason Witten    

Vernon Davis    

Antonio Gates

Jimmy Graham

Jared Cook

Jermichael Finley     

Marcedes Lewis

Zach Miller

Dennis Pitta

Greg Olsen    

Martellus Bennett    

Brent Celek     

Dustin Keller

 

TE who made $3-4M -



Anthony Fasano

Heath Miller

Craig Stevens

Brandon Pettigrew

LSAClassOf2000

March 14th, 2014 at 9:16 AM ^

Yeah, for the blocking alone, I really don't have a problem with the Lions getting Pettigrew back, and when he is clicking in an offense, he's a really good all-around TE. Indeed, he is at least a small part of the reason the Lions have been routinely finishing in the top 10 in total offensive yards. The money is not bad either - I like those numbers for him. 

maize-blue

March 14th, 2014 at 9:19 AM ^

It's looking more and more like a defensive pick for their #1, which is good. But, who knows, if one of the top WRs are still there then I could see them taking one.

Mr. Yost

March 14th, 2014 at 9:21 AM ^

The Lions should be drafting all defense...right?

7 picks...draft a new back 7?

I'll give it a shot.

1. Justin Gilbert - CB

2. Bradley Roby - CB/Kyle Fuller - DB

3. Ahmad Dixon - S

5. Max Bullough - LB

6. Khari Fortt - LB

7. DeDe Lattimore - LB

7. Sean Parker - S

Joking...kinda.

alum96

March 14th, 2014 at 9:26 AM ^

I think Roby is overrated myself.  On that team I'd love to get Shazier, he is a beast.  He is slated late 1st to mid 2nd so if they can get him in the 2nd I say yes.

While their OL is decent now if the 2nd rated tackle falls to them in the 1st I think that is difficult to pass up.  Most years the 2nd rated tackle is a top 5ish pick.  You could move Reiff to the right side; we still dont know what Waddle is - if he is good you have a great 3 man group at tackle who is young and you always have injuries.  And down the road when Sims moves on/slows down you push Reiff inside to guard and you have two young bookend tackles.

I think the Lions are targeting the guy from Baltimore as a stop gap safety for a year or two (he is 30) so they still need a safety early, and a LB somewhere.  And a 3rd WR somewhere.  And a center in the 4thish maybe to replace Dominic Raoila. 

Mr. Yost

March 14th, 2014 at 9:41 AM ^

Did you say this as we were building the DL through the draft in previous years? Honest question.

I look at this entire OL and I only see 5 guys. That's a BIG risk. Especially when you've got 2 good players, 2 solid players and 1 average player.

I find it funny that people (not just you) say we don't need anymore OL, but they say we still need to draft a WR.

For the same reason we still need to draft a WR, we need to add to the OL. Particularly when you have a couple guys that could fall in your lap without trading up (which I'd NEVER do). No one can see what future drafts will look like. I'd hate to have to trade up in 2 years to get the guy we want and basically ruin the entire draft. I'd hate to have to sign a Roger Saffold to big money just because we don't have anything else.

SalvatoreQuattro

March 14th, 2014 at 9:54 AM ^

Most NFL teams carry only 7 linemen on game day. So it's not like there is a ton of roster space to keep an extra OT. The Lions have a decent backup OT in Hillard. Both Waddle and Reiff are young tackles.



Drafting an OT makes as much sense as drafting a QB. It's downright insane.

HipsterCat

March 14th, 2014 at 10:28 AM ^

Dline players rotate much more, Oline should stay the same all game barring an injury. so drafting a player in the first round unless they are expected to start or contribute heavily or you have a 35 year old left tackle who is going to retire next season. we have two very good young tackles and hillard/fox did well in spot duty last year so we should be fine. if reiff and waddle stay healthy we should be set at tackle for at least the next 4ish years

Mr. Yost

March 14th, 2014 at 9:36 AM ^

But I see value in Roby (or Fuller) in the 2nd round where the Lions pick.

As forthe OT...be careful, you may get shot around here. I agree with you 110%. I personally think the Lions should draft Matthews or Lewan if they're available.

It's like people aren't watching these MEDIOCRE OTs get scooped up with HUGE contracts. I don't know why if you're the Lions, after all you've been through with the OL, you'd wait until that happened and then have to go get someone elses medicore OT for big money or wait to develop another draft pick.

I'd take either guy, who look like potential franchise bookends and work it out. If you have to move some guys around, do it. But I'm not going to go through the hell that was the poorest OL in the league for decades again just because we seemed to get it right last year.

Take that OT and add some depth, some talent, some assurance and insurance on a unit that has been maligned since pre-Barry Sanders.

I ONLY say this because of the rookie contract scale. You can get one of these guys for CHEAP vs. ruining your team by paying some average OT 5 years/$40 million like teams are doing right now. The flexibility it provides to get the best guys on the field and the safety you get from injury and FA poaching is WELL worth it.

Lastly, who knows if 2 franchise type OTs are going to fall in your lap again in the near future. So it's not like it's a reach. They're the best players available. If this was a different draft class, I'm saying "HELL NO" but these guys are right there for the taking just like the DL guys were in previous years.

Me personally, I'd go... OT, CB, WR, S, LB, CB, S

SalvatoreQuattro

March 14th, 2014 at 9:48 AM ^

You don't draft OT's in the 1st for depth. What you propose is mindbogglingly stupid. Your proposal does not help the the get better at all and wastes cap space on a guy who won't play.



Besides quality OT are found in all rounds of the draft. If it's depth you want you can select an OT in rounds 4-7.

alum96

March 14th, 2014 at 9:23 AM ^

Sounds like a reasonable contract for his pedigree.  I heard the hold up on the contract being signed is Pettigrew fumbling the pen repeatedly after it was tossed to him by Mayhew. 

/I'll be here all week

MattisonMan

March 14th, 2014 at 9:23 AM ^

Offseason is going well. Solutions presented at WR, S, and DE, while retaining players when possible. Lions are positioning themselves to draft talent over need, which is probably best in the long-term.

They have to get a deal in place for Suh though.

JHendo

March 14th, 2014 at 9:36 AM ^

I'll be honest, I didn't ncessarily want him back.  He's a very decent blocker, but he can't hang on to a ball to save his life, especially in pressure situations when it really matters.  Ed Dickson could've come pretty cheap and is a hell of blocker, and Jeremichael Finley would be a big time offensive weapon with a contract that's a lot less than he's truly worth.  Oh well, I guess it's not a bad thing to have to settle with Pettigrew.

XM - Mt 1822

March 14th, 2014 at 9:38 AM ^

i see the wisdom of signing him, but i just have a hard time with a guy who drops as many balls as he does, and i don't remember him showing up much in clutch situations.   they probably paid the a number that is at the top of my version of 'reasonable' for him. lets hope he overdelivers. 

MGoVoldemort

March 14th, 2014 at 9:46 AM ^

Can everyone stop posting who the Lions are going to draft for all 7 rounds? It's ridiculous, and most of you start it out with the thought that the Lions couldn't possibly draft a WR with their first pick, which is ridiculous. Any Lions writer, or national writer will tell you the lions went into the season looking for two WR's. The Lions do need help on defense, especially in the back end, but it's very hard to be good to be good on both sides of the ball. You can't fix every problem in an offseason, and you may as well have one dominant side of the ball, instead of two average ones.

JHendo

March 14th, 2014 at 10:41 AM ^

Hold on, Touchdown Bundy in the 7th round?  He'll be long gone by then.  Don't forget, this man holds the school record in touchdowns and even got 4 in the state championship game.  No way he falls to the 7th round even with his well documented injury issues.

MaximusBlue

March 14th, 2014 at 10:19 AM ^

As many have said his hands leave something to be desired, but as a complete TE who can block and catch, you had to keep him. You still have a young Michael Williams and Fauria who caught a whopping 7 TD's as a red zone threat.