LT Jeff Backus = retiring

Piston Pete · Post #1 » by **Piston Pete** » Thu Mar 14, 2013 8:04 pm

Good guy, good player.....was underrated most of the time.

1) Does this make drafting Fisher/Joeckel at #5 a priority?

or do we instead....

2) Go after an OT via free agency? Jake Long, Sam Baker, other??

ADflight1 · Post #2 » by **ADflight1** » Thu Mar 14, 2013 8:23 pm

Piston Pete wrote:Good guy, good player.....was underrated most of the time.

1) Does this make drafting Fisher/Joeckel at #5 a priority?
2) Do we go after an OT via free agency? Jake Long, Sam Baker, other??

Getting Fisher or Joeckel is not a must as I think Reiff could handle the job.

Sheeeeed · Post #3 » by **Sheeeeed** » Thu Mar 14, 2013 8:37 pm

I'm not convinced either Fisher or Joeckel will be there at 5 considering the o-line troubles the Eagles have had. That's of course if the Chiefs don't throw a curveball, and take a OT as expected.

Post #4 » by **ajaX82** » Thu Mar 14, 2013 8:44 pm

Whoa. Did not see this coming.

Reiff and Fox can start at the tackle spots I think, but clearly Fisher and Joeckel just jumped a bit up our boards. Cap relief is a nice thing too

Post #5 » by **Icness** » Thu Mar 14, 2013 9:17 pm

Backus was never as bad as Lions fans made him out to be. Other than handling speed rushers outside, which he absolutely could not do, he was good enough.

On the future, I think ajax is right: team is okay with Reiff & Fox/Hilliard starting but will certainly look at Fisher or Joeckel, or even Lane Johnson. I can see the pick being one of those guys or Ansah or Mingo and that's really it.

It will be strange to not see Backus lined up at left tackle in the fall though. He had a good long run.

Piston Pete · Post #6 » by **Piston Pete** » Thu Mar 14, 2013 9:33 pm

Icness wrote:Backus was never as bad as Lions fans made him out to be. Other than handling speed rushers outside, which he absolutely could not do, he was good enough.

On the future, I think ajax is right: team is okay with Reiff & Fox/Hilliard starting but will certainly look at Fisher or Joeckel, or even Lane Johnson. I can see the pick being one of those guys or Ansah or Mingo and that's really it.

It will be strange to not see Backus lined up at left tackle in the fall though. He had a good long run.

Off topic -- but, no Milliner?

Back on topic -- I wonder if the Lions told him to keep quiet until after they signed Bush, or any other FA RB

Blkbrd671 · Post #7 » by **Blkbrd671** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 5:23 am

i would not mind a OL with the first pick, a pretty awesome young OL to protect our Franchise QB and our new shiny RB.

Blkbrd671 · Post #8 » by **Blkbrd671** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 5:26 am

Piston Pete wrote:
Off topic -- but, no Milliner?

If we draft Millner, we're pretty much saying we whiffed last year with the 3 CB's we drafted. IMO Drops down on the priority list of positions with the resigning of Houston. I really liked what i saw from Bentley and Green last season, not amazing but not terrible. And apparently Greenwood is the better of the 3.

]Back on topic -- I wonder if the Lions told him to keep quiet until after they signed Bush, or any other FA RB

Don't think so, Bush came to the lions knowing we don't have a Pro Bowl O-Line

Post #9 » by **ajaX82** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 2:12 pm

If Jeff Backus was the make or break for Bush then he needs to get his head checked. Though he was a better run-blocking LT, Reiff (or Fisher/Joeckel) will be fine in this regard.

Milliner is a tough call because of what Blkbrd said...we drafted a bunch of CBs and with bringing back Houston and signing Quin we aren't as bad in the back 4 as meets the eye. DE continues to be a mess and with all the upheaval on the line suddenly, I think those two spots are by far the 5 target

DocRI · Post #10 » by **DocRI** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 5:34 pm

They Lions pretty much draft strictly BPA, so I really don't think the events of free agency affect our plans too much; remember, many people thought that the acquisitions of Vanden Bosch and Corey Williams meant the Lions would draft Okung over Suh. I honestly suspect that Joeckel and Fishcher were already under consideration should they slide to #5 even before Backus' retirement because Backus was only signed for one more year anyway. I think Millner is still very much in the mix for us too, as depth at DB is crucial nowadays (and Bentley, Green & Greenwood would provide that). And the need for a speed rushing DE like Ansah speaks for itself. I honestly suspect those are the four guys we're looking at, and Mayhew will choose whomever grades out the highest of whomever's left on the board. Ice, care to chime in with your expert thoughts?

Back on topic, my personal thanks and a tip of the hat to Jeff Backus, who suffered through one of the worst eras in the history of teams sports (the Millen years) and yet above all else was a true warrior (191 out of 192 games is staggering). Safe passage and enjoy your retirement, Jeff.