Draft Chat 2014

[Blkbrd671]

Our second rounders are always busts anyways, so I don't mind giving up the pick to move up nearly as much as I probably should. I do think Watkins is way above the others WRs in this class and is exactly what we need. He would make the offense worlds better. Dunno what the cost would be or how high we would have to jump up though.

Can we change the title of the thread to Free Agent/Draft Chat.


We are supposedly interested in Golden tate, and depending on how much we give him, i am on board.
Willie Young is visiting the Jags today, i am really okay with lettin him go, though i would resign him at the right cost.
Demarcus Ware just got released, i don't care what his numbers say, i would love him on this team
Clemons is supposedly a target with ward off the market
Detroit looks to be playing the waiting game, which i am completely on board with

[Piston Pete]

Until Suh signs a new deal, we have minimal cap space to play with....

I expect us to sign a WR in FA, and maybe minor/cheap depth guys at various positions. Kinda hope that WR isn't Golden Tate (just not a huge fan of his), but I guess we could do worse....

WR: Megatron, Tate, Durham, Ogletree, Ross = 5 Maybe draft a guy like Martavious Bryant in one of the middle rounds of the draft to develop.

Following that plan, I like this for our draft:

1) TE Ebron
2) S Pryor
3) WR Bryant
4) BPA or QB Logan Thomas
6) OLB Pierre-Louis

[LoboGuerrero]

Golden Tate would be a nice pick up imo. Support that.

I'd like to keep Willie Young if possible, not sure how high is be willing to go or how much he wants though. Same with Pettigrew. Lions have also reportedly had interest in Chandler, but I don't know much about him. Had him on my fantasy team as a plug and play a couple weeks, that's about it. heh

Clemons would be another very solid pick up imo.

Mayhew was apparently scouting Anthony Barr at their pro day yesterday. I'm really not zeroed in on any one or two guys, I'm open to a few at 10.

[Piston Pete]

Golden Tate is signed.....5-year deal.

WRs under contract: CJ, Tate, Durham, Ogletree, Ross. Should take another in the draft (Bryant?)

Need to take Ebron at 10 and Pryor in 2nd....

Or Ha Ha at 10 and hope Sefarian-Jenkins is still there for us in the 2nd....

[LoboGuerrero]

Heh, apparently a reporter jumped the gun, now Tate is saying he hasn't even heard the terms of the deal yet, and it's being reported that it is being finalized. But st any rate, it seems it will be done soon. I like it.

Edit: deal is now reported done at 5 years, $31 mil with $13.25 guaranteed. Seems like a pretty good price.

[Lionlifer]

I'm pumped, I was getting worried we were going to trade up for Watkins....

Now lets focus on the defense, or maybe redo Suh's deal, one of the two.

[Sheeeeed]

I'm pumped, I was getting worried we were going to trade up for Watkins....

Now lets focus on the defense, or maybe redo Suh's deal, one of the two.

I still wouldn't be surprised if the Lions would still be interested in trading up for Watkins, or taking another WR in the first. The Depth behind Calvin and Tate isn't great.

[dVs33]

I like the Tate signing. From what i've seen and read about him he looks like a solid pick up.

[ajaX82]

I like the Tate signing. From what i've seen and read about him he looks like a solid pick up.

I'm a big fan of it too. Fits exactly what we need opposite CJ; runs good routes, great hands, plays inside and out. Allows us to look elsewhere in the draft. Awesome

[Blkbrd671]

I like the Tate signing. From what i've seen and read about him he looks like a solid pick up.

I'm a big fan of it too. Fits exactly what we need opposite CJ; runs good routes, great hands, plays inside and out. Allows us to look elsewhere in the draft. Awesome

Agreed, he also provides another option for us at punt returner behind Ross.

I hope we sign clemons , which we are reportedly interested in.

Then our focus at the draft will be CB,DE,LB,C.

That would also make the possibility of us trading down more likely.

[Lionlifer]

I'm pumped, I was getting worried we were going to trade up for Watkins....

Now lets focus on the defense, or maybe redo Suh's deal, one of the two.

I still wouldn't be surprised if the Lions would still be interested in trading up for Watkins, or taking another WR in the first. The Depth behind Calvin and Tate isn't great.

I don't think adding a first round WR counts as depth. If we take one in the third, sure why not, but a first round WR should be a playmaker/starter in the case of Watkins. And if we do go that route, we are then giving 31 million to our number three wideout, which is insanity.

[Lionlifer]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000333725/article/report-detroit-lions-expected-to-sign-james-ihedigbo

Looks like Ihedigbo might be coming over, makes the draft much more interesting. I'm thinking Gilbert would be our guy in round 1, with a safety in the latter portions for some youth at the position.

[Piston Pete]

If we sign Ihedigbo:

1) TE Ebron (UNC)
2) CB Roby (OSU)
3) WR Bryant (Clemson)
4) QB Thomas (VT)
6) OLB Pierre-Louis (BC)

[Sheeeeed]

I'm pumped, I was getting worried we were going to trade up for Watkins....

Now lets focus on the defense, or maybe redo Suh's deal, one of the two.

I still wouldn't be surprised if the Lions would still be interested in trading up for Watkins, or taking another WR in the first. The Depth behind Calvin and Tate isn't great.

I don't think adding a first round WR counts as depth. If we take one in the third, sure why not, but a first round WR should be a playmaker/starter in the case of Watkins. And if we do go that route, we are then giving 31 million to our number three wideout, which is insanity.

You'd have a point if the Lions don't run any 3 WR sets. If the Lions can make a good deal to trade up for Watkins or another WR is BPA @ 10 you take him. Watkins or another WR doesn't automatically make Tate a #3.

[dVs33]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000333725/article/report-detroit-lions-expected-to-sign-james-ihedigbo

Looks like Ihedigbo might be coming over, makes the draft much more interesting. I'm thinking Gilbert would be our guy in round 1, with a safety in the latter portions for some youth at the position.

If that signing goes down, how do you like the fit??

[Piston Pete]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000333725/article/report-detroit-lions-expected-to-sign-james-ihedigbo

Looks like Ihedigbo might be coming over, makes the draft much more interesting. I'm thinking Gilbert would be our guy in round 1, with a safety in the latter portions for some youth at the position.

If that signing goes down, how do you like the fit??

He's decent....short-term stop-gap type player capable of starting - but he's already 30.

[IMissBarry]

Before I start I would like to clarify that I am big Lions fan from the Barry Sanders and Herman Moore days. That being said I also live in Canada so I have yet to be able to see a Lions game in person yet and I will also make no claims to be as knowledgeable about the cap and roster situation as most of you. My main source of Lions info comes from these boards as I have lurked here for a couple years now. So what I am about to say may not even be possible as far as the cap goes and I am not 100% up on who has come and gone from the roster but here goes. Feel free to correct anything I am out to lunch on but these are my opinions anyway.


I would love to see the Lions sign Captain Munnerlyn to help out the secondary. Rodgers-Cromartie would be nice too. Charles Tillman is still out there without a deal too.

Every time I watch this team our secondary makes me cringe. Ihedigbo (if we can briing him in) and Quinn at Safety lessens that blow but our corners are still cringe-worthy. We have some young guys but they aren't particularly seasoned and still aren't ready in my opinion. If we could get a vet to line up with Houston (aside from Mathis, who is past his prime and hope is just here to mentor now) I wouldn't be quite as concerned.

Our LB core and Line need some plug and play guys or to add depth through the draft but are serviceable for now, saftey barring any major injuries should be better if we add Ihedigbo,

Our RB position is better than it has been in ages with Reggie and Joique now. Apparently we are also looking at Hynoski at FB. Maybe doing away with the single back formations under Caldwell?

WR just got A LOT brighter with Tate coming in. I think the whole Seattle WR core is/was vastly under rated and lets face it Wilson is not the passer/risk taker that Stafford is. Wilson is a very good QB but when it comes to throwing up deep balls which is where Tate and his athleticism thrive, Wilson has nothin on Stafford. We still need depth but this may be the first year that Megatron has someone to legitimately take all the pressure off of him. Add to the above that Reggie and Joique can both catch the ball out of the backfield and things are looking up in that Megatron won't be the only guy to go to in the crunch. As far as TE we can address this through the draft as well.

O-line is probably the area I know least about but barring a total collapse from last season or any major losses on the line they seemed to do a pretty decent job at protecting Stafford and opening up holes for our RB's.

QB is set with Stafford but he could definitely use a smack in the head for some of the bonehead decisions he makes out there but I have faith that he can get it done.

In the end I am happy with the signings so far (especially keeping Reggie and Joique in tact) and am looking forward to the draft. I just hope we don't blow it in some way. I think we are a good secondary and some better decision making by our QB away from being a very good team who can compete with anyone in the league.

[LoboGuerrero]

I could see us doing something like this:

(I'm assuming Ihedigbo is signed)

1.) One of: WR Evans/TE Ebron/OLB Barr
2.) SS Ward/WR (pick one)/CB Fuller or Joyner
3.) WR (if not picked in either 1st or 2nd round)/CB/TE if no Ebron or Pettigrew

[Piston Pete]

Pettidrop just re-upped for 4 years, $16 million....so take Ebron out of the equation:

#10) CB Gilbert or WR Evans

[Lionlifer]

I still wouldn't be surprised if the Lions would still be interested in trading up for Watkins, or taking another WR in the first. The Depth behind Calvin and Tate isn't great.

I don't think adding a first round WR counts as depth. If we take one in the third, sure why not, but a first round WR should be a playmaker/starter in the case of Watkins. And if we do go that route, we are then giving 31 million to our number three wideout, which is insanity.

You'd have a point if the Lions don't run any 3 WR sets. If the Lions can make a good deal to trade up for Watkins or another WR is BPA @ 10 you take him. Watkins or another WR doesn't automatically make Tate a #3.

Good point, it all depends on the scheme.

I know that our OC comes from NO, so that would imply lots of multiple WR sets. But Caldwell is rather balanced in his offensive attack. Guess out draft will determine a lot about the sets that we run.

All that being said, I don't want a WR at #10, BPA or not.