How would you grade your teams draft?

[AdvantageTimberLou]

i see them having a 6-7 win season, and hopefully being in position to draft michigans jake long next year to replace a veteran lineman to get a little youth on the line. as for drafting stanton....another good pick, in a year or 2 he'll take over for kitna, with martz running the offense, he will learn a lot, as i said before, i think he was held back by the coaching at MSU.

See what I mean though, we are hoping for a medicore season, 6-7 wins, what's that? The team is constantly rebuilding. Why look at next year's draft?

I see it as this year as a "do or be be fired year" for Millen, we make the play-offs or he is fired. Old man Ford can't be that dumb to keep him around and hope for another good pick in next year's round.

We need to build for this season, not 2 or 3 seasons down the road like we are always doing. Time will tell but you have to protect Kitna in the pocket, no protection expect sacks, interceptions, and losses!!!

[muggs]

Man...you guys are both really drinking the Kool-Aid.

If someone would have told you before last season began; "The Lions will have another bad year, get the 2nd pick overall..and draft a wideout." What do you think you'd say? Even if that person said "he's the can't miss guy though, he'll be a great one."

You wouldn't buy it, and I'm sure you wouldn't think it is a good idea. Don't let John Clayton and everyone esle sell you on this. It's a bad move, only that GM would do.

When you're team as glaring holes, and the only player on your roster who is Pro Bowl caliber is a WR...you don't draft another WR...I'm sorry.

[buckbuster11]

Yeah but you cant sacrifice talent like that. So who should they have taken? Pass on the best player in the draft to grab Gaines Adams at DE? C'mon thats a joke and Tampa Bay is going to find that out soon enough. You have the #2 pick in the draft and you have to get #2 value. If you arent going to do it through a trade you take Johnson. Unless you have 3 primetime WR's, which they don't, you take him.

[AdvantageTimberLou]

Man...you guys are both really drinking the Kool-Aid.

If someone would have told year before last season began; "The Lions will have another bad year, get the 2nd pick overall..and draft a wideout." What do you think you'd say? Even if that person said "he's the can't miss guy though, he'll be a great one."

You wouldn't buy it, and I'm sure you wouldn't think it is a good idea. Don't let John Clayton and everyone esle sell you on this. It's a bad move only that GM would do.

When you're team as glaring holes, and the only player on your roster who is Pro Bowl caliber is a WR...you don't draft another WR...I'm sorry.

Muggs,

as Kitna is scrambling with the ball trying to save himself from being tackled maybe then Millen will say, "man, we need to work on our offensive line" "look at my Wide Receivers, they are wide open" all this while Kitna is being sacked for a 15 yard loss.

Got to build up your lines and protect your QB and then work on defense, nope, not the Lions, lets get Wide Receivers and go into the shot gun formation every play. Sad team, have been for years, that is why people laugh at our picks.

Do you ever wonder why Barry Sanders just walked away from the game? Look at that team and its managements approach to football!!!!

[AdvantageTimberLou]

Yeah but you cant sacrifice talent like that. So who should they have taken? Pass on the best player in the draft to grab Gaines Adams at DE? C'mon thats a joke and Tampa Bay is going to find that out soon enough. You have the #2 pick in the draft and you have to get #2 value. If you arent going to do it through a trade you take Johnson. Unless you have 3 primetime WR's, which they don't, you take him.

yeah like the talent we had in Charlie Rogers that we never utilized....or Mike Williams. If you have a quarterback who lead the league in interceptions which I beleive Mr. Kitna did, does not matter who is your wide receiver, your going to lose games, which the Lions are plenty capable of.

That line needs to be worked on, explain that to Millen. Every draft seems to focus on QB's and WR's, as some say, the playmakers. Sorry but the game involves more than those 2 positions.

[Michiganbowhunter_SQ2]

Man...you guys are both really drinking the Kool-Aid.

If someone would have told year before last season began; "The Lions will have another bad year, get the 2nd pick overall..and draft a wideout." What do you think you'd say? Even if that person said "he's the can't miss guy though, he'll be a great one."

I'd say great, they can use him...the defense suffered injuries last year, as well as the offensive line, they have added depth to the O-line in the offseason....Kitna will have better protection this year, and with the numbers he put up last year without an offensive line, and the addition of calvin johnson to go with williams and furry (assuming furry wasn't just a one season fluke), this offense will be greatly improved next year and will be even better the following year with stanton at QB. the running game won't be top in the league, but they will be ok, not great, but ok.

Don't let John Clayton and everyone esle sell you on this.

i wouldn't listen to that geek even if he COULD predict the future

When you're team as glaring holes, and the only player on your roster who is Pro Bowl caliber is a WR...you don't draft another WR...I'm sorry.

thats just it, they don't have a bunch of holes...they had injuries last year to the o-line, defense, they there are a couple that could be filled, mostly corner and a middle linebacker...but again, injuries pleagued the defense last year as well.

if you think they would have made to playoffs this year Lou with another draft pick, you are dreaming...i blame millen for a lot of this..but you also have to realize the coaches he brought in here didn't do there jobs either....in all of those drafts, IMO, millen made good picks....they needed a QB and an offense the first few years, so they get joey harrington one year, and get charles rogers the next year...no i guarantee, that just about every lions fan thought that was a good pick at the time. the following year, they get roy williams and kevin jones...great draft there, Roy is one of the best in the League, Kevin jones has had some injuries the last couple years, but before that he was producing, again, nobodys fault, injuries happen sometimes. mike williams, at the time, was an ok draft pick, no one could have predicted the outcome of his time in detroit. all in all, Millen IMO, hasn't really been to bad, they have just had some bad luck...no one can predict the things that have happened...now coaching...thats another story, mariucci was probably the only guy he brought in that people really were excited about...but thats didn't work out, millens fault? i don't think so...and no marinelli is the coach...this will only be his second year, can't expect the guy to perform miracles...playoffs are doubtfull this year...a 7 games season, heck, after looking over the roster and reading up on some of these guys, an 8-8 season may not be out of the question, but it seems people expect them to be at the top of the league or division right away...i think they have hit some bumps in the road and finally have a coach who isn't going to bow down to Millen for just giving him a job and is going to have his say in everything done that effects his team.

[muggs]

Even if you stay at 2, I think Joe Thomas, Levi Brown, Adrian Peterson, Brady Quinn, Gaines Adams are filling more of a need. And you have the 2 pick overall, just because you pass on a guy you don't need doesn't mean you're sacrificing talent. You still have talented guys out there. I also can't believe they couldn't work out a trade. Millen probably wanted to much, when in reality, he could have greatly improved his teams situation by dropping a few spots and picking up just a 2nd rounder.

What the heck is Kitna gonna do with 2 stud WR's anyway? All you are creating is a situation where neither one of them is going to get the ball enough to A, keep both of them happy, and B, make an impact that shows their true value.

Bad...bad pick.

And then you go with Stanton? I can get that it's a local guy, and you want to bring him in. But I think Kolb, Edwards, and Beck might be a better fit. But that might work out for them.

I can't see how that Millen keeps his job. What kind of dirt does he have on the Ford family anyway? I feel for you Lou, the Browns had two terrible GM's since their return. I've seen first hand what poor drafting can do to a team. Actually, the main reason the Browns have been down since '99 has been the failure to address the Oline in the draft.

[Michiganbowhunter_SQ2]

That line needs to be worked on, explain that to Millen. Every draft seems to focus on QB's and WR's, as some say, the playmakers. Sorry but the game involves more than those 2 positions.

but they have worked on it Lou...not drafting a lineman in the draft, doesn't mean you are ignoring it....

[muggs]

thats just it, they don't have a bunch of holes....

I think you're missing something here Lee. They have a lot of holes, especially after losing Dre Bly (spelling?). Tatum Bell was a nice addition, but I don't think you can expect much for Kevin Jones anymore.

btw- the Mike Williams pick was one of the worst ever...Millen was reaching for a superstar.

[Michiganbowhunter_SQ2]

i am going to throw some quotes out, and let you guys figure iout who worte them on here

IMO- you have a top five pick, you have to take a gamebreaking talent.

I agree that O-line should be their priority, but I don't think Thomas is worth the #3 overall pick. If there was an Ogden or Pace type guy there, then yeah, but actually, I think that Levi Brown guy from Penn State is better than him. Whoever takes Thomas is huring their franchise.

[Michiganbowhunter_SQ2]

I think you're missing something here Lee. They have a lot of holes, especially after losing Dre Bly (spelling?). Tatum Bell was a nice addition, but I don't think you can expect much for Kevin Jones anymore.

btw- the Mike Williams pick was one of the worst ever...Millen was reaching for a superstar.

holes in the defensive back field yeah, and middle linebacker...the offense is going to be solid this year, not Colts type firepower, but they will be ok, if the defense stays healthy, they will be ok, they started the year out pretty good on sdefense, then the injuries pilled up, thats really no ones fault, things just happen, all to often for tyhe lions, but you worl through it and you look forward to guys being healthy the next year....i think bell will be good, not great, but they will take care of that issue next year with i am guessing a second round pick...kevin jones, unfortunatly as you said, might be doen, i'm sure come in and have a good game here and there, but for the most part, that foot injury pretty much guaranteed him a back up for the rest of his career.

[buckbuster11]

Yeah the Lions have a ton of holes, they need line help. Great. You can do that through FA or with the other 6 picks you have in the draft. When you have a top pick in the draft you have to get gamebreaking talent at the skills position. Thats just my opinion. There is just no way anybody is ever going to convince me that it is acceptable to take a lineman of any kind,on either side of the ball, with a top pick in the draft. It's a waste everytime and if you look back through history it burns almost every team that does it.

Houston had tons of holes last year remember? They didnt need a QB or a RB so they said. They needed lineman. How did that work out for them? Think they regret letting Bush, Leinart, Young etc.. go?

[muggs]

Yup...I was really mad when the Browns took Thomas at 3. But Thomas with Quinn...very pleased.

For further clarity, gamebreaking talent includes:

-A dominate passrushing DE

-A shutdown corner

-A stud, homefun hitting RB

-A future franchise QB

-A star WR

IMO- you have a top five pick you have to take gamebreaking talent, no doubt. But if you have Tomlinson...you don't take a gamebreaking RB even if he's #1 on everyone's board. If you already have Carson Palmer, you don't take a QB...even if he is #1 on everyone's board...you have Julius Peppers, you don't take a passrushing DE...even if he's #1 on everyone's board.

Take a gamebreaker at another position!! Does Millen realize WR isn't the only position on the field?

[c_lou]

i am going to throw some quotes out, and let you guys figure iout who worte them on here

You stole the quotes right out of my keyboard.

I think the Lions screwed up on their second pick. Of course Stanton may turn out to be a servicable QB, but I think Beck would have been the better pick.

[Michiganbowhunter_SQ2]

i agree with all of that muggs, except the WR part...you CAN have 2 star WRs on one team....you have 1, what good is he if he is drawing double coverage...you have 2, with another decent WR, that gives the defense something to think about. i don't think chemistry will be a problem, roy williams isn't the type to complain, he goes out and does his job, he'll get his touches, as will johnson...even if it doesn't workout like that, then you can shop one of them around and get some decent trade offers.

[muggs]

i agree with all of that muggs, except the WR part...you CAN have 2 star WRs on one team....you have 1, what good is he if he is drawing double coverage...you have 2, with another decent WR, that gives the defense something to think about. i don't think chemistry will be a problem, roy williams isn't the type to complain, he goes out and does his job, he'll get his touches, as will johnson...even if it doesn't workout like that, then you can shop one of them around and get some decent trade offers.

I'm all for having two star WR's too Lee. That is if you have a QB that can get them the ball, an Oline that can give said QB enough time to get them the ball, a running game that can setup a passing game to get 2 star WR's the ball, and a defense that can shut down the opposition so those two WR's can get off the sideline.

Too many other areas needed to be addressed with that pick for me to say it was OK for Millen to take his 4 WR in the last 5 years...that is just a joke. I don't care if CJ was 7'2" 330 lbs and could run the 40 in 4.0 flat.

What's the point of taking a star in you're only going to have to trade the other one...that sure seems like a useless step, and a waste of everyone's time and enery. You have a star WR...get your defense some help, get your star RB, get your QB some protection.

[Michiganbowhunter_SQ2]

That is if you have a QB that can get them the ball

they have that in kitna, he may have been 2nd in INTs, but he also was towards the top in several other catagories, top 5 in yards, top 10 in completion % and top ten in TDs...the INTs will be less this year with the improvement they have made to the line...they had 2 lineman starting by the end of the year that were rookies and one other guy who had a total of 3 starts in his couple years in the league...

an Oline that can give said QB enough time to get them the ball

IMO they have worked on this enough to not take thomas with the #2 pick, they have picked up several guys who started for other teams that will jump into the starting line for the Lions, and they already had a solid tackle and solid center. and with damien woody back healthy, the line should be pretty good next year.

a running game that can setup a passing game to get 2 star WR's the ball

another thing they have worked on, getting bell as their RB while jones is hurt, duckett may not be a star running back but he is a good short yardage RB. i don't care who you are, you aren't going to load your team with a superstar at every position in one year. you get guys that will improve your team right now, and everyone who have they have pickedu p this offseason will make this team better.

and for the defense, like i said before, the only real issues there were corner, middle linebacker and hoping to avoid injuries...the D-line is solid, gaines would have been a good pick, but it isn't something they need, who else were they supposed to take wiuth the second pick if they didn't trade down?? leon hall at corner??

either way, no matter who they would have taken, teams like detroit, cleveland, oakland, will still be picking in the top ten next draft.

What's the point of taking a star in you're only going to have to trade the other one...that sure seems like a useless step

my point there was that you take your chance with the sure thing, even though you already have a stud WR, and the off chance the chemistry between them doesn't workout, you still have 2 guys that would easily be starters on any team in the league and could get a lot for either one.

[muggs]

Well, I hope it works out for them. But I can't see it, really.

Not to mention, I realize Johnson was the best player in the draft, at least I agree with anyone who says that. But there's nothing sure about the NFL draft.

I'll be of the opinion that it was not the right pick for them. If they go 12-4 and make the playoffs...I'll stand corrected.

[Michiganbowhunter_SQ2]

But there's nothing sure about the NFL draft.

You got that right!!! the last opick in the draft could turn out to be a hall of famer!

and jamrcus russell could be a bust, you never know, only time will tell i guess.

If they go 12-4 and make the playoffs...I'll stand corrected.

i'll stick with my 6-7 wins this year...heck, maybe even a .500 season

[muggs]

I'm happy if the Browns win 7, anything else is not enough progress IMO.

[Michiganbowhunter_SQ2]

i think they got a STEAL with Quinn at 22. their offense looks pretty solid right now, of course they have yet to play a game, but thomas on the line and Quinn at QB throwing to braylon edwards and winslow. i like that combo.

[muggs]

Overall the team should be pretty solid, but the big thing is the injury factor. Their luck needs to change in that department. Having a healthy LeCharles Bentley and Gary Baxter would do wonders...unfortunately, I'm not sure either one will ever see the field again.

Too bad, Joe Thomas, Eric Steinbach, and LeCharles Bentley would have been a nice left side of the Oline.

But overall, I think their defense is going to be very, very good, and their offense should be solid. Funny thing is, the biggest "?" is still the QB position. But you have to like having Frye, Anderson and Quinn all in the mix. All three aren't Mannning, but they can all play.

[SuperMn106]

As said the lions addressed their O-line issue in free agency which allowed them to take a start talent with the #2 pick. I would have liked to see them get a RB but they aquired Tatum Bell. I am giving up on Kevin Jones. As said somewhere above, Kitna had some pretty good stats last year minus the interceptions.

As for Drew Stanton, Can anyone name anyone on his offense that helped him throughout the season? Matt Trannon? He should stick to basketball. Stanton was basically asked to do everything by himself and for most of the season he did that. I was impressed everytime that I watched him. (Thats impressive coming from a Wolverine fan ) Stanton is pretty accurate when in the pocket and on the run, very mobile and moves well and has the ability to take over a game when he is on. Also having Mike Martz will help him a lot too, look at what he did with Kurt Warner, undrafted to MVP.

[craig mack]

What you guys seem to be forgetting is the Lions have drafted heavy in darn near every position on the team with the exception being CB. They drafted heavy at O-Line (Gibson,McDougle,Raiola,and Backus) and all those guys were supposed to be good picks. But they turned out to be crap. At LB they drafted Lehman, Bailey,Claiborne. These guys have done nothing. There D-line they drafted Rogers, Devries, Edwards, and Redding. Rogers is a lazy high-on and Redding doesnt want to play here. Bottom line is they have bad luck and bad management. So to me, seeing them draft a "sure thing", no matter what the position, is the best thing they could have done. If they trade down and get all those picks Millen would have surely picked bums!!!!

[Guest Finn]

WOW

Do the Lions really need this much conversation? lol

I'll guess they'll be 4th in the division and pick a receiver in the first round of the 2008 draft......