It's the big key to success in the NFL, USA Today writer Larry Weisman declares -- finding a franchise QB. Weisman gives a good overview of several teams with QB questions they're trying to address, and notes that Matthew Stafford may be uniquely equipped to handle the pressure as a rookie, given his early play for prestigious Highland Park High School in Dallas and starting at the University of Georgia as a freshman.
Killer: Bullocks has a lot to prove
A fairly nasty fly has been found in Lions' fans' collective optimism ointment. It's been widely presumed that rookie safety Louis Delmas will occupy a starting spot next to returning young veteran Daniel Bullocks--but apparently that's far from settled. Oh, Delmas can be pencilled in, alright, but it's Bullocks's job that's in question. While most who watched the games intently last year remembered seeing flashes of "the old Bullocks" early on, apparently that didn't last all season. Killer goes on to insinuate that Bullock's bad angles and bad tackling were the cause of the long runs we saw reeled off against the Lions by Carolina, Tennesee, and other teams.
This is disheartening. Between this, and the question marks around Gerald Alexander, safety has gone from a position where the Lions had two talented young starters, to having one talented young starter and a pile of questionably-useful veterans. Indeed, after spending three secound-round draft picks at safety in four years, the Lions still might have a hole back there.
Discuss it here, in The Den!
Louis Delmas: "I have a lot of proving to do"
Monday, June 8, 2009
Howie Beardsley from the Grand Rapids Press just posted a nice little story on Louis Delmas, the Lions' second-round safety. Delmas has been the subject of much buzzing around Allen Park and the Internet with his playmaking, his on- and off-field charisma, and his disturbing (and endearing) life story. Delmas helped out with the Detroit Lions Youth Camp this weekend, and answered a young fan's question about how many times he'll be All-Pro with the best possible answer: "If I play 15 seasons in the NFL, I want to be all-pro 15 times."
Delmas has the talent, mouth, and personality to be the playmaking lynchpin of the Lions' defense. Much like Troy Polamalu in Pittsburgh, Ed Reed in Baltimore, and Bob Sanders in Indianapolis, Delmas has the natural talent to be fearsome against both the run and the pass. This production should be redoubled with the Lions' new symmetrical look, where Delmas will pair with safety Daniel Bullocks; both will be expected to perform in traditional "free" and "strong" roles during a game. If he truly does, as he says, already have the playbook memorized, he'll be able to focus his time in training camp on his execution. So far, all of the indicators are pointing towards Delmas being exactly what the Lions hoped he would be when they turned in the 33rd card last April.
Discuss it here, in The Den!
Killer - Kevin Smith hasn't arrived yet
Tom Kowalski at MLive.com continues his series analyzing individual Lions today with RB Kevin Smith. Killer says that while Smith showed he can play at a high level in the NFL during his rookie year, he also showed he still has much to learn. How fast he learns it will determine whether he continues to progress, Kowalski says:
A lot of things are going to be changing for Smith this season. One, he needs to be a more complete receiver out of the backfield, something the coaches are working with him during the off-season. Two, Smith must get better with his inside explosion and get better with his downhill running. Smith has been used to a zone-blocking scheme through most of his career - the Lions did it almost exclusively last season. While the new coaching staff will keep some of those plays, they're going to try to come off the ball with more power and less finesse. In isolation plays, for instance, Smith has to hit the gap at 100 mph, not duck and weave and hesitate until he finds an opening or cutback lane. He struggled with that earlier in the off-season workouts, but he's gotten better. But he still has to hike it up a few notches.Kowalski adds that Smith's confidence (cockiness?) in some ways is a good thing, but coaches want to make sure it doesn't translate into a feeling for Smith that he's "arrived." "He hasn't," Killer says. Agree? Disagree? Talk about it in The Den!
Sporting News: Lions aren't ready for Stafford to step in
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Vinnie Iyer at Sporting News.com says it's not so much a matter of Matthew Stafford being ready to play for the Lions, it's whether the Lions are ready to put in Stafford -- and he thinks they're not. Iyer notes the porous offensive line from last year (and calls the Lions' offseason O-line signings "desperate"), a running game that ranked 30th despite the talented Kevin Smith, and the Lions' bad defense that will put any QB behind on the scoreboard far too often and pressure them to avoid making any mistakes. Iyer states that Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan entered far better situations, and adds that Mark Sanchez is entering a better-supported situation than Stafford as well. What do you think? Discuss it in The Den!
Best of the Rest
On Friday, June 5, Senior NFL Report Adam Caplan posted the best available free agents that are still currently available. He broke the story up into two separate pages; best available offensive players and best available defensive players. While Detroit made some major off-season personnel changes (turning over more than half the roster already), there are still some players out there that are more than capable of shoring up or adding depth to some positions that haven't yet been addressed. Despite these drastic personnel changes, both sides of the ball could benefit from the signing of a few of these free agents. Offensively, the addition of free agent LT Levi Jones might not hurt. Jones has proven to be a talent at the LT position. However, he's also shown that he's had some trouble staying on the field; primarily due to leg injuries (most often to either the knee or foot). While he might be a talent upgrade at LT, fact is that he hasn't proven to be able to stay on the field and that's hurting him. Our current LT, Jeff Backus, has been almost a polar opposite, starting every game of his career, just not showing the same talent level. Defensively, the recently released Dallas Cowboy Greg Ellis who plays DE or OLB (in a 3-4), could add talent, depth and some leadership to a Defensive Line, specifically to the young stable of Defensive Ends. Staying with the Defensive Line, former St. Louis Ram DT La'Roi Glover could also add some much needed veteran leadership to the defensive line. He and "Mount Jackson" (Grady Jackson) could prove to be a much needed run stuffing force to the interior of this line. It's anybody's guess as to whether this coaching staff will add/change another face. Two reasons why this staff may be waiting to sign anyone: 1. they hold the "ace" (first priority) when it comes to the waiver wire, and 2. They may be waiting for the start of camp, watching to see who may be a roster casualty. Also, don't leave out the fact that they may be happy with the current roster up front and could be planning to give the youth a chance to prove their places on the roster.
Foster Signs with Cleveland
After starting only 12 games in two seasons with the Lions, RT George Foster, who was cut by the Lions on Monday (June 1) didn't take too long to find a new home. Foster signed with the Cleveland Browns on Friday (June 5). Cleveland, in turn, needing to free up a roster spot for Foster, did so by waiving S Jason Venson. Foster, who was drafted in 2003 by Denver in the first round, started 45 of 48 games in the "Mile High City". Foster came to Detroit along with RB Tatum Bell two seasons ago as part of the 'Dre Bly trade. During his two year tenure in Detroit, Foster only made 12 starts (primarily due to false start penalties), and never really played the type of ball Detroit had hoped he would. The Lions cut Foster after signing former Redskin OT Jon Jansen. Foster is the second offensive tackle signed by Cleveland this off-season, he'll be joining recently acquired Chicago Bears starting RT, John St. Clair. Detroit and Cleveland have had similar issues with their offensive line play (minus the play of Pro-Bowl LT Joe Thomas); both teams have been very thin in terms of depth at almost all O-Line positions. Cleveland plans to use both players to add some depth at the Offensive Line position. Cleveland plans to use St. Clair as a back-up to starting veteran RT Ryan Tucker, while Foster is currently chalked up to move to the other side of the line where he'll be used to giving LT starter Joe Thomas some relief. Specific contract details are not currently available, but it is believed that Cleveland signed Foster to a one-year deal.
SI writer: Lions on road to respectability
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Sports Illustrated.com football writer Damon Hack has a column called "Spoiler Alerts" in which he looks ahead to the 2009 season, arguing against conventional wisdom. And while the expectation is that the Lions won't sniff .500 this year, Hack's "spoiler alert" is that they will be vastly improved. "New coach Jim Schwartz need only look south to Atlanta to see what a first-year head coach and rookie quarterback can do together. Winning doesn't come easy in the NFL, but it can come quickly," Hack states. He later adds:
Like the Miami Dolphins after their one-win 2007 season, the Lions have turned over their roster in an attempt to shed the remnants from their winless season. (Heck, they even created a new logo!) Linebacker Julian Peterson and defensive tackle Grady Jackson are instant upgrades. The secondary looks better, too, with Phillip Buchanon, Anthony Henry and Eric King, who played under Schwartz in Tennessee. We're years away from a parade here, but maybe only a few months from respectability.And he didn't even mention Larry Foote. Agree? Disagree? To The Den with it!
Aveion Cason yet again in a battle for job security
You know it's the dog days of June when you can read analysis of the Lions' third-string running back. Tom Kowalski at MLive.com has a profile of Aveion Cason, how teams always seem to be looking to replace him, and how Cason always ends up there at the end, mostly because of his versatility.
Follett Interview On 97.1
Friday, June 5, 2009
Doug Karsch and Scott Anderson are big Zach Follett fans and finally managed to catch up to him for an 11:00 interview which they have posted on their Follett fanbois page
Highlights of the interview: Follett getting reps with the second team at both mike and will, special teams, scout team, his love of hitting people.
Direct link to the interview
Discuss it here in The Den
Killer: Stafford's got street cred
Tom Kowalski over at Mlive.com has posted an interesting little article about the famous party pics of Matt Stafford, taken as he attended a NASCAR race during college, and the source of at least a few tempests in teapots. Apparently, the pics have garnered him not scorn but respect in the locker room. This isn't that surprising; given both the lack of political correctness in locker rooms, and the "strawberries and champagne" reptutation of the last Golden Boy quarterback that got ready for work in that particular locker room.
Frankly, given the fact that Matt Stafford was a three-year starter at a warm-weather SEC school, where football is a religion, and partying is a year-round thing, he'd have to have lived in an abbey not to have partaken in at least a little weekend revelry. Good Ol' Boy credibility aside, it's sounding like Stafford has already managed to win over his teammates far more than Joey Ballgame ever could.
Discuss it here, in The Den!
Brian VanOchten gives the Lions' staff credit
Yes, you read correctly; I had to rub my eyes a few times myself. But Brian VanOchten of the Grand Rapids Press is enthused about the Lions' recent streak, and he put it to audio in his newest "Two Minute Drill" podcast. He makes some excellent points about Mayhew and Schwartz fostering competition for every spot by bringing in credible veterans to push some of the highly-drafted projects on this roster. However, I continue to be fascinated by VanOchten's fascination with "name" players. After going on record as saying the Lions need to overpay for a big name, and subsequently excoriating the Lions for failing to do so, he now appears enamored with the name patches on the back of some of the most newly-minted Lions pratice jerseys. One wonders if those name patches will be stuffing opposing running backs, sacking opposing quarterbacks, or blowing open holes for Kevin Smith in 2009 . . .
Discuss it here, in The Den!
Killer - Flu
No, there's no need to call the Centers for Disease Control. Tom Kowalski at Mlive.com continues his summer scouting reports by looking at second-year DT Andre Fluellen.
Andre Fluellen, a third-round draft pick by the Detroit Lions last season, might appear to be in trouble because he doesn't have great size for a tackle and he's no longer in the Tampa Two system he was drafted to play. That might not be the case, though, because Fluellen has impressed coaches so far with his quickness and athleticism.Fluellen has to learn a completely different way of doing business inside than under the Tampa Two. And he doesn't fit the big player mode that Jim Schwartz seems to like. And the new regime "couldn't care less" that the old regime made him a high draft pick, Kowalski said. All that doesn't exactly make his future with the Lions sound bright, but apparently Fluellen is working hard, has improved his strength, and Schwartz and defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham are willing to keep him on as a work in progress. Talk about it in The Den!
Backus & Jansen, Reunited (and it feels so good)
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Nick Cotsonika over at the Freep put up a quick piece talking about the history between Jeff Backus, the Lions' stalwart left tackle, and Jon Jansen the veteran right tackle whom the Lions just acquired. Of course, most know that both played at the University of Michigan together, but few realize how strong the bonds ran between that special U of M offensive line. The bookend pair of tackles helped lead their team to the 1997 national championship, and both have gone on to lengthy, if not overly victorious, NFL careers.
It remains to be seen whether the two will see the field together in 2009. Second-year veteran, and 2008 first-round draft choice, Gosder Cherilus presumably has the upper hand in securing the starting job at right tackle. Jansen will compete with signee Ephraim Salaam for reserve tackle duty, or possibly challenge Daniel Loper and Toniu Fonoti for time at left guard. Still, even if he only serves as a valuable reserve for the Lions, he should provide great mentorship and leadership to Cherilus--and renew his friendship with his old bookend.
Discuss it here, in The Den!
Kevin Smith, explaining his optimism
Phil Zaroo over at Mlive.com has posted up a nice little video of Kevin Smith being interviewed. Smith explains his confident preseason talk, his feelings on what he's seeing in the OTAs, and how that's motivating him--not that he needs much motivation.
It's really nice to see Smith taking a proactive role in leadership, and talking to the media. Calvin Johnson is certainly the only transcendent star between the lines, but he's almost invisible to the fans. Matt Stafford has been anointed the franchise player, and the fans have their favorites on defense, but Kevin Smith is the only player both willing to speak his mind, and able to back it up on the field. Here's hoping his game this fall matches up with his talk this spring.
Discuss it here, in The Den!
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