Biggest Draft Need (IMO)

[inkfreq]

I'm probably an optimist when it comes to these things, but I don't think the Lions have as many holes as most people tend to think.

I was really impressed with Devin Taylor last season, and think he nicely fills that starter spot opposite Ziggy, and could really boost production on the D-Line in his 4th season.

I think we likely have our in-house replacement to Mathis in Alex Carter. He has the size that the Lions want to build on, and he's probably going to be given that chance whether it works out well or not.

I would have to imagine we signed Geoff Schwartz for a reason, and it's not to sit Warford or Thomlinson down, so I am going to guess he plugs in at RT with Ola being the backup.

WR will get some attention in the draft, but I think it's a late round pick. With Jones, Tate, and Ebron already there, and Fuller a decent option, I think they look late round for a sleeper rather than an early pick, as much as we may want a Treadwell.

We just resigned Thornton, who was a solid player before his injury, and should be returning to form. Along with Reid, Wright, Ngata, Walker, and Kudjo and Charles, we should be set at interior D-Line.

Linebacker is a mystery to me right now because we don't really know what we have in Van Noy yet, and we don't know if we still have Tulloch or not with that whole mess going on. I'd imagine they address linebacker in the mid Round 3-4 range. But that could leave Ragland in play in the first round.

So, the only major upgrade I see we really need... and i specify NEED... is Center. I don't think Swanson is the guy unless he makes huge leaps and bounds this off-season, and I see a line that struggled last season primarily because of him.

Laken showed he can play. Warford is one of the elite RGs in the game. Reiff is a serviceable LT, and while not elite, he gets the job done. And upgrade at LT would be a blessing, but it's not a requirement. The protections broke down at the middle, and spread out to both sides. Swanson was the issue.

Bear in mind, we have a LOT of positions that could benefit from an upgrade, but when I look at "need", to me it's defined by not having a player there capable of starting. We have capable starters all over the place, even if we may not be super proud of calling them a starter.

Wherever the team goes, I'm pretty okay with, so long as they improve the Center spot before the draft is over. The other 9 picks can be whatever they feel helps the most... that's the ONE place I am looking to see address this season.

 

[SoCalLions]

I'm a big fan of Skura from Duke. I mentioned him before as someone to take in the later rounds. I don't like Swanson either. I will say it seems sometimes OL is one of those position groups where some players turn it around after a horrendous season. I'm hoping Swanson becomes at least serviceable.

 

[kdp1980]

Here you go, Ink
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/mock-drafts/daniel-jeremiah/305666

Dallas did it a few years back, and everybody(including me) thought it was a gigantic reach, and looked like an even bigger reach when there were rumblings that Dallas' war room was in disarray prior to the pick. Look at that line now. That said, I think it would be our safest pick, this kid is the best center in the draft, and he is a center that is highly sought after. I don't love it, but if the online is dominant or very good for years to come, then go for it.

 

[brewer229]

I don't know much about the centers in the draft, but do agree it is a need.

Center as mentioned was clearly a weak spot. It really did hurt the whole line. Guards had to help on the inside way more than they should. If there is a guy that can come in day 1 and be a starter (always suspicious of that), then it is a no-brainer to me.

I disagree about Schwartz, I think he is there to push and possibly replace Warford or Laken. Warford had a great rookie year, but injuries and regression has hit him since. Laken showed some progress but nothing to cement a spot down.

 

[Mitchrapp]

Won 7 last year and now no Calvin. IMO, we have many holes. I wouldn't mind a C though. And a LB.

 

[inkfreq]

Here you go, Ink
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/mock-drafts/daniel-jeremiah/305666

Dallas did it a few years back, and everybody(including me) thought it was a gigantic reach, and looked like an even bigger reach when there were rumblings that Dallas' war room was in disarray prior to the pick. Look at that line now. That said, I think it would be our safest pick, this kid is the best center in the draft, and he is a center that is highly sought after. I don't love it, but if the online is dominant or very good for years to come, then go for it.

I think under the non-capped draft rules, a Center in the 1st round was insane.

Now,m with every position in the draft being affordable, a team could take a punter #1 overall if they thought he was worth it. Okay, that's obviously a stretch, but a 1st round Center is absolutely feasible if it improves your team in an area of need.

 

[kdp1980]

Won 7 last year and now no Calvin. IMO, we have many holes. I wouldn't mind a C though. And a LB.

I'm right there with you as far as wanting a lb. Right now its looking like Whitehead is destined to play the middle, which I'm okay with for the time being. I just hope that Levy is himself next season and that Tulloch doesn't see the field, or that he is gone. I'm starting to think Bynes will man the other spot, and that if we do draft a lb it will not be till much later in the draft. Online, dline, lb, or corner, Id live with any of those taken in the first two rounds. I just hope the BPA is not a rb, wr, or a te.

 

[atxlion82]

I want Oline and Dline unless someone just seems to drop. Build the trenches and the rest of the team looks better. Strong Oline and Stafford has time to throw, RB's have holes to run through and WR's have the time to get open. Dline frees up the LB's to make plays and and allows the db's to not have to cover as long.

 

[inkfreq]

I am never a fan of giving up on a young player early, but when that player is the center... its pretty hard to keep your QB upright when the middle of the line fails.

Let Swanson prove himself in practices and garbage time, but for now, we need someone that can control the middle in there that the other guys trust.

Again, not saying we need a Center in round 1, but I feel it's something we have to address as a priority.

I would agree with LB being our second biggest need, and I honestly think Safety is a 3rd biggest need. Depth along the D-line is important, but I think we have our starters in place.

 

[cheeno]

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/profiles/ryan-kelly?id=2555191

Some scouts have a first round grade on Ryan Kelly, C Alabama. I'll take a look at his film and post my thoughts on him tonight. I've seen him in some mocks as high as the late teens so not that much of a stretch.

 

[kdp1980]

It'd be awesome if this could turn into a trade down and still snag him situation. I know we want a LT too, but if Tunsil or Stanley aren't available is there anybody that is surely going to be better than what we have in Reiff? I don't think so

 

[mhughes0021]

I agree with you. ..youre an optimist lol.

I have zero faith Carter can come in and be anything close to Mathis.

Taylor and ziggy look great on the outside but we have zero depth.

We need a rt or an upgrade at lt. It's a hole still and has yet to be filled....schwartz is a guard.

I agree were fine at dt unfortunately that positon provides the most value in this year's draft.

I don't like our center.

I don't like any of our wrs after jones and Tate.

We don't have a starting calibur corner opposite slay.

If levy misses time we have a hole at lb and a 50 year old Manning the middle.

The 2nd safety well be a competitive fight between bush and wilson...aka...pick your dud.

We have no back up qb.

 

[inkfreq]

I agree with you. ..youre an optimist lol.

I have zero faith Carter can come in and be anything close to Mathis.

Taylor and ziggy look great on the outside but we have zero depth.

We need a rt or an upgrade at lt. It's a hole still and has yet to be filled....schwartz is a guard.

I agree were fine at dt unfortunately that positon provides the most value in this year's draft.

I don't like our center.

I don't like any of our wrs after jones and Tate.

We don't have a starting calibur corner opposite slay.

If levy misses time we have a hole at lb and a 50 year old Manning the middle.

The 2nd safety well be a competitive fight between bush and wilson...aka...pick your dud.

We have no back up qb.

I am not surprised at any of that. I have never met anyone as pessimistic as you are with something you are supposed to enjoy. You and I are, and always have been, opposites.

However, having no faith in a player or not liking a player doesn't make it true, especially if that player (Carter for example) has never even taken the field for you to make a judgement upon.

I'm not saying the kid will be a quality player. I'm not saying he won't be. I am saying that after a 3rd round pick, he's going to get this season to prove it one way or another, and he will probably get another season no matter how badly this one goes as well.

I don't need to see him play to know that. I don't need to see them play to know one of our new safeties is going to be given that chance as well. I don't need to like them to know that for better or worse, we're going to be giving our 3rd and 4th WRs a lot of looks this season, and Ebron will be one of those, and Fuller is likely to be another.

My statements on who is starting aren't based on who I want to start. It's based on who is going to start because they were drafted to start or signed to start.

You my old friend are a Negative Nancy. I'm a Positive.. Pete, I guess it would be? And so far, neither one of us is right very often because reality is usually somewhere more in the middle.

 

[mhughes0021]

I am not surprised at any of that. I have never met anyone as pessimistic as you are with something you are supposed to enjoy. You and I are, and always have been, opposites.

However, having no faith in a player or not liking a player doesn't make it true, especially if that player (Carter for example) has never even taken the field for you to make a judgement upon.

I'm not saying the kid will be a quality player. I'm not saying he won't be. I am saying that after a 3rd round pick, he's going to get this season to prove it one way or another, and he will probably get another season no matter how badly this one goes as well.

I don't need to see him play to know that. I don't need to see them play to know one of our new safeties is going to be given that chance as well. I don't need to like them to know that for better or worse, we're going to be giving our 3rd and 4th WRs a lot of looks this season, and Ebron will be one of those, and Fuller is likely to be another.

My statements on who is starting aren't based on who I want to start. It's based on who is going to start because they were drafted to start or signed to start.

You my old friend are a Negative Nancy. I'm a Positive.. Pete, I guess it would be? And so far, neither one of us is right very often because reality is usually somewhere more in the middle.

When i get home I'll show you a list of mid round cbs we've drafted that don't amount to anything. Toss in the fact we now have a gm that didn't even draft him. Ill bet there's 2 or 3 guys ahead of carter on the depth chart. It's not about if i like a guy or not. ....i don't dislike carter. I just doubt he will be a plug n play mathis fill in. Yes, you are right people will start and we will field 11 guys on both sides of the ball. ...it just doesn't mean there aren't holes in the roster all over the place.

This team can barely fill out a starting depth chart. It gets pretty ugly when you look at depth 2 n 3 deep. Granted we have the draft and a decent amount of picks but the amount of holes we have is almost forcing us to draft for need. not a good position to be in

 

[cheeno]

Not even Caldwell is as optimistic on Carter as Ink.

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/n...-lions-alex-carter-low-expectations/82319910/

 

[mhughes0021]

1990 chris Oldham 4
1991 kevin scott 4
1993 ryan mcneil 2
1994 Vaughn Bryant 4
1996 Brad Ford 4
1997 Kevin Abrams 2
2002 Andre Goodman 3
2004 Keith Smith 3
2005 Stanley Wilson 3
2007 AJ Davis 4
2010 Amari Spievey 3
2012 Bill Bentley 3
2012 Chris Greenwood 5
2013 Darius Slay 2
2014 Nevin Lawson 4
2015 Alex Carter 3

So....either drafting mid round cbs just isn't our thing. Our its prrof that mid rd cbs aren't really worth a shit. Slay is the only one on the list worth mentioning and he was a day 2 pick so it doesn't even count....

 

[mhughes0021]

Not even Caldwell is as optimistic on Carter as Ink.

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/n...-lions-alex-carter-low-expectations/82319910/

Caldwell: ya we'll let him work out in our facilities.

Ink: Next Mathis

 

[inkfreq]

Caldwell: ya we'll let him work out in our facilities.

Ink: Next Mathis

Well, let's not be drama queens here. I said he would replace Mathis, not he was the "next" Mathis.

I believe 100% he will be starting this year for us barring a miracle signing. However, I did not say it would be good, bad, or mediocre. I said he will get his chance to play in that spot.

 

[mhughes0021]

Well, let's not be drama queens here. I said he would replace Mathis, not he was the "next" Mathis.

I believe 100% he will be starting this year for us barring a miracle signing. However, I did not say it would be good, bad, or mediocre. I said he will get his chance to play in that spot.

We can all understand that ink. It completely goes along with my point all along. ...its a hole. If its him or lawson or diggs or bademosi or the ex jet guy.....its a hole. A healthy carter might have the most promise. I would even agree if thats the bunch of crap we have post draft....hes probably our best option to atleast see what he's got. But it's still a positon that needs to be improved.

 

[mhughes0021]

There's another aspect of your post I'll agree with. I can't imagine any pick if be upset with at 16. The pick id want to see the least is probably ragland. Not a fan.