Calvin Johnson

[tsmith7559]

the Lions. He is a shell of himself and only getting older. One more year and cut ties with him. They need to get younger and cheaper.

Hmm, I think my proposal cut $4 Mil off our cap

 

[tomdalton22]

Hmm, I think my proposal cut $4 Mil off our cap

2nd round WR cuts $15M off the cap

 

[mhughes0021]

2nd round WR cuts $15M off the cap

Laquan Treadwell cuts 13 mil off the cap. Keep losing lions!

 

[boogerlovejoy]

Laquan Treadwell cuts 13 mil off the cap. Keep losing lions!

That would be bittersweet for me. Love Treadwell, would be a great fit here.

Would HATE to see CJ go. Been a class act since day one and the best to wear the Honolulu Blue since #20.

You can keep CJ another year or two, but not at that salary. He would have to take a pay cut. Not a restructure......a flat pay cut. Also, if you keep CJ.....you have to compliment him with someone who is a legitimate threat downfield. Not Fuller. Not Ebron. Not Tate. A guy defenses have to actually adjust to. A burner. If you can get CJ to take a $4M - 6M pay cut (still paying him MORE than any team on the planet would pay him if he were cut) you can still draft Treadwell assuming he is still there.

CJ can still be great. A great #2. He can still beat man coverage. He just cant destroy the 2 an 3 man bracket coverage he's seen his entire career. Chicago tried zone underneath with man over the top.......he killed it. Philly tried singling him in the red zone. He killed them.

He's still VERY good. He's just not Megatron anymore.

 

[mhughes0021]

That would be bittersweet for me. Love Treadwell, would be a great fit here.

Would HATE to see CJ go. Been a class act since day one and the best to wear the Honolulu Blue since #20.

You can keep CJ another year or two, but not at that salary. He would have to take a pay cut. Not a restructure......a flat pay cut. Also, if you keep CJ.....you have to compliment him with someone who is a legitimate threat downfield. Not Fuller. Not Ebron. Not Tate. A guy defenses have to actually adjust to. A burner. If you can get CJ to take a $4M - 6M pay cut (still paying him MORE than any team on the planet would pay him if he were cut) you can still draft Treadwell assuming he is still there.

CJ can still be great. A great #2. He can still beat man coverage. He just cant destroy the 2 an 3 man bracket coverage he's seen his entire career. Chicago tried zone underneath with man over the top.......he killed it. Philly tried singling him in the red zone. He killed them.

He's still VERY good. He's just not Megatron anymore.

We don't even give him the opportunity to be megatron. Our offense has shown we have 0 faith in our oline...probably for good reason. Everything we throw is within 5 yards of the LOS. That's not CJs game nor should it be. Hes a full back now that splits out to block for golden tate lol. a $26mil full back.

 

[inkfreq]

We have a new GM arriving. I strongly doubt that person's first move will be to cut the most popular player since Barry.

Calvin will be a Lion for a few more years I would imagine. Whether or not that is the "right" move, I will let everyone else debate. From a business perspective, cutting him is probably a PR death sentence to whoever they hire.

 

[tigermud]

I for one do not want to see Calvin go anywhere, I think he's been hobbled with nagging ankle strains most of the year which is concerning no doubt but he still commands double coverage and the offense won't be better without him

 

[brewer229]

Might not be better next year. But in two years and 20+ extra million we could be much better without him. DBs are getting bigger, CJ is getting slower. A few of of the best wr are sub 6'. With how good dlines are at getting to the QB, quick fast WRs is where we are headed.

Great guy, but as a football player his contract is exceeding his production. You could make the case he isn't a top 10 WR right now.

 

[Mitchrapp]

Just like when Miggy was signed to his extension, we need players like CJ in this organization. I want to see him retire here. I still think he has the skill set. I just think the offensive game plan has changed and he's not part of it.

 

[johnny2x2x]

Just like when Miggy was signed to his extension, we need players like CJ in this organization. I want to see him retire here. I still think he has the skill set. I just think the offensive game plan has changed and he's not part of it.

Johnson is one of my all time favorites, but he is not what he once was, he's lost a lot of speed and he can't run sharp routes anymore. He's simply not the same type of weapon he was a couple years ago. He's not getting open and he's not drawing the same number of double teams a game. He's still a good WR and a good leader, he's a great red zone threat and a great blocker, just not worth the $.

 

[tigermud]

Before we get too carried away that Calvin can't do this anymore or can't do that etc..which to some extent I beleive is due to Nagging ankles and or knees I'd also not discount some if it being the reality that Caldwell is a self admitted fan of the Dink and dunk and doesn't like to take shots down the field...like Mitch said he's just not part of the Caldwell mindset..Caldwell is a dork

 

[inkfreq]

Before we get too carried away that Calvin can't do this anymore or can't do that etc..which to some extent I beleive is due to Nagging ankles and or knees I'd also not discount some if it being the reality that Caldwell is a self admitted fan of the Dink and dunk and doesn't like to take shots down the field...like Mitch said he's just not part of the Caldwell mindset..Caldwell is a dork

If that's the case, then we should see what he's got next season, because I strongly doubt Caldwell will be here next year anyway.

Let's see if a new coach opens things up again.

 

[tigermud]

If that's the case, then we should see what he's got next season, because I strongly doubt Caldwell will be here next year anyway.

Let's see if a new coach opens things up again.

I think this article indicated it is the case

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/12/16/detroit-lions-offense/77424392/

 

[sggatecl]

Unless his cap number is preventing us from signing someone we really need, I don't want to see him cut. He's the kind of guy you want in a locker room and while he isn't quite all-world any more, he still has a skill set that is valuable.

 

[cheeno]

Zona kept Larry Fitzgerald long term when people thought he was washed up and it seems to be working fine for them.

 

[sggatecl]

Zona kept Larry Fitzgerald long term when people thought he was washed up and it seems to be working fine for them.

I've been using that example all season.

 

[brewer229]

Fitz is sort of an anomaly. Even had a few down years. You can counter a fitz with an Andre Johnson or Roddy White as well. CJ still adds a good amount of value, but a salary cut is important.
It can't be looked at as a one year thing. We probably can sign the necessary people with his contract, it just forces us to structure contracts to absorb his big number by pushing other peoples cap hit into future years. So its a cycle of dealing with cap hits because we don't want to have a good guy take a pay cut or release him.
Also CJ may be OK being cut so he can sign with a true elite team. Have a couple Moss like patriot years.

 

[atxlion82]

Fitz is sort of an anomaly. Even had a few down years. You can counter a fitz with an Andre Johnson or Roddy White as well. CJ still adds a good amount of value, but a salary cut is important.
It can't be looked at as a one year thing. We probably can sign the necessary people with his contract, it just forces us to structure contracts to absorb his big number by pushing other peoples cap hit into future years. So its a cycle of dealing with cap hits because we don't want to have a good guy take a pay cut or release him.
Also CJ may be OK being cut so he can sign with a true elite team. Have a couple Moss like patriot years.

If we cut CJ we save about 10 million on the cap. If we then go out and sign a top tier receiver we are going to spend around 6 million. If we replace him I just dont think it is worth the 4 million we would save. Now if we think we can draft his "replacement" and save 8-10 million then that money could be spent elsewhere

 

[cheeno]

Russell okung may make free agency. Ryan Clady's average contract is 10.5M. Tackles at the top of the draft have been hit or miss in recent years.

 

[tsmith7559]

Cleveland and Denver were going to make a deal for Joe Thomas, 2017 1st rounder, 2016 2nd round to Cleveland for Thomas and a 5th, denver wanted a 3rd...Thomas been an pro bowler and/or all pro every year, never missed a game and has 3 yrs left on his contract at around 9.5/10 mil/per. Worth exploring IMO, don't see a can't miss LT when we pick.