The Official Day 2 Draft Thread (NO TWITTER SPOILERS)

[LKP]

Can we call him Garp from now on?

2014 they went 11-5. I never called them holeless in 2013 and 2012. Why do you lie so much.

 

[grandy]

2014 they went 11-5. I never called them holeless in 2013 and 2012. Why do you lie so much.

I never said you called them holeless.

 

[Mitchrapp]

2014 they went 11-5. I never called them holeless in 2013 and 2012. Why do you lie so much.

That was me but yeah you did.

 

[LKP]

That was me but yeah you did.

You are such a liar. 2012 and 2013 no way. Especially going into 2013.

2014 is when I thought this team had really turned the corner. 2013 I thought they would be good but they fell short due to some coaching (though they are good coaches) and injuries that led to excessive turnovers. Turnovers cost the Lions but that has been fixed. The defense and offense have top five talent and they can overcome injuries now.

I have been nothing but right since the offseason before 2014. That is when I had more optimism for this team and defended the 2013 problems and saw that they could be fixed. The makings of a good defense was there. I saw that. The turnovers could be fixed. I saw that. And they proved it with 11-5 way less turnovers and a top defense.

This year I see another top 5 defense desptie DT changes (not worse equal or for the better) and a top 5 capable offense with these Oline health/upgrades and year 2 in the system. Rookie to year 2 growth. I'll be right again.

 

[Mitchrapp]

The statement that our offense should be better is questionable. By what standard do we make that assumption?

Couldn't we make the assumption that the defense should be better? They have another year in the system. Haloti is familiar with the defense Austin is trying to run. 16 games of Tyrunn Walker should be better than 8 games of Nick Fairley. Gabe Wright should be better than C.J. Mosley because he's way younger. We added a corner that has high potential to the same returning group from last year.

You can change any set of facts to support the argument the defense should be better, just like you can support the argument that the offense should be better with a complete and healthy offensive line, another year in the system, a high round running back and a young fullback that can be a wrinkle in the system, another year's growth from Ebron, etc...

Our you can also say Golden Tate had a career year and probably shouldn't be expected to produce like that again. Calvin is another year older and the injuries seem to be mounting. We have unknown quantities on the O-line, with no idea how Tomlinson will play at the NFL level. Stafford has yet to prove he can be a top QB, and Ebron didn't give us any reason to expect much from him, and even if he doubles his production, won't amount to much for us.

The draft is about 24 hours in the can. Camp hasn't opened. We haven't seen any changes Lombardi or Austin will make to compensate for lost players or to maximize the talent they have. It's way too early to make any predictions as to what will and won't be good on this team for 2015.

Didn't you basically do the same elsewhere? Agreeing with Garp?

 

[LKP]

The Lions have 22 good to great starters. Plus a good nickel. Three good specialists. Another 25 or so good backups. This team is as complete as it gets.

 

[inkfreq]

Wasn't someone claiming Abdullah fumbles were on handoffs? Does not look like it to me:

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=11643386
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=11881364

I said they were bad handoffs and excellent defensive plays.

When you get your helmet down on the ball, it's coming loose. I don't care who you are. You could be Marshall Faulk, who had amazing hands. Helmet hits the ball, it's typically coming out. Same for getting a helmet on the back of the elbow. Hit that funny bone.. that ball is coming loose.

The other play was Biegle (Beagle, Beagel, Bagel) whatever his name is... he busted through the line untouched, and his first grab was dead on the ball. He had the ball swinging Ameer around by it, before he ever had Ameer.

Those are great defensive plays, and a little luck. Got nothing to do with ball security.. any back loses those two.

The other two, if I remember correctly, were botched handoffs.

 

[LKP]

Abdullah hasn't dropped a pass in 2 years. Good hands.

 

[grandy]

The Lions have 22 good to great starters. Plus a good nickel. Three good specialists. Another 25 or so good backups. This team is as complete as it gets.

Want to see what they have at RT first, unknown at best. Would love to see if Waddle could return and play as well as he did two years ago.

 

[LKP]

Want to see what they have at RT first, unknown at best. Would love to see if Waddle could return and play as well as he did two years ago.

Lucas can develop too. He got much better as the year went on. Waddle deserves to be healthy. We'll see how long the ACL takes. Need him by mid September.

 

[inkfreq]

Want to see what they have at RT first, unknown at best. Would love to see if Waddle could return and play as well as he did two years ago.

I hope whoever is at RT, they are better than Waddle was two years ago. Guy didn't impress me. Didn't disappoint me mind you... but I didn't see anything that tells me to hold out hope for him being a stud.

He's a stopgap at best in my book.

 

[mhughes0021]

Rt is awful....its a shame mayhew couldn't upgrade that position this offseason.

 

[Mitchrapp]

Maybe our 7th rounder..I would take anyone over the last RT we had.

 

[LKP]

Rt is awful....its a shame mayhew couldn't upgrade that position this offseason.

Waddle is solid and was good in 2013 (0 sacks allowed). Lucas developed. Reynolds was not good and Lucas was bad early but got better.

Your assessment is awful.

 

[LKP]

I hope whoever is at RT, they are better than Waddle was two years ago. Guy didn't impress me. Didn't disappoint me mind you... but I didn't see anything that tells me to hold out hope for him being a stud.

He's a stopgap at best in my book.

Waddle gave up 0 sacks and was our 2nd best run blocker 2 years ago (Warford best). I don't know if you get better than that.

 

[Mitchrapp]

RT should be a good run blocker..Waddle was not.

 

[LKP]

RT should be a good run blocker..Waddle was not.

Waddle was our 2nd best run blocker in 2013. Dealt with injuries in 2014. On tape, he's a good run blocker.

 

[mhughes0021]

Waddle was our 2nd best run blocker in 2013. Dealt with injuries in 2014. On tape, he's a good run blocker.

On tape he was hobbling around on the sideline. Rt is awful.

 

[Mitchrapp]

I'm just messin' with you, Garp. You're tops in my book.

 

[LKP]

On tape he was hobbling around on the sideline. Rt is awful.

He's a good run blocker. You guys are so worthless judging players.