The Official Round 1 Draft Thread

[boogerlovejoy]

We have interior Oline depth in one great move by Mayhew including a nice young starting guard for 4-5 years.

We'll probably get two of OT, RB, CB, DT on day 2. We have 8 picks in 2016 draft plus two ore more comp picks coming. We are 35 million under the cap for 2016 next year right now (25 million including 2015 and 2016 draft picks). We still have a good Dline, good back 7, good weapons, good QB, solid RBs and now a much better Oline. We have good coaching. And we have depth in a lot of positions.

This is a playoff team that is in a good situation.

If 2015 goes anything like 2014......we will not have Austin at DC after this year. Hopefully, he is training a replacement right now.

 

[inkfreq]

If 2015 goes anything like 2014......we will not have Austin at DC after this year. Hopefully, he is training a replacement right now.

My perspective on Manny Ramirez is a little different, and likely wrong.

I think the guy is going to compete with Waddle at RT. Let's be honest, Waddle had a good, not great, rookie year. He was never a lynchpin at RT for us, and we've probably been on the hunt for another RT since we signed him.

I don't think a guy paid like Manny was brought in to be a backup. I doubt he's going to start at center of Swanson. I don't think he can budge Warford or Thomlinson at either guard spot. I think he was brought in to compete at RT, and I honestly think he's better than Waddle.

Waddle and Lucas become the backups at both T and G spots, with Manny capable of playing Center if something goes wrong with Swanson. He slides in, and either Waddle or Lucas becomes the new on the right side.

It's gives flexibility and depth immediately. I'm still happy with the trade and the pick.

 

[LKP]

My perspective on Manny Ramirez is a little different, and likely wrong.

I think the guy is going to compete with Waddle at RT. Let's be honest, Waddle had a good, not great, rookie year. He was never a lynchpin at RT for us, and we've probably been on the hunt for another RT since we signed him.

I don't think a guy paid like Manny was brought in to be a backup. I doubt he's going to start at center of Swanson. I don't think he can budge Warford or Thomlinson at either guard spot. I think he was brought in to compete at RT, and I honestly think he's better than Waddle.

Waddle and Lucas become the backups at both T and G spots, with Manny capable of playing Center if something goes wrong with Swanson. He slides in, and either Waddle or Lucas becomes the new on the right side.

It's gives flexibility and depth immediately. I'm still happy with the trade and the pick.

Ramirez was brought in for flexibilty. Mayhew said this. He is clearly not a tackle. He's a guard/center.

Lucas and Waddle are clearly not guards too.

 

[LKP]

If 2015 goes anything like 2014......we will not have Austin at DC after this year. Hopefully, he is training a replacement right now.

We have two former DCs on the staff that will know Austin's system quite well after 2 years with him.

 

[Mitchrapp]

My perspective on Manny Ramirez is a little different, and likely wrong.

I think the guy is going to compete with Waddle at RT. Let's be honest, Waddle had a good, not great, rookie year. He was never a lynchpin at RT for us, and we've probably been on the hunt for another RT since we signed him.

I don't think a guy paid like Manny was brought in to be a backup. I doubt he's going to start at center of Swanson. I don't think he can budge Warford or Thomlinson at either guard spot. I think he was brought in to compete at RT, and I honestly think he's better than Waddle.

Waddle and Lucas become the backups at both T and G spots, with Manny capable of playing Center if something goes wrong with Swanson. He slides in, and either Waddle or Lucas becomes the new on the right side.

It's gives flexibility and depth immediately. I'm still happy with the trade and the pick.

I agree with your thinking and I hope he stays healthy and plays decent enough for a season. With that being said, I still wish we got a better pick like a 4th and no Ramirez. But I still like the idea of trading back..

 

[motown1958]

If they new they most likely wanted tomlinson the manram pickup makes a less sense but at the very least he brings an interior veteran presence to work with what is a very young interior as well as he can backup every spot along the line. He's paid a bit well for a oline backup but he's pretty good insurance.

Part two is this, i don't give a crap that some people are not fans of this pick. For the first time in a long time i felt they did a great job executing their board. They wanted the best guard in the draft who by the way also matches what they already want to do on the inside. They now have to guys that don't get pushed back and are forward pushing maulers. Keeping the middle of the pocket Clean last year was an issue and they addressed probably their biggest issue. Oline was probably their worst spot going into this draft and they picked up two guys to help add to it. In my mind that's a smart draft.

Part three, for those clamoring for a dt it wasn't our greatest area of need. Also after Williams there was a huge drop off to the next two guys. I had read multiple people talking about the dt position in the draft only having one guy worthy of a first Rd grade. This draft doesn't seem to be particularly deep in any one area.

 

[LKP]

I agree with your thinking and I hope he stays healthy and plays decent enough for a season. With that being said, I still wish we got a better pick like a 4th and no Ramirez. But I still like the idea of trading back..

Two 5ths>4th.

Ramirez is just icing on the cake.

 

[LKP]

Ramirez makes perfect sense. I can't even begin to think about how many complaints I would have seen on this board about backup guard and backup center being a problem the rest of this offseason if we didn't get him. Now I shouldn't see those complaints. Ramirez can play both.

 

[inkfreq]

I agree with your thinking and I hope he stays healthy and plays decent enough for a season. With that being said, I still wish we got a better pick like a 4th and no Ramirez. But I still like the idea of trading back..

Since it was pretty clear Tomlinson was on the radar for that pick anyway, I really like trading back, even if we got nothing more than a little cap savings to do it. And we got more than that.

Regardless of what the "guru" LKP says, or even what Caldwell said last night, I'd bet on Ramirez starting a RT for us this season. The guy has played T in Denver, as well as C and G.

Mayhew said "He's got experience at guard and center so we got versatility." which doesn't say he won't be starting at RT, or that he is only there for backup. It says he can move anywhere on the line.

I read that as he's going to play tackle for us, but he's also got experience at G and C, so he's versatile. Most people don't discuss a guy's primary position, and then say he's versatile. They mention the other positions he plays as well in discussing versatility.

 

[LKP]

Since it was pretty clear Tomlinson was on the radar for that pick anyway, I really like trading back, even if we got nothing more than a little cap savings to do it. And we got more than that.

Regardless of what the "guru" LKP says, or even what Caldwell said last night, I'd bet on Ramirez starting a RT for us this season. The guy has played T in Denver, as well as C and G.

Mayhew said "He's got experience at guard and center so we got versatility." which doesn't say he won't be starting at RT, or that he is only there for backup. It says he can move anywhere on the line.

I read that as he's going to play tackle for us, but he's also got experience at G and C, so he's versatile. Most people don't discuss a guy's primary position, and then say he's versatile. They mention the other positions he plays as well in discussing versatility.

I'd eat my shoe if Ramirez started at Right Tackle as the 1st string over Waddle and Lucas healthy.

Waddle is a good tackle. He just can't stay healthy.

 

[brewer229]

Ramirez makes perfect sense. I can't even begin to think about how many complaints I would have seen on this board about backup guard and backup center being a problem the rest of this offseason if we didn't get him. Now I shouldn't see those complaints. Ramirez can play both.

Good backup, but being paid as top 15 center or top 30 guard (Both starter money), makes it not a great signing if he is truly just a backup.

Yet people don't want to spend money on a quality backup QB. Yet highest paid backup center/guard is a great signing?...Blows my mind.

 

[inkfreq]

I'd eat my shoe if Ramirez started at Right Tackle as the 1st string over Waddle and Lucas healthy.

Waddle is a good tackle. He just can't stay healthy.

What kind of dipping sauce would you like with that shoe? I would be absolutely shocked if ManRam doesn't beat out Waddle at RT.

They aren't eating $3MM a year for a "versatile backup" with their cap situation. He was brought in to compete at a minimum, and Waddle is flat out not as good as people think.

He looks better because Warford next to him compensates. Put ManRam in that same spot, and he will look even better.

 

[Mitchrapp]

In the end we don't have Crayola anymore. That's as good as any draft pick we got. That's like a bonus.

 

[jdeb]

If they new they most likely wanted tomlinson the manram pickup makes a less sense but at the very least he brings an interior veteran presence to work with what is a very young interior as well as he can backup every spot along the line. He's paid a bit well for a oline backup but he's pretty good insurance.

Part two is this, i don't give a crap that some people are not fans of this pick. For the first time in a long time i felt they did a great job executing their board. They wanted the best guard in the draft who by the way also matches what they already want to do on the inside. They now have to guys that don't get pushed back and are forward pushing maulers. Keeping the middle of the pocket Clean last year was an issue and they addressed probably their biggest issue. Oline was probably their worst spot going into this draft and they picked up two guys to help add to it. In my mind that's a smart draft.

Part three, for those clamoring for a dt it wasn't our greatest area of need. Also after Williams there was a huge drop off to the next two guys. I had read multiple people talking about the dt position in the draft only having one guy worthy of a first Rd grade. This draft doesn't seem to be particularly deep in any one area.

To add, I think Tomlinson is slightly better player than Brown. Couple of draft guru's had Brown in the top 15 but not many. There is not very many great guards either. People that say you don't draft a guard in the first are nuts considering the type of offense the Lions run and the skill level of Tomlinson, he may be better than Warford.

 

[inkfreq]

To add, I think Tomlinson is slightly better player than Brown. Couple of draft guru's had Brown in the top 15 but not many. There is not very many great guards either. People that say you don't draft a guard in the first are nuts considering the type of offense the Lions run and the skill level of Tomlinson, he may be better than Warford.

It may be hard to be better than Warford when he's changing to the left side for the first time in his life. Started every college game he played in at RT.

I expect some adjustment there, and maybe some struggles this year with it.

One thing is for sure though, the guy likes to pancake defenders, and models his game after Warford. He's physically a Warford clone. He's mentally a Warford clone. Warford is our best lineman, so it's really hard to argue this as a bad pick.

I know one guy who fucking loves this pick... Matt Stafford.

 

[LKP]

Good backup, but being paid as top 15 center or top 30 guard (Both starter money), makes it not a great signing if he is truly just a backup.

Yet people don't want to spend money on a quality backup QB. Yet highest paid backup center/guard is a great signing?...Blows my mind.

There wasn't a good backup QB out there. In that case, you go with the guys that know the system.

 

[jdeb]

What kind of dipping sauce would you like with that shoe? I would be absolutely shocked if ManRam doesn't beat out Waddle at RT.

They aren't eating $3MM a year for a "versatile backup" with their cap situation. He was brought in to compete at a minimum, and Waddle is flat out not as good as people think.

He looks better because Warford next to him compensates. Put ManRam in that same spot, and he will look even better.

I don't know about beating Waddle out at RT. Waddle is solid when healthy. ManRam will have a hard time even making this team. He is not that good. If he makes the team, he will not start but more of a multi position, rotational guy, primarily guard.

 

[LKP]

I don't know about beating Waddle out at RT. Waddle is solid when healthy. ManRam will have a hard time even making this team. He is not that good. If he makes the team, he will not start but more of a multi position, rotational guy, primarily guard.

Backup not rotational guy. They don't rotate guards and centers.

 

[mhughes0021]

I never once said ManRam was a starter for Detroit. .

this is an accurate statement.....cause we all know tony never says ANYTHING pertinent to the actual conversation. If you need someone to bitch at someone bitching...tony is your guy!

 

[inkfreq]

I don't know about beating Waddle out at RT. Waddle is solid when healthy. ManRam will have a hard time even making this team. He is not that good. If he makes the team, he will not start but more of a multi position, rotational guy, primarily guard.

Disagree. When healthy last year, he was still giving up sacks and pressures at a rate I didn't like. We need an upgrade at RT.

Manny, when he played RT in Denver, was solid. Not spectacular, but solid. I think he's an upgrade over Waddle.