Your Top 4 2010 (Realistic) FAs
by Twon82 on Dec 23, 2009 11:14 PM EST
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PrintJust like the rest of you, mock drafts are the last thing on my mind right now. In front of us are two games that I think Detroit realistically could win if they play like they did last week against Arizona in the second half. Not that it matters, but it would be nice to see us pull of a win or two at the end to get the offseason off to a great start mentally-speaking. Speaking of offseason, free agency is one of the most fun times for me. So, I thought it would be interesting to see who all of POD would love to see their beloved Lions pursue this time around. Make sure you consider everything...from position needs, to what positions you want the team to focus on in the draft, to where we need veteran leadership most. If you were Mayhew, what would you do? List your top 4 FAs and give a brief explanation as to why you chose them. Why 4? Just because. 4 reasonable and believable choices. Go.
http://www.kffl.com/static/nfl/features/freeagents/fa.php?option=By+Team&y=2010
(If someone finds a more updated and/or organized version of the list, post it!)
QB - We need a solid, veteran backup for Stafford in case our offensive line continues its all-too-familiar struggles. Stanton may or may not have that ability...but I feel we still need another body there that can go into a game and not totally lose the confidence of the team like Culpepper has recently.
RB- Assuming Kevin Smith comes back healthy next year after a successful rehab, we are doing decent at the RB position. Maurice Morris has shown he has the ability to be a good veteran backup. Again, it falls on our O-line to really let these guys blast off. Aaron Brown is also solid if he can get a little stronger physically.
WR- We need to get someone to take some of the pressure away from Megatron. Bryant Johnson is a keeper, but needs to improve more still. I'd like to see much, much more out of Derrick Williams. I can stand to see us go out and grab another receiver that can help out more here. Not in the draft, but in FA.
TE- We're good here. Pettigrew will be back healthy next year with experience under his belt....Heller has been reliable at times. I think with both of them in, we have more talent here than we've had in a long, long time.
K- Jason Hanson will always hold a special place in my Lions fan heart. However, he is showing his age slightly. The future of the kicker situation should be addressed soon while Hanson could show the kid the ropes...unless we just go out there and get a FA, which wouldn't be economical if you ask me. The Chiefs were smart by picking that kicker (Succop) as Mr. Irrelevant.
P- Nick Harris. 'Nuff said.
OL- I couldn't be more dissapointed in our offensive line, which has pretty much been my feelings for many years. I've never felt totally confident in our line's ability to protect the QB and create a consistent run game. We could REALLY stand to finally address this issue seriously in the upcoming offseason, rather than bringing in players who weren't able to make the starting squad somewhere else and come to Detroit so that they CAN start. Realistically, we'll address it in the draft.
DL- Same dissappointment here as in the offensive line. We have recorded too many sacks this year, and we don't seem to make things easier on the secondary by getting to the opposing QB often enough. I'd like to see us get Suh just like the rest of you, but I am not putting my hopes and dreams on it. Plus, McCoy looks to have excellent upside to him as well. Realistically, we will likely go for one of them in the draft....whoever is available.
LB- I felt good about our LB squad going into the season, and I still do..but with some hesistancy. I think Schwartz can turn them into powerhouses with the right supporting cast.
DB- Embarassing all year long. We definitely need to bring in much more suitable players here, no matter how we do it. I'd like to see veterans rather than rookies though. Delmas is an excellent bright spot in the defense. He reminds me of Bob Sanders in some ways....which scares me because Sanders hits people so hard, he injures himself regularly. I hope Delmas can find a way to be a disciplined missile out there.
If I were Mayhew, I would do all I could to sign (in no particular order):
1. Antonio Bryant - WR - TB Bucs
2. Sage Rosenfels - QB - Vikings
3. Roman Harper - NO Saints
4. Ray Edwards - DL - Vikings
And yours?
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pride of Detroit or its writers. FanPosts are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable fans.
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Edwards for me
A good DE will be helpful…that we won’t have to draft one.
2009 = The start of the Lions Golden Age (We hope).
Zack Follett: he will hurt your mind.
I wouldn't want the Lion to get Bryant
He’s a prima donna, great when he gets the ball but down right childish when he doesnt.
Man invented language to satisfy his deep need to complain. Lily Tomlin
Bryant may be an achievable signing.
Edwards is not going anywhere.
Bryant may be at that stage in his career where he realizes that he is not a number one guy anymore, especially across from Calvin, and may just settle in and be a very productive number two. I am also known to be an optimist and it is the Christmas season, so that may be influencing my opinion.
Roman Harper for me
not that many good safeties, plus we got other needs…harper would be a solid addition
The beginning of the end of the misery
Ray Edwards is garbage
I don’t know why everyone is so in love with him. Someone said it in another post, but the guy feeds off of having 3 pro bowlers on the line next to him. Kalimba Edwards would look good in those circumstances.
Personally I don’t want anyone from the Vikings. I voted Antonio Bryant off that list, because he is a great #2 compliment that you guys wanted for CJ.
My biggest FA pickup that would make me happy and they could sign whoever they wanted after that is Kampman. But by now I think most of you know that.
I disagree Nate
Kalimba Edwards couldn’t rush the QB unimpeded. Ray Edwards typically takes his one on one blocks and gets pressure – maybe not always sacks but he gets pressure. If we add more DL help and teams leave him against their RT 1-on-1 I would take that everytime. Look what he did to Goz against us this year 1-on-1.
I spray paint my dog Honolulu Blue and Silver
Pic - me vs. Bears fans
by NYCLionsfan on Dec 24, 2009 12:38 PM EST up reply actions
First off
Starting anything with ‘look what he did to Goz’ is kinda self-defeating. The guy is, at best, a subpar blocker, at least to this point.
Secondly, what you’re then saying is that in order to make Ray Edwards a viable addition to our team, we’d have to add more talent to the defensive line (obviously something we already need to do). So essentially, we would be adding a ‘decent’ DE, who needs the help of the rest of his line to be effective. Edwards is going to command quite a bit of money in free agency, and I’d really rather not shell out that kind of dough to someone who’s production is hinged on his teammates’ performance.
Lastly, if we did in fact get more help on the line and signed Edwards, unless its a Suh-type of player, Edwards is going to be the best player on the line, thus commanding the most attention from the opposing offensive line, which means double teams, completely negating any good he’d do.
Ray Edwards is overrated, and has thrived on a squad where there are too many threats on the line to worry about him. He’ll bust wherever he goes.
But that’s just one man’s opinion.
Excellent Logic Nate!
except the part of double teams negating any good he will do. If we are fortunate enough to get a player that commands a double team, it has to make the others on the line better.
In fact, I don’t expect huge numbers from Suh because he will get all of the double teams…I expect his presence to make those around him—-especially the ends—-to have much better stats and much larger contribution.
Just give me 25 guys on the last year of their contracts; I'll win a pennant every year....Sparky Anderson
You are right Nate
I wrote that post assuming we were going to add a lot of help on the D-line and Sammie Hill getting a hell of a lot stronger. As footstock mentiones, if we DO get Suh then the middle gets clogged and the DE’s get the benefit of that. I agree he will likely cost a LOT of money to get but he’s a hell of a lot better than DeWayne White or Cliff Avril or Jason Hunter or on and on and on.
Your points are very good but my opinion is that he would be a great addition (if expensive) depending on the push we’re able to get up the middle. Sort of like Vanden Bosh in Tennesee when Haynseworth was there.
I spray paint my dog Honolulu Blue and Silver
Pic - me vs. Bears fans
You guys made a great point
I didn’t even think of it like that – although I still contend that Edwards would not then be doing what he does now, get to the QB.
But definitely, (which is my reasoning for wanting Aaron Kampman so bad) anyone big we pick up in FA is going to help the rest of the line perform.
I forgot
I knew the “look what he did against Gos” was gonna get attacked by someone. It’s not exactly the best argument to start a point about DE’s
I spray paint my dog Honolulu Blue and Silver
Pic - me vs. Bears fans
Ray Edwards is 24 years old
Nate, how can you say he is over rated? The major issue here is that he will be a RFA….so it is very unlikely that we will get him. However, IF we could get him (IE if he was a UDFA under a normal CBA) he would be a far superior addition to simply drafting an unproven rookie DE and starting him. I don’t care what logic or argument you come up with, Ray Edwards is a sure thing. We know what he can do and what he can’t do. We don’t know a damn thing about what some rookie DE can and can’t do, not to mention that it would likely be less than what Ray Edwards would bring to the table.
That said......
Given the fact that it would take a trade involving players, draft picks, or both to get Ray Edwards, Roman Harper is the only other FA listed in the subject of this thread that I would even come close to considering. He is 27 years old and he is pretty good. If we do not plan to get an Eric Berry or Taylor Mays type of player, I would love to see Roman Harper in a Detroit uniform.
Sage Rosenfels? Yeah he would be a solid backup QB, but he is a guy who wants to be a starter. He was pretty disappointed when Favre came to town, since he thought he was going to be the man in Minnesota this year. I don’t see him being content in a backup role, and I don’t see him having the skill to push Stafford either. Not that Culpepper or Stanton do either, but I think we would have to over pay for a backup like Rosenfels. I see old #4 retiring AGAIN after this season, and I bet the Viking re-sign Rosenfels in a hurry.
Antonio Bryant? He will be 29 when the season starts next year, and I think it is obvious that he is deteriorating. I would rather see the Lions keep Bryant Johnson and sign a rookie WR in the 4th or 5th round, than going out and over paying an aging Antonio Bryant. We can do better than him if we are looking to add a WR in FA anyway.
The only 'sure things' are statistics
and these are Ray-Ray’s:
http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=EDW639849
As you can see, this season is clearly his best, with him notching 6.5 sacks and a forced fumble, along with a decent amount of tackles. I think everyone was so blown away by the games he played against us, which account for just about half of his entire season’s sack total (3 out of 6.5), 25% of his total tackles this season (12 of 48), and his only turnover (one forced fumble).
My argument, as I said, was that what we would have to give up contract wise for him would not benefit us enough to be worth it. Ray Edwards is not the type of player you can base your defensive line around. He is a final piece, or a part of the puzzle. I guarantee you that the type of money he will want and recieve is going to be very big, due to the fact he’s had a big season. He will get overpaid and he will not perform to expectations because he isn’t playing with 3 possible Hall of Famers next to him.
EDIT
I wrote my 2nd paragraph before the first, and in retrospect, I realized that Ray Edwards has not, in fact, had that big of a season. Really just solidifies my point (to me, anyway), but after looking at his decent stats, I was even less impressed with him than I previously was.
Stats are an excellent form of measurement......
but rarely do they tell the whole story. If you are looking at Ray Edward’s stats alone, you can see that he has continuously improved over his 4 year NFL career. In my honest opinion, you are a bit high on Pat and Kevin Williams too (especially Pat). The only GREAT player they have on the D-line in Minnesota is Jared Allen. True, Kevin Williams was AWESOME in his 1st two seasons out of Oklahoma State, recording 10.5 sacks as a rookie (2003) and 11.5 in his second season (2004). What happened to him after that? It was not until 2008 (4 years later) that he topped 5 sacks (8.5). Imagine that…..that was the year that the Vikings got Jared Allen (coincidence?). He has 6 sacks this year and Ray Edwards has 6.5 (plus Ray Edwards will be 25 next year and Kevin Williams will be 30).
Pat Williams is a bum. HE is the guy that SHOULD be benefiting the most from playing next to Allen and Kevin Williams. However, he is just another Grady Jackson type of player….a gap plugger, no more and no less. Jared Allen is the only defensive lineman in Minnesota that has a shot at the HOF (unless Ray Edwards peaks for the next 5 years and gets double digit sacks each year). If Allen keeps playing like he has been, he is a lock. Ray Edwards is a young and talented player. I do agree that he will likely demand more money that he is worth (at this point), however I feel that you are not giving credit where credit is due. Is he a focal point to build a D-line around? No. Is he better than anything we have? Yes. Could he be useful if we were able to get him? Yes. Would it be safer to acquire him (were it possible and did not require a ridiculous trade) than to draft and start a rookie DE? Yes. He is a sure thing…..as sure as you can get (not saying that his numbers are guaranteed, just that he is skilled, durable, young, and proven). Why? Because he has shown what he can and can not do against professional offensive linemen…..something no rookie has done.
He's been good this year, Heller
Been happy with his performance.
2009 = The start of the Lions Golden Age (We hope).
Zack Follett: he will hurt your mind.
by Hyperion Ecta on Dec 24, 2009 3:28 PM EST up reply actions
Jazzy
I am dying to find out your last name now!! LOL
I spray paint my dog Honolulu Blue and Silver
Pic - me vs. Bears fans
PS
depending on price, etc. I would really like us to land Willie Parker in FA but, depending on how good Morris runs the last 2 games we may not even need him. I would love to land Willie though – always been a big fan of his running style and attitude
I spray paint my dog Honolulu Blue and Silver
Pic - me vs. Bears fans
I wouldn't mind getting old Steelers players
Rather than old Tampa players like Marinelli thought was a great idea. Players that have actually achieved something more than just 1 year (2002-2003) like the Bucs
I voted Roman Harper myself...
…and I agree that Ray Edwards may be good b/c of the d-line he is currently working with…
GO LIONS! RESTORE THE ROAR!
edwards
would be great but avril and hunter have done well we just need another DT someone like suh to help get the coverage off of them. heres 4 I like and seem somewhat realistic
1. Marlin Jackson would do wonders for are secondary
2. Jason Avant a good reciver with decent speed and a MSU guy
3 Byron Leftwich I agree we need a vetran QB and Byron is still pretty good I think better than rosenfels, stanton will get the backup spot too.
4 Baas I good offensive lineman we can use one at any posisiton right now especially gaurd and left tackle
Byron Leftwich! The right-handed Leftwich!
He’s a god! A poor man’s Drew Bledsoe! A QB who stands tall in the pocket! (he has to……he has feet of lead) The slowest release this side of Tim Tebow!
If Staff went down in Game 1 next year, with our OL Leftwich could break the 100-sack barrier! Who wouldn’t want some of THAT?
(sorry, my sarcasm meter just blew up)
What? He can’t block a dead gopher? Humph, details.
lol
2009 = The start of the Lions Golden Age (We hope).
Zack Follett: he will hurt your mind.
by Hyperion Ecta on Dec 27, 2009 4:04 PM EST up reply actions
Lance Moore will be the best option as far as a FA #2 WR
He might be a bit pricey if a team with no legit #1 gets to bidding though
http://cmufootball.blogspot.com/
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