Wednesday Notes: Lions Sign Marquand Manuel

by Sean Yuille on Jun 3, 2009 12:57 PM EDT in Notes Comment 17 comments

The Lions signed safety Marquand Manuel on Tuesday. Manuel most recently played for the Broncos. Overall, the Lions are Manuel's sixth different team in eight seasons.
The Lions hired Miller McCalmon and Cary Conklin earlier this week. McCalmon, who worked with Martin Mayhew in 1999 in Washington, will serve as the Lions' Assistant Director of Pro Personnel. Conklin, who played with Mayhew on the Redskins, will be a Regional Scout for the West Coast.
Jon Jansen passed his physical and is officially a member of the team. The Lions will start him out at right tackle, but Jansen feels he can play any position on the O-line.
The million dollar question -- or in this case, the $72 million question -- is about when Matthew Stafford will see the field for the first time in his NFL career. Jim Schwartz answered that question for Peter King, being very clear about when Stafford will play.

"We've got two criteria for when Matthew will play,'' said Schwartz. "One is he'll play when he's ready. The second is when he's the best quarterback for us. But so far, whatever the opposite of buyers' remorse is, that's what we have. We knew he had the terrific NFL arm. But we've found out his release is just textbook classic.''
King speculates that Culpepper will have to play exceptionally well to hold off Stafford based on his conversation with Schwartz, so perhaps this "arms race," as Schwartz called it, will be closer than originally expected.
Drew Stanton put up a new entry on his blog recently, and he talked about his experiences with the team since the new coaching staff took over. Everything he had to say about his new coaches was positive, and the quote below pretty much sums up how he felt about the old coaching staff.

Football has been as good as I could have hoped considering the situation I find myself in. I think it has to do with the fact that I enjoy just going to work now on a daily basis. My first two years I could not have said that and meant it, but now I really do. The offense is great, my coaches actually coach and teach, and I feel as if I am constantly learning.
Stanton went on to say that the coaches haven't treated him any differently since the arrival of Matthew Stafford, which is good to hear considering how easy it would be for them to simply put him on the back burner with a No. 1 overall pick coming in.
Kevin Smith also put up a new post recently and talked about how surprisingly well Stafford has played so far in OTAs.
Linebacker DeAndre Levy and center Dan Gerberry (rookie from Ball State) got into a "skirmish" at a recent OTA. It was broken up quickly, though.
The Lions' final OTA is tomorrow. The team will then train for two weeks before having a mandatory minicamp from June 22-24. I believe the schedule after that is four more weeks of conditioning before training camp begins at the very end of July.
Sean Conover has changed positions from tight end to defensive end.
Dave Birkett is officially done covering the Lions, as he is off to AnnArbor.com to cover Michigan football. I want to wish Dave good luck with his new job and thank him on behalf of all Lions fans for the great job he did covering the Lions.
I think it's safe to say that offensive lineman Ephraim Salaam is the best TV personality on the team. He recently went on Ellen to show off his run through the obstacle course on the show Wipeout. Hilarity ensues.
Jim Schwartz is a pretty decent golfer for someone who can only get on the course for a few months each year.
Lions director of security Ricky Sandoval, who is battling pancreatic cancer, has a blog to keep everyone updated on his treatments. (HT: John Niyo)
FOXSports.com's Alex Marvez thinks the Lions had the best draft this year.
Madden NFL 10 is going to have authentic kicking styles, and IGN has a screenshot of Jason Hanson getting ready to make a kick.
Peter King thinks that Matt Millen is the leader in the clubhouse to land the job of NFL Network color commentator.

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Comments

That Madden 10 shot is pretty cool

I’ve always thought they should do this with the kickers. Hansen has one of the most noticeable pre-kick routines of anyone in the NFL. I’m curious to see how well they animate the others.

by giggy09 on Jun 3, 2009 3:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The video of Salaam

was histerical…..I was laughing the entire time his buddy was on the course, especially during the “donut ride”…..that was great. Thanks for the laugh Sean.

I am glad to hear that the Lions have “the opposite of buyers’ remorse” with Matt Stafford. I am very excited to see what the kid can do, if in fact he does beat out DC for the starting role at QB. However, I have my doubts that they would be saying what a crappy player he is, or that they wish they had not picked him in the draft, even if he did suck. I don’t think this tells us a whole lot, but it at least sounds encouraging. In my opinion, what matters is which of the two guys are on the field against New Orleans. If Stafford is better than DC, and ready to play (meaning he knows the playbook inside and out and he can make all the reads and throws more consistently than DC) by week 1, I am all for getting the rook into the lineup, especially considering the fact that in my opinion the offensive line has improved, or will improve due to coaching and scheme changes, and is better suited to protect Stafford than they would have been last year. If he is not ready, and he is not better than DC in a majority of significant ways, then I still feel that it is best for him and the team if he sits for a year at a minimum.

by KDawg on Jun 3, 2009 5:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Oh yeah

I wanted to add that I think Manuel will be a backup, signed for depth.

by KDawg on Jun 3, 2009 5:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Correct me if I'm wrong

Isn’t Stanton like the 3rd or 4th guy to say that there is finally some teaching/coaching going on with the Lions? I am absolutely flabbergasted by those statements. I have no trouble believing them, but am amazed at how little accountability that translates to in between the coaching staff and management.
I can’t help but feel that this team is going to be leaps and bounds better than what we’ve had to put up with.

by Lostincali on Jun 3, 2009 5:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree

I don’t know what drugs they gave WCF, but all of a sudden we are making off season moves like a championship football team. I wonder if WCF thinks he is dying, and wants to win one before he dies.

by KDawg on Jun 3, 2009 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That Salaam's a pretty funny guy

2009 = The start of the Lions Golden Age (We hope).

by Hyperion Ecta on Jun 3, 2009 7:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

manuel

like the signing. think he could add quality depth to the roster.

by big smoove on Jun 3, 2009 9:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Maybe WCF jr is running the ship now

It sure seams like alot of the moves the lions are making actually make some sense. Nothing like in the past years. If JR. hasn’t taken over completely, maybe he has at least had a louder voice in the operations.

by Lead Hunter on Jun 3, 2009 10:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think he's a tad busy with Ford

The difference is all in Mayhew and Schwartz IMO.

Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Lions Blog

by Sean Yuille on Jun 4, 2009 12:55 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I like the look of the Lions jersey's in the upcoming Madden

But do you really think Stafford will be the holder? I have to think Stanton will pull that duty if he is with the team this upcoming season.

When angry, count four; when very angry, swear. ~Mark Twain, Pudd'nhead Wilson, 1894

by Leapin Lion on Jun 3, 2009 11:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It usually is the punter that holds

Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Lions Blog

by Sean Yuille on Jun 4, 2009 12:55 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Remeber Romo holding in the playoffs Sean? lol

Some teams do use back up QB’s.

When angry, count four; when very angry, swear. ~Mark Twain, Pudd'nhead Wilson, 1894

by Leapin Lion on Jun 10, 2009 2:03 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

And we know how that turns out haha

You’re right, though. It varies by team. For the Lions, at least, it’s usually been Nick Harris.

Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Lions Blog

by Sean Yuille on Jun 10, 2009 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Anyone else notice that Salaam accidentally said “I got laid” on Ellen? Good stuff. Good for him.

by sgdbw90 on Jun 4, 2009 12:44 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

i really hope that WCF thinks hes dying and is making his last stand to win a Super bowl before he dies

i like what i read by another post saying WCF wants to see a Super Bowl in detroit before he dies by letting the professionals he hired to run the team and not him….he should of had this mindset in the begining lol put everything they have in these 2-3 years and let WCF pass away on his own and give the team to the FANS who know more on running the team than he ever would

by phil_165 on Jun 4, 2009 11:01 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

That video was awesome

I love when players have some charisma – saw Staff at the Tigers game talking for a while, and he was pretty cool as well.

by Nate D. on Jun 4, 2009 11:29 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, I watched most of the game, they had him in the booth in the 4th I think. And I tell ya, I get sick of hearing him say the same things over and over, but he’s probably even more pissed that people ask him the same questions everywhere he goes. “How’s it feel to be picked #1” “How do you feel about being in charge of an 0-16 football team” CHRIST!! Ask him about how many strip clubs he’s been to already, or something people are actually interested in.

by BIGWalt2990 on Jun 4, 2009 3:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs