James Harris:Lions Player Personnel Exec

by NorthLeft12 on Jul 1, 2009 11:41 AM EDT Comment 26 comments

Back in February, the Lions announced the hiring of James "Shack" Harris to work with Martin Mayhew with Player Personnel. Harris was formerly the Jaguars GM from 2003 to the end of 2008. Here's the story from the Detroit Examiner:

http://www.examiner.com/x-1330-Detroit-Lions-Examiner~y2009m2d2-Detroit-Lions-find-their-player-personnel-man

I think this is a good hiring by the Lions, as their streak of such hirings continues. Let's face it, finding somebody to be the right hand man to the GM on a team that just went 0-16 cannot be an easy thing to do. The fact the Lions found a former GM who presided over winning teams is the best they could have hoped for, and that is exactly what they have got. What is for certain is that the team of Martin Mayhew and Shack Harris is a tremendous improvement over Matt Millen. This tag team now has a chance to make a name for themselves with a good draft in April. Let's hope they do just that.

I went on the Jaguars site and they don't have a lot of good things to say about him. I think there is a lot of anger over last years performance and they have laid most of it at Mr. Harris's feet.Here is a fan post related to that:

http://www.bigcatcountry.com/2009/6/17/912877/unsustainable-success-in

I' don't think that was deserved. His drafting record is not bad and he seemed to be building an excellent team in Jacksonville.

I'm putting this story out there as I don't think it got much attention back in February [there were a lot of other things to talk about] and this guy could be an important part of the Lions success over the next few years.

Any thoughts?

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pride of Detroit's main writer, Sean, or the site in general. FanPosts are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable fans.

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Well, there is one area he is proven to be Millen-esque

Lets hope we don’t rely on him to pick any WRs in the first round.

by ATL Lion on Jul 1, 2009 12:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think he's flown under the radar a bit...

kind of like Mayhew did under Millen. Assistants are in the background. Let’s just hope Mayhew gives him a voice and opinion unlike what Millen did to him.

I think the Northcutt trade has Harris written all over it. Hopefully he’s right on this move. Killer over at MLive didn’t seem to think that the coaching staff was at all impressed with Alexander and didn’t think he’d make the team. If that’s the case and Northcutt contributes… kudos on the move. It’s not like Northcutt is holding back any young talent… maybe Williams (who’s probably holding himself back more than anything).

by DrewsLions on Jul 1, 2009 2:32 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

If Harris is 10% as bad as the fans in Jacksonville think he is

We are in big trouble.

That link had them listing off a bunch of poor choices on personnel. It showed how often he reached for players with first round picks (notably WRs) and they turned into awesome busts. It was kind of scary reading it. If you were to change “Jags” to “Lions” and “Harris” to “Millen” it would sound a lot like this board.

I have not been very sold on Mayhew. The guy started with 2.9 strikes in my book and for good reason—Millen protege, no real search for a GM, no experience outside of Millen’s Lions, etc. Then they bring in a “personnel guru” who’s record for 1st round busts is second only to Millen? I get a bad feeling when I read that. Offseason moves that I want to believe in—our draft picks focused on flashy offense instead of O line or Defense or our collection of mediocre WRs—now make me worry.

by ATL Lion on Jul 1, 2009 3:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

ATL, Check out his second round picks though.

Maurice Jones-Drew RB, Justin Durant LB, Daryl Smith LB, Rashean Mathis CB all very good starters. Khalif Barnes LT was a four year starter that just moved to Oakland. Not to mention some other later good finds; Bobby McRay DE in the 7th, Gerald Sensabaugh S in the 5th, and their kicker Josh Scobee in the 5th. McRay and Sensabaugh have moved on, but they were obviously quality players for that late in the draft.

Even a few of his first rounders like Reggie Nelson FS and Mercedes Lewis TE are solid contributors. The 2008 DEs, Harvey and Groves, may still pan out.

But Leftwich, Williams, and Jones turned out very bad. I’m beginning to wonder if anyone can pick Wide Receivers. There seem to be more busts there than any other position.

by NorthLeft12 on Jul 1, 2009 6:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

True

Thanks for showing me some hope. His 1st rounders may not have been great, but his late rounders have been awesome. Any one of those guys would be starting on our team.

Maybe not Scobee.

by ATL Lion on Jul 2, 2009 8:29 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Here is Millen's collection of Second Rounders [WARNING: May be Offensive to Lions Fans]

2001 – Started off great, Raiola and Rogers.
2002 – Kalimba Edwards
2003 – Boss Bailey
2004 – Teddy Lehman
2005 – Shaun Cody
2006 – Daniel Bullocks
2007 – Drew Stanton, Alma-Francis, Gerald Alexander
2008 – Jordan Dizon

The clock is ticking on Bullocks, Alma Francis, and Dizon. Frankly it does not look good for them. I think Stanton is done in Detroit unless he gets a chance to play during the season and excels. Not likely.

The rest of them? Gone.

by NorthLeft12 on Jul 2, 2009 2:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Harris

Harris is am improvement, were coming off the Millen era. I’m taking the stand point theres now where else to go but up…

by msivits on Jul 1, 2009 3:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Wow

Hey msivits….long time no see.

by KDawg on Jul 1, 2009 4:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Summer time

working 80-90 hours a week.

by msivits on Jul 3, 2009 5:46 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yikes

Sorry man….that sucks

by KDawg on Jul 3, 2009 12:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'll split your hours with you

You work 50. I’ll work 40. I hate being unemployed.

by James L on Jul 3, 2009 3:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What the fans don't see!

Is that he Jaguars were he shizznit for the last few years, I personally think that the cap was his downfall. If it wasn’t for loosing all of those good D-fencive players especially their DT’s, how good could that team have been.

by davis0169 on Jul 1, 2009 7:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm not unhappy with the hiring

We’ll see how he can contribute.

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

by Hyperion Ecta on Jul 2, 2009 2:02 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

This is interesting from freep.com

"I’m excited," Northcutt said today in a telephone interview. "I feel like the Lions went out and won the Super Bowl last year, for real. I’m just excited about playing this game for a team that wants me and came out and got me."

by BIGWalt2990 on Jul 2, 2009 9:05 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

So he is delusional

Or is he sayign that we won the superbowl because we traded for him?

by ATL Lion on Jul 2, 2009 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's just not normal

For all these playes to want to come to Detroit to play. As we all know in years past it was just the opposite, players couldn’t wait until their contracts were done so they could jet on us. This just isn’t our lions of old anymore, bring on the season and playoffs, they are not that far away anymore. . . . .I can see the light at the end of the LONG dark tunnel.

by davis0169 on Jul 2, 2009 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That tells us something

What it says to me is that there is a completely new attitude in Detroit, and players around the league are taking notice. Plus, the Lions can only go in one direction from 0-16, and that is up. Schwartz and CO are responsible for this dynamic change, and they deserve credit for it. If the Lions make a turnaround this season, Schwartz will be Coach of the Year.

by KDawg on Jul 2, 2009 1:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I hope you’re right.

by BIGWalt2990 on Jul 2, 2009 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hck I'll take it 1 step farther

If we somehow make the playoffs this year. . . . .Swartz will be coach of the decade.But you guys all know I beleave we are not only going to the playoffs but will have our first Qb going to the pro-bowl, so now who’s the dreamer. No guys no kool-aid tonight. lol :-)

by davis0169 on Jul 4, 2009 1:31 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm a little happier about his hiring than you I think.

HE, Based on the Lions draft history over the last ten years, I would like to see some new blood in the Player scouting and development departments.
While it is easy to lay all the blame on Millen, Mayhew was there for most of it and their player evaluation has been suspect for quite awhile. Mr. Harris does have a fair number of successes in his player drafts over the last six years. Personally, I think they overshadow the big duds;Leftwich, Matt Jones, and Reggie Williams.
Some of his Free Agent acquisitions [Jerry Porter and Northcutt] did not work out either.

God, what is up with these wide receivers? No wonder every team seems to draft at least a couple every year.

by NorthLeft12 on Jul 2, 2009 11:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree with you

A few fresh faces in the scouting department would be a good thing. Let’s just hope Shack has more success with his players here than in Jacksonville.

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

by Hyperion Ecta on Jul 2, 2009 6:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Here is a link to a post on the Jaguar site that I recently put in re: James Harris

http://www.bigcatcountry.com/2009/7/3/936752/james-harris-reference-check-from

As you can see, James Harris did not leave a lot of happy Jaguar fans behind him.

They might have been happy to see him go though.

by NorthLeft12 on Jul 3, 2009 7:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I hope

He will get minimal influence on draft day specially on round 1. I must say i wonder how my Jags was so good in 2007 with him as GM (he was not a GM officialy, the post exist in jacksonville since early this year for Gene Smith). Good luck with him. But sure, he is an upgrade to Millen.

by Zoltan from Budapest on Jul 3, 2009 7:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's not hard to do!

Do I have to add anything else?

by davis0169 on Jul 4, 2009 1:33 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

LOL guys

May all of you out there have a VERY SAFE AND HAPPY 4th of July.

by davis0169 on Jul 4, 2009 1:34 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1

Enjoy your Independence guys…..:o) Thank you to all of the veterans out there and here on POD who have fought to protect our freedom and our right to be free. Thank you for risking your lives and the love of your families to uphold our standard of living. I love you all. HAPPY 4th of July AMERICA!!

by KDawg on Jul 4, 2009 2:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs