Thursday Notes: Lions Claim Cletis Gordon, Release Keith Smith

by Sean Yuille on Sep 3, 2009 1:18 AM EDT in Detroit Lions Notes

Cornerback Keith Smith was released on Wednesday. Though Smith was injured for part of training camp and hadn't been great since he returned, this was an unexpected move. I personally thought Smith would make the team over Ramzee Robinson, albeit not by a very wide margin. This decision really just came out of left field, especially when news broke a few hours later that Cletis Gordon was claimed by the Lions to fill Smith's spot on the roster. Gordon is a cornerback who was cut by the Texans after spending only a few days with the team. Before that he was with the Chargers, where he spent three seasons and was a starter in one game last year.
Expect Matthew Stafford to play for around 25 snaps tonight against Buffalo. The coaches don't want him to play for too long, but they do want him to get some more work in before the regular season.
It doesn't sound like Kevin O'Connell is going to play tonight. The Lions will evaluate him by working him out on Friday and probably Saturday as well. The final cuts have to be made on Saturday, but the Lions will have time to put him through a workout.
The Lions' value as a franchise dropped by 6% from last year, according to Forbes.
At one time it looked like both Charles Rogers and Pacman Jones could end up signing with the CFL's Winnipeg Blue Bombers, but now neither are expected to head north of the border. Rogers isn't allowed to sign with any CFL team because he is still suspended by the NFL. As for Jones, it looks like the Blue Bombers had a change of heart once their pursuit of him became public knowledge.
If Brandon Marshall were to be traded to the Jets, the Broncos reportedly would want linebacker David Harris in return. Harris is a former Michigan player and is who I hoped the Lions would draft in the second round back in 2007. Instead they chose Drew Stanton.

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Charles Rogers blows me away!

Look, I’m not exactly leading the way during the “Legalize It” parade, but this guy has taken far too much abuse for basically being Pot Head. I know he’s been in trouble outside of his “substance abuse” issues, but a lot of this stems back from a reputation for hitting the bong a little too frequently.
Before everybody jumps down my throat with the “people in his position should know better” comments, let me just say that’s not really what my comment is about.
I just can’t believe that a guy with that much raw talent, who once showed so much promise, who is still relatively young, can’t find a place to play football! Has he really just turned people off so much that teams are unwillingly to assess him based on his antics? Or is he really just such a shell of his former athletic self that he is virtually useless on the field. Considering Mike Vick didn’t have to wait long, Tank Johnson was barely put out, and Michael Irvin was a hall of famer I doubt the off the field stuff is that big of an issue. But considering the Lions were running guys like Boldin, and Keary Colbert out on the field…can Rogers really be THAT much worse then them at this point?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not advocating Charles Rogers get another shot with the Lions…but I would like to see him get another shot at playing football again. I mean for Heaven’s sake…Plaxico and Stallworth will probably both be back in the NFL before Rogers will be!

by Mushy on Sep 3, 2009 8:47 AM EDT reply actions

I agree......

…….Its amazing that he is stil suspended……Pacman jones is allowed to play and he was carrying guns around…….rogers smoked some pot and 3 years later hes stil suspended…..Blows my mind……Do you think if Peyton Manning got caught smoking pot hed stil be suspended….the answer is no way…….hes paid his due……Let him play.

by BennieBladesFan on Sep 3, 2009 10:00 AM EDT up reply actions

Hey...

it’s a major performance enhancing substance, ash Mike Phelps, or Ricky Williams, for that matter, how many times did he get caught snoking the Pot? I guess Shwartz must know him too well to give him a shot. Rodgers was a huge bust, is this of any relavance, just publicity for him to get his name out there.

by LTownDown on Sep 3, 2009 10:47 AM EDT up reply actions

Maybe,

Al David will give Millen a shot, then maybe he’ll get another chance, they could bring back Mikw Williams, too.

by LTownDown on Sep 3, 2009 10:48 AM EDT up reply actions

Once again I don't think the nfl.network is airing the lions game at 6:30

you can only watch it if you get cbs detroit? anybody know where else to watch it?

by msivits on Sep 3, 2009 10:05 AM EDT reply actions

Sounds like...

D. Harris would’ve been a better choice over Stanton, I like him & all being a hometown product, but has wasted too much money on IR. Kinda funny I took a look at Cletis Gordon yesterday, looked like a big DB from a solid defensive background, just don’t know that much about him, anyone? But, I wondered if they would take a look at him.

by LTownDown on Sep 3, 2009 10:42 AM EDT reply actions

Here is a link to comments from the Charger's SB Site.

http://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2009/9/3/1013732/cletis-gordon-remember-him

by NorthLeft12 on Sep 3, 2009 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions

Dude!

To this day, I’m still so bitter that Millen chose Stanton with that pick. I was praying that Harris would fall to us, and when our time on the clock came up and he was still there I was doing a touchdown dance in my living room. I thought it was a no-brainer pick, but I forgot that Millen didn’t have a brain. This was the epitome of a Millen-led draft, I was slack-jawed when they called Stanton’s name, so pissed, goddamn….why am I still angry about this?

by TX Lion on Sep 3, 2009 3:14 PM EDT up reply actions

i read that millen wanted him it was martz was the one that wanted drew

Just Remember matt... what would Daunte do??

by det32 on Sep 3, 2009 3:34 PM EDT up reply actions

Millen.....

….wanted him….im not saying your a liar just saying no way Millen didnt also wnt him.

by BennieBladesFan on Sep 3, 2009 3:56 PM EDT up reply actions

Really...?

I’ve never read that before. The first thing Martz did was try to correct Stanton’s mechanics. I would think if Martz was really high on Stanton that he would of been well aware of the way Stanton slings the ball. Either way…Millen would still have to have been the one to make the pick.

by Mushy on Sep 4, 2009 7:56 AM EDT up reply actions

I see the name Cletis and all I can think of is the red-headed hick from the Simpsons

by JazzyBBP on Sep 3, 2009 12:22 PM EDT reply actions

Some folk’ll never eat a skunk, but then again some folk’ll, like Cletus the slack-jawed yokel.

Some folk’ll never lose a toe, but then again some folk’ll, like Cletus the slack-jawed yokel.

by n4ry4 on Sep 3, 2009 2:02 PM EDT up reply actions

lets just hope he sticks around.

When the LEGAL side-effects of a substance, cause more harm to the person, than the side effect of the substance its self, we have an injustice.
- Jimmy Carter

by BIGWalt2990 on Sep 3, 2009 5:23 PM EDT up reply actions