FanPost

Final Thoughts - Free Agency

A lot has been made about how negative I have been throughout this FA period. I certainly have been riled up and definitely have over reacted to a bunch of stuff. All of that will come to an end in a few hours when the real signings start to happen. Before that happens I want to be on record about where I stand and how I see things. Maybe no one cares....but for future arguments sake I want to be on record.

My take is that the Detroit Lions have an opportunity to ride the Great 4 Game Win Streak of 2010(G4GWS) and the media love that came with it into a major FA victory. We will NEVER see this kind of talent in FA ever again. This FA period is not like others. Normally teams are overpaying for a scarcity. This time there is a glut of FA's elite and solid that could almost instantaneously leap us a year ahead of schedule and erase the Millen Era for good. Because of this, while the draft is how you build your team normally, I thought we had built a strategy around being big winners by the end of today. Drafting to our strengths was a sure indication that we thought we could get big time talent in FA at a good price.

Now I NEVER thought we would get a Stud CB and a Stud LB. The idea of getting JJ and Tulloch was just too good to be true. But I did think we would fix one position group completely and make 1 key exciting signing. So what I wanted to see was Tulloch/Manny Lawson + Durant + one CB. Wright would count to me in this scenario. The other thing would be to see JJ, Wright and Durant to fix the CB position. I thought the LB position would be easier and more cheaply fixed and fit with the Schwartz motto. Run the Ball, Stop the Run.

So here are the 3 scenarios that I thought would be considered victories in this FA period. Anything less would be a disappointment considering the mojo we have and the momentum. Without one of these scenarios I truly believe we would have been better of to have finished the season on a 3 game streak and still have gotten Patrick Peterson. The fact our coaches tried to move up for him proves they are aware we NEED a play maker in the secondary especially at corner.

Success #1 Tulloch/Lawson + Durant + Houston/Wright

#2 JJ + Wright + Durant not going to happen now of coarse

#3 Rockey + Durant + Wright + Houston/Marshall etc.

Failure #1 Durant and Wright Does anyone think this would be a win?

#2 Durant Rudd Wright Houston etc.

Clearly if we just signed Durant and Wright we would be a bit better than we were last year in the back 7 but not by much. This team has a chance to do big things THIS year. And the D-line can't get pressure every play. The signs look like we won't be getting Tulloch/Lawson and JJ is gone. But there is time and Mayhew is the man. So lets all hope we still land a serious LB with Elite skill to make our LB core super solid for years.

There is much more to say. I admire what St. Louis is doing to make their Oline great for Bradford. Makes me jealous. I love what Houston is doing. Makes me jealous. Maybe in a few hours I won't be jealous anymore. I sure hope so. Its time for the Lions to be the envy of the league.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pride Of Detroit or its writers.