Don't Jump down my throat but should we draft a QB?

by GTlions on Jan 28, 2012 4:07 PM EST

Note: I do not advocate replacing Stafford. Please read post before making comment.

This is obviously not to replace Stafford but I think drafting a 4th or 5th round QB to be our primary backup could be a solid move. It seems that every year a 1st or 2nd round QB seems to free fall into a later round ('10: Ryan Mallett, '09 Colt McCoy, etc.). Now granted my examples only fell to the third but this year the guy I am looking at is Nick Foles.

Dude is 6' 5" 240lbs and entered the season as the #1 senior QB. Now he obviously had a down year and his stock took a hit, but with measurables and the ability that he displayed in college he is at worst a solid backup in the NFL and in the 4th round he would be a steal along with being far cheaper then Shaun Hill or Drew Stanton.

Thoughts?

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Definitely going to be some options....

If the value is there… I see it happening.

Several teams have made progress by raising up and trading #2 qbs. Cassel, Volek, Schaub, Bledsoe(on the other end), whithurst(lol), … and now Flynn.

QB should always be on the list.

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by CLF on Jan 28, 2012 4:37 PM EST reply actions

Tough situation

with HIll being so reliable, but also is taking some much needed cap space. I’m not ruling anything out for the draft as we have seen we draft for best available.

Lions 2011 "Luke 18:27"

by The.Lions on Jan 28, 2012 5:10 PM EST reply actions

QB is just not a position of need

I don’t think we’re going to have any problem bringing back Hill or Stanton or both. We need to pick up OL depth, secondary depth, WR depth etc in the later rounds.

Formerly WestSideLionsFan. Fan of all Detroit sports teams.

by WalterM on Jan 28, 2012 5:17 PM EST reply actions

to many other needs?

As long as we sign Hill to come back then we still have Robinson that is on the practice squad that can be signed to the team.
But if Hill decides to look for a starting job elseware then it wouldn’t hurt to pick up a late pick for QB.
Still need help in the db’s, OL’s, LB (depending on who re-signs, 4 are FA’s) and maybe RB’s depending on who returns. I’d rather even see another WR late then QB.

by rammer1 on Jan 28, 2012 5:29 PM EST reply actions

Zac was a Bengal this season

not a Lion.

Charles Aaron "Bubba" Smith 1945 - 2011 R.I.P.

by JCruize on Jan 28, 2012 5:35 PM EST up reply actions

who would sign him as a starter lol

he is a back up no more and old let HILL GO ALREADY keep Stanton draft another gun slinger

by lionsfan4ever on Jan 31, 2012 9:42 PM EST up reply actions

The term "should"

is quite subjective. If Stanton doesn’t come back I think we “may” draft a developmental prospect but I don’t think we can determine if we “should” until FA is done. If we do, I would suspect it won’t be a prototype as you are suggesting.

I would expect a diverse skill set so that 1) there would be at least a chance that third qb can be active on game days and occasionally contribute and 2) have the ability to simulate mobile qb’s that we will face with the scout team in practice. Maybe a Russel Wilson type in the later rounds.

However, I don’t think that will happen either. We are already going to be short a pick thanks to Pissoli in KC so I doubt we draft a qb.

by Lionsickness on Jan 28, 2012 7:13 PM EST reply actions

I like our current trio

But if we lose Hill or Stanton, I see no issue in drafting a quarterback late. Imagine what a young guy could learn from Matthew Stafford.

When's the Pro Bowl?

by halfbackattack33 on Jan 28, 2012 9:53 PM EST reply actions

He'd have to be incredibly young

since Stafford is all of 23.

by Thorpac on Jan 29, 2012 5:15 PM EST up reply actions

+1

If you have a Brady or Brees, you are thinking of grabbing a guy to learn for a couple years and maybe take over. If you have a 23 year old, you have a vet backup.

Otherwise all you are doing is training a guy to go out and make some money in free agency and play against you. Think back 10 years to Hasselbeck playing behind Favre forever and then taking Seattle to the superbowl.

by ATL Lion on Jan 30, 2012 9:14 AM EST up reply actions

Nah

Lions are a decent situation as far as quarterback is concerned. I guess maybe look at one with the 7th round, but there are plenty of good QB options in UDFA like Zac Robinson from last year. Bring one of those guys in. Put ’em in the practice squad and find out what they can do. Spending anything higher than a 6th on a QB just seems like a waste to me.

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by Latif Masud on Jan 28, 2012 9:55 PM EST reply actions

Agree with Latif

A UDFA that can stay on the practice squad makes the most sense.

"I’m sorry for all the people who want us to run the ball 40 times a game, but we’re going to put the ball in No. 9’s hands and he’s going to make plays for us like he did today," Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. Amen to that Jim!

by NorthLeft12 on Jan 28, 2012 11:06 PM EST up reply actions

Same

However, I was really hoping for the Lions to draft Greg McElroy in the 7th round last year. I think he was great value there.

Datsyukian Deke, Detroit Red Wings Blog
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by Detroitnr1 on Jan 29, 2012 8:32 AM EST up reply actions

One problem...

Talented UDFAs aren’t likely to choose Detroit as a place to try and make the team. Their chances of playing are miniscule given that we have a star QB who is only beginning his career.

That said, I agree that it isn’t a position of great need. Even if we were to lose either Hill or Stanton (not both) we ought not draft one before the 7th.

by ziggyz on Jan 29, 2012 2:40 PM EST up reply actions

Hill will be back

And I think Stanton will see if he can get a backup job somewhere else but if not he will also return

Datsyukian Deke, Detroit Red Wings Blog
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by Detroitnr1 on Jan 30, 2012 6:55 AM EST up reply actions

Hill has a losing record as a starter...

Stanton is .500(?) under these coaches….

Spending a 3-7th on a QB, if there’s a ‘diamond’ in the rough… I want Mayhew to find it.

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by CLF on Jan 30, 2012 4:01 PM EST up reply actions

Foles

He’s going to be gone in the late first round or early 2nd round.

by 54Madlion20 on Jan 29, 2012 10:32 AM EST reply actions

hah!

you got jokes!

by miblue on Jan 30, 2012 12:47 PM EST up reply actions

Lessons

I think Indy and Houston made it very clear just how important having a solid backup really is. Indy had nothing behind Peyton and it clearly showed and cost executives their job. Houston ended up having a rookie play the final few games but with some strong team play were able to make it into the playoffs. Detroit this last season was not the all around team that Houston was, they are closer to the type of team Indy was and we all know what they did without a quality QB to run the offense.

Hill should be the guy to keep, this year. Stanton is a great guy, but barely a decent QB.

I think Foles or Kirk Cousins are great value if they slip anywhere past the 4th round.

by AZLionsfan on Jan 29, 2012 10:37 AM EST reply actions

I'd love to have a guy like Kirk Cousins

But like you said, we gotta be talking like 5th round or later for it to make any kind of sense

by JWurm on Jan 31, 2012 3:41 PM EST up reply actions

i like cousins

as a person, but i really doubt his future in the NFL.

by haywood on Feb 3, 2012 12:52 PM EST up reply actions

if we did draft a qb i say in the late late rounds

someone like Case Keenum from Houston.. Should be there in the 6th or 7th

Playoff run in '11!!
Superbowl ring in '12

by lionsfan_772 on Jan 29, 2012 10:57 AM EST reply actions

In a word...no

We can find a udfa qb hiding under every bush, come spring…if there be any need for one

"Common Sense, isn't" Solomon Short

by YpsilantiJeff on Jan 29, 2012 1:46 PM EST reply actions

yeah... and the Lions can end up like the Colts.

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by CLF on Jan 30, 2012 4:00 PM EST up reply actions

Nope

Hill is the keeper. If we have him and lose Stanton just invite someone. No draft picks.

by rekar on Jan 30, 2012 1:05 AM EST reply actions

Why not?

sometimes you need to look at the bigger picture. If a QB like Foles or Cousins fall into the later rounds. I would love for the Lions to jump on them. #1 their contract would be cap friendly. And secondly, in a few years the Lions could be sitting on the next Kevin Kolb or Matt Flynn. Look what Philly got for Kolb. I can just imagine what Mayhew could have gotten.

Charles Aaron "Bubba" Smith 1945 - 2011 R.I.P.

by JCruize on Jan 30, 2012 9:00 AM EST reply actions

I think your first point is extremely important

And I feel like a lot of people aren’t looking at it that way.

But I’m all with you. Getting a quality backup, granted we don’t really know if they’re quality or not, at the price that they would come would be pretty great for our cap flexibility.

by JWurm on Jan 31, 2012 3:43 PM EST up reply actions

yea getting a guy who doesn't have pressure to start but has the physical tools to play

can let him mature, and be a great trading or pivotal backup play when needed like Cassel in NE
and then look what they got. I see Dennis Dixon in Pittsburgh as that type of guy, he just never gets to play. Maybe Lions get the kid leaving Oregon early

by BillySimsMadeMeDo on Jan 31, 2012 5:11 PM EST up reply actions

I'd be cool with rounds 6-7 or an UDFA for the practice squad

I hope the Lions can trade one of our backups, assuming they both are back for next year. A couple of guys I would be interested in picking up after round 6 would be.

Russel Wilson – Has a ton of athletic ability and could probably be used elsewhere on the field and run the scout team as a mobile QB. Probably gone in the 6th round.

Kellen Moore – 75 TDs 15 INTs over the past 2 years with over 71% accuracy each year. His arm strength is a concern but the guy has lost only like 6 games in a 4 year college career.

Case Keenum – Another accuracy guy with a questionable arm. I would take a look at him in the 7th.

As an UDFA I’d be interested in looking at Darron Thomas and Jarrett Lee.

If you can hit on any of these guys and get a 2nd possibly 1st round pick out of developing them then I say do it.

by Northern Lite on Jan 30, 2012 9:43 AM EST reply actions

Even better kellen moore only lost 3 games in his career as a starter and 50 wins. But I doubt we will get him, though I would like it.

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by Michael21 on Jan 30, 2012 11:41 AM EST up reply actions

lions will use all thier draft picks on players that can help them this year and drafting a qcb late in the draft would not fit intoa plan .because they our short a draft pick this year and would not have a draft pick to use on qcb that cant help thier team in till he learn thier sytem and also this qcb class is just about as bad cb class in this draft so the lions might have to try to draft 2cbs that have some of theskills they our trying to find but might not macke thier team because they might find a camp cut who is player or fa who fit thier team more .

by kwfords on Jan 30, 2012 10:58 AM EST reply actions

As a badger fan I’d be okay with drafting Russell Wilson, he will probably be available late in the draft. His biggest knock is his height, at 5’11. Incredible smart, learned Wisconsins offense in a couple months and set a team record for efficiency. Has good arm strength and can make all the throws and is a high character guy.

by pvk162 on Jan 30, 2012 11:23 AM EST reply actions