IMO, What the Lions Should do this Offseason...

Let Backus go- more cap space, throw adams into fire
Release Raiola- cap space, let Ben Jones take over Let Eric Wright go

Also, re-sign Leonard Davis? Jacques McClendon?

Alot of what you wrote I don’t disagree with, but these few lines make me want to punch babies.

This probably makes a lot of sense. To the people that follow this team like a religion: This make next to no sense. How do you release Jeff Backus? He’s a unrestricted free agent. He doesn’t have a salary with the Lions. How do you plan to sign Stephen Tulloch AND Brandon Carr? You do realize Carr will be asking for 6+ mil a season right? Where do we find that kind of money? Raiola is only make 3.4 mil 2012. Just releasing him won’t accomplish all that you mentioned. Also, why would Early Doucet sign here to be our 4th receiver when he would have offers to start elsewhere and why would the Lions spend that much money going after a 4th string wideout?

CJs cap number this year is 22 mill and resigning him should get that down to around 10. That’s 12 million right there

right now we are right at the max of i think it is 122 million. resigning cj and releasing dom gives us 15 million in cap space. if carr costs 6 mill a year and we can get tulloch for around 5 mill a year that still leaves us with 4 million dollars plus the money we can borrow from future years in cap space if they choose to use it

Well, you can’t be faulted for being wimpy at all. There are a lot of very risky moves there. They are much more risky than anything Mayhew/Schwartz have shown they will do. It is good that you qualify that this is your opinion, because it is not going to be close to what actually happens.

Let me point out just a few places where you are almost certain to be off base…

The Lions have already stated they want Backus to return. The press from the team has all been about how Backus is coming along well and will be ready for camp. Schwartz and Mayhew have had the back of Jeff Backus all along and I do not see them stabbing him in the back now.

Dominic Raiola is under contract for another season. The Lions did look at several centers in camp last season and that is an indication that they are aware that Raiola needs to be replaced. Nevertheless, they are unlikely to sweep Raiola off the roster even if they do draft a player that will start at center. It is more likely that they would keep Raiola on the roster as insurance for at least one season before he lost his roster spot.

While Early Doucet is a bit under the radar, teams in the NFL tend to do their homework. Doucet is just coming off his rookie contract and he is going to be looking for a lot more than he made in that one. He has improved steadily every year and he finally got a chance to get out from behind the shadow of other players last season. He put up numbers that were comparable to Nate Burleson and would be acceptable as a #2 receiver on almost any team. I think the Lions would prefer to go with a third or fourth round draft pick as a developmental WR and save some money.

You have not accounted for all of the running backs that the Lions have right now. Currently the Lions have Best, LeShoure, Kieland Williams, Joique Bell, and Stephan Logan. I think that either Williams or Bell will make the roster. Kevin Smith will have to be signed again and that is not certain. While he gave the Lions some good carries when they really needed them last season, he went down to injuries again. He has proven to be unreliable because he cannot stay healthy. I don’t know if the Lions will deal with that or maybe try to draft somebody like Isaiah Pead to be an insurance policy for Jahvid Best. LeShoure, Williams, and Bell all fill the role as bangers out of the backfield. What the Lions need is another speed back.

It is usually a bad idea to replace more than one player on your offensive line during a season. The offensive line is just as much about timing and coordination as it is about talent. The idea that you can just plug in new pieces and they will fit is incorrect. Each new player causes the entire line to adjust to new timing and tendencies. Working in one new player is more work than you think. Working in two rookies in the same season is a recipe for disaster.

that will get us under the cap and should produce a good product