Just Say No 3.0: 5 free agents the Lions should avoid

What do we know about action movies series? They usually come in trilogies. The first establishes the story. The second has bigger explosions and more villains. The third is all about the heart. This one is personal.

In honor of that, this installment of the Just Say No is about me. In the last two pieces, I was working off a script. I would see someone say “the Lions should sign that guy,” and then I would add them to the list. In part, that’s what I’ll continue to do this week. But to add a little personal touch, I’m adding a couple that I want to Just Say No to as well.

Just Say No: Part 1
Just Say No: Part 2

Let’s jump head first into this thing.

Rashad Jennings

I’ve been seeing Jennings on a few Lions fans’ wishlist in the past few weeks, and I can’t say I understand why. Jennings is a 31 year old running back that has played one full season in his entire career. He’s never rushed for more than 833 yards in a season, and he will be playing on his fourth team in 2017 after the Giants cut him after the season.

I get the draw. Jennings was on fantasy radars once or twice before, but that is the last reason to want to sign him. Lot’s of guys have been on fantasy radars. Hell I was on the fantasy radar in Week 10 of the 2010 season, and I haven’t played football since 1998. Hard pass here.

Josh Gordon

The first of two personal picks. Yes, Josh Gordon is a free agent, and I won’t lie, I’ve seen a couple people suggest this. Here’s my issue: You don’t want to sign a player this dumb. Put talent aside here. Gordon is a few keys short of a piano.

It boggles my mind that after Titus Young anyone would want to take a chance on Gordon. It’s not about marijuana. I openly support the use of marijuana by players. I think if players were able to use this medicine, they would probably stop using everything else, but at this time, it’s not allowed.

So all Gordon has to do to be a millionaire superstar, is not smoke pot, but he just couldn’t do that for some reason. So I just can’t sign Josh Gordon. Also he hasn’t played regular season football since 2014.

Ted Ginn Jr.

The problem with Ted Ginn is that you never hear about the guy until he breaks off a big play, which, admittedly, is something he’s quite capable of doing. Or has been in the past that is. The problem with that is while you’re fawning over a big play or two, you miss out on how bad he is.

One of the constant themes here on Just Say No, is that these players always seem to be over 30. The 31-year-old Ginn is no exception. That’s not the problem. The problem is that Ginn is just over mediocre. He’s just good enough to possibly make a case to sign him.

In reality, you’re looking at a player that just can’t seem to catch the dang ball. In 2015, Ginn ranked second in the league in drops with 10. He did cut that number in half in 2016, but that is still indicative that Ginn just has trouble with drops, and it affects his game. The Lions just don’t need to take this chance.

Kellen Moore

Hello, old friend. I’ve decided to use my other personal choice on the only player that has had a fan levy death threats my way. Kellen Moore is just a weird thing. We’ve seen the classic love of backup quarterbacks over time. That’s nothing new, but with Moore, it’s a whole new world.

Moore has been in the league since 2012. He’s played in three games. In those games, he threw six interceptions. He has proven to most of the logical world that he is not a starting NFL quarterback. Yet you still see stuff like this.

The Cowboys were 12-2 when this tweet was published.

I don’t get it. I’ll never get it. All I know is that Kellen Moore may be the most overrated quarterback of all time. He will not come back to Detroit. On top of that, he will not become a starter anywhere. It’s time to put this to bed. Kellen is a great guy, but a bad quarterback. All the college wins in the world won’t change that.

Adrian Peterson

Time for the big fish. To be fair, Peterson has not yet been cut by the Vikings. But to most football fans in Minnesota, this is a foregone conclusion. [UPDATE: The Vikings announced they will not be picking up Peterson’s 2017 option. He will be a free agent.] I say the Lions should be first in line to turn down the running back.

We all know what Peterson has done in his career. He’s a former league MVP that has ran all over the Lions in the past. He’s one of the few running backs to hit 2,000 yards in a single season. He’s a future Hall of Famer. He’s a 32 year old man that ran for 37 yards in 2016. He needs to retire.

Every great player hits a wall at some point in their career. Peterson hit that wall in 2016. I believe there’s a chance that no team signs him in 2017. Because as great a player as he was, he’s also a personality that can cause problems in the locker rooms and front offices. He’s now at the point where the risk isn’t worth it anymore.

More importantly, he’s not worth the money he will want anymore. Even Vikings fans know that.

What do you think, Lions fans? What players do you personally want the Lions to avoid? Would you want the Lions to sign any of these guys? Leave your comments below, and remember, when it comes to free agency, Just Say No to all of these snakes.