Lions notes: The ‘Snacks effect’ is real based on these grades

If you needed any more proof that there was a big change in the Lions defense after the Damon “Snacks” Harrison trade, here’s your latest dose.

Pro Football Focus tweeted over the weekend the Lions’ team grade and the run defense before and after Snacks arrived in Detroit for Week 8.

According to PFF, the Lions’ overall team grade was 30th before Harrison (Weeks 1-7) and 12th after Snacks joined the team (Weeks 8-17.) There are a number of factors involved in that, so the run defense numbers, where Snacks’ impact is more evident, is the key here. The Lions ranked 26th in run defense before he arrived and jumped all the way up to second after he began playing in Detroit.

Harrison recorded 31 stops after his arrival, including six in his very first game, which tied him for the most run stops in a single game this season. That was against the Seahawks, who led the league in rushing yards. PFF goes into more detail here.

• Despite the good grades, Snacks hasn’t been feeling the love in his mentions.

By contract, he of course means the deal he wants to work out with the Lions. Harrison’s been skipping voluntary OTAs and there’s been some speculation it’s related to contract negotiations, but general manager Bob Quinn has said that’s not the case. Either way, he’s not pleased

• A nice segue to Nate Atkins of Mlive’s piece regarding what markets say Harrison, Darius Slay and other Lions are worth. Slay has also been absent from OTAs but has been around the Detroit area this week. The article compares each player to similar players in the league in terms of performance and pay.
• PhillyVoice writer Jimmy Kempski pointed out something interesting. He charted out the number of players over the age of 30 by team.

The Patriots had the highest number of players at 15 and the Jags/Browns had the lowest at three. The Lions, which have six, fell just below the average number of players for all 32 teams, which was about 7.5. The number of players over the age of 30 that the most number of teams have is 6. Mean, median, mode, math class paid off for the first time ever.

• ESPN’s Bill Barnwell commended the Lions’ offseason moves but explains they still need more defensive line work. He actually suggested a homecoming for Ndamukong Suh, who we now know signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week, but he does make other suggestions.

• PFF’s Cam Mellor took a look at how the 13 wide receivers drafted in the first three rounds and the four tight ends taken in the first two rounds match up with their new teams. He details T.J. Hockenson’s best route and how that’ll fit in with the Lions.

• And finally here are some nice Memorial Day tributes from players.