Wow...the Detroit Lions...there are no words

[Michigan Dave]

I don't see why everyones criticizing the Lions (media more than anyone) if they take Calvin Johnson. Rogers is no longer on the team, Mike Williams sucks, and Roy Williams has turned out well. This is an investment decision, and in any investment decision, you don't look at sunk costs. You look forward, and if they feel that Johnson will give them the greatest benefit going forward, then you pick him.

Because the Lions aren't in a position to draft a luxury. They have a plethora of needs, and WR isn't one of them. With Williams and Furrey, they are good. They need immediate line help, help on defense, probably a QB and with the #2 pick they are in a situation where they can address NEEDS and try and improve their football team for the future. Johnson is a sexy pick, but realistically, he's not going to be a huge improvement over Furrey and Williams. That's why they get criticized. You have to draft smart, and sometimes that means passing on a Calvin Johnson.

 

[wrangler]

Detroit needs a QB, you can have all the receivers in the world, BUT without
a QB it means nothing.!?...............................ya think?

 

[dhamz]

Because the Lions aren't in a position to draft a luxury. They have a plethora of needs, and WR isn't one of them.

I would say the Lions are in a position where they need talent. They are so devoid of talent on their roster that no need they fill is going to matter in 2007. The only way back is to accumulate as many talented players as they can on draft day in the next 2 or 3 years. The luxury they don't have is to reach for "need' over the most talented player on the board.

If it were a situation where it was close then they should factor need into it. No one thinks that is the case this year. What you hear is Johnson is the clear cut number 1 player and no other player in the draft is on his level.

If the Lions feel that way, they are supposed to go off their board and draft a clearly inferior player because of Mike Furrey?

 

[TruthSeeker]

Detroit needs a QB, you can have all the receivers in the world, BUT without
a QB it means nothing.!?...............................ya think?

Umm, Kitna may not be Brady, but I believe he threw for 4000 yards last year....

 

[Crazy Patriot Guy]

I would say the Lions are in a position where they need talent. They are so devoid of talent on their roster that no need they fill is going to matter in 2007. The only way back is to accumulate as many talented players as they can on draft day in the next 2 or 3 years. The luxury they don't have is to reach for "need' over the most talented player on the board.

If it were a situation where it was close then they should factor need into it. No one thinks that is the case this year. What you hear is Johnson is the clear cut number 1 player and no other player in the draft is on his level.

If the Lions feel that way, they are supposed to go off their board and draft a clearly inferior player because of Mike Furrey?

Great post. They aren't on the verge and just need a couple holes plugged. They need players. And he is by far the best available.

I hate to think of what the Patriots would look like right now if we had always gone with biggest need first.

 

[Michigan Dave]

Great post. They aren't on the verge and just need a couple holes plugged. They need players. And he is by far the best available.

I hate to think of what the Patriots would look like right now if we had always gone with biggest need first.

WR isn't a need, and the Lions have talent there. Roy Williams is a Pro Bowler, and Furrey is a 1000 yard receiver. If you have glaring needs elsewhere, why take Johnson? Take that pick, and the value that comes with it, and either parlay it into more picks/players by using Johnson's appeal to other teams or select another highly rated player to fill an area you have a severe need.

You have to build a team. Joe Thomas is more valuable to Detroit than Calvin Johnson. So are JaMarcus Russell (probably gone), Gaines Adams, and a whole slew of "non top 5" players.

 

[Handel]

Great pick. Either they will have a stud or they can trade his rights for Tampa Bay or Atlanta.

 

[MrTibbs]

In the Lions' defense (can't believe I just said that) all of their picks were good ones. Each receiver they chose was ranked as the best or second-best receiver in the nation that year.

Having said that: break the cycle, Detroit. WR's just don't work out for you.

No, Detriot hasn't had a QB worth a dmn since ummmmmm ever?

 

[Kdo5]

WR isn't a need, and the Lions have talent there. Roy Williams is a Pro Bowler, and Furrey is a 1000 yard receiver. If you have glaring needs elsewhere, why take Johnson? Take that pick, and the value that comes with it, and either parlay it into more picks/players by using Johnson's appeal to other teams or select another highly rated player to fill an area you have a severe need.

You have to build a team. Joe Thomas is more valuable to Detroit than Calvin Johnson. So are JaMarcus Russell (probably gone), Gaines Adams, and a whole slew of "non top 5" players.

WR isnt really a need but what if Williams or Furrey gets hurt? Then you depend on one guy to carry your recieving corps. As I said all of the other recievers on that team...NONE of them caught more than 20 balls last year. Most caught less than 15, some lower than 10. You have two very good recievers already and a third...a stud like CJ could really make your passing game your best threat on the field. Even if it is Kitna.

Russel would be too much of a risk even if he was still around. CJ is just built PERFECTLY, perfect size, tremendous skills. You should not pass on CJ.

 

[Michigan Dave]

WR isnt really a need but what if Williams or Furrey gets hurt? Then you depend on one guy to carry your recieving corps. As I said all of the other recievers on that team...NONE of them caught more than 20 balls last year. Most caught less than 15, some lower than 10. You have two very good recievers already and a third...a stud like CJ could really make your passing game your best threat on the field. Even if it is Kitna.

Russel would be too much of a risk even if he was still around. CJ is just built PERFECTLY, perfect size, tremendous skills. You should not pass on CJ.

If you're Detroit, you pass. You need a LOT of help in other areas. What good is 3 solid receivers if you can't run the ball or protect your QB? Or if your defense isn't holding the leads? Detroit signed Shaun McDonald, who is a capable receiver and a guy that can fill the void if Furrey or Williams were to get injured. It isn't like there is a lack of talent at the top of the draft. They can trade down, and get more players (which they need) and still get an impact player at a position that they need. Drafting Johnson to keep with the Lions' roster is like souping up a Ford Escort.

 

[PatsDparty]

Because the Lions aren't in a position to draft a luxury. They have a plethora of needs, and WR isn't one of them. With Williams and Furrey, they are good. They need immediate line help, help on defense, probably a QB and with the #2 pick they are in a situation where they can address NEEDS and try and improve their football team for the future. Johnson is a sexy pick, but realistically, he's not going to be a huge improvement over Furrey and Williams. That's why they get criticized. You have to draft smart, and sometimes that means passing on a Calvin Johnson.

Based on that logic, the Texans made the right choice last year b/c they didn't need a qb or a rb, but needed a pass rusher. The saints also shouldnt have taken bush b/c they had Deuce (you can obviously make the injury argument tho for him). I think when you're drafting in the top 5, you have to take the best player available (esp if the player should be something special), unless there are 2 guys who are pretty close, and you have a need for one of them. Obviously its a little different if the team just drafted a qb the year before very high, and the best player is a qb, but I'm basically talking about almost any position that you can have multiple great players at.

 

[Kdo5]

I dont know if this is what Patsdparty just said but last year the Texans went for "the need" position at defensive end. Williams didnt do much in his rookie season and they get nowhere, once again last in the AFC South. Then there is the Saints. They take the best player available in Reggie Bush even though they already have an excellent McCalister. Bush's versatality is just one of the things that led the Saints from the second worst team in the NFL, to the second best team in the NFC.

 

[Michigan Dave]

Based on that logic, the Texans made the right choice last year b/c they didn't need a qb or a rb, but needed a pass rusher. The saints also shouldnt have taken bush b/c they had Deuce (you can obviously make the injury argument tho for him). I think when you're drafting in the top 5, you have to take the best player available (esp if the player should be something special), unless there are 2 guys who are pretty close, and you have a need for one of them. Obviously its a little different if the team just drafted a qb the year before very high, and the best player is a qb, but I'm basically talking about almost any position that you can have multiple great players at.

I disagree. QB and RB were need positions for the Texans. They didn't have a Pro Bowl caliber player at either position. Detroit has a Pro Bowl, clear #1 guy in Roy Williams. They aren't hurting at WR. The Texans chose Williams because they cheaped out, not because they graded him higher than Bush/Young. THAT was their problem. It was a contract issue.

 

[Kdo5]

CJ > Russel, Quinn, Thomas, Adams.

Take CJ. He is the best player in the draft. I dont think Detroit should pass on him.

 

[Michigan Dave]

I dont know if this is what Patsdparty just said but last year the Texans went for "the need" position at defensive end. Williams didnt do much in his rookie season and they get nowhere, once again last in the AFC South. Then there is the Saints. They take the best player available in Reggie Bush even though they already have an excellent McCalister. Bush's versatality is just one of the things that led the Saints from the second worst team in the NFL, to the second best team in the NFC.

I addressed the Texans above- they drafted based on ability to sign, a poor choice. The Saints are a bad comparison. They signed Brees, which was a HUGE reason for their ascent up the standings, and weren't a true #2 drafting team. They had a decent core group of players- they were 9-7, 8-8 and 8-8 the 3 years prior to their disastrous 2005 season. In 05, they had a substantial amount of distractions. I equate them more with the Spurs when they struggled when David Robinson was hurt, and parlayed that into drafting Tim Duncan when they won the lottery. New Orleans wasn't 3-13 bad. Taking Bush made sense. RBs have a shorter shelf life, so McAlister wasn't as big a factor as the Lions WRs are.

Detroit IS bad. Real bad. They don't have a solid core of players to where they have the luxury of taking Johnson. They've neglected areas of need with poor drafting and player personnel decisions over the last 6 years with Millen.

 

[PushnPencils]

Neither QB in this draft is near being a sure thing.

If you have the chance to grab the concensus, best player in the draft and a guy described as a once in decade type of player, you take him regardless of your past stupidity.

The Lions are a good 4-5 years away from anything close to competitiveness, so why not start that trip with a guy who could be the next Jerry Rice.
:singing:

 

[Michigan Dave]

CJ > Russel, Quinn, Thomas, Adams.

Take CJ. He is the best player in the draft. I dont think Detroit should pass on him.

I would take Russell over Johnson If I were Oakland, Detroit, or Cleveland. I agree that Johnson is the next best player. But if you don't need him, there's no reason to take him. If you can't trade down, take the guy you need. You're getting an elite level player at #2.

 

[PatsDparty]

I would take Russell over Johnson If I were Oakland, Detroit, or Cleveland. I agree that Johnson is the next best player. But if you don't need him, there's no reason to take him. If you can't trade down, take the guy you need. You're getting an elite level player at #2.

I agree that they should probably trade down, and get more picks, but if they can't, I just say get the best player available, esp if hes a can't miss player like CJ.

 

[Kontradiction]

Jon Kitna: Pro Bowl starting QB in 2007.

 

[Michigan Dave]

Jon Kitna: Pro Bowl starting QB in 2007.

The Lions managed to F up Barry Sanders. You think they could get Kitna to the Pro Bowl?