I’ve gone from the mayor of Kool Aid town, to the CEO of “Fire Dan/AG Inc” over the past 7 games….
I’m still hesitant to trust Brad, but since I don’t have a choice, and his batting average in the draft has been pretty damn good… I will spare his name from my pitchfork ledger….
The Stafford trade seems to be yielding mixed feelings on returns. He won a SB which many in here were happy for him. Now he’s having one of his worst seasons in memory(others are happy about that), and all can’t be attributed to the strength of the team around him. Last year was a solid OL, a good RB, stud WRs, and great D…. This year is like the 2015 Lions…. We fantasize about Parsons, but had we traded with Carolina instead (if that was even real)- it could have been an J Horn or D Smith just as easily.
overall I’d still give this an A-…in a way trading Stafford and simultaneously letting KG walk (seemed like more of a decision at the time lol) netted us 3rd, 1st, 3rd, 1st…. So far Goff, Iffy, Jamo, and a pick this year that would appear around #20 overall? Also consider that Goff will likely net us a 2nd round pick, or be our QB of the near future, so additional value…. Since Stafford wasn’t going to win anything here, and it might be one and done there….don’t compare the Watson or Russ hauls simply because they don’t get those if Stafford doesn’t win it. Anyone who thought they were a QB away went nuts after Stafford won it in LA!
Brockers trade was a flat bust. Holmes and DC thought they were getting a 4 sack, team captain, locker room leader to sway the culture. What they got was a dude too washed up to function, and because of that he’s had no sway.
Overall: F minus.
Drafts have been close to an A- so far. I believe that Sewell, ASB, and McNeill are starters on many teams, and Hutch, Joseph and Rodrigo are trending the same way. Add in what we truly NEED Jamo to be, and suddenly we have 7 actual starters in 2 drafts. The jury is still out on Barnes, Iffy, Paschal, Phillips, and who knows with Levi…. I think @FreebirdPartDeux posted an article on Lions fans favorites prior to last draft…. Kyle Hamilton, Thibz, Cine, Watson, Dean, Willis, Pickett, Icky, J Johnson, etc haven’t exactly been on fire…. In a redraft I’m still taking Hutch and Jamo…. In fact other than hating Levi last year and wanting Bolton, I can’t say too much else?
overall: A-
Free agency is tricky. We’ve gone from 60M dead cap, to 30M dead cap, and very little so far for 2023… almost none. Cutting Romeo, Cabinda, Brockers and V gives 57M, and just over 30M without cuts…. So we whiffed hard on many free agents, and also found some solid cheap pieces…. jWill, Elliott, C Harris, Raymond, E Brown, J Reynolds, Commish…. Tough to win in UFA if you spend no real guaranteed money- but Chark, T Will, Hughes, AA, etc have still been dumpster fires….
overall: C- seems both high and low. Unfortunately the ankles of Walker and Romeo were allergic to money. Lol. When you consider we didn’t really do anything to add a backup, or draft a developmental guy- it may signal that HSV was right and this was always a 2 year tear down for Holmes… Walker was playing great before the injury, and Romeo was coming off a great year. They got paid, and then sadly hurt…. AO and Hock were both in the extend conversations with many of us this off-season, but he held off and STILL has yet to add awful dead cap money to 2023 and beyond….
Now what? We’ve avoided big contracts, eaten big dead cap, and now stare at #1 overall with a trade chip at QB and options on the table. He’s either a genius or an idiot. We shall see.
Well better coach would be the biggest thing no matter how you slice it. Jethro Campbell is the bottom of the barrel he’s actually worse the Marnelli and Patricia, god that is bad.
if you think its Bryce, Stroud, Etc. you go for it pretty much
Im Between Bryce and Anderson atm still, Anderson would make the pass rush stupidly good, but Bryce has the “it” factor that i think other qbs in the draft lack.
Exactly Goff is no solution but he is just good enough you shouldn’t have too each on a QB. But if a guy is there that fits you moving forward that you truly like you take him.
Actually Jared probably more then enough QB , for this regime Tom Brady in his prime couldn’t win much with a Holmes built roster and Dan Campbell coached team. I don’t think it matters who is on the field with these guys. Looses will keep piling up along with excuses.
I see no reason to expect anything different than we have gotten.
We injured players everywhere, and a first round pick we’ve never seen, and that they’re being hush/hush about.
None of the FA WR’s have worked, although, I like JRey when healthy.
He just traded away our most productive skill position guy and got squat for him (a first round pick and past pro bowler).
I’m not sold on the gambler. Not at all!
Great observation. It’s obvious this was also a teardown year. Some fans (if you can call them that) just don’t wanna see it. They approach this team like Madden. They believe we had enough money to get the top rated players at every position of need, not realizing the ramifications of having a lot of dead cap after the Stafford trade and the cuts of Collins and Flowers. Truth is, the Rams weren’t gonna pay both Goff and Stafford this and next year. That’s bad business. Now, Goff has limited or no guaranteed money left for the last couple of years of his contract. Which makes the decision to move on or trade easier.
We ridded ourselves of bad contracts and recently made determinations on players that could’ve have been expensive next offseason (AO and Hock). The season and their performances made us realize that they aren’t worth the potential big money that may be coming. So glad we drafted a 2nd or 3rd round TE in the 5th and we can develop him.
Now the question becomes–How will the future look? We’ll have the money, draft assets and the ability to maneuver as needed to improve the top talent of this team. In the past (Quinntricia era), we’ve tried to improve the lower level talent for the sake of depth. Now we have a bunch of depth players, but no front line talent. This has got to change either via draft or Free Agency.
My thought right now is: We’ll see…But based on the players drafted: I am more optimistic than previously.
If the guys who get paid to do research decide that Jared Goff is >>> Young, Levis, Stroud…. Then I support other directions…. No doubt-
However the Bears, Jets, and Pats are all doing much better with their cheap rookie QBs… fact. Let’s not compare Goffs injury excuses to Fields team, as they have both been served the same shit sandwich.
If we are going to convert and stay in a 3-4… then sure I like W Anderson a lot. He’s Von not Parsons… he sure isn’t a 3 point stance end at 238 lbs.
I’d love to take Anderson at #1 if they didn’t love a QB.
Assuming a Qb taken and Goff traded for a 2nd swap up from Minny’s pick by say 5-8 picks, a 3rd and a late bean ( which is what Wentz went for last offseason).
1.1-3 QB
1.10-15 RAMS- Best defender on board, let’s not be picky about position.
2.1-3 would like LB here if possible, good vale/impact
2. 20-25 VIKINGS -Hey! Same story! BDPA
3.1-3 Running back
3.15 GOFF- maybe OL here, interior. Nice to find another Jonah
FA Assume DT plus LB and DE depth, which makes me think the above BPA defensive draft positions will fall on DE, CB and S
I mean I would hope so! As far as I’m concerned Holmes has hit a triple to date. I won’t say he hit it out of the park but when he gets a good pitch he makes contact and usually something good happens. And it hasn’t just been on high picks. He’s struck gold with Amon Ra St Brown and Rodrigo in later rounds. I’ll refrain from calling his tenure a home run simply because we do lack upper end talent on this team. We need a couple guys at key spots that are legit All Pros candidates or near. Those are the hardest to get.
But ripping on Holmes? He is the one reason I have some hope. And now he is going to have five picks in the top 65? If he can just hold serve like past drafts we’re going to get like 4 starters, maybe all 5.
The one area where I have no idea how good he can be is cap management. It hasn’t been stellar so far, but he hasn’t made super major mistakes either. He should have some money to work with and that will net us some more starters as well.
This is the darkest hour. These final two months. Then the fun starts.
I’m glad you have this view on the Goff situation. There isn’t a world where it makes sense for this team to commit to Goff. However, I have no problem with him being the QB in 2023. In fact, I prefer it to be the case. Even if we draft a Bryce Young, is it more beneficial To run him out there day one on a team that is likely not a playoff team? I don’t think so…in fact, I feel this is a recipe for bust as opposed to the alternative. Let him sit behind Goff and learn in 2023. I just don’t see how this isn’t the most beneficial route under our circumstances. We are in rare territory with the Goff situation. He’s under contract, decent, and we can be rid of him after the 2023 season. I mean the stars couldnt align any better for this to happen…and without any added draft capital to get our next guy.
All that being said, if DC is still here, I do not like the idea of going QB. Just gives him an excuse to stick around longer. Honestly the Lions job will never be more appealing. With the draft capital and some solid cornerstones in place at key positions, I think a legit coach can be had. And if we do bring in a new coach, QB with our first pick is kind of a no brainer. But because it’s almost a certainty IMO that Dan is back, I want Anderson. The last thing this team needs is Dan to stick around and take a QB who the next coach has zero ties to…
