I really think they ALL will want to come back.
This will very soon be known as that team that is FUN to play for…
This will be known as the team to come to if you want to win a title…
This will be known as the team with the best work conditions…
This will be known as the Brotherhood/Family…
This will be known as one of the most popular teams for fans to root for!!!
Adding 1 more-
If you come and join the fun in Detroit, be prepared too work your ass off. Dan will accept no less!
The rewards will be worth the effort to be your absolute best.
I thought Buggs started to play well down the stretch and he’s one of the reasons the run defense improved.
I would like to bring him, Elliot and Cominsky back if the price is right.
I think what is really standing out is you get what you earn. It doesn’t matter where you were drafted or what your salary is. If you out work, out effort, out play the guy in front of you. You will get more time on the field and the opportunity to prove yourself.
In addition it’s all done out in the open with transparency and good communication. That makes high effort guys want to come here and want to stay here. As Dan says “no turds.”
I woulc have a video prepared for the agents of players that want to come here.
“we have lots of great players on this team already…if you want ot come here, you will most likely have to come on a very team friendly deal…We understand that there is a business side to this sport as well, & that this may not work out for everyone. We wish you well in your career & future endeavors, no matter what you choose moving forward. We would love to chat if you know where we are coming from & you still think the Detroit Lions may be a fit for you.”
I’m glad that Buggs wants to be back, along with a bunch of the other guys… but I think it’s important to remember that Buggs was essentially brought in for the vet minimum. Eliott was brought in close to it as well. Anzalone had a 2 million dollar salary. I know people want to “run it back” but if these guys start to demand a big raise it’s time to use the scouting department to find the new low cost high reward gambles. They’ve already proven they can do it.
I think there are exceptions like the Commish though. He’s due for a raise and has earned it. That guy is valuable - how he got put on waivers I have zero idea. We just lucked out on that one.
Agreed. Of course, money and opportunity will be huge. Guys wanna get paid and they want to play. They also want all those other things you named - which could be a real comparative advantage for the Lions. And there’s more. I gotta think the roar of that hometown fan base is echoing around the league. And that the thought of being part of the ongoing turnaround in Detroit would be pretty sweet to a lot of players.
It really depends how much these guys want to come back for. We need to upgrade the defense, most of our defense FA are depth players.
I prefer them to project the message players will be treated and compensated fairly especially when it’s what they’ve earned.
All the draft picks come in on team friendly deals but team friendly screams player sacrifice while new turf doesn’t scream owners sacrifice
So instead of us fans hoping for team friendly deals , let’s hope our management team treats our players’ right and helps them get their worth , and keeps finding players in the draft who should be paid $16 or more million but are deals on the rookie cap.
I’m working to flip narrative of team friendly deals into fair deals even if a team friendly deal is fair , it sounds cheap.
I agree but these guys aren’t oblivious. Buggs knows he’s not getting $10 mil a year anywhere. But he should get more than the $985,000 he got last year. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him at 2 years 5-6 million or something similar. Anzalone is about the same. If he thinks he can go get $10 mil somewhere, best of luck. However he is a high level back up/fringe starter LB on most, if not all teams including Detroit, next year. No one is breaking the bank for him. He outplayed his salary and I think Detroit takes care of him but nothing stupid. 3-4 million a year is about what I’d expect for him.
There is value in taking care of guys who perform without going crazy. Other guys on the team, other free agents, other rookies respect teams that do. Players want to know there is a future not only just a stop gap.
I agree with you, IMO Elliot Buggs and the Commish have all earned the right to come back and should receive a pay increase if they do resign with the Lions. Now it is on Holmes to see if he can make it work out.
That was my point. Rather than pay Buggs 6 million a year, I’d personally just let him walk and go find the next Buggs. Outside of Commish I don’t foresee any 6 million plus a year guys.
The Lions made this mistake last year. They signed Harris to a cheap one year deal then paid him after with a significant raise in a multi year contract. Now we are all trying to get out of it and see if we can release him.
Don’t overpay role players. Save those resources for your core pieces. Guys like Buggs, Anzalone, Brown - if the contracts get too high you can’t get emotionally attached.
The way to do that is with escalators. Give them a decent increase and then it’s pay for play.
Are they actually trying to do this or just fans ?
Dan Campbell said Brad was doing a great job and he credited the vets for the success of the team.
I don’t get these comments about blowing up a team’s veteran leadership in the sake of salary cap when imo I don’t think many of the vets break the bank.
It’s not often you hear , let’s blow up an 8-2 team that few want to play in playoffs when I think of progress.
Charles was hurt , but what if he comes back and plays like the year before ?
This is my first time really arguing for continuity when I heard others argue continuity in the past ( like this coach or player needs more time )
But these players came together to form a pretty good football team. Adding for draft picks and some normal turnover is enough I’m just not sure I want the young veteran leadership that might’ve been key to the turnaround to be left aside -
I keep thinking about how Calvin and Richard during podcast interview mentioned how important veteran mentors are on a young team … Buggs was a leader on defense.
How about this Source; John Cominsky, Alex Anzalone and Isaiah Buggs have approached Brad Holmes saying they’d be willing to take a little less to remain with the team in 2023.
Good things are happening here in the motor city men
I am with you, it appears that most fans/media are in the get rid of Harris camp because he missed the year injured. From what it sounds like form MCDC and Holmes is that they are looking forward to getting him back on the field. I know many of us are trying to free up cap space for moves like resigning guys and maybe bring in a few more vets on prove it deals.(yes I know some what the Lions to be aggressive in FA, but I just do not think that the Lions are going to change the way they have been doing things.)
Different players have different roles. Some have higher value than others. Retaining players who perform is always a big part. But there is more to it than stat sheets with some of these guys. Harris is $6 mil on the books, and Commish is a FA. The 4 mil we save cutting Harris might be the 4 mil or 4 mil toward Comisky or similar.
Also consider the depth chart. At DE right now we have:
Hutch
Houston
Okwara - might be another cut option
Paschal
Other Okwara
(hopefully) Cominsky
When I look at that line I’m not thinking Harris for 6 mil in hopes he has a good year. Especially if the Lions consider adding others at the position.
Nothing against the guy but his salary kind of puts him as the odd man out in my opinion.
I get what you are saying but keep in mind that R. Okwara is a 14.5 million cap hit this season and the Lions can save 7 million by cutting him. Also it isn’t like J. Okwara has really shown anything and I would say that Houston has jumped him on the depth chart. So to me it comes down to
Harris or R. Okwara
Houston or J. Okwara
Which IMO both Harris and Houston win out because of what they have shown on the field and the cost to keep them for another season.
I would also add that both Buggs and COminsky played for $965,000 this season. I believe both would be happy with a 2 year deal that pays them somewhere between 2 - 4 million.
It’s possible. The cap does make it so you have tough choices to make but at the same time , the lions now have expectations to meet and exceed
Because of the team they have that they are winning with and Dan as a grunge vet knows from experience , like he says last night , he was the extra tackle so shockey and Witten could go crazy.
I’m sure lions will lose some guys , but I’m not sure they want to roll with questions marks to start the season when they know now , they can’t start slow and expect help making playoffs.
The only quotes I see where MCDC and Brad don’t value these vets , and these players as people rather than churnable toy pieces , comes from fans. That was the BQ way. Brad’s way is to provide a legitimate opportunity because he believes in the player because he did the scouting / pre-signing homework.
MP BQ would sign a guy , then Decide he was out of shape. Brad signs a guy and they all seem to be hungry for more
@Lionskickarse these comment expands the idea of team building along these lines too. Lions have a young team. With the draft picks , it could be even younger next year
If lions do much in FA I guess I hope it’s very aggressive to get the high end talent that shows they’re all in to win next season.