Alim is a great pass rusher.
They NEED a better pass rusher on the end.
Hutch-McNiel-NT-Edge.
Give me a better edge guy all day. Rarely EVER do the lions throw in all 3 tech guys in the middle.
We need another edge guy that can play 80%+ of snaps.
Not a DT that will only play passing downs.
He is that guy. Already a top 10-15 player at his position. What people don’t understand is the drop off from the top 3-5 DT’s and that next group. It is wide. Finding a “game wrecker” DT is officially now more difficult than finding a franchise QB.
That being said I am on team we need another DE than a DT
Why is this a VS? There’s enough money and draft capital to address both of these things. They both NEED to be addressed because they are holes on the roster. I don’t think one is more important than the other - these are both necessities. You need to add a DT that can provide additional pass rush between Alim and Hutch to make both of them better and you need to add a legit DE who can set the edge and provide some pass rush to make McNeil better.
Autry/Hunter-McNeill-Carter/Fiske/Orhororo-Hutch is a nasty front against the run and pass, especially when spelled by Houston-Levi-BMart/Benito-Paschal/Cominsky
I have AWLAYS been about DT’s. An overload of DT’s. It will also help with these damn scrambling QB’s. And keep that run stopping defense going. Ideally, I’d want a DT, but right now I think a DE is more important. And when I say DE I want a 260-300lb guy. Not the James Houston edge type. BH spent a lot for Brodric so I’d like to see how that goes.
Depending on free agency, and if they bring Jonah, and GG back, I’d say DE/CB 1st, and 2nd round. A DT, and CB in the 3rd. Gotta double, and even triple down on CB’s. Cam is making 12mil and was completely torched.
Imo the Lions need to finish the dline. The right side with Mac and Hutch looks good. The left side is lacking
With regards to the OP question DE is the pressing issue. The Lions have some DTs that mighht work out, but have nothing at the LDE position. Also for those that said they are worried about mobile QBs, i seem to remember more runs around the DEs instead of up the middle.
So DE would be my target.
Agreed. Plus Paschal can move inside on passing downs. An every down solid D-end opposite Hutch would help not only Hutch but the secondary big time.
DE is what we need most. We have Jones, BroMart, Commish, and Paschal that can play opposite Alim.
We have nobody even close to Hutch opposite of him.
We need another Center/Guard, too.
Looks like they accidentally drafted out future ROT, last season.
Stop it.
Hes top 10–15 in pressure rate and win rate for a DT. With a top 5 run defense grade.
Hes one of the top 10 3 techs in the NFL. Like it or not. Thats facts.
You should cite some sources. For instance, ESPN’s Run Stop or Pass Rush Win Rates.
I need to find them.
I dont pay for PFF. But that have the rankings if someone can drop that.
This is exactly my point. His win rate is very questionable.
Fans see him make a play from time to time and occasionally he gets a favorable matchup and dominates a game but they fail to notice all the times he is absent. As a result they think he’s far better than he is. Truth is he is a liability more so than he is a difference maker.
I shared this the other day:
2023 NFL pass rush, run stop, blocking win rate rankings - ESPN
The strength of our run game is “population to the ball” as AG and DC call it. Individually, we have 1 difference-maker in Aidan Hutchinson.
I like McNeil. He’s the 2nd best player along the DL. We want someone with a more robust set of pass-rush traits and ability playing beside him.
According to DET news. He had a win rate of over 11.5%.
Thats in the top 15 according to ESPN but i wish it had the full list not just top 20.
And also according yo Det news. 5 fewest rushing yards allowed in nfl.
Also according to PFF the highest graded DT in the Con Champ Games. Even higher than all of SF elite dts
I would not say it exactly that way.
For comparison purposes, A’Shawn Robinson would get a favorable matchup on occasion that he could dominate (one-on-one vs a lighter Guard), but then showed himself to be a liability by hitting the turf when chipped or erased on a double-team. McNeil is not a liability in that regard. He can handle a double-team, though he doesn’t have the greatest of anchors. You usually don’t see him hitting the turf, except when he’s trying to play like a pass-rushing 3t, losing his balance trying to counter. 
He has enough ability to consider him a starting DT, IMO. He’s just not the penetrating pass-rusher we need.
We’ve covered this topic on Alim a bunch.
I’m higher on him than some. I look at it this way. He’s 23 years old. Was way better in 2023 than 2022. No reason he can’t improve more. He’s the least of my concerns on defense.
Agreed. PLUS. He usually plays on the same side of the line as Hutch.
So what do teams do?
Chip hutch with a TE. And RT.
Then the center and RG double team mcniel.
Then the rest if the DL isn’t good enough to do anything.
If there was a competent DE opposite of Hutch. It spreads that whole o line out.
Somethings amiss, then.
He’s not on the top 20, which means he’s not in the top 15. Now, is he 21st with a 11.5% while 20th is Derrick Brown with an 11.55%? I don’t know. He’s not top 5, 10, 15 or 20 though.
Here’s the thing, put the right guy beside him and he’s making the top 20 next year for sure. Hutch as well.
I stopped paying for PFF years ago when I realized they have people in India making their grades. People with little training and no knowledge of football make their grades based off whatever metric they are told to look for. But they really have no clue.
However ….
PFF has Cominsky rated higher as an IDL than Alim. they have Alim ranked 29th.
Keep in mind that he’s 80th among DT’s in tackles. He’s 23rd in assists. He’s 29th in sacks.
Note 29th in sacks and he’s 29th in PFF ranking.
Look at other sources of DT rankings and you never hear Alims name on the lists. That’s because his overall stats show an inconsistent player.
Is that based on your eye test?
