This is simply and sadly not a concern.
As stingy as I am and as much as I grieve every backwards step our roster suffers, I was wholly and completely ready to move on from him this off-season.
I’ll go back to the Kelvin Shepherd interview a couple weeks ago. When Hand’s name came up he went into a mini-tirade about “talented players sitting on their couch”. They (Lions coaches) were clearly over the Hand experiment.
Hand out
No Hand job in Detroit
The Lions have no Hand in this
Hand off
He’s one player I expected to be cut and wasn’t.
He’s not helping us at all so he needed to go.
I highly expect edge to be a top priority in the next draft.
So who replaces him?
Jessie Lemonier?
2018 (Jr.):
• Phil Steele Postseason All-Independent second team
• VaSID All-State second team
• Started all 12 games at defensive end
• Finished his first season at Liberty with 55 tackles (30 solo, 25 assisted) and 13.5 tackles for a loss (74 yards)
• Became the third player in program history to record 10 or more sacks in the season, finishing the year with 10.0 sacks for a loss of 62 yards
• Would have ranked No. 8 in the country in sacks per game (0.83) if Liberty was eligible for the FBS national rankings (not eligible due to FBS transition process)
• Also added two quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery
• Finished his first game at Liberty with six tackles (two solo, four assisted), helping the Flames open up the FBS era of football at Liberty with a win over Old Dominion
• Four tackles (three solo, one assisted) in a road win at New Mexico, including 2.5 tackles for a loss and 1.5 sacks
• Named Liberty’s Defensive Player of the Week after the New Mexico game
• Five stops during Liberty’s home win over Troy (two solo, three assisted), including an eight-yard sack and a fumble recovery
• Recorded a season-high nine stops against Idaho State, including 5.0 tackles for a loss (25 yards), 3.0 sacks (16 yards) and two forced fumbles
• Named Liberty’s Defensive Player of the Week after the Idaho State game
• Finished the UMass game with eight tackles (six solo, two assisted) and 3.0 sacks (24 yards)
• Named Liberty’s Defensive Player of the Week after the UMass game
• Five stops (two solo, three assisted) at Virginia
• Finished the Auburn game with two solo tackles
Previous School:
• Transferred to Liberty after playing one season at Ventura College in Ventura, Calif.
• Signed with the Flames during the February signing period
• Received offers from Miami (Ohio), New Mexico, Portland State and UMass
• Finished the 2017 season with 79 tackles, 18.5 tackles for a loss, 8.5 sacks, and an interception
• Named the Southern California Football Association Northern Conference Defensive Player of the Year
• Helped the Pirates post an 8-3 overall record and capture the program’s 16th conference title
• Advanced to the semifinals of the Southern California Football Association Playoffs
Prep:
• Graduated from Hialeah High School in Hialeah, Fla.
Personal:
• Son of Francoise and Henry Lemonier
• Younger brother of Corey Lemonier, an All-SEC linebacker from Auburn, who was selected in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers
• Birthday is on Jan. 31
• Sports Psychology major
It looks like the week where Hand played (Week 10), he and Flowers both had over 60% of the snaps. McNeil’s snaps dropped quite significantly that week. So, the answer to who’s going to replace him is; it’s been McNeil all year.
Lemonier is a 240 lb OLB, he’s not the guy. Ultimately, I think it’s Levi that should be the guy you want on the field, but he’s evidently not up to snuff yet.
Hand to be picked up by Pats, then getting/staying healthy, and making a pro-bowl in 2022 confirmed.
I believe letting Hand go was so they could get Levi some much need snaps. Evaluating him over the remainder of the season has to be a priority heading into next draft.
If Levi is progressing Edge might not be necessary with our top pick. But as it stands right now it’s hard to argue that the Lions shouldn’t go Edge with their first pick.
Air, Hand played 3 games all year, with significant snaps in only 1. His presence has had no impact on Levi’s snap count. They absolutely should be getting Levi more snaps, but it’s not because of Hand that he hasn’t been.
Levi is an interior player. With Flowers likely gone and Romeo having a career-threatening injury, it’s easy to conclude Edge is as much a need as WR. Julian, Charles and Austin provide depth, but you don’t have that proper starter at ROLB.
I hope he can bounce back, but I can’t blame the Lions for giving up. The guy just could not stay on the field.
Release…
Cornell or Strong? Or just give Levi the snaps he should have been getting over Nick Williams, Brockers or Hand anyway.
So much for the Talk-to-the-Hand Defense
We have the “Hand me down” defense with holes everywhere.
If it was DeShawn Handsome they might have hired him to shoot commercials like Mayfield.
DeShawn is out? I’d give this move a hand.
Best move they could make - hands down.
Can’t fault DeShawn - gotta hand it to him.
Hand off.
Who would you trade to the Titans for Strong?
