I don’t know the answer to that. I don’t know what their expected timetable was at all. (4, 6, 8, whatever)
Do I see a difference in the team? For sure.
Does that potentially move some players down their board? Most likely.
Sorry, I misread your earlier post regarding “taking a big step”.
A big step is competing in the playoffs, not just competing for the playoffs.
My “favorite” mock drafts have us taking a CB & S with 2 of our first 3 picks and then another CB later in the draft.
It all depends on the draft grades though. What team wouldn’t benefit from having a pair of Sauce Gardners on the field at the same time. We run 3 CB’s on most plays. If the highest rated player on your board is a CB at both of our 1st round picks, I would have ZERO problems making the pick.
Our secondary, as a unit, is horrendous. We talk about guys we like because they are Lions and we like our own. Most teams wouldn’t give them a second glance for anything other than back up jobs.
We need a stud at all 3 levels of defense to be good/great. I think we have D-line handled. We need a stud at LB and a stud in the secondary.
Yes, I would double down at CB. And I expect Brad to do it too.
Now my preference isn’t to take two outside CBs in the 1st round, I prefer something like Gonzalez or Porter + Branch, who basically plays a different position. But two corners with our first 5 picks is definitely something I’m 100% behind. You can never have enough CBs and it just happens to line up pretty well with our needs.
I also expect them to hit the ground running. Just like WRs, corners are doing it more and more.
According to Williams when he was drafted…
" Williams would have likely been the top receiver taken this year had it not been for a torn ACL he suffered in the College Football Playoff National Championship. While his rehab has been moving along positively – the wideout expects to be fully healthy by training camp…"
If we keep running 4-2-5 we had better double up on DBs this draft. Elliot and Walker are always hurt. Okudah is Ok, Harris is lucky to give us one good game out of five, JJ is an overachieving UDFA coming off a major injury and Amani Oialrradyate forgot how to cover
I’d have to go back to the pressers to piece together where the team was on it. They were definitely trying to cool expectations along the way. (was it early or during camp, though, I don’t remember)
Just to further the conversation regarding who they’re picking this coming year, and with an eye toward the team being different, that drives us into a needs analysis, which I estimate at:
RB, CB, CB, S, DT and RG as starter-level needs.
Now, some will scratch both RB and RG from the list because we have Swift and Brown OR because of positional value.
That leaves you with a couple of CB positions, S and DT that you want to see contributions from VERY quickly. If you equate need to how high you pick them, that’s 2 Corners, a Safety and a DT in the first 2 rounds.
In all of the mocks I have run I have us taking a CB and S in the first 2 rounds, and then a CB in the 5th or 6th. I figure we add in FA as well. We really need to make sure we have a top notch secondary coach going into next season as well.
I have DT and CB in the first and S and RG in the 2nd, allowing for who is likely to be there when we pick. RB, I assume that Williams is back, and we ran for 2,000 yards this season already. If they take Bijan, well, I wouldn’t but I get it. Otherwise, see who’s around late. My choice is Deuce in the 6th. If he’s gone do what we did this year and wait for other teams to make their cuts. Brown has proven himself to be a solid backup and can hold his own most of the time, but I think a great team identity for us would be a killer OL so I’m in favor of an upgrade. Building in the trenches isn’t just an old slogan, it’s money.
Ideally we go after a boundary corner and a nickel. This is a good draft for that although I would be surprised if we didn’t go after one in FA if there’s any worth getting that is.
Get used to our 1st round picks sitting and learning behind our studs
Can you find one’s that are this fast and also have int’s?
Gonzalez had 4 INTs in 2022… which looks to be top 10 among CBs in power 5 conferences.
Good, looking for a ball hawk.
I am reminded of the time Bill Walsh of the 49ers took three DBs in the first three rounds and a 4th DB in the fifth round (I think it was the 1981 draft). Now, Walsh had two 2nd round picks and he didn’t take a DB with his first pick in the second round, but the 49ers at the time were pretty challenged in the secondary, much like the Lions are now. He got a Hall of Fame player in Ronnie Lott (first round) and multiple Pro Bowl players in Eric Wright (2nd round pick) and Carleton Williamson (3rd round). All started as rookies. When Kiper slammed Walsh for investing so much draft capital in one part of the defense, Walsh responded that they were the players he wanted. For several years the 49ers had a dominant defense alfter that draft and won a couple of Super Bowls with that group. Consequently, if BH and MCDC identify players who they think have that kind of promise, then I’m good with it! The key in my mind is that the Lions need to identify and draft PLAYMAKERS regardless of position. After 2 drafts, I’m feeling pretty good about their ability to find good players.
Holmes gets us the CB version of Houston/Ra this year in the 5th or some crazy shit?
Even the Joseph version of CB in the third?
Holmes has got this, fellas. Chillax
Lucas seemed to be close to “getting it”. He was a 7th rounder, I believe?
