In Holmes/DC we trust? A Different POV…

The War Room Detroit Lions — The Den
1

Den,

Let’s face it, last night isn’t what most of us expected. Only time will tell whether Hutch over Thibz was the right call, but I’ll admit I was surprisingly content/happy when they rushed the card up there. Tells me he’s been their guy the whole time, and the only way it happened was Baalke falling in love with a combine. Hutch had swagger, but was excited, humble and ready to work… Thibz body language and expressions came off as though he was accepting his lifetime achievement award- not starting his career….

We had 2 first round picks, and arguably got the best player in the draft, and the best offensive weapon in the draft, and we merely gave up #66 and a few slots in round 2….

Willis, Corral, Ridder, Walker, Hall, Watson, Moore, McBride, T Jones, Winfrey, Leal, Dean, Muma, Chenal, McCreary, Gordon, Brisker, Pitre…. There are 19 names there- we have to wait 13 picks out…

———————————————————————-

Our 2021 week roster was cobbled together with the mess QuinnTricia left us. No money, a QB who wanted out, no real way to sign our free agents…. No talent, no depth, massive dead cap…

Our 2021 - 2nd half of the season roster was further depleted due to injury, but we finished 3-5-1 with HALF OF A SHITTY ROSTER!

The rookies, UDFAs, acquisitions like Reynolds, and or QB started playing well enough to compete despite missing Rags, Hock, Romeo, AO, Jacobs, Okudah etc.

2022 Offense- we bring back all 9 OL!!!
Sewell will be a pro bowl RT
Decker at LT made a difference
Rags at C will be huge
Jackson took a step
Depth!!!

WR-
J Williams
DJ Chark
ASB
Reynolds
Cephus
Raymond

  • what an improvement.

Goff finished 11-2 in Tds to ints and 3-1 record.

Swift
J Will
Cabinda
Jefferson

Hock

Call me crazy…. But if Hall or Walker were there a #46 I am in…. LB or S in round 3, then DT in round 5 and TEs in 6- 2….

———————————————————————

I know many are nervous about the D…

Levi- will be improved
Alim - will be improved
Brockers- puke

Hutch/Bryant

J Okwara/Barnes
J Davis/Anzalone/Board

R Okwara/C Harris

AO/Jacob
Okudah/Iffy
Hughes
Parker

Elliott/Harris
T Walker/Moore-

If we agree that Flowers and Collins added zero value last year…. Then we lost???

Added- R Okwara, Hutch, Elliott, J Davis, and Okudah, and we get AO back…

Bottom line we are adding J Williams, Ragnow, Hock, Chark at least to the team we ended with on offense. Now Hock won’t be double teamed.

We are adding Hutch, Okwara, Okudah, AO to the D we finished with.

That’s a LOT-

L Collins, A Hicks and others still out there

6 Likes
2

Holmes- and I don’t have the exact quote handy, but absolutely and clearly stated the Lions would be big players in the WR market in both FA an the draft… We thought that meant Mike Williams, A-Rob, Godwin etc, and a 2nd or 3rd rounder at the time…

In reality we got the best “talent/value” combination possible at WR in free agency, we managed to keep the #4 WR position a strength by brining back Reynolds- who given any injury can step in and be effective…

Holmes also said we were pretty content at LB… Regardless of how our Den feels about it, if they like what they have, they aren’t going to pass on ELITE WR talent, and draft a LB they don’t feel like they need?

Last year the Lions had Walker, Harris, Marlowe and Moore at safety… Right now we have Walker, Elliott, Harris, and Moore at safety… We also have Okudah at north of 200 pounds coming back to a now crowed CB room, and we have 205 plus pound IFFY in that room as well…

I thought Iffy was going to be our FS when we drafted him so who knows…

  • I am also not putting it past Brad and Dan to have a plan in place they simply aren’t ready to share with the world… It can’t be a coincidence that 3 of the 4 positions with the most remaining talent are of your/our great perceived needs… There are 3 or 4 DTs… 2 safeties… and at least 3 LBs out there that would round our positions groups out pretty damn well, and could come pretty damn cheap…

What if the Lions signed Akiem Hicks and Joe Schobert in the next week… and drafted Brisker/Pitre/Cross and then a RB in round 3?

Larry Ogunjobi
Akiem Hicks
Landon Collins
T Mathieu
Joe Schobert
Eddie Goldman
Anthony Hitchens
N Suh
A Barr
Linval Joseph

2 Likes
3

If we drafted Dean/Anderson and then turned around and signed Mathieu and Hicks, I would consider this team the division favorite. Those are our three biggest needs as this point. Add a TE in the mid rounds with some athleticism and I would love where we were at.

4

Holmes is an exceptional talent evaluator. I think his best work comes in day 3 and UDFA. They likely have an under the radar Saf, CB, and LB already tabbed for day 3 and aren’t worried about those positions for today.

Personally I thought the move up was slightly too aggressive as it’s for a guy that may not be healthy and I’d rather see 2 guys at 32 and 34. Still, Holmes maximized value both in the trade and in the pick so it’s worth a shot if Williams really could have been the #1 overall WR and top 5 pick in the draft if not for the ACL.

Lions look like they have a plan and are executing. Love it.

One side story that was very interesting was the McVay comment on Strange. He basically gave away that strange was their secret hopeful guy at #104 they were hoping would be there.

Holmes knows the Rams path to success and he is executing it. He was always good at identifying talent, but he also knows how to build a roster.

Looking good so far.

4 Likes
5

An what kind of alter world is this when Florio and Simms are LOVING what the lions are doing.

3 Likes
6

Everyone wins. Hutchinson and Campbell are a match made in heaven. I can already picture the two of them hyping each other up on game days. To quote dodgeball “ there’s a lot of dude sweat going on here” lol

And kt gets to take his brand to the big apple. Somewhere he can focus on football with no outside distractions.

4 Likes
7

Haha right

8

Florio must be pissed we fleeced his Vikings.

2 Likes
9

I believe we technically “Mossed” the vikings…

8 Likes
10

There fixed it for you.

11

You unfixed it man. :wink:

12

Our Front Office is a team with a common vision. They are set up to make e/o better.

Some ppl want to simply fill the biggest hole, and that is absolutely NOT what is going on here. They have an idea of what they need to win a title, and they are going BPA from that list, and band-aiding the rest with one year “prove it” deals.

This team is the epitome of “build through the draft” strategy.

Long term approach is what every move is based on. For me, it is so much fun to watch the culture evolve, watch the coaches grow as professionals, watch them achieve a common goal together.

These dudes really have created a magical situation.

Components of a mastermind…

  1. Level of faith
  2. Level of commitment
  3. Amount of care that people have for each others dreams/goals
  4. Amount of time spent in it
    5, intensity of energy while in it

Surround yourself with what you want to become…with ppl you want to be like…with what you are in love with…basically with what you ARE.

THIS is why players will want to come here.
THIS is why coaches will love it here.
THIS is why it’s more than just film and work.

The brotherhood is more than just a brotherhood. There! I said it! Mystical connection manifesting something bigger together than you ever could as Han Solo. Jedi council is what we have in the FO. It’s a brotherhood, a tribe, an there is no resistance.

No matter how good Caldwell ever was, there was tons of resistance against him.
No matter how smart Shorts ever was, he was too egoic and more about himself, as well as resistance from FO.
Always, upper management offered extra hurdles, less competence, less give a shit factor, less professionalism, etc.

Now we have professionalism, a high “give a shit” factor, brotherhood, intense, committed people, a common vision with no ego in the way, and more.

I love this shit.

4 Likes
13

Im extremely happy with the draft thus far. Everything is coming together nicely. But there is one thing that stands out, and that is awareness amd fortitude to look at your team and address an area of concern, regardless of what players youve brought in and have on the roster.

The DL was an area of concer this off-season. Despite adding Levi, Mcniel, and Brockers last off-season, the unit was bad all-around.

That doesnt mean they think Levi and Mcneil wont develop, its means the Lions FO and coaching staff werent afraid to take two DL despite adding all those pieces last year, because an unknown is an unknown until it isnt.

A wise coach said: “potential means you havent done it yet”.

It takes courgage and smarts to do what the Lions did and it resembles great leadership.

Im pumped. We have brains in the franchise now.

FWIW, im still high on Levi O. and Mcneil. Loved them in the draft and cant wait to see what their second year looks like.

I honestly hope we can add NT Noah Ellis as well. I know its overkill, but it would be nice to get Luthers son on the Lions. Hes huge btw…haha.

For those that want to say: “it shows theyre worried about Levi and Mcniels development”, well, it takes great leadership to admit/correct mistakes as well. And in no way am i saying Levi or Mcniel are mistakes. I actually hope both are getting stronger and more cut, because it will make them quicker. Honestly saw Levi playing DE and Mcneil as a 3t anyways.

2 Likes
14

Now we have a TEAM! Owner, management, coaches, players. One TEAM. One Pride.
I get it!
Now, it’s time to get “salty”!

3 Likes
15

Monster DT is the #1 thing I’d wanna add.
I hope you are right about Levi and Alim. I think they’ll improve…but how much?
Luther Ellis is one of the kindest humans I’ve ever met. I used to be on the same therapy schedule as him for about 2 months. He’s one of those ppl that just laughs really easily…he laughed at almost all of my jokes.

I want to treat DT like QB → I want an elite one. Be ready to make a move for an elite guy, even if you have to move a player on the current roster or whatever. I don’t know much about Noah, but I want Suh II.

2 Likes
16

Fair enough- lol

17

Lol I really do hope he improves.

18

Chris Simms had Williams as his #1 rated WR.

19

This topic was automatically closed 240 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.