Wow! So at this point you’re thinking Brad will take Richardson at 6 if he’s there? That would classify as a bombshell. And you believe if Richardson is gone Brad would take Levis? Then JSN? Then Jones? Are you thinking Jones would play RG? So many amazing scenarios.
You could be right @Thats2. But man, I’d really be surprised. My Spidey-sense is going off, that maybe, just mayyybeee Brad could be lurking in the weeds on Richardson. If so we’d better hope Brunell is a QBWhisperer. But I’d be surprised if they didn’t go heavy D. We shall see! Gonna be amazing.
From everything I’ve been hearing, both from the insider types on this board and elsewhere, don’t be surprised if we go offense. Maybe heavy offense. So that’s coloring part of my thought process for sure.
I also don’t think, based on the emphasis we put on character, that Jalen Carter will be on our board. It is what it is. I mentioned that he’d be my #1 option but I understand why they’d pass. It fits with their MO. Furthermore I think Gonzalez was never really on our board even before we signed two FA CBs. I think our FO and AG in particular wants aggressive DBs, and for all that Gonzalez has going on, that’s not really part of his game.
Then when I look at Brad’s draft history so far - and granted, it’s a small sample size - but he literally pays the most attention to athleticism (RAS) of any GM in the entire league in early rounds, and puts the second-highest value on drafting premium positions leaguewide (As discussed in this thread: GM Premium Draft Trends).
So, good athletes at high value positions. For me that narrows it down to the aforementioned foursome, plus Wilson, Murphy, Van Ness, Nolan Smith, Paris Johnson, and maaaybe Quentin Johnston. The four edge guys are the most plausible, but I bypassed them because of both our depth at the position and the rumors about going offense. I passed on Johnson because @HSVLion has been very local about him being a terrible option at guard, even temporarily. Admittedly I passed on Johnston because I have a far, far higher grade on JSN, but certainly our FO might see it differently which is why I included him.
I dont really worry about draft “value” at pick 6.
Is the guy the top talent at his position? Is he #2 at a position of great need for us? Great! Does he fit the scheme and culture but is ranked the #12 to 15 prospect? Great! Take him at 6. Sleep well that night.
And with 18? Value pick. BPA.
To me this is still a Gonzo/Spoon then Bijan/AA draft. I thought it coulda been Carter at 6 before the pro day. Still could be.
Trust Holmes. Dude has a track record of success, is plugged in, has a plan and a definable style/system of priorities for position groups balanced w need.
Great stuff. Reading trends now. Would be a fascinating next two seasons if they went Richardson and tried to morph him into a Josh Hurts/Jalen Allen clone.
Intense hatred shared. Putting that aside, what’s the story on JSN’s injury history. I don’t watch or read about OSU, so fill me in a bit. Didn’t he miss a bunch of time in 2021 then torch Utah in the Rose Bowl? Then he basically misses the entire season this year?
Based on who I think will be available and who I think the Lions would take it comes down to Carter, Witherspoon and Levis. I think we will add an offensive weapon like Zay Flowers, Achane or Musgrave early but not at 6. My dream would be first 3 picks Carter at 6 Skoronski at 18 and then Benton and Achane in the 2nd.
The value of the pick doesn’t matter in a sense, because you only have the players you have to take. But it definitely factors into a team’s willingness to trade off a spot, or into future draft capital.
I am having trouble with the suggestions of skoronski for example, because he seems like a very limited tackle prospect in the top ten. I suspect if he’s in the sewell draft, he’s a likely bottom half of first round prospect. It seems like a good draft to trade out of, but that assumes a greater depth of talent in next year’s crop. Do we know that definitively this early in the process?
Or Slow TF Down…I mean, before some piss drunk groupie turns an Expedition into Smart Car w people still inside…except for the teammate that got launched like Sputnik out of the window
I’m a big Robert Mayes fan (despite him being a Bears fan), and one of his most often repeated points on the Athletic Football show is that NFL team decision makers often work off of the pretense that next year will be an extension of the prior season when in reality it rarely is. Generally speaking if you were an excellent team on one side of the ball and you decide to hold serve you run a substantial risk of taking a step back.
Therefore if you want a strength to remain a strength it’s advisable to invest (perhaps heavily) in that strength. I think we did so already with Monty but I would like to see more. And if we lose Chark (though we gain Jamo) we need to be particularly aggressive on O.
Top OG is now a 20mil position. If he is going to be an all pro og then i dont care if he isnt the ideal tackle. Id only want him there in case of injury.
In fact, it’s almost certainly true that there’ll be guys who go in the 2nd-4th rounds, maybe lower, who in time will prove themselves having been worthy of the #6. (Course, draft them there based on their current reputations and jaws will drop.) Distinguishing them from the future busts, the JAGS, the merely solid contributors, etc. - aye, thar’s the rub!
That’s 26 defenders…. We clearly need a DT given we have no real hope/expectation for Levi….
CGJ
Moseley
Okudah
C Harris
Romeo
those are the guys with just one year left- others are all multi-
-1 we could still pickup the 5th on Okudah…and the Franchise Tag at safety is only 14M… so we could hang onto CGJ if we choose. We could also extend him for less than we will pay he and Walker combined this year…
put Keanu Benton or Adebawore next to McNeill and tell me we aren’t likely a top 15 defense, and one with depth and flexibility….
We are paying Moseley, Okudah, and Sutton good money…. We clearly like Jacobs and Moseley and we’ve shown mutual desire between team and guys to retain our peeps….
