Let's talk about WR Charlie Jones

The War Room Detroit Lions — The Den
41

Here is where I land……

When guys like Patrick Peterson and Bradberry sign 5-7M one year deals, and safeties like Marcus Williams sign 14M AAV deals, then I think it’s maybe time to reconsider draft strategy as a whole….

When guys like Njoku, H Henry, etc are getting 12-14M AAV deals, and WRs like Hill and Adams start getting top 10 QB type money, it’s time to rethink the shopping list. Now guys like Golladay, A Rob, Cooper, Kirk, and Mike Williams are 17-20M per signings… and suddenly the likes of Corey Davis, R Anderson,and Cole Beasley get 9-13M???

We already see all RBs who get 1000 plus touches in their rookie deal, fail to live up to the 12-16M monster second deal….

In a deep RB, WR, and TE class…. Why not use drsft capital to get a rotational TE, a 650-750 yard WR3-4 and a 3-5 year rental at RB?

CGJ, D Tomlinson, G Pratt, Peterson

Likely collectively cheaper than

Schultz, Chark, J Jacobs…

I’m actually sure of it….

We have 2 WRs coming due after 23’ and Chark now, no sure long term solution at TE or RB…. But we are drafting rotational players for roles and signing impact starters on D

Vs signing rotational offensive player to huge deals and hoping to hit full time rookie starters on D

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42

I don’t see this as a deep WR draft class compared to past years. I really don’t like any of the free agents available either. I’d rather have Chark than what is available other than maybe Quinten Johnston from TCU. Even with Johnston it may take a while before he makes an impact with our offense. I just don’t see it as a good year to be shopping for a WR. On the other hand the draft is loaded with really good TEs.

43

All I know is Michigan sure couldn’t cover Charlie Jones. I really like him on long crossing routes. He’s F-A-S-T. Could replace Cephus or Reynolds. That said, I DO believe, Brad Holmes, WILL take a flier in Rounds 5-7 to draft a WR,TE, QB, or K…Problem is the Lions only have 3 picks, today. - GOALPOST

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44

maybe a little Hunter Renfrow or Cole Beasley.

45

Look…I do not watch college football, so please forgive me.

If this is the guy I’m thinking of, then his name is Charlie “F ucking” Jones. With that being said, his name alone screams Lions. If he loves football, is a good human and leader…and has a Brad Holmes level RAS. Well then…I can easily see him as a Lion.

Sounds like others on the board have him as a mid level pick. We’ll see if that ring true.
He sounds like a fast version of St. Brown…is he as physical as Amon-Ra?

46

No. He’s not aa strong or physical. Similarly terrific hands and route running but more speed and less strength.

Charlie is actually a year older than St.

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47

I am having a hard time understanding how you want to approach draft vs FA. But you absolutely nailed the reality of free agent values so I assume the part I can’t quite understand is well thought out and is a sound strategy.

48

Something I heard many years ago and has been repeated over and over by different sources, and something I buy into, is take a CB and WR in every draft. Doesn’t mean you have to take them early, it just means you need to do it. Now, if you can find help on the waiver wire, that’s fine, but we aren’t at the top of that list anymore. So there is FA, where we are likely to grab a CB this year as well as the draft. WR’s, like any position if you do your homework, can be found outside day 1 and 2 but offers more chances to “hit” in a normal year.
Charlie has the tape even w/o the numbers when he was at IOWA. When the piss poor QB got one in his direction he made the most of his chances. When Purdue played IOWA this year O’Connell was 20-43 for 168 yards with 2 int’s. This was a tough IOWA D, really tough. So, the guy that the IOWA D practiced against for 2 years when he was at IOWA, well, he had 11 receptions for 104 yards. I pounded the table for him all season and he didn’t disappoint. He IS that guy you are hoping drops in your lap. Every pick that goes by and he’s still on the board the chip on his shoulder just gets bigger. No attitude, just come to work and do your job.

3 Likes
49

I know it’s cliche’, but I’d take a money ball type approach.

Forget position values, second contracts, and anything else other than our current depth chart, salary cap situations this year and next, and players we have under contract for 2 plus years….

Now imagine it’s week one of regular season…. Which draft picks would be lost likely to have the biggest impacts?

I’m pretty positive Skoronski at RG and Bijan at RB are not only day one starters, but significant talent upgrades over anything we’ve had the past 2 years at those spots. I’d take some suggestions from one of our draft gurus for a WR in round 2…. AT Perry seems like the perfect replacement for the Chark role? The. Charlie Jones in round 5?

  • I think we agree that Chark will cost about 3 yrs and 36M, but I’m not seeing some 3 and 30M so I’ll use that for this exercise.

  • if we keep Big V, it will cost 12.5M this year and next for a 330 man who just had back surgery and is turning 30…he’s missed half his 50 possible starts as a Lion.

  • signing a guy like Miles Sanders would likely cost about 7.5M AAV

  • Josh Reynolds deservedly got a 2 yr 8M extension last year, and his familiarity with Goff is what I think started us in the right direction. Guys like M Hollingsworth and P Campbell with likely get similar 4-5M AAV deals this year to be WR4…

That’s 34MM AAV combined

  • the #6, #18, #48, and #154 draft picks should cost about 15.1M total AAV for all 4 guys.

So I am all but positive I am getting a starting RG who can play OT, a stud RB and an “X” WR who I trust will get 700-800 a year as our WR3…and a backup slot to ASB who I think would be an amazing WR4 in 2024-2026

By comparison……

Pick whichever site you prefer for FA contract estimates……

-Chauncey Gardner-Johnson seems to range 4 yrs and 54M… seem right?

  • Cam Sutton is projected at 7-9M APY on 3 different sites

  • G Pratt is projected 3 years from 21-26M everywhere I can find….

  • Sheldon Rankins is projected at 2 years 13M

…. So total of 36MM AAV-

Hutch- Houston
McNeill- B Jones
Rankins- Buggs
Paschal- Comish

Rodrigo
Pratt

Okudah- J Nacobs
Sutton- E Forbes 2nd rd
Gardner-Johnson
Joseph
S Brown- 2nd rd

50

I think you’ll see most of those FA contract numbers easily eclipsed. Probably not CGJ but otherwise I think most are far too low.

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51

The point is WRs like Chark and JuJu will get 3-4M more than a CB like Sutton or LB like Pratt…

I think if your team has a good offense, a balanced run game that keeps defenses honest, then it’s easy to find WR3-WR4 types with upside.

The Jaguars paid 47M in AAV to Kirk, Z Jones, M Jones Jr, Agnew and Engram….

I’m not saying you can build a receiving group like that “easy” in the draft…. But I do believe having 2-3 solid vets, and proven production already in the WR room really increases the success chances for mid round WRs….

I watched a lot of Charlie Jones myself…. Penn State, Iowa, Syracuse, Illinois, and Michigan allowed a combined 673 yards and 3 TDs vs some pretty good CBs…

Put Jamo on the wide side, Bijan in the backfield, ASB in the slot, and give Jones 1-1 looks against the other teams weakest DB?

I think Jones could have 600-700 yards a year under those circumstances.

I would love to pay less money for better defenders and draft offense…

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52

It’s possible. I was pretty spot on the last 2 years. I bet I’m close.

L

53

Sutton and Pratt are both getting over 10m per. Pratt may get 14m per. Somew in yhat Olukun range. If William Jackson was able to fetch 13.5m per then Sutton should be able to as well.

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54

I think the Green Bay Packers are a good example of that. And they have had a nice cast of WRs up until the point where they briefly stopped drafting WRs. One thing I have said that I love about the way the Packers have done business over the last few decades is that they don’t wait for players to develop. They stack positions and let the cream rise to the top. They have also constantly drafted WRs and DBs nearly every season. Here is a look at the WRs. When there is a name people will know from a group, I will move him to the front regardless of draft position. One of the most complete WR units I have ever seen in the NFL was when the Packers had Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, James Jones and Randall Cobb at the same time. Driver was old and didn’t hold up, but it was still a great unit.

Green Bay Packers WRs

1994 - Bill Schroeder (6th), Terry Mickens (5th), Jay Kearney (6th)
1995 - Antonio Freeman (3rd), Charlie Simmons (6th)
1996 - Derrick Mayes (2nd)
1997 - Chris Miller (7th)
1998 - Corey Bradford (5th)
1999 - Donald Driver (7th), Dee Miller (6th)
2000 - Anthony Lucas (4th), Joey Jamison (5th), Charles Lee (7th)
2001 - Robert Ferguson (2nd), David Martin (6th)
2002 - Javon Walker (1st)
2003 - DeAndrew Rubin (7th), Carl Ford (7th)
2004 - N/A
2005 - Terrence Murphy (2nd), Craig Bragg (6th)
2006 - Greg Jennings (2nd), Cory Rodgers (4th), Will Blackmon (4th)
2007 - James Jones (3rd), David Clowney (5th)
2008 - Jordy Nelson (2nd), Brett Swain (7th)
2009 - N/A
2010 - N/A
2011 - Randall Cobb (2nd)
2012 - N/A
2013 - Charles Johnson (7th), Kevin Dorsey (7th)
2014 - Davante Adams (2nd), Jared Abbrederis (5th), Jeff Janis (7th)
2015 - Ty Montgomery (3rd)
2016 - Trevor Davis (5th)
2017 - DeAngelo Yancey (5th), Malachi Dupree (7th)
2018 - Marquez Valdes-Scantling (5th), Equanimeous St Brown (6th), J’mon Moore (4th)
2019 - N/A
2020 - N/A
2021 - Amari Rodgers (3rd)
2022 - Christian Watson (2nd), Romeo Doubs (4th), Samori Toure (7th)

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55

He’s Kircus 2.0!

56

Not as good as Ed McCaffrey, but way better then Tim Toone(except for the hair)

57

Jones is a mix of Steve Largent and Harry Truman. Truman was a deep threat unfortunately he tended to drop the bomb.

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58

Has a white WR ever been compared to another WR that wasn’t white!? asking for a friend. lol

59

That’s nonsense I mean Charlie Jones is the next Wes Welker…ah crap. I mean he could be the next Julian Edelman…damnit. I guess it’s unavoidable lol

60

We already have minority coaching magic bean incentives. Why not extra magic beans for drafting white RB’s and African American punters and kickers!?

Think about that one for second.

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