Needing Corners, Holmes explains challenges of finding fits

[Davicus]

@SchemeTheDream

If CB was really his intention, then he could have stood pat and gotten Christian Gonzalez or even traded back and got him.

This is the exact opposite of how Brad says he operates. He doesn’t draft a position - he drafts a player. Just because he didn’t draft Gonzalez, has nothing to do with his evaluation of Witherspoon. It’s very possible Gonzalez just wasn’t a guy the Lions were interested in or at least weren’t at 6, but that doesn’t mean Spoon wasn’t because the Lions didn’t take Gonzalez.

[Jman]

@barreb101

It just didnt work out, but until the nfccg it didnt really tank the season.

Shout out Aaron Glenn ?

[LineBusy]

@SchemeTheDream

9 years directing scouting for the Rams, and they picked a CB before the 3rd round exactly 1 time.

Weird.
“GM John Schneider had taken only one corner in the top 100 in 13 drafts in Seattle, and that one was the 90th pick (Shaquill Griffin in 2015)”
13 years and 0 picked before the 3rd round for Schneider.

Witherspoon must ~really~ be something.

[BigNatty]

@LineBusy

John Schneider

[JerseyJungle]

@frm710

I know the money-maker is ball production, and that’s first and foremost, but you’ve got to tackle, too. The more and more you see, when your corners are tackling, that can really define who you are on defense.

Are you guys really dropping guys down in your rankings based on this statement? So, Brad is tipping us all off on his strategy, including other teams? Do you think there’s any way he loves Wiggins and this is a smokescreen? Just a thought.

[Thats2]

I mean he’s been pretty upfront about the grit and no-turds aspect of his evaluation, and so far all of that has held true. It also tracks that he’d want guys who can tackle for the same reasons. Maybe the minimum thresholds he’ll accept are a little more fluid than that statement makes it seem, but I really do believe it’s something he cares about, yeah.

[JerseyJungle]

@Thats2

minimum thresholds he’ll accept are a little more fluid than that statement makes it seem,

kind of what i’m getting at. I put nothing past this man.

[Mr.Peabody]

@1CasanovaJack

@barreb101

Holmes tried to address it,

He tried to address it in his 3rd season here. Porter and Lucas were 7th round picks I think, Iffy was more than likely going to be a safety when he was drafted but at least we used a 3rd round pick. But yes, last year he did address it and had the players stayed healthy, well, last season may have turned out differently. But trying to address it in year 3? What about years 1 and 2? He passed until last year, and the resources that he committed said that he knew it was a critical issue. I would think that he would do the same thing this season in FA but also add a draft pick from the first 3 rounds.

We had an entire roster void of talent. Which one do you want to give up…Hutch or Sewell?

[Thats2]

Even if that is the case, I’m still lowering the bad tacklers.

Maybe that’ll prove foolish, but it tracks with everything else we know about this FO

[1CasanovaJack]

@Mr.Peabody

We had an entire roster void of talent. Which one do you want to give up…Hutch or Sewell?

So apparently we had to take 1 in the first or 7th? What about FA, that was never an option? We absolutely had an entire roster void of talent, so what? It was never all or nothing at CB, it was nothing. This team has had a mantra of building thru the draft since day 1 and yet the only serious attempt at doing that for CB’s has never happened. I’m not complaining about their drafts as much as I am simply pointing out the obvious, CB has been the red haired step child of this team.

[LionMane]

We are going to the best player available to us.

[1CasanovaJack]

@JerseyJungle

Are you guys really dropping guys down in your rankings based on this statement?

I’m dropping Tampa because I never saw it to begin with and his statement simply put more fuel on that fire.

[LionMane]

@1CasanovaJack

@JerseyJungle

rankings based on this statement?

I’m dropping Tampa because I never saw it to begin with and his statement simply put more fuel on that fire.

What statement?

[1CasanovaJack]

Here’s the deal brother, read what Holmes had to say.

[RushDad]

Not a surprise at all, Jack. Campbell and Holmes agreed at the beginning that they were going to build this team from the inside out. That is, they worked on building the team from the trenches. Look at the first draft: in order, Penei, Levi and Alim in the first three rounds. Second year, Aiden taken at the top. With the trenches largely filled out, he can address the peripheral positions. In terms of taking JWill and Gibbs, to me that was picking up guys he had rated as first rounders with very high upside. And don’t forget that Holmes and Campbell wanted to draft Witherspoon at 6 last year, but the Seahawks got him first. Holmes is not going to bust his draft board just to reach for a need (like certain other previous Lions’s GMs have).

[LionMane]

@RushDad

And don’t forget that Holmes and Campbell wanted to draft Witherspoon at 6 last year, but the Seahawks got him first. Holmes is not going to bust his draft board just to reach for a need (like certain other previous Lions’s GMs have).

So glad we did what we did over Witherspoon.

[1CasanovaJack]

@RushDad

Campbell and Holmes agreed at the beginning that they were going to build this team from the inside out.

I will argue that the early picks have always been BPA. I think people kind of pigeon hole how they have drafted to form a conclusion. With re to Witherspoon at #6 please provide a link that says that’s what they were going to do.

[Thats2]

@LionMane

What statement?

This one, from Brad in the original post:

“Those guys, I know the money-maker is ball production, and that’s first and foremost, but you’ve got to tackle, too. The more and more you see, when your corners are tackling, that can really define who you are on defense."

[LionMane]

Especially when facing an offense like the 49ers.

Gotta handle it to Kyle…built an offense suited to his QB…

But, nothing happens without winning the trenches…

[CuriousHusker]

Tackling is fine but I think there is a durability drawback to playing like Spoon. Brad may love it. Who wouldn’t? It’s a blast to watch and he’s a great player. But corners are like Ferraris and intermittent business decisions can help keep them on the road.

Copper tackles more like Branch. It’s sustainable. But Kamikaze CBs while a ton of fun, somewhat scare me.