The truth about the Lions draft we all need to prepare for

The War Room Detroit Lions — The Den
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Every player/position is in play at any pick this year. Holmes and Campbell have positioned the Lions to take a true BPA approach to this draft.

QB - Goff may or may not be the answer. But the truth is, he carries a 30m+ cap hit for the next 3 years, which the Lions could get out of with dead caps hits of 10m in 2022 or 5m in 2023. If Brad/Dan fall in love with a QB, I could very much see them taking a QB, knowing they can sit him for a year behind Goff and move on.

RB - Swift has two years left and while he’s produced some, he kind of leaves you wanting more and he’s also had some injuries. This is Williams’ final year as well. The Lions have built themselves quite the line and with doubt heading into the future, I wouldn’t be surprised if they took a RB at any point.

WR - This speaks for itself. I don’t think I need to explain why they could draft a WR.

TE - Hock has a 9.3m team option for next year. If he has another season where he is injured or doesn’t perform, do the Lions pick up that contract at 9.3m? Dunno. That, coupled with the fact that despite now having 9 TEs on this roster, none of them are under contract for next year. TE could be in play, too.

OL - This is probably the most set position on the roster. But there are still some things that make you think…could they? Vaitai will count 10.7m against the cap next year. He played better at G than he did at tackle for us, but are you paying Vaitai 10.7m to be an average guard? Especially with having Decker, Sewell, and Ragnow with decent sized contracts, you have to think they’d like a cheaper option so they can keep Jackson in the future, who only has 2 years left on his rookie deal.

DL - Flowers is gone. Okwara is coming off an injury. Harris put up numbers last year, but can he do it again? McNeil and Levi are young and still have a lot of growing to do. Brockers is a prime cut candidate next year with his 11.9m cap hit when they can save nearly 10m by cutting him (1.9m dead cap). This team has other needs more pressing, but you can never have enough DE and all the talk so far has been about Hutch/Thibs at 2.

LB - You have two young guys in Okwara and Barnes that have a lot to prove and you have Alex Anzalone. They apparently love Shaun Dion Hamilton, but it’s Shaun Dion Hamilton.

CB - This is surprisingly deep for the Lions, but there are a lot of question marks. Okudah is back, but what does that mean? He hasn’t looked great, but what can Glenn get out of him? Speaking of Glenn, he did wonders with AO, but now AO is in the final year of his contract. Iffy showed promise, but he’s young. Same thing with Jacobs/Parker/Price, who basically all came off the street and looked like real NFL players. There’s enough question marks here that adding talent is definitely not out of the question.

S - Will Harris is currently the starting SS.

ST - Honestly, we’re probably fine here. Raymond is presumably back at returner. Patterson I would assume would win out over Seibert/Rosas in camp and he looked great last year. Jack Fox is this team’s MVP.

Never before have I seen a Lions team in position to take any player at any spot in the draft. I know some of us are set at certain players/positions at certain points in the draft, but I am heading into the draft thinking that the Lions can really go BPA on their board.

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Well that moves this to the top of the list.

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I think your right, I can see the lions going bpa . Trading up/down this year or next, BPA regardless of position, its all on the table.

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Punter is safe!

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I see S, LB, and DE as the major needs. But I can also see your reasoning that you can justify a pick at pretty much any position except punter.

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Yeah, there are some more glaring needs, like you said. I have just seen a lot of 'no way the Lions take a __ at #___" and I’m just looking at this roster going…really? I think there’s a case that everything is in play here.

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This is a deep draft at DE, WR, S, LB and TE. I think they could justify hitting on a need and a BPA in just about any round. I’m a little interested in their plan at DT though as I don’t see this as a deep draft for that position and I’m not sure I would roll with the guys we have.

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WB Hawaii Lions Fan, it’s been a minute brother-good to see you again and have you posting ! just saying.

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:rofl: No paragraph here. It speaks for itself.

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Agree 100%, and I would add on top of that limiting our needs to “needs right now” is doing a disservice to the way the best franchises are run. We will have new needs cropping up constantly, some in August, some in October, some next year. The best teams already have players in house to fill those needs.

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We really only have the Okwara’s and Harris at DE. If Hutch goes #1 I really think Travon Walker is the guy.

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Never seen any evidence that Julian can play DE in a 4-3 and certainly not in a 3-4. He’s a stand-up guy. Interesting to see how the Lions use him…sure, they are playing multiple fronts, but he’s more stand-up pass rusher than hand-in-the-dirt DE.

That said, makes the case for DE even more pressing. One guy coming off injury and the other a guy who just figured it out in Harris.

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I think Julian will be fine with his hand in the dirt. I think we are drafting 2 DE’s this year. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the draft go something like this.
#2 DE Travon Walker/Jermaine Johnson/Thibs
#32 LB Christian Harris/Channing Tindall/Chad Muma
#34 DE Demarvin Leal/Arnold Ebiketie/Boye Mafe
The defense needs so much help.

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Great OP–100% on the money, and why I think people need to mentally prepare for the real possibility they take OL at 2.

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Yep. OL, QB, WR, hell, I’d say TE if a guy like Pitts were available this year. I’m prepared for whatever and I feel like they can make the case for pretty much anything.

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I wouldn’t be upset if said player was BPA. This team needs talent.

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And I think that has been the theme for this year during FA
Try to fill holes with your players and some FA (more players will be signed)
I’d like to see SS and LB FAs still signed before the draft but I suppose they could wait

Everything was about setting up so you can draft BPA
There are still some needs greater than others but, few gotta haves at this point

I’m not thrilled that we haven’t yet picked up the 2-3 more FAs we need, but I assume that’s coming

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I don’t see OL at 2….to many other needs on this team. I think it will be a DE or even Hamilton before OL.

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I typically agree with a vast majority of your takes…

I keep reading the same bs about the draft class strengths and weaknesses, and year after year I put less weight into what pundits say…. Sadly I believe GMs actually fall into the trap of listening to and reading much of the content out there to help form opinions.

Let’s use RB- I can’t remember that last time that 2 guys at a stocky 210 plus both ran 4.3 forties coming of 1500 yard and 20 td type seasons in major college football conferences. I think Hall and Walker have potential to be true workhorse backs.

DT- I keep reading it’s a weak DT class? So I wanted a monster in the middle, I can chose between 2 different 330 pound plus guys with sub 4.9 speed and great tape (J Davis, T Jones). If I want a guy with elite length, elite athleticism and solid production as a 5 tech in a 3-4 I can choose T Walker or Logan Hall? If I want a pure penetrating 3 technique in a 4-3 I can consider D Wyatt, P Mathis, P Winfrey or even T Walker?

The DTs broke the combine, but also have 4-5 guys who had elite production as interior pass rushers.

Hell I’m not even sure the QB class is all that weak. If only M Willis, D Ridder and M Corral we’re in the class, I think there would be a lock for 2 in the top 10 and one by #20… pretty normal.

It’s the fact that Howell feel off so much from his early career hype, and since his nfl player comp of Baker has fallen out of favor so much. Then Pickett rose as a guy who outproduced everyone, but the tiny handed 2 gloves and late bloomer - one year wonder has teams timid.

My draft-

T Walker can play DE in a 4 man front or 5 tech like Tuitt or Watt and rush from the line in a 3 man. Reminds me of Cam Jordan.

I’ve seen what Holmes found in 3 and 4 with Kupp and St Brown… let’s see what T Burks looks like it C Watson

Hall or K Walker- all the things you said about Swift, but I’m not waiting and hoping another tackling breaking machine with 4.3 speed is sitting there. Running for 130 yards a week is what will make the while offense and defense better. I’m not banking on Swifts health and a rotation of PS players if he’s hurt.

Trade up-

I see us using a 5th and #66 to slide back up into the 49 range and going after a guy like Pitre…

  1. LB
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I think it’s pretty safe this doesn’t happen

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