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Mayhew And Lewand say the key to the rebuilding of the franchise is purely in the draft and they aren't gong to go out and spend money in free agency. Thats a bunch of crap. They need balance of good offseason moves in both the draft and in free agency. A lot is being said of Stafford going first. That wont work. You are gonna ruin his career just like Detroit ruined Harringtons career. They need to address the O-line and defense first. Oher or Smith are solid good investments for the future. There are some solid free agent O-Linemen This year. With a combination of the draft and free agency we could put together a solid line. With that in place, we can then run an effective offense. If we want a QB, we can always draft one later(Tebow,Daniels,White?) or next year(Bradford, McCoy?) With an effective line in place, we can do more. QB is definitely not the answer at this point. The second thing to address is the defense. Unlike the offense they have way more holes than just up front. This is where free agency will factor in heavily. With guys like Suggs, Haynesworth, Peppers all hitting the Market you would be wise to at least take a look. If we somehow landed Maualuga or Laurinitis in the draft and picked up possibly suggs, we could look into running a 3-4(Although I'm not a big fan) with Sims, Suggs, Maualuga and Dizon(hopefully). If not, The 4-3 would still be nice with Sims, Suggs and Maualuga. Defensive end or Corner would be my second round pick and third round picks. Thats my plan at least. All I know is that QB is not the answer. I dont care about Matt Ryan this year. Matt Ryan had an effective O-Line and a hell of a rushing game. Flacco had the same. Miami...Hmmm who did they use the first pick on last year?...thats right, Jake Long, an offensive Tackle.

Agree somewhat with the above statement. Mayhew is a bonafide bandit in the amount he got from Dallas for Roy Will. If I understand correctly, Cherilus is an RT. So the first overall pick should be either on an LT or the best overall prospect. I'd say go with Orakpo there, who I think is the best player in the draft and DE is widely regarded as the third most important deision on the field. Jason Smith I think will be available with the other pick, so that will solidify a DE and LT spot for years. There are many good free agents, and I think if Detroit plays their cards right they could snag a big name. It'll be hard to convince anyone to go to an 0-16 team, but good GMs can make it happen. Detroit has high picks in each round, so they'll generally be getting more talented players than most teams will make off with.

Good Luck D-Town, you have the potential to have the best draft, and if Mayhew trades down he might be able to get a boatload of picks for your high selections.

I for one will always support my Detroit team. Start off with a left tackle, then DL..we could diffinately have a great draft.Lets get it done 313rd....

Lions fans that are calling for Matt Cassell need to hang up the phone. Unless you're gonna sign the Patriots offensive line, Wes Welker and Randy Moss, dont even think about it. One Year Wonder Derek Anderson - Stay away from him too. You have skill position talent (Johnson, Smith), but no great offensive line. You have Raiola, Cherilus, and Backus (one of the few draft picks Millen got RIGHT) to build around, get some guys to go with them. Draft Andre Smith and move Cherilus or Backus to guard. You mentioned the New Orleans Saints MLB Jonathan Vilma, but he has an extension, he's going nowhere. Someone we will probably make available is Jamar Nesbit, a solid OG who lost his starting job to Carl Nicks when he had the 4-game suspension. SIGN HIM. Defense is a nightmare. Lito Sheppart MIGHT be willing to go to Detroit. Haynesworth will be resigned by Tennessee. Nnamdi Asomugha has been with the Raiders for years, HASN'T HE SUFFERED ENOUGH? He'll go to a contender, and I'm hoping the Saints can sign him. They have to improve their defense with second-tier free agents and June 1 cuts because the big name guys arent going there

I mnow I'm going to get slamed for this but,here it goes !We don't need a qaurterback all we need to do is to resign Orlofski and keep developing him his rating's and numbers are great and this kid believes in himself and the team. And you who say O'linemen first in the draft i agree with! we also need a BIG D man up front ! Then a real good cornerback maybe two becuse Leigh Bodden has been cheating us all year with his fake trips and his so called enabilty to be able to make the play's? bullcrap he has been justlike a boxer taking the fall all year so i'm not sure we can trust him? but, anyway if not two corners then a corner and a real big safty and linebacker! Sum of these may have to be gotten in free agency and if you listen to lewand and Mayhew they didn't say they wouldnt get men from free agency? They just said that they were'nt going to go out and though a lot of money around foolishly! (:

where did my comment go

oh well i should have edited it (:

This is 3and 1 and i posted a comment to this messae board and yet it is'nt here? Why not?

See what i mean ? Am i doing something wrong? Can others read what i write and if not what do have to do in order for them to read my Comments?

Thank you very much(:!

good thoughts on here, I hope the Leo's GMs read this. my thoughts echo those posted above me. Don't draft a QB this year. Oline, Dline, LB's and DB's. Take best avalible every pick. next year take a QB high (we'll still be picking top ten next year) and fill your roster out with Oline and D picks. Sign anyone in FA who is a solid pro. Don't sign anyone for their upside, go with guarenees. anyway thats my thought

Well lets see they can start looking in the Free Agency and see if Jesus is available because that is the only way they can have a miracle to turn this franchise around specially in the falling economy in the Motor City.

The Leo's need to spend every pick in the first three rounds of defense. In order: big d-tackle, middle linebacker, corner, safety, strongside linebacker, then load up on offensive linemen (particularly guards) later in the draft. They have neglected the defense in the draft for nearly ten years and it shows. Drafting a QB at #1 overall would be stupid without also drafting a left tackle, and they simply cannot spend their 2 first round picks on offense with a defense as horrible as it is.

The Lions will pick another coach whos never head coached a team... check. They will waste all draft picks on players Ford thinks will look good in a Ford (Drive One) lol.....The ford family will ask for another bail out, however this time it will be for the team and they will be grilled on why they flew the company jet to the hearing. Ford Field Durring the week will become a huge used car lot for all of the crappy cars they produce! Next the UAW will try and get their dirty little hands involed ( if a bailout is approved lol) and insist that all Lion players get payed 500 million a year. Oh now back to the team. They next will hire coaches but will handcuff them to the pipes under ford field until they are fired one year later. Finally Matt Millen willl be hired as a save all for the team....... full circle, Folks think about it. The ford family can't even make cars any more without losing. So if they have a losing business model when it comes to cars how do you expect them to run a football team which probably makes more money than the car company does even at 0-16! The team will then be moved to mexico, then sold to Hyundai! lol
I love the lions but what is wrong up there in Michigan???????

Yeah I tell ya what, I'm saddened to hear that Taylor Mays is staying in school(even though thats a good thing really). But I really wanted a big and bad safety in our defensive backfield, but maybe next year. Now, realistically I read an article where Schwartz basically says hes taking a QB first round, I'm assuming #1. I could care less about our offense right now but as a businessman I also understand that when you pay a WR like CJ you better have a good quarterback to reap the most benefits from your investment in a TOP CALIBER wide receiver like CJ, he is literally just as good as Fitz on the cardinals. So lets just say we take Stafford even though I never really saw anything in him besides a cannon of an arm and runs a pro-style offense underneath the center. I wouldnt take a QB first pick but I'm trying to be realistic here. Then I say we go OL, DL, MLB, CB, whatever, whatever... I like that BJ Rabi guy from BC but I think we need a pass rushing DE since we have so much money into Redding(DT). I like that Michael Johnson guy outta GT but he might be too lean to make an instant impact next year, hes definately fast enough. Nother 20lbs and hes a julius peppers look alike. Lot of OL in this draft so just take a brute, maybe a G maybe a T, just get another. And then Paris lenon needs to get benched, cut, released, traded, whatever. Get a linebacker and we still havent got a young promising CB in our depth chart. basically folks after years and years of poor player evaluation in the drafts, the lions have depleted the team of talent and one year's draft IS NOT going to fix things. I know you say "Hey, Miami and Atlanta did it!" Well that aint gonna happen again probably. Hey i could lose 40 lbs in two months but it aint gonna happen either, lets get real. I'd rather wait on the QB situation and take the positions I mentioned earlier and then get a smashmouth safety and QB next year when the class is deeper. Bad year of football for me. Of the 29 football games(12 mich fball, 16 lions fball, WMU-CMU game) I was emotionally invested in this year, I won 3 games... So next year HAS TO BE BETTER.

Um, dig up Bobby Layne?

We do not need a QB this year. We need to go with a stud O-lineman with the first selection and then go all Defense. We have never had a defensive identity and we need one to turn it around. Picking up 2-3 defensive studs in free agency would be drastic, but that is a huge wishlist to get that many quality players to come to Detroit.

When you look back in history, Championship teams are BUILT around the O-line and within the Front 7 of the Defense. In most cases, the bigger the O and D lines the BETTER!!! That being said, the Lions should draft a big punishing LT: Andre Smith. With pick 20 take Laurinaitis (if available) to be the future D leader If he's already drafted, take the top rated DT available. If 20 is Laurinaitis, take the top DT/OG in Round two. Round three take best DE/DT available, and then take a chance with the gift from Dallas by selecting a QB: Rhett Bomar. This young man is gifted (strong arm and mobile), has a chip on his shoulder (OU incident), and wants to prove to everyone he belongs in the elite QB class. With the rest of the draft, focus on Defense, Defense, Defense: SS, FS, then CB (and maybe a diamond in the rough O-lineman).

Hey Lion fans good luck with your new coach man I was sorry to see him go. I think the Lions are in good position to rebuild thur the draft. It would be smart for the Lions to OL then a DL man. Everyteam needs anchor on both sides of the ball. There are some good DBs that can really play the safety position that will be there later in the draft. Safetys and DL are key in a 4-3. and you want give up as many points that translates into more manageble games for the lions 'less blowout" expect to kick a lot more field goals. The lions should never use a high draft pick on another WR I've been with the Titans for a long time, this just something your new coach is not going to do. I would rather see a productive tight end in Detroit than another WR. If the lions can find another RB in the draft that would make it so much easier for McCoy in 2010 to develop as a QB in Detroit. Lets hope the Lions draft other needs than at the QB and WR this year and wait til next year and get a wrohty Franchise QB. The QBs in the 2009 draft will almost have to sneak unto the 1st round. I don't see any of them making the top 10. the same calibur QBs will be there in the 2nd and 3rd rounds maybe the 4th will have talent to challege Culpepper. Good luck to Jim Schwartz and the lion nation. GO TITANS!

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