MichiganCardinal

There’s got to be some give and take though. If your situational pass rusher is never on the field, because you’re never in a 3rd and long, because the opponent can just run to the OT opposite Hutch and gain four yards every play, your situational pass rusher does you no good. I wouldn’t discount the possibility that Hassanein is the situational pass rusher either. He had a stretch of nine straight games with a sack at Boise State. If he’s James Houston with an ounce of run defense ability, that’s a good player to have.

I don’t think they’ll pay him $6MM. We’ll see when the details come out, but Pelissori was reporting directly from the agent. “Up to $6MM” may well mean “$2MM with a $1MM bonus for every five sacks up to 20 sacks” It won’t be that, but you get the idea. His “$6MM” and AQM’s $6MM are very unlikely to be created equal.

I’m not saying you’re wrong, but I don’t think they prioritize it in any way. James Houston was that player and he was the first Holmes draft pick released despite lighting up the stat sheet. Hassanein was a one-trick pony to start his Boise State career and probably won’t be good against the run this year. But they only get 48 players every game day. 25 starters leaves 23 spots. Have to use each one wisely, and you’re in a tough spot if there is a player like Houston who you physically cannot put in the game except in one role.

What he does have over AQM is that he’s a three-down player. I still expect them to at least draft an edge, if not add a cheap option in free agency (Cam Jordan will probably not be that). Justin Rogers had a good reminder that they carried eight edge rushers into camp last year. AQM merely emerged.

His problem (surprise-surprise) is an injury history. He was great with the Vikings, but went down late in 2023 with a non-contact torn quad. After the surgery to repair it, his body rejected the stitches, he developed MRSA, and then developed blood clots as a side effect of his IV antibiotics. Those are the kind of complications unhealthy people die from. But he came back midway through 2024 with Carolina. He’s just not quite returned to anything like his 2023 form. Recorded 8 sacks, 62 tackles, and 15 QB hits over 16 games in 2023… 7 sacks, 69 tackles, and 10 QB hits in 24 games since.

I believe “up to” is doing a lot of heavy lifting in that tweet.

I still think the Lions have an open phone line if cooler heads can prevail in the Decker camp. Especially if he's still available after the draft and the board falls in such a way that the Lions select a defensive player in the first-round. I would expect that would loosen the budget a little bit toward getting another OT2/3 in the building, even if they took a more undeveloped OT in the 2nd round. Decker was scheduled to make over $18MM. If the dispute is that he wanted that much, without any renegotiation, then he's delusional. And if he thinks he's going to get that on the open market, he's even more delusional that he was when he wanted it from us. On the other hand, if the dispute was that he wanted $10MM and the Lions were offering $5MM (Borom's deal), I can see why he might be more likely to test the waters for something closer to $10MM. But it hasn't come yet, and Rasheed Walker, an objectively better, healthier, and much younger tackle, just signed for 1/$10MM. Could the Lions and Decker meet in the middle, especially if the Lions don't draft a OT early? I certainly think it's possible.

I think we will have a good idea in August. If he is full go in training camp, something worked. If they are coddling him, it's not working.

Follow the money. He wanted more. Lions said no.

Ohio State is probably an 8 or 9-seed. Could be a second round matchup depending on how the bracket shakes out.

He’s worth a 7th round pick

The problem with Amik was that they were forcing a square peg (natural slot) into a round hole (the outside). It was at least partially forced by injury but I hope they don’t do the same to McCreary.

They cut Paschal. Holmes said “I know I haven’t signed anyone at the position, but the mystery box can’t be worse.”

The Raiders broke the news themselves with their passive aggressive statement about the Ravens “backing out” of the deal. They're the origin of the drama, but I also get why they’re pissed.