MichiganCardinal

He might, but I think it will take more improvement of the Lions defense first. Outside the Saints, it would have been very hard for a team to sell their fans and Glenn to sell an owner on hiring the first-time DC of the 31st ranked defense. Obviously we all know in Detroit there is more to the story than that, but a lot of ownerships aren’t “in-tune” enough to see that. And there are only 32 jobs.

If he does everything else really well (as he seems to be thus far), and whiffs on his first QB, I would give him more than one chance to find the franchise QB. That’s not an easy task.

I agree. You can’t hide deficiencies in the NFL. Even if our front four and an edge rusher or two turn out to be decent, and even if Glenn and Pleasant can turn our DBs into a league average group, most NFL QBs will be able to simply bully us in the middle of the field, just by having their slot receiver run a slant. Anzalone should not be starting in the NFL.

I will say, if those concerns have any merit, being drafted by New York is the worst thing that could have happened to him. That media market will chew him up and spit him out before he plays a single snap if he’s not careful.

I would give this draft a square and even A. We didn’t think too hard at the top or try to be the smartest man in the room. Holmes demonstrated an aggression never before seen in Detroit, moving up with a division foe to get a guy who could have gone top five if not for his injury, in a trade that outside the inherent risk seems extremely favorable. We drafted for need as the draft progressed, but did not seem to laser in (or “anchor” @Brad) too much on any single position. The lack of early help at the linebacker position is what (perhaps unfairly) keeps me from an A+. Our linebackers have been the laughing stock of the NFL for so, so long. It seemed as if there were options at the Paschal pick even outside of Dean (Anderson, Muma, Asamoah, Harris) that may have been able to make both a more immediate and a more long-standing impact. Of course I hope Paschal proves me wrong. I do think it’s important that the defensive line and pass rush shows serious promise this year. A lot of resources have been poured into that unit.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have our quarterback.

Twitter has it now, I won't spoil though.

I agree but that thought is no fun. Howell or Bust, ordering my jersey before the pick is in.

Corral to the Panthers. I'll say Howell for the Lions, so that we can look back after his 6th Pro Bowl appearance laughing at the Panthers for not taking the hometown kid.

Panthers moving up for a QB? Might be jumping Detroit for Howell.

I would like Sam Howell, Leo Chenal, Kerby Joseph, or Channing Tindall here. I would be okay with a TE too.

You'd make a great meteorologist!

I think Williams was surprised, based on the limited contact the team had with him prior to the draft, but that does not mean that he was disappointed. I don't think Chark will mind though. Teams need more than two competent WRs, he's on a one-year deal, and the WR the Lions took may not even be 100% to start the year.

If you think Williams was upset with being drafted by Detroit (I don't but I saw that speculation), just remind him, at least it's not Jacksonville or Houston.

It's fair to say their priorities are different, but I also think the way the Jags are managing having a young QB is heading towards TLaw getting the hell out of dodge when his rookie contract is up.

Last time they traded up in the 1st round was also with Minny, in 2010, going from #34 to #30 for Jahvid Best. The Vikings selected Chris Cook (CB) at #34, who didn't survive his rookie contract and is long out of football now. There was also the Roy Williams trade in 2009 where the Lions sent Williams and a 7th Rounder to the Cowboys for a 1st, 3rd, and 6th Round pick, and then managed to screw up fleecing the Cowboys by selecting Brandon Pettigrew, Derrick Williams, and Aaron Brown. I did some looking back out of curiosity. In 1999, they traded #39 (plus a 3rd and 5th) to the Dolphins to move up to #27 and select Aaron Gibson (OT), who did not last. The Dolphins selected JJ Johnson (RB) at #39, and he did not last either.Beyond that though, nothing even approaches this level of first round aggressiveness in Lions history.

I compared the Lions to the Jaguars during free agency when I appreciated the way the Lions were building things (slow with short-term contracts to start) as opposed to the Jags (throwing obscene amounts of money at their holes). Using the same comparison, I think the Lions are doing well in really building the offense to be one of the best in the league, whereas the Jags are - to this point - neglecting their biggest asset in Trevor Lawrence. Picking up Travon Walker and Devin Lloyd is great, but even the best defense in the NFL last year (Buffalo) allowed 18.3 points per game last year. Compare that to ten years ago (2011), when eight teams averaged less than 20 points per game allowed, or 18 years ago (2003 - as far back as where I looked goes), and 15 teams allowed 20 or fewer ppg. It appears that Holmes is attempting to make the Detroit offense as high-octane as possible, while getting the defense to a point where it is at least league average, or in other words, "good enough". In today's NFL, you have to be able to put up 24+ points every game to expect to win. The expectation that the Jacksonville defense can hold their opponents to less than 20 points, and that TLaw can magically manufacture three TDs a game is a relic of the football that was played when we were growing up. Nowadays, having a really good defense is a luxury, not a requisite to win a lot of football games. I'm not sure if I would go so far as to expect a RB or TE with the #46 pick. That's not to say I am necessarily opposed, depending on who else is there, but part of the strategy I prescribed to Holmes above involves the defense evolving to a "good enough" point, which the defense at present is not. Just as you can't expect to win 10-9 ten or more times, you can't expect to win 49-45 ten times either. The linebackers on this team currently are just not even at replacement level.

FWIW, you can fill in the blank there with whoever the Lions selected. There is no way he knew the Lions were taking Williams before the trade was completed. That would be stupid.

I’m sure Trevor Lawrence is somewhere loving the draft capital being spent on their defense

Plenty of TEs out there

Lots of trades late

I’m shocked Jermaine Johnson is still on the board. He has the potential end up being the best edge taken.

Ford Field is happy

Love the annual tradition of three months not being enough time and the NFL making the #1 pick use up 70% of their time for no damn reason.

Can’t refute science.