2023 NFL Draft Thread

[MichiganCardinal]

It's so early to play this game but I can't help but play it. My ideal as of today would be

1A - Will Anderson Jr. (EDGE, Alabama)

1B - Joey Porter Jr. (CB, Penn State)

2A - Jahmyr Gibbs (RB, Alabama)

2B - Noah Sewell (ILB, Oregon)

3 - Hendon Hooker (QB, Tennessee)

I'm definitely willing to be woo'd by any of the earlier QBs in the pre-draft process, but as of now they all seem like they would be very high risk for where they would need to be taken. Hooker may well be a bust, but that's a lot easier to stomach in the 3rd round (if he is there).

[1984Echoes]

16 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

It's so early to play this game but I can't help but play it. My ideal as of today would be

1A - Will Anderson Jr. (EDGE, Alabama)

1B - Joey Porter Jr. (CB, Penn State)

2A - Jahmyr Gibbs (RB, Alabama)

2B - Noah Sewell (ILB, Oregon)

3 - Hendon Hooker (QB, Tennessee)

I'm definitely willing to be woo'd by any of the earlier QBs in the pre-draft process, but as of now they all seem like they would be very high risk for where they would need to be taken. Hooker may well be a bust, but that's a lot easier to stomach in the 3rd round (if he is there).

Very close along the lines of what I am thinking...

However, I really want to get another high-end starting Guard out of this draft so on the second LB'er you've selected (Sewell... I'm counting Anderson as a pass-rusher/ OLB'er, not necessarily a straight-up DE...), I'd rather slot a Guard in there...

Edited November 29, 2022 by 1984Echoes

[Motown Bombers]

1 hour ago, 1984Echoes said:

Patrick Mahomes at pick #10 and Josh Allen at pick #7.

What that says is...

We hope the Lions scouting/ drafting is better than we are, since we are just guessing.

Or that Holmes is better than prior Lions GM's at drafting.

So far so good I think.

Now, if he can identify the next Mahomes or Josh Allen and it is Anthony Richardson and he uses the Rams pick to get him then... we just have to hope that he is RIGHT!!! And Richardson becomes a monster for us...

John Dorsey, who drafted Mahomes, works in the Lions front office.

[Motown Bombers]

Hooker is only 3 years younger than Goff. He'll basically miss the 1st year. He'll be around the same age Goff was when he first came to the Lions by the time he's ready to play. If we're going QB, do it at the top of the draft or not at all. I would rather try to get a RG in the 3rd round.

[MichiganCardinal]

48 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

Hooker is only 3 years younger than Goff. He'll basically miss the 1st year. He'll be around the same age Goff was when he first came to the Lions by the time he's ready to play. If we're going QB, do it at the top of the draft or not at all. I would rather try to get a RG in the 3rd round.

How much does age matter if he ends up being really good? His physical growth is probably limited, but he's 6'4"/220, I wouldn't be worried about endurance. He'll still be on a rookie contract for the same length as everyone else drafted in his class. if he sticks in the league, he may retire before the others, but I'm not really thinking about 10-15 years from now I'm thinking 2-5.

To be clear, I'm not married to the idea of drafting Hooker either, and depending on how the board falls I may well be right on board with taking a right guard. I just wouldn't count him out for his age either.

Edited November 29, 2022 by MichiganCardinal
typo

[1984Echoes]

41 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

John Dorsey, who drafted Mahomes, works in the Lions front office.

Hoping that bodes well for us...

[MichiganCardinal]

41 minutes ago, 1984Echoes said:

Very close along the lines of what I am thinking...

However, I really want to get another high-end starting Guard out of this draft so on the second LB'er you've selected (Sewell... I'm counting Anderson as a pass-rusher/ OLB'er, not necessarily a straight-up DE...), I'd rather slot a Guard in there...

I'd be okay with that. I just really, really don't want to see Alex Anzalone as a week one starter for the Detroit Lions ever again. I don't care how that happens.

I would also envision Anderson and Hutch as being interchangeable forces on either side of the line. It's great that Hutch has gotten a couple picks this year, but realistically, I think he's at his best in the backfield, not in coverage. Play them both standing up with three down lineman and an ILB, play one down and one up, however you do it, I think they'd be collective game-wreckers, because you simply can't double them both.

[Hongbit]

Is everyone assuming they are letting Jamal Williams walk?  That was my thought to start the year but I think they try to keep him now.   Swift is still under control and Jackson or Reynolds are both fine options as 3rd back.  I don’t see a need to pick an early RB in this draft unless they part ways with Jamal. 

[Motown Bombers]

This free agent class is deep at RB. I imagine some will get franchised but I would like to bring Williams back. If not, there could be other free agent options.

[MichiganCardinal]

7 minutes ago, Hongbit said:

Is everyone assuming they are letting Jamal Williams walk?  That was my thought to start the year but I think they try to keep him now.   Swift is still under control and Jackson or Reynolds are both fine options as 3rd back.  I don’t see a need to pick an early RB in this draft unless they part ways with Jamal. 

I have a feeling Jamaal will command more than he is probably worth on the open market. He's having a career year, which is awesome, and he's a stand-up locker room guy, which does mean something. He'll also turn 28 years old next year, and I think he was brought in as a 3rd down/goal line back and has made a name for himself behind this offensive line and Swift's injuries. I don't think he's an ideal every-down back, or even an ideal RB1. There may be a team that pays him to be one though.

That said, if we draft a RB high, I think it will be to ultimately (if not immediately) replace Swift, not Williams.

[1984Echoes]

6 minutes ago, Hongbit said:

Is everyone assuming they are letting Jamal Williams walk?  That was my thought to start the year but I think they try to keep him now.   Swift is still under control and Jackson or Reynolds are both fine options as 3rd back.  I don’t see a need to pick an early RB in this draft unless they part ways with Jamal. 

I'd like to see them get Jamaal an extension... like... today.

But I don't view Williams as the key to having a need for drafting another RB.

That is dependent on Swift's health... which is spotty at best.

I think Reynolds is OK, he tries hard.

But I like Jackson a whole lot more. Although I like him as a 3rd RB if we had a healthy #1; which we don't. So I consider him as a 4th RB, based on the unreliability of Swift, and I want to slot in another drafted RB who doesn't have to be an immediate starter but could take over as the #1 guy at some point in the season when Swift gets knocked out again for 6 +/- games...

Jackson can be on the game-day roster as the #3 regardless of who the starter is... He is good in the passing game, as a returner, and as the 3rd guy, regardless.

Williams I like a whole lot as the #2 back, especially for tough yards and all those TD's he keeps scoring for us...

But I think we should draft another RB, IMO... based wholly on the unreliable health of Swift.

[Hongbit]

3 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

I have a feeling Jamaal will command more than he is probably worth on the open market. He's having a career year, which is awesome, and he's a stand-up locker room guy, which does mean something. He'll also turn 28 years old next year, and I think he was brought in as a 3rd down/goal line back and has made a name for himself behind this offensive line and Swift's injuries. I don't think he's an ideal every-down back, or even an ideal RB1. There may be a team that pays him to be one though.

That said, if we draft a RB high, I think it will be to ultimately (if not immediately) replace Swift, not Williams.

l agree if they let Jamaal get to the open market then he may be too expensive.  I think they could try to extend him on a 3 year deal that’s really 2 years at a small bump for him and good for the team.  I think he would take it if they showed him love and a fair contract before FA starts.  
 

Swift is under contract for another year. They are going to give him another shot to stay healthy, learn how to hit a hole, and become the guy they actually believed could get 2000 AP yards.  I don’t see a need to draft his replacement until after next year.   

[1984Echoes]

2 minutes ago, Hongbit said:

... Swift is under contract for another year. They are going to give him another shot to stay healthy, learn how to hit a hole, and become the guy they actually believed could get 2000 AP yards.  I don’t see a need to draft his replacement until after next year.   

Unless he goes down for 10+ games in 2023?

[Motown Bombers]

Swift is a lost cause. Guy gets tackled in game one and is basically useless the rest of the season.

[Hongbit]

7 minutes ago, 1984Echoes said:

Unless he goes down for 10+ games in 2023?

We may think this as fans but I don’t think the team makes decisions on the assumption that a player will get injured.    

If anything, this team has shown just the opposite by drafting inured players and assuming they return to full health. 

Edited November 30, 2022 by Hongbit

[MichiganCardinal]

6 minutes ago, Hongbit said:

Swift is under contract for another year. They are going to give him another shot to stay healthy, learn how to hit a hole, and become the guy they actually believed could get 2000 AP yards.  I don’t see a need to draft his replacement until after next year.   

 

3 minutes ago, 1984Echoes said:

Unless he goes down for 10+ games in 2023?

This is what Holmes will have to grapple with. You don't want to cut him loose (via trade or otherwise) if there is a chance that his performances against Philadelphia and Washington could possibly be extended across a full season. At the same time, you've got a guy who is "pissed off" about his usage, but is clearly either still injured or afraid of re-injury.

He's not a Holmes pick and I just feel like there isn't going to be a lot of sympathy if the opportunity presents itself for improvement.

[buddha]

swift is too talented to let go and too injury prone to count on.  poisoned chalice.

[Jason_R]

Williams will probably get a big contract offer from another team and will not stay. That would be fine as he is at his peak. Swift will not get a second contract offer next year, even if he plays a full 17 and goes for 2000 yards. Too many injuries. They need to draft someone who can be their 1b option at RB next season and step in as RB1 in 2024. 

[1984Echoes]

14 minutes ago, Jason_R said:

Williams will probably get a big contract offer from another team and will not stay. That would be fine as he is at his peak. Swift will not get a second contract offer next year, even if he plays a full 17 and goes for 2000 yards. Too many injuries. They need to draft someone who can be their 1b option at RB next season and step in as RB1 in 2024. 

Yes.

[buddha]

i dont think williams is going to get a big contract offer from anyone and the lions should not be the team to give him one.  williams is a nice bruising back.  he's a product of the lions having a good offensive line and a good play caller more than any real world beating ability.

re-sign?  sure.  for something similar that he has now.  anything more and he's free to go.  plenty of bruising backs out there to play his role.

[Jason_R]

Sportrac has his market value as a 2 year contract with AAV of $6.9 million. His current deal is 2 years AAV of $3 million. He may not end up signing a $14 million deal, but he will likely be a lot closer to that than $6 million. Anyway, he will get his next contract somewhere else. 

[1984Echoes]

At $6.9 mill AAV... yeah, elsewhere.

I'm with buddha in that bruisers are easy enough to replace/ find another effective one when the real star is an excellent O-Line and a sharp O-Coordinator...

[buddha]

52 minutes ago, Jason_R said:

Sportrac has his market value as a 2 year contract with AAV of $6.9 million. His current deal is 2 years AAV of $3 million. He may not end up signing a $14 million deal, but he will likely be a lot closer to that than $6 million. Anyway, he will get his next contract somewhere else. 

i think that's probably overrating touchdowns.  but i dont know.

i just think that's way too much for a rb who isnt a game breaking, field stretching nightmare.

its really a shame swift is a pansy, cause he's such a great weapon for those seven or eight plays a year he isnt injured.  i actually think the lions will take a running back this year because williams is a free agent and swift has hangnail issues.

[Shinzaki]

Donovan Edwards gets called out for injuries...but he just ran for 216 yards with a cast on his broken hand.  Swift would have been out for the year.

No way in hell is Williams worth 7mil a year

[NYLion]

17 hours ago, MichiganCardinal said:

16 hours ago, Hongbit said:

Is everyone assuming they are letting Jamal Williams walk?  That was my thought to start the year but I think they try to keep him now.   Swift is still under control and Jackson or Reynolds are both fine options as 3rd back.  I don’t see a need to pick an early RB in this draft unless they part ways with Jamal. 

 

I know some people aren't big on the "culture" thing but Williams is a huge part of this culture they're building and he probably has a few years left in the tank to contribute on the field as much as he does off so if they can lock him at reasonable dollars, I think it's a must sign. I also think he's the type that will take a bit of a paycut to stay here.