2023 NFL Draft Thread

[MichiganCardinal]

40 minutes ago, Hongbit said:

Swift takes too much heat from Lions fans for a guy that is our best RB drafted since Barry in 1989 and arguably 2nd best 2nd rounder since Jason Hanson in 1992.   

It's not his fault, but he can't stay healthy, or handle a full workload, or both. It's also not his fault, but the RB taken six picks after him in the same draft was Jonathan Taylor.

I don't think it's unreasonable to be frustrated with his performance, especially when you see the flashes of what he could be. Him being the best RB the Lions have drafted since Barry speaks more to the historical ineptitude of the franchise than it does Swift's abilities.

[Jason_R]

When Swift was healthy he showed what a high end talent can do at RB in this offense. He put up 5.5 yards per carry playing on a bad ankle most of the season.

Jamaal Williams had a career year, a great season, more power to him. Averaged 4.1 YPC. That's what Pittsburgh averaged per carry and it was good for 25th in the NFL. 

[RandyMarsh]

To be fair to Jamal he also was used alot in short yardage situation where your only objective is to gain a yard or two so his ypc is kinda misleading.

 

Edited February 9, 2023 by RandyMarsh

[Jason_R]

16 minutes ago, RandyMarsh said:

To be fair to Jamal he also was used alot in short yardage situation where your only objective is to gain a yard or two so his ypc is kinda misleading.

 

True but the difference is consistent with the eye test. Williams had a great season. Still makes me nervous to pay him what I think his agent will ask. 

[Motown Bombers]

Some are likely to be franchised, but there are a lot of running backs that are free agents this year. Williams may not get what he wants and/or the Lions will have options. 

[MichiganCardinal]

Jamaal is a really good #2 power/goal line back. I would pay him as such, but if he wants more than that, he may need to look elsewhere. He's also turning 28 this offseason, so I probably wouldn't want to do any longer than a two-year deal. There are some freaks of nature RBs who can perform into their late 20s and 30s, but those are the exceptions not the rule.

[1984Echoes]

I don't think Jamaal will get huge offers based specifically on the issues mentioned above.

I think he will be completely affordable/ available to the Lions for a 2 or 3-year contract.

[Longgone]

53 minutes ago, Jason_R said:

True but the difference is consistent with the eye test. Williams had a great season. Still makes me nervous to pay him what I think his agent will ask. 

The market will decide his worth, not his agent.

[gehringer_2]

43 minutes ago, Longgone said:

The market will decide his worth, not his agent.

if the market decided, good chance that means he's playing for someone else. 

[1984Echoes]

31 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

if the market decided, good chance that means he's playing for someone else. 

No...

I think the opposite will be decided by the market...

That he ends up with the Lions.

[buddha]

jamal gets what his offensive line gives him.  he is strong and runs hard, butbhe has no wiggle and doesnt make people miss.  

swift is more talented than jamal.  much more talented.  swift made this offense so much better.  they really complimented one another.

[Cruzer1]

On 2/9/2023 at 9:20 PM, buddha said:

jamal gets what his offensive line gives him.  he is strong and runs hard, butbhe has no wiggle and doesnt make people miss.  

swift is more talented than jamal.  much more talented.  swift made this offense so much better.  they really complimented one another.

Agree, and people forget that Swift had some tough injuries that he had to fight through. He had an ankle and shoulder injuries, which are tough for running backs.

[Mr.TaterSalad]

Karsch and Anderson were talking about this on The Ticket today and I thought I'd ask it here.

Pick #6: Do you think it is more likely the Lions trade back, move up, or draft at #6?

Pick #18: Do you think it is more likely the Lions trade back, move up, or draft at #18?

[Hongbit]

Based on history, I’d say stay at 6 and trade up from 18. 

[1984Echoes]

At #6: stay or trade down.

At #18: Stay.

[RedRamage]

At #6: Trade down to the low teens.

At #18: Trade up to the mid-top 10 range.

[RandyMarsh]

McShay has us taking Murphy and Ringo in his latest mock. 

Btw he Has Porter, Weatherspoon and Gonzalez all going right before the Ringo pick. If it played out like that in real life I could see Holmes moving to make sure he secured his guy instead of being stuck with the leftover. 

[Jason_R]

If the blue chip DL prospects are gone and they can’t trade back from 6, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them pick Skoronski. Every down player, slides to RT when his rookie contract is up and Sewell slides to LT.

I would hate to see them trade up from 18 in this draft. Between Witherspoon, Gonzalez, Porter, Branch, and Bijan, there are plenty of players who would start week one and provide a massive upgrade. 

[RandyMarsh]

1 minute ago, Jason_R said:

If the blue chip DL prospects are gone and they can’t trade back from 6, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them pick Skoronski. Every down player, slides to RT when his rookie contract is up and Sewell slides to LT.

I would hate to see them trade up from 18 in this draft. Between Witherspoon, Gonzalez, Porter, Branch, and Bijan, there are plenty of players who would start week one and provide a massive upgrade. 

Would Skoronski be able to play guard until we move on from Decker? I assume the answer would be yes but I also have heard that just cause you can play tackle doesn't mean you can play guard or atleast play it at a high level. Kinda like in baseball where if your SS people just assume you will be elite when you move down the defensive spectrum but that isn't always the case. 

[Jason_R]

30 minutes ago, RandyMarsh said:

Would Skoronski be able to play guard until we move on from Decker? I assume the answer would be yes but I also have heard that just cause you can play tackle doesn't mean you can play guard or atleast play it at a high level. Kinda like in baseball where if your SS people just assume you will be elite when you move down the defensive spectrum but that isn't always the case. 

Four star recruit between Pro Bowl caliber center and RT, with Hank Fraley as his position coach. Something tells me he would figure it out and they would maul together.

TIL Skoronski’s grandfather was LT and captain of Vince Lombardi’s Packers dynasty. 

[MichiganCardinal]

2 hours ago, RandyMarsh said:

Would Skoronski be able to play guard until we move on from Decker? I assume the answer would be yes but I also have heard that just cause you can play tackle doesn't mean you can play guard or atleast play it at a high level. Kinda like in baseball where if your SS people just assume you will be elite when you move down the defensive spectrum but that isn't always the case. 

From what I’ve read on Skoronski, some project him as either an All Pro guard if that’s where he is put or a really good tackle if that’s where he is put. IIRC, it has to do with his arm length.

[buddha]

they really really really need corners.  skoronski or robinson seem like luxury picks with how much they need dbs and a defensive tackle (and linebackers).

lets not forget that this was one of the worst defenses in the league last year.  they need help in the secondary very badly.

[RandyMarsh]

23 minutes ago, buddha said:

they really really really need corners.  skoronski or robinson seem like luxury picks with how much they need dbs and a defensive tackle (and linebackers).

lets not forget that this was one of the worst defenses in the league last year.  they need help in the secondary very badly.

I agree they def need corners but again to me it comes down to how Holmes views all these top corners. I've seen as many as 6 CBs with 1st round grades all of which are separated by only a couple points, if he feels similar in the fact that they are all essentially the same then he can wait till 18 and get one.

OTOH there seems to only be 2 1st rd graded O-lineman and only 1 RB so you're not going to get a similar one if you wait on them.

With that said I have my doubts that he would take an O lineman in the 1st even with that in mind but if he does I'd be willing to bet reasons such as that are why. He's all about getting the highest value guys regardless of position or need hence why he traded up for Jamo last year and then drafted a dlineman in the 2nd despite us having far more pressing needs in the secondary. 

[Cruzer1]

I would trade down, and try to get some future picks.

[buddha]

use one of your second rounders to trade up from 6 to 3 to get carter or anderson.  use 18 on a cornerback.

bingo: super bowl.