Detroit Lions Offseason Thread 2023

[MichiganCardinal]

1 minute ago, Motown Bombers said:

I'm not sure why Harbaugh didn't get an NFL job after he left the 49ers. I'm not sure why Meyer, Kingsbury, Ruhle all got jobs ahead of Harbaugh. For some reason either NFL teams don't want him or he hasn't seen a job he wanted. To be honest I would rather have Harbaugh than Payton. 

I think from 2015-2020, he just didn't want a job in the NFL and was genuinely happy at Michigan. In 2020, the awful season at Michigan made him toxic... If so, this is only his second season trying to get a job in the NFL again. He's burned some bridges in the NFL, but not enough to never get a job again (IMO).

[Motown Bombers]

If Josh McDaniels didn't burn bridges in the NFL, I have no idea how Harbaugh burned bridges. Harbaugh has the receipts. 

[Jason_R]

1 hour ago, 1984Echoes said:

It's a huge jump from designing and running plays to running an entire team (reducing the amount of time doing what he knows best at this point...). I don't think he's ready yet but who knows?

I agree and if I were an owner I would not hire him. It is hard to imagine a guy with one year of experience as a coordinator being prepared to be the face of a franchise. 

Related, Sheila didn’t hire DC because of his Xs and Os. Nobody ever said or thought DC was a hot coaching candidate. But he oozes leadership. He has been an incredible face for the Lions franchise. 

[buddha]

maybe the guy is a great interview?  he's supposed to be really smart.  i'd be disappointed if he goes given how well he performed for most of this season, but that's what happens to good teams.

were just not used to the lions having any assistants worth poaching.

[Motown Bombers]

I think Johnson is a good fit for Carolina. Let him take a crack at Darnold while he's still young. You can still draft your future QB for Johnson to develop. The Panthers aren't devoid of talent either. They have some pieces. I think teams like Denver and Arizona where you got veteran QBs with baggage you are better off with a more experienced coach. 

[RandyMarsh]

Didnt the offense look pretty good with Campbell calling plays down the stretch in 2021? It wasn't as good as it was this year but I also think the personnel was better and healthier in 2022 vs. the end of 2021 so even if we lose Johnson unless we hire a total moron to replace him Im pretty confident the offense will be fine regardless. 

[Motown Bombers]

Just now, RandyMarsh said:

Didnt the offense look pretty good with Campbell calling plays down the stretch in 2021? It wasn't as good as it was this year but I also think the personnel was better and healthier in 2022 vs. the end of 2021 so even if we lose Johnson unless we hire a total moron to replace him Im pretty confident the offense will be fine regardless. 

I recall Johnson got a lot of credit for that as he became more involved in the designing of the plays and was credited for Goff improving last year. I believe the Lions will have a succession plan in place if Johnson gets a job. The Lions are now a destination for coaches so they will promote someone within to fill Johnson's position and then backfill that position with another coach. The Bills didn't cry when Daboll went to the Giants. They promoted Dorsey and the offense didn't miss a beat. 

[MichiganCardinal]

It’s not going to be possible to separate Campbell’s impact from Johnson’s until/unless they separate.

My intuition is that they’re both good, but it’s not as if Campbell will ever say “it’s all me”

[Jason_R]

FWIW I'm not saying Johnson shouldn't be interviewed or even hired. I can see why a GM or owner might think, "This guy got more out of Goff than Sean McVay." If McVay is your point of comparison, and Johnson compares favorably to him, I can see why you'd roll the dice, knowing that this is the only way to pry Johnson from Detroit.

Sheila (probably under the influence of Spielman) took a different approach. She didn't hire a brainy coordinator to be head coach. Instead she hired someone with the personality and experience to lead men and represent the franchise. 

Maybe Johnson has that. Maybe he can develop it over time. And if he gets hired away I hope he succeeds.

Anyway, even if he gets a job as an NFL head coach and fails at it, the going rate for a first time head coach is around four years/$5 million per, so he would walk away from his "failure" with $20 million.

[RandyMarsh]

I like the approach Sheila took so long as the "football guy" is open to what metrics and brainy people on the staff have to say and DC certainly fits that mold. 

I also think there is something to be said for having a HC that was an ex player, he's been through the grind and is better equipt to know what the players are going through and in turn earn their respect easier and make it easier for them to listen to you knowing he's been there before. 

I think if you're "just" a brainy coordinator that doesn't have motivational or leadership skills you're gonna have a hard time succeeding as a HC in this league regardless of how smart you are and how intricate your play designs are. 

[holygoat]

If Johnson gets an HC gig, who does he take with him from the Lions staff? 

[Jason_R]

2 hours ago, RandyMarsh said:

I think if you're "just" a brainy coordinator that doesn't have motivational or leadership skills you're gonna have a hard time succeeding as a HC in this league regardless of how smart you are and how intricate your play designs are. 

cough Matt Patricia cough

[RedRamage]

12 hours ago, Jason_R said:

cough Matt Patricia cough

Excuse me, but Matt Patricia is not a brainy coordinator.  He's a brainy Senior Football Advisor/Offensive Line Coach.  It says so right here:

 

[RedRamage]

15 hours ago, holygoat said:

If Johnson gets an HC gig, who does he take with him from the Lions staff? 

I don't know... I just don't feel like he's been around that long to form that many close bonds with other coaches... but maybe I'm wrong.  Maybe there's a lot closer connection that we ever saw in Hard Knocks.  I could see him maybe trying to take Brunell as his OC?  Maybe Fraley?

On the flip side, I feel like is AG gets a HC gig he'll take Duce with him.

I'm also wondering if Johnson does leave, who's the new OC here?  I think Brunell and Staley are the top options.

[Motown Bombers]

I think I would have the Lions ahead of Minnesota. 

[buddha]

...but behind dallas.

[Motown Bombers]

Lions would beat Dallas in a rematch plus the Lions have the better QB. 

[buddha]

dvoa has the lions 9th.

buffalo, san fran, philly, kc, cincy, dallas, baltimore, miami, and then detroit.

weighted dvoa has them 6th.  that's a measure that takes more recent games into account.

san fran, buffalo, kc, cincy, philly, and then detroit.

i wonder if campbell gets any coach of the year votes?  from a bottom 3 team to a top 10 team in one season.  

[MichiganCardinal]

If you told me only one Lion was named to an All Pro team, I’m not sure Kalif would be in my first ten guesses. Good for him all the same, but there were some serious snubs on this squad.
 

[RandyMarsh]

I think Sewell, Jake Fox and possibly ARSB have pretty good cases but outside of them I don't know if there were any true snubs. In ARSB's case he was graded at number 2 by PFF so going by that he certainly deserves it but he just didn't quite have the raw numbers outside of receptions to make it. 

[MichiganCardinal]

14 minutes ago, RandyMarsh said:

I think Sewell, Jake Fox and possibly ARSB have pretty good cases but outside of them I don't know if there were any true snubs. In ARSB's case he was graded at number 2 by PFF so going by that he certainly deserves it but he just didn't quite have the raw numbers outside of receptions to make it. 

ASB deserved it over CeeDee Lamb. But Dallas will get picked over Detroit all day everyday.

[Tigeraholic1]

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Edited January 15, 2023 by Tigeraholic1

[Motown Bombers]

 

[1984Echoes]

Seems like a good spot for this (probably works in the draft thread too as it might affect draft philosophy):

Aidan Hutchinson was double-teamed more than any other NFL pass rusher in 2022

https://sports.yahoo.com/aidan-hutchinson-double-teamed-more-115003446.html

 

[Motor City Sonics]

On 1/12/2023 at 2:20 PM, Motown Bombers said:

I think Johnson is a good fit for Carolina. Let him take a crack at Darnold while he's still young. You can still draft your future QB for Johnson to develop. The Panthers aren't devoid of talent either. They have some pieces. I think teams like Denver and Arizona where you got veteran QBs with baggage you are better off with a more experienced coach. 

They'll take Levis in the draft. 

 

The Houston Texans are so bad that C.J. Stroud considered staying in school.       Tell the Texans now "Don't draft me, I want to play for an NFL team".