Robinson would be a good signing if it's not way over the top $$ wise. If I'm him and I've spent my entire NFL career with Bortles, Trubisky and Fields/Dalton, I'm probably willing to take a bit of a discount before I sign up for the Goff experience.
Walker is starting to get some buzz for #2. Travon Walker, Georgia, 6-foot-5, 272 4.51/1.62 (40/10), 6.89 (3-cone), 4.32 (short shuttle), 35.5 vertical, 10-foot-4 broad jump Walker’s performance was so impressive that it has some talking about him being a possible contender for the Lions and their No. 2 pick. If this seems like an overreaction after a workout, I want to point you to the fact that The Athletic’s Dane Brugler (arguably the best draft analyst in the game) has been singing Walker's praises for months now and had him ranked as his sixth-best player in his pre-Combine rankings ($ubscrption): I know I’m higher on Walker than most, but I’m okay with that — I’m betting on his rare traits. He has impressive movement skills for a 275-pounder, including an explosive first step to shoot through gaps, cross the face of blockers or chase down plays. He wasn’t asked to be a consistent outside rusher in the Bulldogs’ scheme, but that helped him develop into a strong run defender, disengaging and leveraging blocks. Walker is still developing his sequencing plan as a pass rusher, but he has freaky athletic traits for his size and offers the natural power and length to consistently win his matchups. He projects as a scheme-diverse end with the ceiling to be one of the best NFL defenders from this draft class. And his excellent performance in Indianapolis went beyond the measurable numbers. In drills, he displayed fluidity in his movements, quick feet, powerful hands, loose hips, explosion out of the gate and changing direction, solid bend, a smooth ability to drop into coverage, movement without hesitation or pauses, and overall things just looked easy for him.
Spoiler: i didn't fix the formatting Detroit Lions poised to be major players in WR market, and other thoughts from NFL combine Dave Birkett Detroit Free Press INDIANAPOLIS — Antwaan Randle El is about to get his wish. Randle El, the Detroit Lions wide receivers coach, said at the Senior Bowl he hoped the Lions would add three receivers this offseason, including one who could be a true difference maker on the outside. I’m not sure how many pass catchers the Lions will end up adding to their nucleus before next season, but my big takeaway from four days at the NFL combine this week is that I expect the Lions to be major players in the receiver market when free agency opens later this month. THEY SAID IT:What Lions GM Brad Holmes, coach Dan Campbell said at NFL combine The agent for one of the top pending free agent receivers said the Lions indicated in a meeting last week they value his receiver in the same financial ballpark he expects his player to fetch in free agency, and multiple other sources view the Lions as legitimate contenders to sign one of the position’s premier free agents. Lions safety Will Harris defends Bears wide receiver Allen Robinson during the first half at Ford Field on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020. Outside of Davante Adams, who appears ticketed for the franchise tag or an extension with the Green Bay Packers (unless something changes with the Aaron Rodgers situation), I could see the Lions pursuing one of Allen Robinson, Mike Williams, Chris Godwin or Christian Kirk, among others. I don’t know the Lions’ pecking order of preferred players, but Robinson, a Detroit native, and Williams, who had career-highs of 76 catches and 1,146 yards last season, have the size the Lions covet on the outside, while Godwin and Kirk are elite slot receiver options who would make for an interesting pairing with Amon-Ra St. Brown. The Lions’ desire to improve their receiving corps runs deep and is rooted in logic that new offensive coordinator Ben Johnson explained in detail last week. The Lions were “efficient in the passing game” last season, Johnson said, but “weren't nearly as explosive or (did not) have the yards per attempt that we would like to get to truly unlock what we want to be able to do on offense.” Specifically, the Lions struggled in the red zone and third-down situations, where they ranked 31st in the league in both categories. Johnson said adding a true X receiver would help unlock an offense that already has a good tight end in T.J. Hockenson and potentially one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. “In particular, when we get down there (in the red zone), the size matchups make a huge difference,” Johnson said. “That was another thing that we brought up (in our self-scout) is how many times did we really throw it outside the numbers when we got down there tight? And probably below league average. So that's something we need to look at and need to continue to explore.” CARLOS MONARREZ:What Dan Campbell DIDN'T say might hint at Lions’ QB plans in 2022 NFL draft There is no guarantee the Lions come away with one of the top free agent receivers (and I’d expand their interest to include players currently under contract like Calvin Ridley, who could be traded by the Atlanta Falcons, and Amari Cooper, who is a cut candidate with the Dallas Cowboys, though I did not hear the Lions linked to either of those players in particular). Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown celebrates a first down against the Packers during the first half on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022, at Ford Field. It takes two to tango, after all. Their preferred target(s) could fetch more money or find better fits elsewhere, and the Lions having a general interest in players now does need mean they will extend meaningful contract offers to those players when the free agent negotiating window opens March 14. But the Lions seem determined to build a young, aggressive defense and surround quarterback Jared Goff with as much talent as possible on offense. Goff reached a Super Bowl as quarterback of the Los Angeles Rams in 2018 when he had Todd Gurley, Robert Woods, Brandin Cooks and a young Cooper Kupp by his side. Lions coach Dan Campbell said often last season he did could not properly evaluate Goff given the dearth of talent around him. The reality is, Goff needs plenty of help to succeed and I expect the Lions to do their part in the coming weeks to bolster his supporting cast. More takeaways from Indy • You could make a compelling case the Lions should pass on top receiver talent in free agency and target upgrades through the draft, but one NFL receivers coach told me this week he was not as high on the group as some in the media. This was before eight receivers ran sub-4.4-second 40-yard dashes, but the coach’s belief was there are no receivers in this draft as good as the dynamic trio at the top of last year’s draft — Ja’Marr Chase, Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith were all top-10 picks — and that several of this year’s top prospects have injury concerns that could impact their production as rookies. USC’s Drake London fractured his ankle in October and sat out drills at the combine, and Alabama receivers Jameson Williams and John Metchie suffered late-season ACL injuries. Both London and Williams are projected first-round picks. Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams speaks during a press conference at the NFL football scouting combine, Wednesday, March 2, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings) If the Lions add a veteran receiver to pair with St. Brown and a healthy Quintez Cephus, they might be able to wait until Day 2 or 3 to draft a pass catcher. There is good depth at receiver in this draft, and Lions general manager Brad Holmes has a history of finding good value at the position with St. Brown last year (as a fourth-round pick) and players like Kupp, Van Jefferson and Josh Reynolds all taken between Picks No. 57 and 117 when Holmes was college scouting director of the Rams. • I don’t have a good read yet on whether the Lions will consider a quarterback at No. 2, but two high-ranking offensive coaches whose teams are not in the market for a first-round quarterback said they see a gap between the top two QBs, Kenny Pickett and Malik Willis, and everyone else. MORE FROM BIRKETT:Lions need 'conviction' to draft from this year's questionable QB crop Pickett had a standout senior season at Pitt and has his champions in the NFL. He played in a full-field-read offense, which should help his transition, and showed tremendous growth as a player last year. Willis is not nearly as polished, but he has a bazooka for an arm, exceptional mobility and undeniable strength in the pocket. Both players earn high marks for their leadership qualities. The Lions certainly could go the draft-and-develop route with a high-upside player like Willis, but taking him at No. 2 seems a bit too rich given his current flaws. I gave Michigan pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson to the Lions in my first mock draft and don’t see that changing in my next one, unless I somehow mock Hutchinson to the Jaguars. • Speaking of Jacksonville … it’s a foregone conclusion the Jaguars will put the No. 1 pick up for auction come April. The problem, of course, is that there does not appear to be a player teams will be compelled to go up and get. The Lions might actually be in a better position to trade at No. 2 with offensive linemen Evan Neal and Ickey Ekwonu a tier above their counterparts at the position. I think the chances are slim of a trade out, but if Jacksonville takes one of those linemen at No. 1, maybe another offensive line-needy team picking in the top five feels compelled to move up. • Lions running back Jamaal Williams tagged safety Tracy Walker in an Instagram post last week that several readers brought to my attention. Williams wrote, “Can’t wait to go back to war with my dawg T-WalkuhhSan,” which many took to mean Walker was returning to Detroit. No deal is imminent with Walker and the Lions, though one certainly could be finalized next week. Walker had a nice season in 2021, and there is mutual interest in a return to Detroit — especially with safeties Jessie Bates and Marcus Williams among the franchise tag candidates. • As I wrote earlier, I expect the Lions to spend much of their early draft capital on defense, where they have the chance to develop a deep, strong unit that will serve them well in the future. Oregon defensive lineman Kayvon Thibodeaux talks to the media during the NFL scouting combine, March 4, 2022 in Indianapolis. Fans of the movie “Draft Day” will understand this, but for all the talk about pass rushers up top — and for good reason; the value warrants taking Hutchinson or Kayvon Thibodeaux, if the Lions deem him a culture fit — part of me wonders if Holmes has a yellow sticky note with, “Nakobe Dean no matter what,” somewhere in his office. • One final thought: Count me among the many who hope the combine returns to Indianapolis in 2023. The NFL is considering moving the event to Dallas or Los Angeles. There probably is a lot of money in a move, and we know that always wins out. But I’d guess the overwhelming majority of NFL people like the combine where it is with great proximity to hotels, restaurants, event space and medical facilities, plus plenty of familiarity. Location questions aside, there is less value in the combine (outside of the medical testing) than ever. Teams have access to an abundance of GPS play data that matters more than 40-yard dash and shuttle times, and they get more meaningful access to prospects for film sessions and interviews over Zoom than they do in-person in Indy. Decision makers still want to see players compete on the field, especially prospects who may be jumbled at a position. But the pandemic spurred changes to the scouting process that are better for everyone involved. I’d say the NFL and its teams should take a hard look at the need for the combine in its current form, but going back to the money, there’s no reason for the league to let go of a free pot of gold. Contact Dave Birkett at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
So $6M a year? That's a solid deal. I like a receiving corp of Reynolds, St. Brown, Cephus, Draft Pick and Raymond/Hodge.
Guess this means Hutchinson should be the favorite for #1 overall now. Also figure that #9 is going back to Seattle with Willis the favorite for that pick.
Man...Fuck the Lions for not getting a better return for Stafford. After seeing this Wilson trade, we got fleeced. Also, I know Wilson is better.
When do we hear about Flowers either getting cut or possibly taking a pay cut to stay? Everyone assumes the former is most likely, but seems like it's been pretty quiet on that front.
According to Over the Cap a post-June 1st cut saves them an extra $5 mil or so. But I think you can designate players as that and still release them now. Decker appears to become much more easily traded after 6/1 as well.
this doesn’t get talked about enough. Almost like we did Stafford a favor by trading him where he wanted. It was an awful return.
I think Hamilton is a talent worthy of a top 3 pick and won’t be upset if he’s the pick. But, man, it’d feel like another lower positional value pick in the top 10. Two top 10 TEs, a CB (who never felt like a Woodson/Patrick Peterson type), and now a safety. If we pick a QB with 32 or 34, I’m just going to pencil us in for a guard with our top 5 pick next season. Safeties can be very impactful these days. Just feels like two is a bit too high. Not a bad pick, but it’ll feel like we spent a year of tanking to get a B or B+ type of pick.
this is probably one of the weakest drafts in terms of top tier talent. If you were to reach for a lower positional value pick, this would be the year to do it.
If they think someone can be an All-Pro level player, I don't think position matters in this draft. If Hamilton is that guy, 2 isn't too high.
If Hutchinson is gone, things seem to be trending for Walker with the pick. A lot of mocks are starting to have go 3 to the Texans but that's with the Jags taking an OT at 1
I’ve mentioned this before, but there is a scenario where an OT tops our board. If that’s the case, I wouldn’t be stunned if we shopped Decker to a team like Cincinnati to see if we can get their first to open up a spot for an OL.
Not that we will move Goff, but we absolutely could get something for him if we did go that route. Might only be a third or something, and this regime won’t make that move, but if Wentz can get a few mid round picks, Goff can get something like that.
New USA Today mock has Aidan at 1 to the Jags, and the Lions trading 2 and 34 to the Jets for 4 and 10, drafting Hamilton, Sauce Gardner at 10 and Corral at 32.
I hate calling out mocks and whatnot, but that's an insane premise for the Jets. If they didn't have Wilson and it was for a QB I could see the argument to do something like that. Or maybe if it was a year where Chase Young was going #2. But that's a lot for the right to draft Ikem Ekwonu.
From the FA predictions article on The Athletic. The Bridgewater thing seems dumb to me, but several people are predicting we sign Williams. I know nothing about Oluokun. Detroit Lions S Marcus Williams LB Foyesade Oluokun QB Teddy Bridgewater The Williams connection is obvious. He spent time with Dan Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn in New Orleans. Oluokun led the NFL with 192 tackles last season and is only 27 years old. Bridgewater’s inclusion might surprise some, but did we all forget how exhausted Campbell seemed with the Jared Goff experience at times last season? Why not bring in another vet and let the two compete for the starting job? The goal for the Lions should be to develop the younger players on their roster while they search for a long-term solution at quarterback. Adding Bridgewater on a low-cost deal can give them another competent option.
Our only chance of trading back is if an OT goes one, and even then, we would likely have to take pennies on the dollar. I’m not against that, but I doubt such a thing happens.
We basically chose Goff over Teddy when we took the Rams deal over the Panthers offer. Maybe Teddy is fine coming here to compete, but that makes zero sense to me. I feel like we would sign a QB that can provide something on the ground, like Mariota, before Teddy.
When Goff gets hurt I want to lose as many games as possible. That's less likely with Bridgewater, so it would be a waste of money and poor rebuilding strategy.
I'm still team "trade 2 to Philly for 15+16". It's horrible value most years but I don't think it is this year. Philly has 3 picks and likes to do splashy things. I'd do that in a heartbeat over taking anyone (Hutchinson included) at 2 right now.
I could see us trading 2 to the Giants for 5, 67, and a 2023 3rd. That’s if they love Neal/Ekwonu and agree with the draft folk that they’re a level above Cross.
Carolina would be an ideal drop back team for this year if they are looking for OTs like a lot of people seem to believe. They don't have a 2 or 3 in this draft, though, and I'm not sure they'll be willing to mortgage future picks when they have to save up whatever they can to try to find an answer at QB.
Yep. They’re going to be interesting over the next couple months. Darnold trade is fucking them hard.
I've tried talking myself into Robinson and Kirk, but the WR market is too rich for me. Particularly with 3 picks in the top 34 of a good WR draft.
That's way too much money. Draft somebody at 32 or 34 and roll with St. Brown and that pick on rookie deals and Reynolds and Cephus for cheap.