The Packers victory in Super Bowl XLV (following Christina Aguilera’s anthem fail) officially closed the 2010 season and one of the teams talked about as one with potential to break into the playoffs in 2011 was the Detroit Lions. While optimism for the Lions’ 2011 season was riding high, the specter of a lockout loomed. The possibility of a lockout became real enough to start writing about and even brought about its own set of relevant topics.

Meanwhile, Bob Sanders’ was released by the Colts and Shaun Rogers was in the middle of a free agency tour. Both names garnered plenty of talks among Lions fans.

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Nnamdi Asomugha

I probably dashed some hopes yesterday when I told Lions fans everywhere to not even think about the possibility of Bob Sanders joining the Lions. I don’t mean to be a downer but it just doesn’t makes sense given the consistency that Martin Mayhew and company have developed in the way they do business. There is another Pro Bowl caliber player that will be on the free agent market that would make a lot more sense for the Lions.

Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha is guaranteed to hit the free agent market thanks to his exotic contract that voided after last season and prohibits the Raiders from using the franchise tag on him. He is certainly a player the Raiders would like to retain but financial constraints make that nearly impossible. The Raiders announced a new contract for defensive end Richard Seymour earlier this week and in doing so effectively chose to keep Seymour at Asomugha’s expense.

You can be sure that Asomugha will draw a ton of interest and will command a high salary. Pursuing him would seem to go against the organization’s insistence that they won’t make a “big splash” this off-season but that is the only factor that doesn’t seem to make sense. Nnamdi Asomugha doesn’t bring the injury concerns of Bob Sanders or the character concerns of Shaun Rogers. Asomugha is a big name but the Lions shouldn’t hold that against him.

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Bob Sanders

Detroit Lions invariably get excited whenever a big name becomes available. Get ready for another round of “is he a fit?” with the announcement by the Indianapolis Colts that they have released safety Bob Sanders.

Come on Lions fans, you’re smarter than letting your mind go there. Bob Sanders isn’t a fit and you know it.

Fans in Detroit like to complain about contract the Tigers had to pay out to players like Jeremy Bonderman and Carlos Guillen that have battled injuries. Well, the Colts paid Bob Sanders $25 million to play in nine games. Not exactly the best value for their money. Bob Sanders is as good as they come when he’s on the field but therein lies the problem: Bob Sanders is hardly ever on the field.

A Lions pursuit of Bob Sanders would be a departure from the path that Martin Mayhew and Jim Schwartz have steadily headed down the past couple of years. Schwartz stated that the team won’t look to make a big splash in free agency. While Sanders’ availability couldn’t have been predicted at the time of those words it doesn’t change the fact that the Lions aren’t likely to chase after a high risk, high reward player like Bob Sanders.

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