SideLion Report » NFL Draft

The Detroit Lions Can’t Make The Same Draft Mistakes They Have in the Past

Zach Berridge — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 15:22:10 +0000

In my eyes, this coming season is all about one thing for the Detroit Lions. Getting over the hump. The real one. The barrier between an 8-10 win Wild Card team and an elite team that is feared by every opponent they face. With the right moves done in the first round, I think we [...]

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Late Round Draft Gems For The Detroit Lions

Zach Berridge — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 22:45:59 +0000

By this time of year, even the casual NFL fan could name the top 10 or 15 players that will be selected in the first round. All you have to do is watch twenty minutes of Sportscenter every other day. But there are 750 players in the draft, and has history has occassionally proven, successful teams can be built through depth of the draft.

First and second round picks are glamorous, sure. But don’t forget to tune in on Saturday April, 28 when rounds 4-7 take place. I think there’s some real quality players not expected to be drafted very high that could fit in perfectly for the Detroit Lions.

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Which Free Agents should the Detroit Lions Re-sign?

Michael Olsen — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:30:10 +0000

The Lions have many decisions to make regarding free agents, both restricted and unrestricted, during the 2012 off-season. Four of those players were starters this season on Detroit’s first playoff team this millennium, and Martin Mayhew and company will have some tough decisions to make regarding who to re-sign and at what cost.

Jeff Backus, Cliff Avril, Stephen Tulloch, and Eric Wright are unrestricted free agents heading into the 2012 season and while each of them brings something different to the table, they each also are surrounded by very different circumstances. Avril is a burgeoning superstar who was drafted by the Lions, Backus is nearing the end of his career, and Wright and Tulloch were both serviceable veterans brought in on one year contracts.

While The Lions front office would surely love to see all four re-sign this off-season, it simply doesn’t seem feasible. With the massive contracts of Stafford and Suh and the unparalleled payday that Calvin Johnson is sure to receive, the most realistic scenario would see the Lions being able to re-sign two of the previously mentioned free agents this offseason. This begs the question, which two should Mayhew focus on, considering the players’ salaries, depth at the positions, and availability of replacements?

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