Lions tales: Peter King is loony, Harvey is the pick and more Roy Williams trade rumors

1. Today I learned Sport Illustrated’s NFL guru, Peter King, is batshit crazy. What makes me think King is off his rocker? This…

"If Ryan is sitting there at six or seven, I expect Detroit, Carolina and Chicago to inquire about trading up."

Making a move to get Ryan, who is far from a sure thing, would be the most idiotic move in the history of idiotic moves. Would Matt Millen be so dense as to trade up to draft a QB in the 1st round, essentially making last season’s 2nd round pick, Drew Stanton, irrelevant? Well, when you consider we’re talking about the porn ‘stached goon, I wouldn’t put it past him, but I’d have to believe saner heads in the Lions’ war room would prevail.

To take a QB in the early rounds would be the Lions admitting the Stanton pick was a mistake. He may well be, but it’s still too early to tell. Would I have taken an injury prone QB who ran John “L is for Lansing” Smith’s loopy ass version of the spread which was light years away from a pro style offense? Uh…No. But that’s fodder for another post.

Claiming the Lions would contemplate trading up for a QB, any QB, be it Ryan, Chad Henne or Brian Brohm? That’s nothing but sheer lunacy. It’s not going to happen.

As it now stands, Stanton is the heir apparent to Jon Kitna. Period. Let him throw a few passes in anger during the 2008 season before we pass judgment, and start out bi-annual bellyaching for a new QB.

2. At least King kept his senses together long enough to make much more sense when doing his latest mock…

"15. Detroit. DE Derrick Harvey, Florida. Not out of the question that the Leos could take a running back here, but this pick is in line with the staff’s belief that the front seven has to be fixed, and it has to be fixed now."

Now that makes sense. In fact, it’s well-known Rod Marinelli would like…No, desperately wants…to draft Harvey. The Lions need a defensive end. Hell, they’ve needed an end since the days Wayne Fontes was riding around in his golf cart, smoking stogies. Remember his saying he wanted to draft “An end who could block out the sun!”

Block out the sun? I’d be happy with an end who would occasionally get to the QB, thank you very much.

3. There were reports out of Philly today saying the Iggles want Roy Williams, as per GCobb.com. (That’s GCobb as in Gary Cobb, the former Lions linebacker, by the way.)

"Mike Quick who is the analyst for the Eagles games with Merrill Reese says there will be news about Roy Williams before the week is out.Mike Quick says he thinks the Birds are going to make a major move at the wide receiver position. He talked about Roy Williams and the potential that the Eagles will make a deal to acquire a wide receiver. He says there will be news on Roy Williams before the week is out."

The rumors swirling around Williams won’t go away. I’m sure we’ll hear even more as the draft draws near. Supposedly the Eagles had been dangling Lito Sheppard and a draft pick in front of Millen, but were turned down. The Philly offer makes no sense for the Lions. They are no longer in dire need of a corner, thanks to Brian Kelly signing on as a free agent, and the trade for Leigh Bodden.

Why on earth would the Lions want another highly paid corner in Sheppard? I know, I know, the easy joke would be “Overload the salary cap at one position? Of course the Lions will! That’s what Millen does!” As with the Matt Ryan rumor, saner heads appear to be prevailing in Allen Park.

The Philly site also mentions the Cowboys (Which we already know…) and Redskins (That’s a new one!) want the Lions talented wide out, who’s in the walk year of his contract. Once again, Marinelli has told the local media a trade will not happen.

"At the Lions’ pre-draft news conference today, Millen was asked if there was any way the Lions would trade Williams. He just laughed.Seated next to Millen, Marinelli said: “Don’t even ask me.” Asked if that meant no, Millen continued to laugh and said: “That thing is brutal.”"

Not as brutal as your drafts, Matt! But I digress…

The Lions have too many holes to not even think of trading from one of their few positions of strength. I’m still of the mind that trading Roy Williams wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. The Lions have 3 excellent to quite capable receivers in Calvin Johnson (We were told he was the next coming at this time last year), Mike Furrey (1000+ yards receiving in ’06) and Shaun McDonald (900+ yards receiving in ’07). What the Lions gain in quality players would be more than the Lions lose in diva wideout production.

If trading Williams this Saturday gets you multiple picks (One would have to be a decent 1st rounder) or a 1st and a starter, you have to consider it. If the Lions don’t think they can re-sign him, they would just about have to trade Williams. Detroit lost 9 games with Roy Williams, they can do the same without him.