DT Shaun Cody Signs With Houston; Rumors That The Lions Are In Negotiations With Their No. 1 Pick Are Swirling Around

The Detorit Lions Lost Shaun Cody to free agency this week as he signed a 3 year deal with the Houston Texans.

Look to your right… Laugh Out Loud… Repeat.

It’s not exactly a huge loss, but I think the team is going to feel it. It’s not like we are a deep team to begin with and Cody, though not exactly pro-bowl caliber, is a decent addition in the way of depth. He was our second round pick in 2005. If you’ve ever heard him give a radio interview, Cody is a really nice guy and gives a good interview. Don’t be surprised if you see him in the broadcast booth or sidelines in a few years. So we wish him well, good luck Mr. Cody!

Now all day there have been rumors swirling around on ESPN News (which I watch wayyyyy too much of) about reports coming out of Ann Arbor that the Lions were already negotiating with their intended first overall draft pick. I can’t guarantee the solidarity of any of the information, but I hope it happens soon. I can’t quite see the wisdom and commiting to anyone at this point though… It’s the NFL draft and everyone keeps their cards close to their chest. Denver is sitting tight, and for good reason. Cutler has talent and if they are going to let him go, and thats a big *IF*, they are going to want as a much as they can get for him.

Will it be a QB? Jim Schwartz said this about the QB Position on Monday:

"“I think when you’re building a team, it’s the first question you have to answer. If you’re drafting first (overall), I don’t know that you can say the same thing. There’s plenty of ways to build a team. “There’s plenty of ways that you can do it. I don’t know that you necessarily say, ‘Hey, if a guy’s there, you have to get him.’ I mean, just look around the league, and look at Peyton Manning and Kurt Warner — first pick in the draft, (and) a guy that wasn’t drafted.“I think that player is the most important position on the team. But I don’t know that it’s the most important thing when you’re talking about the first pick in the draft.”"

As a GM, sometimes the best decision you can make is a trade that you *don’t* execute. Cutler is good, why would they let him go? And if they hold onto him, will they get any production out of him?

The first overall draft pick will be decided by this Cutler situation. If the Lions can make it happen against all odds and get Cutler in the Honolulu blue, awesome, stamp it and draft the best lineman or secondary player available at no. 12. If not, they are taking Stafford; It’s not the greatest choice, but the guy wants to be here, he’s excited to aggressively take on this challenge. Coming off of an 0-16 season, you really can’t ask for much more. Mayhew is doing a good job up to this point with the Roy Williams deal and making something out of nothing with Kitna and the Peterson deal, so let’s give this new regime the benefit of the doubt, it looks like we’re actually only a year or two away from a genuine, bonafide professional football. Sure beats watching that god awful practice squad we had to endure last year.