Apr 25, 2013; New York, NY, USA;
(BYU) is introduced by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell (left) and Detroit Lions former player
(right) as the number five overall pick to the Detroit Lions during the 2013 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
I haven’t seen the movie “Draft Day” yet, but I understand that it shows all of the shenanigans and lies that front offices use to dupe other teams into believing one thing, while all along they’re planning on doing something else. I’ll wait until it comes out for rental, but I don’t need a movie to tell me that it’s smoke and mirrors season in the NFL. It’s that time of the year when you can’t believe your own ears because no one is telling the truth.
It happens every year, when teams lay out their baited traps for other teams to fall for. One of the biggest stories this season is the Detroit Lions courting Clemson’s Sammy Watkins so blatantly in the open. The man-love going on between these two sides is starting to make me nauseous. I don’t blame Watkins one bit; he knows he’s going to be a top ten pick, and if you could choose what team to go to, then why not join the Lions and learn the tricks of the trade from Calvin Johnson? The Lions have him thinking that he’s the missing link to a championship, but is he just a pawn in their plans?
I’m not buying it for one second. The Lions just don’t operate that way. The Lions let you know what their intentions are about as much as the National Security Agency does: never. This is an organization that believes “the less you know, the better”. So why are they parading around their affection for Sammy Watkins so openly? Everybody seems to think the Lions are going to trade up for his services.
I think it would be foolish to give away extra picks for a wide receiver to be the last link on offense, when this is such a deep draft for receivers and you need so much help on defense. Remember, don’t believe everything you read. Minnesota’s Mike Zimmer says there were some red flags at Johnny Manziel’s pro day. The Browns missed Manziel’s pro day all together as to not tip their hand to the other teams. Ron Jaworski of ESPN has said that he wouldn’t take Manziel in the first three rounds. I’m willing to bet after all of this talk Manziel goes in the top ten picks.
As for the Lions, they want to win now. Watkins would be must helpful when reaching his peak in a couple of years from now, when Calvin Johnson is on the downside of his career. I think the Lions have someone in mind they would like to trade up for, and are using Watkins as a prop to cover their intentions as to who they REALLY want to get.
It’s draft season, don’t believe anyone.