Outside Looking In

Like the poor homeless orphan, looking into the window of the fancy restaraunt wondering what could be… The High School student that graduates, only to see his teammates win the State Championship the next year – celebrating with their old friends, but still not a part of the glory.  The band member that finally has to call it quits, only to have the group get famous right after he’s gone – going from what could have been to a footnote in the biography — an obscure bit of trivia knowledge for the most hard core fans. 

As the final cuts loom, there will be many players who get the dreaded visit from “the Turk” to collect their playbook and make their release from the team official.  They have been through OTA’s for most, training camp, workouts, conditioning…for months, the training camp roster has grown close — only to have some of those guys not be invited to the final party.  Whether the team does good or bad this season, most of those guys will be watching from somewhere else — for some of them, it will be their couch on Sundays — the dream over.

However, two guys that I feel for most weren’t cut.  The Turk hasn’t called them yet — rather, injuries and age finally took their toll.  They didn’t just have one training camp — or two our three — but more than ten years spent sweating, fighting, pounding, getting pounded — playing heart and soul for a team that was destined to go down in history for all the wrong reasons.  After all of this trial and tribulation, the same hard nosed dedicated play that endeared them to fans took its toll — and took them out of the game. 

The Lions are finally moving in a positive direction — even the national media has started covering the Lions as a team rather than a long-running gag in a some demented tragic farce.  But they will be on the outside, looking in.  Their invitation no longer valid.  The plane is taking off without them.  Yet, for us fans they will always be Lions — they guys we could root for through the worst of times because unlike most of the players we saw come through they earned it.

For Casey Fitzsimmons, he is already done.  For Jared Devries a second consecutive season on IR signals the end is also near for him as well.  They were two players who were loyal and dedicated to the team and the fans — and we were dedicated to them.  The new young guys can look back at what they did as an example of pure effort and dedication — because for a decade on a team that seemed not to belong in the big leagues these two men were true professionals. 

You may not be with the team, but your unbroken spirit lives on in the strength of the team today — and in the hearts of the fans.

Lions Congregation: Of Cornerbacks and Safeties

It is once again time for the Lions Congregation!  This week, we return to the mailbox to discuss concerns regarding the secondary — something I feel will be a common theme as the season progresses.  Have a question, concern or topic you’d like to see the Congregation address?  Email Lionscongregation@yahoo.com

This week’s panel:

Phil of Mlive.com
Al of The Wayne Fontes Experience
Zac of The Sidelion Report
NetRat of The NetRat Detroit Lions Site
Blades Boyd formerly of the Church of Schwartz
Joshua aka DetFan1979 of Roar of the Lions

Question 1 is from Tim H. — What is with the move of Amari Spievey to Safety? Is he a bust already?

Phil: PLEASE don’t label anyone a bust yet. I know it’s tempting, but even if a guy really does look like a bust, rookies are way too young to declare them so. With that in mind, Spievey isn’t a bust. He may not be blowing anyone away with his performance so far, but the two things dictating the move were his skill set — the guy can really hit and knows how to bring a ball carrier down — and the ability for him to get more playing time as a safety. Who knows? The guy may end up being a bust. It’s just far too early to label him — good or bad — at this point.

Al: As a cornerback, apparently Spievey is a bust. A pretty big one at that, considering his 3rd round draft status.

But the Lions must have seen something in his skill set they think will transfer to the safety position…or Spievey really is a massive bust and the coaches are scrambling in the hope he can become useful at another position of even greater need.

Let’s hope it’s the first scenario, not the second.

Either way, it’s not very encouraging news in regard to either Spievey’s talent or the Lions’ secondary as a whole, if a fairly high draft pick is being moved to a new position more than halfway through the preseason.

If Spievey’s skills were better suited to be used at safety, then he should have been working out at safety during mini-camp and OTA’s. Why move him now, when time is of the essence? You’d think the coaches would have noticed Spievey’s skills not translating to corner in the NFL during those numerous OTA’s, right? I find it hard to believe the coaching staff just realized this, considering Spievey’s lack of playing time against the Steelers and Broncos.

Before we start throwing the “Bust” word around with malice aforethought, let’s see if Spievey will step in capably at safety. It’s not like the Lions are set at the position, save for Delmas…who’s trying to nurse his gimpy groin through camp. There’s no guarantee Delmas will be ready for the season opener, which is less than 2 1/2 weeks away.

Even if filling one need by creating another isn’t exactly the optimum way to fix the defensive backfield, it’s a better option than sending the Turk to collect Spievey’s playbook.

Zac: No player can be fairly labeled a bust before the regular season even begins. Let’s also remember that safety is a position of need for the Lions too. Spievey wasn’t working out as a solution at corner so the coaching staff felt it was time to see if he can fill a need at safety. This shouldn’t be a complete surprise considering the amount of zone coverage Spievey played with the Iowa Hawkeyes. The move to safety allows him to play more in space rather than worrying about man coverage so often.

NetRat: Most 1st round Cornerback picks don’t start in their rookie year. Many cornerbacks take 2 or even 3 years before they become starters regardless of round drafted in. Like Wide Receiver, it just takes time. Spievey has the tools to be a great Safety in the NFL and I believe he can also play Nickel Cornerback which might mean he will be seeing the field this year rather then being buried on the depth chart at cornerback (the starters being Wade and Houston). One could almost look at the move as a promotion… should it work out. The bust in this case is Mr King… and possibly Hefner as well since he also already made the move to Safety and yet the Lions seem to not be content with that. No, Spievey should not be considered a bust.

Blades: I think it’s to early to call Spievey a bust and I honestly believe this was a move the Lions knew they would have to make, although they didn’t want too. I think they were hoping he would come in to camp and surprise everyone and he be a solid CB of the future but obviously that didn’t happen and as a result they moved him to safety. I honestly beleive the Lions drafted him with the thoughts of him playing safety but they shot for the moon with him at CB and lost.

DetFan1979: Too early to say bust, but he certainly has a lot of potential for heading that way.  The bad news is that he hasn’t shown diddly in the way of progressing into a starter or even a solid backup at CB in practices, and even less when I’ve seen him play in the preseason.

When they first drafted him, I felt his skill set more fit safety than CB.  Hard hitter?  Likes to tackle?  Burst but not fast? Good in coverage but has trouble flipping the hips the and locating the ball?  Sounds like a guy more suited to having above average cover skills for a safety, versus below average cover skills for a CB.  We’ll have to see, I guess.

On the positive side, if Spievey can develop in a solid Safety – even a backup – as well as being able to play some CB for the team, or come in on nickel and dime situations in the flat on TE’s and RB’s it will not have been a wasted pick.  It’s a big IF at this point, but keep in mind that Delmas is an anomaly — most secondary players, especially CB’s are like the WR position — it takes time to adjust to the NFL game.  Lets cross our fingers and hope — but it’s still waaay to early to give.  Hey, at least that Running Back bush that Mayhew shipped in from out west seems to be growing well…

Question 2 is from John G. — Cornerback was already weak. With Spievey at safety, do they make a move – and who is really left out there?

Phil: It’s common for fans to look at the team, see a problem and think, ”OK, why not fix it somehow?” Upgrade through free agency, trade, etc. That’s understandable, but it’s also not always realistic. A crappy corner doesn’t do you any good and you’re not going to see a lot of great CBs available in a trade — teams simply won’t let them go. After the third preseason game and then right after final cuts, the Lions will see who is available and that’s when they can decide to make a move.  Even at that point, though, you’re likely find a diamond in the rough – deep, deep in the rough — or a vet who is a stopgap.

Al: Cornerback was already weak when Spievey was in the mix. It’s now scary weak, and there isn’t anyone out there for the Lions to pick up…yet.

I just hope to Hell we don’t see what happened last season with the secondary. The Lions spent the much of the ‘09 season picking up a waiver wire wonder off the street on Tuesday, and have him starting at corner on Sunday. More often than not, that same player would end up on IR or cut, only to be replaced by another waiver wire wonder the next Tuesday…when the ugly circle would begin again.

So I’m guessing the Lions do make a move, but the player (or players) are still on other NFL rosters at the moment.

There’s sure to be players of interest (and not just at cornerback) to the Lions after the cutdown to 75 players on August 31st, and when the final 53 man rosters are set on September 4th. As they’ll have waiver priority over every other NFL not named the Rams, the odds are damn good Martin Mayhew will get his man…or more likely, men.

Zac: I wouldn’t be surprised to see roster moves regarding the safety position up to and through the regular season. It is clearly an area of concern, especially with the unknown status of Delmas’ groin situation. The Lions have tried to substitute quantity for quality because very little quality is out there to be had. The choices will remain limited until the first round of roster cuts as there may be a player or two that isn’t good enough to stick with one of the other team but can be of use to the Lions. A trade is also a possibility but very hard to predict. The one thing we can be sure of is that Martin Mayhew will be active in adding to the talent level of this roster in any way he can.

NetRat: Free agents Cornerbacks are practically non-existant (except for the over 33 crowd… ie: practically retired). If the Lions haven’t got what they need on the roster they will be looking at the waiver wire, trades, and the cut down list in a week or so for more depth. Wade, Houston and I think Bly are likely going to make the team. That leaves 1 or possibly 2 spots wide open for a pickup or someone to step up into it. I personally think they have a short list of options but are waiting to see who is cut first before making any moves (and if they wait until after game 1 they don’t have to guarantee the salary of whoever they do sign).

Blades: The Lions are going to play this smart. Once roster cuts are made there will be a couple solid CB’s on the market and I promise you the Lions will be knocking at the door. Also, don’t be surprised at all to see Mayhew make one of his classic deals again by unloading a 5th round pick in the future for a young nickel corner with upside. It’ll happen

DetFan1979: Cornerback is as thin as a piece of paper run over by a steamroller – and that was before Spievey was moved to safety.  Not to worry, however, as Martin Mayhew is just waiting for a few more NFL cornerbacks to finish developing before he plucks them off the Cornerback Tree he planted near Ford Field a couple of years ago, “just in case”.

Seriously, though, the Lions have real problems at CB. (See: King, Eric)  Wade has a broken finger, and no one other than Houston has even looked remotely like an NFL CB.  What choice do the Lions have at this point though?  Unfortunately, not a whole lot.  Even if they give up a fortune, no top CB’s are likely to be available for what the Lions are willing to pay, and it would be at least double what they are worth.  A promising prospect or tow may be available after the first set of cutdowns on the 31st, or the final cutdowns after the 4th preseason game.   Unfortunately, promising in this case means they have some upside , but not enough to make another team.

Most teams are not so deep at CB to let great prospects walk.  Or even good ones.  Or even…well, you get the drift.  At this point, it is safe to say that the secondary – especially cornerback – will continue to be a major concern all season long.

Thank you for once again visiting with the Lions Congregation!!

Cheerleaders?? One Pom-Pom Closer…

I stumbled across this piece in the Detroit News earlier today that will have many regular readers here pumped - Cheerleaders.  Not official ones.  Not yet.  But one step closer as some professional young ladies have taken it upon themselves to create a professional toupe called “Detroit Pride”  The Flag guys are okay, and I personally am of two minds about cheerleaders at sporting events (especially being the father of three daughters).   Theoretically, they can help get the crowd fired up and keep the home-field intensity up as well as bringing out the voices of fans on the road.  On the other hand, nothing will fire up the crowd more than playing at a high level and winning games. 

I give props to these young women for getting the ball rolling and taking the initiative.  This move also highlights the budding optimism that is taking root in Detroit.  I’m not sure if the Lions will go for it, but I will throw my support in behind these entrepreneurs.  They have a facebook page that is linked in the article referenced earlier. 

Go Lions!!

Lions Got Talent – at First…

Alright, so even I hate all of the improper grammar in reality TV show names (America HAS talent thank you very much).  Still, the styling seemed to fit this season’s Lions.  I will (finally) be watching the Lions’ preseason game versus Denver later tonight (assuming I set the new DVR correct).  As a quick aside, I have been having technical troubles with my home internet connection all summer — which is a nice way to say it kept not working, and my old provider kept not fixing it.  Combined with a change-up in my evening schedule, this led to a blogging nightmare.  While I’ve been able to keep somewhat active, I have not been doing nearly the depth and type of posting that you have all become accustomed to. Thanks to a nifty new providerwe will see if that can all change again for the better.  I’ve got my fingers crossed — so far I’m loving it.  (I didn’t use company names.  I don’t get sponsored by or paid to take shots at any cable providers as far as I know.  Fanball is my sponsoring agency/company.  PLUG: Be sure to check out the Owner’s Edge — it is chock full of great fantasy football information and tools.)

Moving back to talent, when I watch the game tonight I’m going to be focusing more on matchups than overall plays.  The preseason is pretty vanilla offense and defense.  Up to this point, they haven’t even been game planning (although they will for Cleveland, which makes that slightly different).  What I am looking for in preseason is talent.  Does Lions Starter A win match-up against first string opponent B and so on.  The final score is less important in preseason than what they are doing on the field individually, and working as a unit. 

For example, it’s not just did a running play get the desired yards this time, it’s also how did the offensive line move and adjust as a unit?  How did the back do seeing the holes, and what did he make of what was there? 

Once we get to second string/third string, it’s seeing how those players do against other backups.  So far, this is where I (and I’m sure the Lions coaching staff) have been less than pleased.  I’ll see if it plays out like I think it will in the next couple of days, but overall I still contend the Lions finally have talent at the starting positions for the most part – a departure from recent years past, to be sure. 

They have depth at Running Back, Defensive Tackle, Tight End, and Quarterback.  Ok Depth at defensive end.  This means those units will cut some players very likely to get picked up by other teams. 

Safety has lots of similar guys, with few standing out from the crowd.  Again, a cut or two (they aren’t likely to cut too many as they don’t have too many) will likely get picked up as veteran depth.  Phillips has been the big surprise, and has played more like a starter with potential than a backup.

Wide Receiver has a bunch of guys after the starters (CJ, Burleson and BJ at this point) but are still relatively thin.  They may cut some guys who will get tryouts with other teams.  Toone might be headed for the practice squad.

Cornerback and Linebacker are absurdly thin — especially taking into account the injuries — particularly to Dizon. 

Offensive Line has one set of solid starters, and then a group of projects and could-be’s.  Right tackle isn’t even that set. 

What I’m looking for when I watch the Denver game, and the game against Cleveland on Saturday, is talent.  How do the players do in their matchups relative to the talent level they are facing.  Moreso than the game-planned victories of the Marinelli era this will give us an idea of where the team is at. 

The Iffing is coming to end, and soon the Ifseason will be over and we’ll get to so which IF’s came true — and which ones didn’t.

Lions Congregation: Mid Camp

Welcome back to the Lions Congregation! This week, the panel examines the Lawrence Jackson trade and the first pre-season game versus the Steelers. Have a question or thought you’d like to see the congregation address?  Email Lionscongregation@yahoo.com

The Panel:
Phil of Mlive.com
Zac of The Sidelion Report
Al of The Wayne Fontes Experience
Blades Boyd formerly of The Church of Schwartz
Joshua aka DetFan1979 of Roar of the Lions

1. What are your thoughts on the Lawrence Jackson trade?

Phil:  Another Martin Mayhew special — the risk-to-reward ratio is greatly in the Lions’ favor. It’s scary that Lo-Jack’s college coach didn’t see a need to keep him around in Seattle, but the worst-case scenario is that Detroit loses a 2011 sixth-round pick. Best-case scenario is that Jackson becomes an integral part of the defensive end rotation. At any rate, while the Lions and Seahawks play different versions of the 4-3 defense. Seattle utilizes a position that’s somewhat of a hybrid between a left defensive end and an outside linebacker. Lo-Jack’s size (6-4, 270+ pounds) and lack of speed (4.82 40 back in 2008) are more suited for the LDE in Detroit’s defense. We’ll see how it pans out, though.

Zac:  I view the Lawrence Jackson trade as another example of Martin Mayhew’s ability to put together low risk-high rewards deals. Jackson was a disappointment in Seattle based on the expectations that come with being selected in the first round of the draft. His numbers actually look somewhat similar to what Cliff Avril has done in his two years as a Lion. By only giving up a sixth-round pick the Lions get good value, even if the change of scenery doesn’t jump start Jackson’s to a level to match his draft position. The Lions would have to catch lightning in a bottle to get a player in the sixth-round to contribute what Jackson should be able to do in a reserve role.

Al:  What’s not to like?

This is a low risk, high reward trade, a Martin Mayhew special…much like the deals for Rob Sims, Corey Williams and Chris Houston. In Lawrence, the Seahawks had themselves former 1st round draft pick who became a square peg in a round hole when ownership cleaned house, bringing in a new coach and GM. Mayhew swooped in like a vulture, and found himself a player who is, at the very at least, better than the backups currently on the Lions’ roster.

Defensive end is a position where many players tend to develop slowly. But remember, Jackson’s also under team control for for the next three seasons. Time is in the Lions’ favor.

So at the very worst, Jackson adds youth and depth to a rapidly improving defensive line. At best, Jackson has a break out year, and the Lions have what they’ve needed for decades, a pure, skilled pass rusher with speed at defensive end.

The Lions can’t lose either way.

All for the minimal cost of (reportedly) a 6th round draft pick in 2011.

Blades: On the surface, it’s hard not to like it. But my concern is why are we getting all the former Seahawks???? This is starting to remind me of when Marinelli brought in all the Tamps guys and we didn’t win a game. Anyway, that’s besides the point. Jackson is a solid player and he only adds depth to our Dline. It’s not hard to see what the coaching staff is trying to do here. They realize they have a BRUTAL secondary and that the only way they can help them out is by putting pressure on the QB. Don’t be surprised if you see another move or two on the Dline to help improve it.

DetFan1979:  This trade is typical of MAyhew taking advantage of what he learned under Matt Millen.  Yes, that’s right.  What he learned from Millen.  Now, before you check my sanity since being a die hard optimistic Lions fan already puts me in suspect territory, let me explain. 

What Mayhew learned from observing Matt Millen is that GM’s who have coaches who are married to a system trade good players for low compensation because they just don’t fit the scheme anymore.  In other words, he has been keeping his eyes open since he started for teams switching coaches and schemes, and particularly those who have a “system” that isn’t flexible enough to accomodate talented players, but rather discards them in favor of “their guys.”   (You know, like the guys that helped Marinelli take the Lions to 0-16 after Millen shipped out all those talented players who “didn’t fit the philosophy”.)

Crazy enough, Millen isn’t the only one who makes crazy mistakes.  Houston, a cover corner, was brought in from Atlanta where he didn’t fit the primarily zone scheme.  C. Williams was brought in from Cleveland because he didn’t fit as a 3-4 DE, or a NT — he is a 4-3 DT and underachieved in their system.  Rob Sims fell out of favor with what Pete Carroll wants from his OG’s in Seattle and was brought in for a song.  (After seeing him play, I wonder what exactly they did want out of him in Seattle as he appears to be a great all-around OG in run play and pass pro).  Now, he has done it again — to Seattle — with Lawrence Jackson.

Carroll is playing a 3-4/4-3 hybrid and Jackson — more of a pure 4-3 DE — didn’t fit into any of the roles they had for him.  Just like my discussion of Jordan Dizon, Lawrence Jackson has been a disappointment in relation to where he was drafted, but is at worst a solid backup at end for the Lions.  He is essentially a 6th round pick for the Lions — and at 4.5 sacks over 2 seasons is a steal for a 6th even if all he does is provide solid depth and rotational play.  Anything beyond that is gravy. 

2. What was the most exciting and the most discouraging for you in the first preseason game?

Phil: First, the bad: The defensive backups were quite horrible. I know Dixon is one of the quickest quarterbacks in the league, but they couldn’t contain the guy to save their lives. The tackling wasn’t good and there were some blown coverage assignments. Didn’t look good at all.

Without a doubt, the most exciting part was to see an opposing quarterback not be able to sit back and pick apart the secondary. The starting defensive ends — Cliff Avril and Kyle Vanden Bosch — were very solid, consistently pressuring Byron Leftwich. To be fair, it was helpful that Pittsburgh decided to double-team Ndamukong Suh in the middle. That prevented Suh from making any big plays, but it left some for his teammates, and they took advantage. It’s exactly the kind of defensive line play the Lions will need in order to take some pressure off the secondary.

Obviously, though, this is all from one preseason game. Don’t rush to judgment. Let’s look for trends throughout training camp and preseason games — that will give us the insight we’re looking for.

Zac: The play of the first team defensive line excited me the most on defense (a popular answer, I’m sure). It was nice to see the guys that need to be depended upon come out with a really good collective effort. I know that same level can’t be expected over the course of a 60 minute game but there were some really encouraging flashes of brilliance, especially from Kyle Vanden Bosch. The offensive play that excited me the most was when Jahvid Best used his speed to turn the corner in a way that Lions fans are only used to seeing from opposing running backs. The defensive back play left me discouraged but I knew they would be bad. I was most discouraged by Derrick Williams’ decision to fair catch a punt at his own three yard line. It was a bonehead play, the kind of thing that makes you think “same old Lions”. I was probably more disappointed at the time than I am now because it was the first punt and put the offenses first possession deep in their own territory but the mistake is an inexcusable mental error.

Al: What was most exciting for me was seeing the Lions’ long dormant pass rush continually pound Byron Leftwich into the Heinz Field turf. It’s been so long since I’ve seen the Lions genuinely pressure the quarterback without the help of a blitz, I’d swear I was wearing a Member’s Only jacket and parachute pants at the time. (Hey! We all make mistakes…)

I realize it was only one quarter of one exhibition game. But it sure looks like Mayhew and Schwartz may have done a surprisingly good job of rebuilding what was the worst defensive line in the NFL…and the NCAA… and the MHSAA…and…you get the point.

What was the most discouraging was the glaring lack of depth on display once the 1st team offense and defense went to the bench. The Lions couldn’t do a thing on offense, didn’t make a difference who was under center, Shaun Hill or Drew Stanton. The defense was even worse, unable to even slow down, let alone stop, the Steelers’ 3rd string quarterback, Dennis Dixon. He literally ran wild in the 2nd half, as Dixon’s yards per pass attempt of 18.3 and QB rating of 158.3 explicitly show.

It’s obvious the Lions’ two-deep is more like one-shallow. It’s not as if I didn’t expect to see a startling lack of depth…but to see that shocking lack of depth in action (or more accurately, the lack of action) on the field with the Lions’ backups was still very disappointing.

We knew it was going to take time, and lots of it, to repair the damage done to the Lions franchise by Matt Millen. The lack of depth can’t be fixed in a season or two. It’s going to take years.

Unfortunately, we’re only in year two of the post Millen era.

Blades: Most exciting thing I saw was Best. Now if you frequent the Congregation you know I didn’t like the pick and I have some serious doubts about whether he can be an every down back in the NFL. Well, in his first game, he really surprised and impressed me. He didn’t run scared, he hit the hole hard and he used his speed nicely. Sure he had that one drop which lead to the INT but that’ll happen. I was pleasantly surprised and hope this continues.

What I didn’t like is exactly what people have been talking about, our lack of depth. Lets face it guys, the Lions are two or three injuries away from another potential winless season. I’m DEAD serious. If Calvin goes down (which he often does), if Delmas goes down and ANY starting LB goes down we are in serious trouble. I’ve said since day one the Lions will finish 4-12 and with a couple injuries, they’ll be lucking to go 2-14.

*Obviously the DL has great depth which is why I’m not worried about them*

DetFan1979:  While the production of the preseason games is always marginal at best, for once the Lions’ first team offense and defense were not worse than the broadcast.  The Dline brought consistent pressure the entire time they were in.  Double teaming Suh just led to everyone else taking advantage — KVB, Avril, and Williams.  Despite the double team, Suh still spent some time in the backfield disrupting running plays. 

The first team offense took a few plays to get it going, but jelled very well and showed great potential.  Best surprised me with how far he has come not in his running (which we figured would be good) but in his blocking and pass pro.  The Lions split him out as a hybrid TE/Slot guy while keeping Felton back to block a few times — something I hope we see during the season as there are a lot of tricky plays to be run from that formation. 

The bad, of course, was ugly in typical Lions fashion.  Almost everyone who isn’t starting gave me reason to wonder why they were on the roster.  The Lions have as much depth as the kids’ splash pad at the park.  Zip.  Zero.  Nada.  Only defensive tackle depth looked good by any means.  It highlights how devoid of talent much of this roster is.  Even scarier?  Most of these horrendus backups are better than the guys who were starting two years ago. 

It’ll take time, but Mayhew and Schwartz are certainly showing on the field the progress they are making — and if it continues, it gives solid hope that the Lions are being built into a perennial contender the right way.  About time.

Safety, Roster Dance Continues

Martin Mayhew continues his flurries of moves, jettisoning players the coaches know won’t be making the cut and adding other players to compete while there is still time left in camp and the ifseason to evaluate them. 

Safety is one area I looked at earlier, and apparently Marvin White didn’t come close to making the leap I hoped he would. He was cut, and replaced with veteran Dave Roach from St. Louis.  This still leaves just 5 Safeties on the roster, and I can’t see them keeping less than 4.  Talk about a position in flux!

Now we also need to include final DE’s to the list of positions the Lions coaches weren’t thrilled with.  Problem solved?  We’ll see — they cut Hunter after the first preseason game as a veteran courtesy since he was being surpassed by a younger guy with more upside – Willie Young. Still, with Devries nursing another lingering injury that looks like it will at this point land him on IR again, or more likely cost him a spot on the team all together.  This is particularly true after they traded for Lawrence Jackson.  I’ll have more thoughts on the Jackson trade tonight/early tomorrow in the Lions Congregation.

At this point, here is how I see each position breaking down:

Safety
Starter: Delmas
Backups/Rotational: Phillips, Simpson, Brown

Defensive End
Starters: Avril, KVB
Backups/Rotational: Jackson, Young, McBride

Don’t lock me in stone on this though — with Schwartz and Mayhew this could change at any moment – and then change again!

LB Depth, Special Teams Take Hit

Jordan Dizon doesn’t get a lot of love from most casual Lions fans.  He never lived up to his second round draft status to become the “next Spielman” fans were clamoring for in the middle.  Hate Millen, don’t hate Jordan.  Remember, Dizon was out fishing draft day when the call came in.  He expected/was projected into the 4th or 5th round. Dizon was a solid player. Never spectacular, but he did his job. 

What was his job you ask?  It wasn’t as a starter – but read Schwartz’s comments again, break them down and you will begin to see what kind of loss we are talking about from a team perspective. 

“He was really good on special teams, he was a four-phase guy there,” said Lions coach Jim Schwartz. “He played outside linebacker, inside linebacker and he played the nickel linebacker. He did a lot of those things. He’s a guy we’ll have to work hard to replace.”

Four phase special teamer — He played kick-off returns, kick-off coverage, punt returns, and punt coverage.  He had the speed to cover, the ability to block, and solid tackling paired with good vision and instinct.  These type of players are essential to have on the roster, and can have a huge impact on the game.  Much of Detroit’s special teams woes have been the fact that guys who would be special teamers on other franchises in the league were starting with the Lions, leaving even less talented players for special teams.

Outside Linebacker, Inside Linebacker – while he may not be a full time starter, Dizon was good enough to rotate in to all 3 linebacker positions, as well as being the primary backup middle linebacker.  It’s not exactly easy to find a single player to back up all 3 spots as solidly as Dizon did — especially MLB in the 4-3 alignment.  The ability to cover better than average on RB’s and TE’s, combined with sure tackling is what Dizon brought to the middle – as well as a willingness to stick it in there on running plays despite being undersized.  The Schwartz/Cunningham defensive scheme also plays a lot more to his instinctual style than did Marinelli’s rigid cover-2. 

Nickle Linebacker – Dizon filled a special role as the nickle linebacker — giving Follett and JP, who aren’t as good in pass pro, a break in nickle situations without losing a lot of power to stop the run.  He could also rotate in for Levy, with Peterson or Follett to provide more muscle while also giving Levy a breather.  In other words, he was a specialized cog in the defense to come in situationally to keep the starters freash.  Considering the lack of depth, this was/is imperative to keep them healthy.

He is a guy they will have to work hard to replace.  Unfortunately, it may take more than one guy to replace him.  Jordan is the kind of all around player that teams need to fill the backup positions.  For every Dizon they can keep a developmental Caleb Campbell or Willie Young – becuase they have one guy that can suit up on Sunday and fill multiple roles well.  Pure special teamers abound.  Pure backups are harder to find, but there.  Guys to start at just nickle-backer – no problem.  All three? 

As I said to begin with, Jordan is by no means a pro-bowl starting LB.  Probably never will be.  But he was a heck of a backup, and versatile asset to the team.  If the Lions can’t shuffle other guys around, it could mean keeping an extra body they didn’t want to, while trying to sneak someone they wanted to keep onto the practice squad — or letting them go. 

The Lions finally have some strength in the starting positions — enough to comepte at an NFL level for once.  But depth is the key — injuries WILL happen (unless you are Dallas last year) and it’s a long season.  The Lions have starters, now Mayhew is going to start filling in behind them with capable back-ups, and player who will develop into eventual starters. 

His building project has a foundation of starters — now hes starting in on the rest of the building — despite losing an important block.

Lions Congregation: Camp Week 2

Thanks again for joining the Lions Congregation!  The panel submitted their answers Friday, but I was on the road for work.   Please keep in mind the first pre-season game was NOT played when the panel submitted their responses.  Catch the Congregation this Friday as well for thoughts on the Steelers game, as well as continuing story lines with the Lions…

This week’s panel:

Zac of the Sidelion Report
Al of Wayne Fontes Experience
Blades Boyd formerly of Church of Schwartz
Joshua DetFan1979 of Roar of the Lions

Question: I keep reading about the big running lanes for Best. I thought the Lions O-line was pretty bad. Is it suddenly good or is the new defensive line not as good as it has been hyped up to be? I’m confused, and hopefully you guys can help! Thanks, Bill D.

Zac: The Lions certainly haven’t had one of the league’s best offensive lines the past few years but they haven’t been as bad as some might have you believe. Jeff Backus in particular was poorly suited to perform in a Mike Martz offense and has played much better since Scott Linehan took over. In fact, Backus was selected by my fellow NFC North bloggers on the fansided network as the division’s best left tackle. The return of Stephen Peterman and the addition of Rob Sims will have a tremendous impact on the performance of the line. Backus and Dominic Raiola suffered because they tried to do their own job and make up for deficiencies of the guard between them, no longer necessary with Mr. Sims at left guard. In short, the offensive line could be ok.

I’m not worried about the defensive line at all; the mix of proven veterans and promising youth should make for a dynamic unit. I can’t speak to the size of the running lanes but I think it is worth noting that what might be a big hole for Jahvid Best might be a small hole for a player without Best’s speed. His ability to hit the hole and turn it up-field with speed can might trick the eye. He should be fun to watch.

Al: I wouldn’t be worried about the defensive line. To quote Allen Iverson, “But we’re talking about practice, man. What are we talking about? Practice?”

I tend to take all news coming out of Lions’ training camp with a nice sized lump of salt. Even journeyman payers can look like they’re ready for the Hall of Fame in practice. There’s several players currently getting reps who won’t even be on the team in three weeks. Now if we’re getting the same reports about the defensive line a month from now…we’ll all be panicking. But let’s wait for some game action before we get too worried about the defensive line or anoint Jahvid Best an All-Pro to be.

The defensive line will be the last of your Lions’ worries. The offensive line, on the other hand…well…they should be respectable. Really!

I’m expecting the offensive line to be better this year, and they weren’t all God awful in 2009. Why?
The revolving door at left guard has finally closed. Guard Rob Sims is a big time addition at the position. He’s best player the much maligned Jeff Backus has had playing next to him his entire career.
As for the much maligned Backus, I’ve been as hard on him as anyone. Is he overpaid? Oh, Hell yes. Is he a Pro Bowler? Not happening. Is he capable to playing the position if in the right situation? Yes. Actually, Backus had a solid season in 2009, and could be even better with Sims next to him. (I can’t believe I just wrote that…)

The left side of the line should be solid, and it’s not at all surprising if there are holes for Best to squirt through. And with Best’s speed, it’s not like he needs Buick Roadmaster-sized holes. Give him a gap, and he should find it.

The big question on the offensive line is Gosder Cherilus, who is being pushed by the old and crafty (or ancient and washed-up) former Wolverine, Jon Jansen. If there is a spot to be truly concerned about on the line, it’s the position where one of the last of Matt Millen’s draft picks resides.

So don’t get overly worked up over any news about the offense or defense coming out of training camp…save for injuries, of course.

Blades: Interesting question. Let’s start with is the O-Line “suddenly good”. The answer is yes. If you look at the first four or five games last year, the Lions ran the ball pretty well and there were a couple times Smith had HUGE holes to run through. The problem was that he didn’t have that extra burst and the LB or DB’s would make the play. When Peterman went down, that killed the Lions but with him being healthy this year and with the addition of Sims, the Lions have the potential to run the ball really well. Going back to what I was saying before, the difference between Smith and Best is Best has that extra burst and once the hole is there, he’s so fast the LB or DB’s won’t have time to react to the play and I think that’s a huge reason why we’re hearing about these running lanes.

Now about the D-Line. I think they are going to be a real good D-line and what concerns me more then anything is the LB position when I hear this. The defensive lines job, if they can’t make the tackle, is to eat up as many blockers as possible so the LB’s should have an easy tackle. We’ve heard alot in this training camp about Gunther being very unhappy with the play of the defense and how they are making mental errors. If this is what he’s talking about, it’s going to be a MAJOR problem come the regular season.

DetFan1979: The offensive line was patchwork for…umm…a decade or so. The Lions finally have legit starters at both OG spots with a healthy Peterman and Rob Sims. Combined with Best’s superior speed/shiftiness, don’t be surprised to see a strong running game this year. Best needs smaller holes than Smith did, AND the O-line should be making bigger ones.

As for the Dline, I keep hearing how it’s bad that Suh can be eliminated with a double team. Except, that if he has to be double teamed to be kept in check, then that leaves Avril, Williams, and KVB one on one. They WILL make opposing offenses pay with pressure form just the front four. Book it.

I am looking forward to seeing how the epic battles between the Lions Dline and Oline in practice translate to gameday when they go up against other opposition. My theory is, they will each win some/lose some in practice — but that tough practice will allow them to win a lot more than they lose come game day.

What worries me most is the LB which is thin with just Dizon as a real backup to Levy at MLB. Any injuries here to the starters (such as Levy still being out) would be a big blow to this defense. [I wrote this response before knowing Dizon would be lost for the year to a knee injury ~ DF79]

Come back next week to see your questions answered! Got one? Email us at Lionscongregation@yahoo.com

No “Safety” in the Backfield

Daniel Bullocks… you couldn’t stay on the field. You had great potential, but it was negated by persistent injuries. Marquand Manuel… at least you got a $50,000 signing bonus to come back to camp for a while.

Yes, there is no safety at safety right now for the Lions. Randy Phillips was signed as an UDFA and thrown right in with the 1’s after just three days with Delmas still out. Most likely, they were looking to get some film on him so they can develop him, though some reports coming out of camp indicate he is solidly in 3rd place in the safety dance derby right now. 

Of the two parts of the defensive secondary, it is Safety that worries me most right now.  IF Phillips develops, then they could have the solid starter they need next to Delmas.  That’s one mighty big IF even my Honolulu blue tinted glasses has trouble seeing.  For now, it appears that CC Brown is the “other” safety with Simpson still on the PUP list.  IF Simpson and Delmas were healthy, it would be another matter.  Simpson did well at times last year, and showed some potential to be at least an average starter across from Delmas.  After the injuries, though, will he go the way of Daniel Bullocks? 

So who, exactly, ARE the Lions’ Safeties?  Lets take a gander at the roster:

39 C.C. Brown         S   6-0    208   6   Louisiana-Lafayette
26 Louis Delmas    S   5-11  202   2   Western Michigan
43 Randy Phillips  S   6-1    210   R   Miami
30 Ko Simpson       S   6-1    202   5   South Carolina
25 Marvin White   S   6-1    199   4   Texas Christian

Considering they will likely keep 4 safeties, can you say “thinner than a sheet of cheap toilet paper”?  Now, we must also remember that there are two other defensive backs who have been playing at safety -

33 Jonathan Hefney CB   5-9   185  1   Tennessee
41 Dante Wesley        CB   6-1   215  8   Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Still, with the injuries at CB, that position is also severely limited.  For the time being, I’m going to assume that the 5 guys listed as safeties will be the ones that the Lions are looking at for now for the position long term. 

CC Brown — He started for four eyars for hte texans, and was signed by the Giants last year to a one year deal.  He was meant to be depth, but got pushed into a starting role again after Kenny Phillips was injured.  Giants fans nicknamed him “Can’t Cover” Brown, although how much of that was him, and how much was the decimated Giants Defensive Line and overall defensive struggles in general remains to be seen.  His time in Houston was that of a decent but unspectacular starter — the definition of “average at best”.  He’s very fast though, and has gotten quite a bit of work with the first team.  Will he make strides and fill that vacant #2 safety role? 

Louis Delmas — Not a lot needs to be said here about his talent level.  When healthy he has all-pro talent.  The key is that ever pesky “when healthy” phrase, since he hasn’t been.  Currently he’s on his way to being more of the next Bob Sanders than the next Troy Polamalu.  Delmas makes astounding plays when he is on the field — he just needs to get on the field, and stay there. 

Randy Phillips — This guy is a mystery of sorts.  Normally, he might have been a mid-late round Safety prospect; the kind of guys that work as depth for a while and work their way into larger roles, or play special teams for a few years and are out of the league — a developmental slot where a lot of solid starters at safety are chosen.  However, an injury that barred him from only recently passing a physically with the Lions led him to go undrafted.  The Lions coaches and scouts seem to like him and under Mayhew have already started forming a solid reputation of having the knack to find late round contributors (Zack Follett, Sammie Hill)  We’ll have to see if the Lions have finally found an undrafted free agent diamond in the rough. 

Ko Simpson — A late round pick brought him to Detroit last season as the weakness at safety just couldn’t be addressed any other way at that point.  He played fairly well on the whole,although I still think of him as better depth than starting caliber.  With the situation the Lions have at safety with talent in such short supply, if healthy I would have him pencilled in as the starter next to Delmas.  He is not healthy — nor is he expected to be anytime soon.  If he doesn’t start the season still on the PUP list and miss at least the first 6 games, I would be surprised.  When he returns, the big keys will be if he can be better than he was before the injury and develop further, and if a player like Phillips has stepped up to the plate and cemented the second safety spot.

Marvin White — Marvin was a solid addition who had good times and bad times in the Lions secondary last season.  Another post camp signing, he performed well for being tossed into the fire.  I see snatches of potential here and there, but they are too infrequent for my liking.  He may end up in heavy rotation — especially if Delmas stays nicked up — and I’m hoping the light turns on and he makes great strides. 

Essentially the entire safety positions has questions of potential, durability, and talent.  There isn’t a single player without at least one question mark (most multiple) and that is not a good thing.  While much of the Lions roster has been deepened depth wise and improved, the defensive secondary — especially Safety — shows that Martin Mayhew can only do so much, so quickly.  A lot of work is left to be done.

Tags: CC Brown, Ko simpson, Louis Delmas, Marvin White, Randy Phillips

Lions Congregation: Camp Week 1

Hello!  This week members of the panel weigh in on week one of camp.  Besides responses here, check out all the congregation sites for more in-depth thoughts and observations on camp.  Have a question you’d like to see answered?  Email lionscongregation@yahoo.com

Zac of The Side Lion Report
Al of the Wayne Fontes Experience
Joshua aka DetFan1979 of Roar of the Lions

Also check out camp observations from:
NetRat of The NetRat.com

1. From Brian M: what do you think of the Lions secondary after the fist week of camp? Was Houston a steal, or is it just camp hype?

Zac:My opinion of the secondary hasn’t changed much after one week of camp. I still believe they will be the weakest link of this team and it will take a lot more than training camp rumblings before I start feeling good about them as a unit. Hopefully Louis Delmas starts feeling 100% very soon. I have always subscribed to the “were there is smoke there is fire” theory regarding reports like the one that came out about Delmas from Pro Football Talk. If his groin forces him to miss an extended period of time then the Lions are in trouble. Chris Houston is a nice pick up for the price they paid. The reports about his ability to hang with Calvin Johnson are certainly encouraging but I won’t get too excited until he does it against someone in opposing colors.

Al: Until further notice, the Lions’ secondary will remain too awful for words. It’s far too early for the defensive backs to be considered anything else.

The fact C.C. (aka Can’t Cover) Brown (Giants fans actually celebrated his moving on), and Randy Phillips (a rookie free agent) have been taking reps with the 1st team defense pretty much says it all about the state of the defensive backfield, wouldn’t you say?

With Louis Delmas injured (How badly injured remains a topic for debate. I’m not convinced he’ll be 100% anytime soon), there isn’t anyone remotely near a Pro Bowl talent in the Lions’ pass defense. I’m not counting former Pro Bowler Dre Bly, because at the age of 32, he’s the equivalent of being 55 in cornerback years.

As for Houston? Again, it’s far too early to tell, though he is still penciled in to start at left corner when the season begins. But if you go by reports out of camp, Houston’s counterpart on the right side, Jonathan Wade, has been the most impressive corner in workouts. We do need to remember on thing. No matter how good a player appears to be during two-a-days, you have to see them in game action before you can even begin to make an educated determination.

Houston and Wade looking good in August is one thing. Looking good in September is something altogether different, as their former teams, the Falcons and Rams, will tell you.

DetFan1979:  Practice?  You want to talk about Practice?  Practice?  — seriously though, practice is one thing — games are another.  A big knock I read from the Falcons side when we acquired Houston is that he practiced great, but didn’t play so well.  Honestly, looking back at his play, while he wasn’t a young Champ Bailey in Atlanta he certainly would have been over-qualified and a standout in the Lions secondary last season.  You get help where you can in the NFL — and if you can get a big upgrade at CB with a low round pick, you do it. 

I think the reports may hold into the season IF the Lions keep having him play man bump n run.  He is not a zone guy, which is primarily what he played in Atlanta.  Much of his problems were scheme vs player ability.  IF the Lions coaches can utilize him right, he could be a solid #1 CB.  My opinion hasn’t changed though — when it comes to the Lions secondary, I’ll believe it when I see it.  Not before.  Same goes for the glowing reports out of camp on Wade.

 The CB and Safety positions are already continuing the cycle of injury, ineffectiveness, replace that they have been going through since the turn of the century.  Delmas is the only guy in the defensive backfield we can say has proven to be a talented starter (and he’s injured).  Everyone else is a big ??? — making the whole defensive secondary a big IF — and not leaning to the positive scenarios.  When you have an undrafted rookie free agent running with the 1’s at safety, you know you have issues. 

IF Houston and/or Wade come through as solid starting corners, it would certainly be considered an epic steal for what the Lions had to do to get them.  If Phillips turns into a starting caliber safety, that would also finally put the Lions on the “found an undrafted free agent rookie who was a diamond in the rough” category for once.  As usual for this time of year – IF – which is what the IFSeason is all about.

2. First Impression of Camp?

Zac:The talent level is certainly upgraded from a year ago, but the most positive factor to me is the philosophical continuity from year-to-year. The Lions return their quarterback, offensive coordinator, and scheme; something they have very rarely done over the last two decades. Last year was a learning year, this can be a refining year. Scott Linehan referred to developing their “bread and butter” plays on offense in an interview last week. That isn’t something that can be done when the primary concern is just learning the playbook.

Al:It’s positive, for the most part. We’re getting good reports on both Jahvid Best and Ndamukong Suh. Kyle Vanden Bosch has stepped right in as a team leader. Matthew Stafford has improved by leaps and bounds in his 2nd season, solidifying his hold as the starting QB and the face of the Lions. Everyone is expecting big things from Stafford.

But realistically, what else can you say? Most players look good in shells and shorts practicing at 3/4 speed against never-gonna-bes, your typical training camp roster filler.

Of more concern early on have been injuries. Most of the secondary is banged up in one way or another. MLB DeAndre Levy hasn’t been practicing due to a sore back. Despite being cleared to practice, we still don’t know how well Kevin Smith and Brandon Pettigrew have recovered from their season-ending knee injuries.

So as I said above, my first impression is positive. But it could change from day to day, or even from hour to hour, depending upon performances in preseason games and if (God forbid) core players go down to injury.

DetFan1979: Thus far my reaction is fairly positive, but guarded.  Remember back before the 2008 season? The Lions were having “the best training camp ever” and Rod Marinelli was looking out over the practice field with ” a tear in his eye” because the team was exactly what he wanted… 4-0 in the preseason before falling flat on face and going 0-16.  I am normally a bright little optimistic ray of sunshine, but I’m pleased with where the team is at – but also concerned. 

The first concern I have is the secondary (detailed last question).  The second is the Linebackers.  Levy & Peterson need to stay healthy and Follett needs to keep stepping it up as a starter and also stay healthy — because the backups are…well…shall we say not in the same stadium with the starters thus far?  Dizon seems to be showing improvement — improvement enough to work his way into some first team reps.  Still, I am concerned that the lack of depth at LB and the shuffling already starting in the secondary could lead to some real problems again on the defense.

On the offensive side, however, my positivity seems to be rebounding in record speed.  Pettigrew is already working his way back in.  Kevin Smith is already back on the field and more motivated than ever.  Sims, Sheffler, Burleson, and Best all seem to be as advertised which is not what we were seeing from offensive additions last year at this time (the top WR were all out).  Even Felton is finally getting a larger role — I still think that if given the proper carries he would be an excellent bruising back. 

So overall, I’m pumped for a season where the team looks to be more competitive and more talented than it was last year, and certainly the year before.  IF this pattern of early training camp holds into September, then my gut says we’ll have some competitive football to watch as Lions fans this season. 

Thanks again everyone! Come back later this week to see another training camp edition of the Lions Congregation.