Spartans Rule
Footballguy
Ebron's not a terrible pick in and of itself, but the Pettigrew contract didn't look good before this and it looks really, really stupid now.
They should have let Pettigreew go regardless of their intentions. ####### idiots.If that is the case the Lions could have signed a blocking dummy at TE for pennies. Instead they give Pettigrew 16 million. If they had any intention of drafting Ebron they should have let Pettigrew walk.From mLive last week:
When the Detroit Lions re-signed Brandon Pettigrew this offseason, it appeared to eliminate the possibility of the team using a high-round draft pick on a tight end. But it was reported last week that North Carolina tight end Eric Ebron believes the Lions will take him in the first round.
While it may seem far-fetched at first glance, given Detroit's other needs, remember the Lions have shown a willingness to draft a player at a perceived position of strength in the recent past. If Ebron is the highest rated player on the team's board when they're on the clock, they won't hesitate to select him.
Crunching some numbers and looking at the facts, the move might make more sense than you would think.
From 2010-12, Pettigrew and Tony Scheffler combined to average 178 targets in the passing game. Last season, Detroit's utilization of the tight end plummeted as Pettigrew's receiving production sharply declined, Scheffler was released early in the season and rookie Joseph Fauria was largely limited to red-zone and third-down packages.
In total, the Lions targeted a tight end just 111 times last year.
This season, the team will be installing a new offense that will be heavily influenced by what the Saints run in New Orleans. Obviously, the Saints have Jimmy Graham, an elite athlete at the position, but Ebron possesses some similar traits.
As for utilization, New Orleans deployed packages with multiple tight ends more than Detroit last season, but not by a glaring margin. The Saints ran 299 plays with two or more tight ends on the field to 248 for the Lions.
The bigger difference was in the balance of individual playing time. Pettigrew played a staggering 901 snaps in 14 games, rarely leaving the field when healthy. Graham played a far more manageable 754 in 16 contests, still managing 86 receptions for 1,215 yards and 16 touchdowns.
While a prideful player never wants to leave the field, the Lions must look to reduce Pettigrew's playing time for the sake of his body. He's been badly banged up each of the past two seasons.
Benjamin Watson played a shade under 500 snaps for the Saints in 2013, serving primarily in a blocking capacity. Fauria was the second option in Detroit, seeing the field 306 snaps.
In Detroit, Ebron would likely mirror Graham's role, with the rookie seeing more time in the slot, running routes, as opposed to blocking inline.
Given the Lions' search for a third wide receiver, it's not a stretch to say Ebron could essentially fill that need. As a rookie, he would see a comparable amount of playing time as a high-profile receiving prospect, such as Sammy Watkins or Mike Evans, would in Detroit.
Selecting Ebron would also allow free agent acquisition Golden Tate to spend more time on the outside, where he's had his most success as a professional.
Ebron would also be a matchup problem, too big and strong for defensive backs and too fast for linebackers.
"He's a talent," ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said when asked about Detroit potentially drafting Ebron. "He's got a tremendous opportunity in the league right now the way those four and five receivers are used to create some major matchup advantages in coverage and be a key factor for a pass offense."
What Detroit actually does with the 10th pick, or even if the team stays at that slot, remains a mystery. But Ebron isn't off the table, especially if Watkins and Evans are off the board.
Herein lies the Lions' problem.If Ebron is the highest rated player on the team's board when they're on the clock, they won't hesitate to select him.
This is exactly what my friends and I keep asking ourselves.... why? Just... why?Every year I wonder why......why me......why do I have to be a Lion's fan?
He'll be the move TE, Tate out wide, Brandon lining up tight. May just be spin but Mayhew. & Lombardi saying this was their #2 behind Watkins. They want to make it hard to double/triple Calvin.My buddy who knows this draft stuff better than anyone I know, said that Detroit always takes the best available player, and that they felt they could get the defensive help they needed in later rounds. Seemed like a very odd pick to me, but Ebron by all accounts is a Vernon Davis-like player, and an immediate impact redzone guy. Might turn out fine.
That's not true. Agree or disagree with it, Mayhew clearly wanted Ebron.Mayhew got #### blocked by Tampa, Cleveland and Minnesota and didn't know what to do. This was a terrible, terrible pick.
Lions going for their own version of Hernandez and Gronk...minus the ability to catch.
Are you sure?That's not true. Agree or disagree with it, Mayhew clearly wanted Ebron.Mayhew got #### blocked by Tampa, Cleveland and Minnesota and didn't know what to do. This was a terrible, terrible pick.
Lions going for their own version of Hernandez and Gronk...minus the ability to catch.
I would have tried to find the best player on defense myself, but this might work out.He'll be the move TE, Tate out wide, Brandon lining up tight. May just be spin but Mayhew. & Lombardi saying this was their #2 behind Watkins. They want to make it hard to double/triple Calvin.My buddy who knows this draft stuff better than anyone I know, said that Detroit always takes the best available player, and that they felt they could get the defensive help they needed in later rounds. Seemed like a very odd pick to me, but Ebron by all accounts is a Vernon Davis-like player, and an immediate impact redzone guy. Might turn out fine.
Whatever. On a needs basis I can't understand why they were dead set on a WR//TE as their 1st.
That was not the Pettigrew scouting report I remember, which was that he was a good 2-way TE but not a special athlete and I think that's exactly what we have in him; expectations got a little inflated when Stafford threw a ton of passes to him a few years ago but it's clear at this point that he's a complimentary guy.What I heard about Ebron last night is that his upside is that he is a great "athlete" and has the speed to get down the field. Downside was that he is a poor blocker and drops too many catchable passes. Kind of the same things I heard about Pettigrew 5 years ago.
Um. No. The biggest problem for the Lions defense was that their back 7 is almost completely devoid of talent. Let's compare SEA and DET just for fun.I was surprised that they took Ebron, but I like the move. The draft, from what I have heard/read, is pretty deep defensively, and they have 6 more picks to bolster their defense. Speaking of, the biggest problems for defense last year were inexperience combined with bad coaching. They have a DC that helped Baltimore win a Superbowl a few years back, and an OC that has helped a Saints team out a lot. They'll be fine.
I stand corrected on the experience, but their coaching was terrible, especially late in games. The players themselves aren't horrible, and I think quite a few sat out significant time for injury, didn't they?Um. No. The biggest problem for the Lions defense was that their back 7 is almost completely devoid of talent. Let's compare SEA and DET just for fun.I was surprised that they took Ebron, but I like the move. The draft, from what I have heard/read, is pretty deep defensively, and they have 6 more picks to bolster their defense. Speaking of, the biggest problems for defense last year were inexperience combined with bad coaching. They have a DC that helped Baltimore win a Superbowl a few years back, and an OC that has helped a Saints team out a lot. They'll be fine.
Seattle
Irvin(2)/Wagner(2)/Smith(2)/Sherman(3)/Browner(3)/Chancellor(4)/Thomas(4)
Total NFL experience: 20yrs
Detroit
Palmer(5)/Tulloch(8)/Levy(5)/Mathis(11)/Houston(7)/Quin(5)/Delmas(5)
Total NFL experience: 46yrs
As far as the Ebron pick, the Lions need only look as far as the Broncos to see that building a team with a finesse-first philosophy will only take you so far. Detroit will never come close to matching the skill combo of Manning/Thomas/Thomas/Decker/Welker and yet they insist taking that approach.
Ebron led all TE prospects in drop percentage (over 12%) which is an alarming number. He dropped a bunch of passes at his own pro day. His size/speed combo is what the Lions coaches are surely salivating over, but he has worse hands than Pettigrew. They should maybe start with a Jared Cook or J. Finley comparison before jumping straight to Jimmy Graham.That was not the Pettigrew scouting report I remember, which was that he was a good 2-way TE but not a special athlete and I think that's exactly what we have in him; expectations got a little inflated when Stafford threw a ton of passes to him a few years ago but it's clear at this point that he's a complimentary guy.What I heard about Ebron last night is that his upside is that he is a great "athlete" and has the speed to get down the field. Downside was that he is a poor blocker and drops too many catchable passes. Kind of the same things I heard about Pettigrew 5 years ago.
I don't get all the hate on the Ebron pick given the number of bozo WRs we had on the field at times last year. I guess just the way they are doing the draft now everything builds up to the day and then there's one guy that we get to drag under the microscope. But just the fact that people are putting him in the same sentence as Jimmy Graham has got to be a good sign right?
-Lions acquire No. 40 and 146 overall picks, select BYU linebacker Kyle Van Noy.Any word what they traded away? If we're lucky, it was Pettigrew.
I see. Not thrilled about giving up an extra pick, but like who we got for it.-Lions acquire No. 40 and 146 overall picks, select BYU linebacker Kyle Van Noy.Any word what they traded away? If we're lucky, it was Pettigrew.
Seahawks acquire Nos. 45, 111 and 227 this year.
Those, and in this order.BobbyLayne said:next picks are #76 & #133
Really hoping/praying we take two of these guys:
2nd round, 11 DBs gone so far.
- Phillip Gaines, Rice CB
- Terrence Brooks, Florida State FS
Stanley Jean-Baptiste, Nebraska CB- Keith McGill, Utah, CB
- Jaylen Watkins, Florida, CB
- Pierre Desir, Lindenwood, CB
- Marcus Roberson, Florida, CB
- Walt Aikens, Liberty, CB
- Bashaud Breeland, Clemson, CB
- Brock Vereen, Minnesota, SS
- Marqueston Huff, Wyoming, FS
- Rashaad Reynolds, Oregon State, CB
- Jemea Thomas, Georgia Tech, CB
This fall they'll be embarking on their 57th season in the National Football League since their last championship.So Detroit is banking on 45 points a game to win again eh?
Eric Ebron @EricEbron
@dolfan_markL @RileyCooper_14 @BenTateRB @alexmack55 yall got the wrong guy. I don't play sports I smoke too much for that.
I like the LB pick. Hate the C pick. I don't love the TE, admittedly not familiar with him, but why overpay your current TE to draft a TE?Do people feel better about the Ebron pick now that they added a LB and a C?
Instead ofDo people feel better about the Ebron pick now that they added a LB and a C?
Love Van Noy, am "meh" about Swanson. It makes a lot of sense since Raiola's (about) done, but it means that they totally ignored their glaring need at CB & FS. For talent, Ebron was a great pick. For actual need, Fuller or maybe Lewan (and go for Brooks or Gaines in the 3rd, knowing what you know now) look a lot better.Do people feel better about the Ebron pick now that they added a LB and a C?