DET: LIONS SNAG TULLOCH!(LB) Durant(LB) Houston(DB)Leggett(S) (1 Viewer)

[JuSt CuZ]

Tulloch hasn't signed yet has he? From what I've seen, Tulloch is still a possibility in Detroit, especially since they now lost out on every one else. Tulloch is the key on whether the Lions are interested in winning.

It says in this thread on page 8, that he has already turned down Detroits deal.

I didnt report that on page 8, lol.... I just was telling you what the thread said, just so you know.

 

[cr8f]

Lions are a rising team-feel free to step over the Bears and Vikings.

 

[jon_mx]

Tulloch hasn't signed yet has he? From what I've seen, Tulloch is still a possibility in Detroit, especially since they now lost out on every one else. Tulloch is the key on whether the Lions are interested in winning.

It says in this thread on page 8, that he has already turned down Detroits deal.

I didnt report that on page 8, lol.... I just was telling you what the thread said, just so you know.

Yeah, but you have been dumping on the Lions, when in reality they will once again be one of the most improved teams in the league based on these off season moves.

 

[Anthony Borbely]

Tulloch hasn't signed yet has he? From what I've seen, Tulloch is still a possibility in Detroit, especially since they now lost out on every one else. Tulloch is the key on whether the Lions are interested in winning.

It says in this thread on page 8, that he has already turned down Detroits deal.

I didnt report that on page 8, lol.... I just was telling you what the thread said, just so you know.

Yeah, but you have been dumping on the Lions, when in reality they will once again be one of the most improved teams in the league based on these off season moves.

The thing he has done that I am in total disagreement with is his thought that the Lions should just throw a bunch of money around and the hell with worrying about long-term salary cap implications. Also, the Lions do not have a lot of room under the cap. I believe they had about $10 million to work with and with that in mind, they have done an exceptional job of improving the team. Had they thrown all that on Joseph, they would not have any LBs nor could they address the other corner spot.

 

[Apple Juice]

This is the best team the Lions have assembled in over a decade. It'd be nice if most of these guys can stay healthy for more than a few games so we can see what they can do.

 

[JuSt CuZ]

Tulloch hasn't signed yet has he? From what I've seen, Tulloch is still a possibility in Detroit, especially since they now lost out on every one else. Tulloch is the key on whether the Lions are interested in winning.

It says in this thread on page 8, that he has already turned down Detroits deal.

I didnt report that on page 8, lol.... I just was telling you what the thread said, just so you know.

Yeah, but you have been dumping on the Lions, when in reality they will once again be one of the most improved teams in the league based on these off season moves.

The thing he has done that I am in total disagreement with is his thought that the Lions should just throw a bunch of money around and the hell with worrying about long-term salary cap implications. Also, the Lions do not have a lot of room under the cap. I believe they had about $10 million to work with and with that in mind, they have done an exceptional job of improving the team. Had they thrown all that on Joseph, they would not have any LBs nor could they address the other corner spot.

It was reported that Tulloch was out of the Lions running by many, it left a bad taste in my mouth, I stated that. If they let him sign somewhere else, I would of been greatly disappointed. As far as Joseph, he would of helped the team more than Tulloch, but to let both these guys sign somewhere else, would have been a failure. Even though I admit I was tough on my 1b favorite team, its because I know they are right there, a little push like a Tulloch and now Hayden is what they need.I also admit my feelings towards the Lions and there moves, was me being upset at another season we almost let go, by not signing that key LB or CB.I still stand by Wright not being the answer... and to get top players, you have to throw money around. We got Tulloch for 3.25 mil, cuz its one year...I bet we extend him for more money.

 

[mcd]

Tulloch hasn't signed yet has he? From what I've seen, Tulloch is still a possibility in Detroit, especially since they now lost out on every one else. Tulloch is the key on whether the Lions are interested in winning.

It says in this thread on page 8, that he has already turned down Detroits deal.

I didnt report that on page 8, lol.... I just was telling you what the thread said, just so you know.

Yeah, but you have been dumping on the Lions, when in reality they will once again be one of the most improved teams in the league based on these off season moves.

The thing he has done that I am in total disagreement with is his thought that the Lions should just throw a bunch of money around and the hell with worrying about long-term salary cap implications. Also, the Lions do not have a lot of room under the cap. I believe they had about $10 million to work with and with that in mind, they have done an exceptional job of improving the team. Had they thrown all that on Joseph, they would not have any LBs nor could they address the other corner spot.

It was reported that Tulloch was out of the Lions running by many, it left a bad taste in my mouth, I stated that. If they let him sign somewhere else, I would of been greatly disappointed. As far as Joseph, he would of helped the team more than Tulloch, but to let both these guys sign somewhere else, would have been a failure. Even though I admit I was tough on my 1b favorite team, its because I know they are right there, a little push like a Tulloch and now Hayden is what they need.I also admit my feelings towards the Lions and there moves, was me being upset at another season we almost let go, by not signing that key LB or CB.I still stand by Wright not being the answer... and to get top players, you have to throw money around. We got Tulloch for 3.25 mil, cuz its one year...I bet we extend him for more money.

I much prefer Wright over Hayden all things considered. Hayden is going to be much more expensive &, historically can't stay healthy. If the Lions can re-up Houston, they should be good. Average CB's look much better behind a dominating defensive line. As others have said Fairley over Prince Amukamara was a no brainer, Schwartz is a defensive mind & is building this team the right way. There are still a huge list of players available that will help teams win games.

 

[Anthony Borbely]

Link

Chris Houston agreed to terms with the Lions ... Just a two-year deal ... That should wrap up any significant FA signings ...

Another great move for the Lions.

 

[jon_mx]

Link

Chris Houston agreed to terms with the Lions ... Just a two-year deal ... That should wrap up any significant FA signings ...

Another great move for the Lions.

Can't give them anything buy an A for what they did. They had a lot of holes and filed many of them pretty well while losing no one yet. Would like to see Cliff Avril signed.

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

Link

Chris Houston agreed to terms with the Lions ... Just a two-year deal ... That should wrap up any significant FA signings ...

Another great move for the Lions.

Can't give them anything buy an A for what they did. They had a lot of holes and filed many of them pretty well while losing no one yet. Would like to see Cliff Avril signed.

They get an A for Durant, Tulloch, Houston and Eric Wright. None of them are stars, some are questionable starters. Plus they need to address that OL. I give Detroit a B- for the FA period.

 

[Go Blue]

Link

Chris Houston agreed to terms with the Lions ... Just a two-year deal ... That should wrap up any significant FA signings ...

Another great move for the Lions.

Can't give them anything buy an A for what they did. They had a lot of holes and filed many of them pretty well while losing no one yet. Would like to see Cliff Avril signed.

They get an A for Durant, Tulloch, Houston and Eric Wright. None of them are stars, some are questionable starters. Plus they need to address that OL. I give Detroit a B- for the FA period.

Why do they have to be stars for the Lions to get an A? Does it make sense to spend big money on one star and then let the rest of the team suffer? I'd say since the Lions upgraded with each player and they all came at a reasonable price that indeed they do get an "A". The Lions didn't have a lot of room under the cap to work with. I'd say they did very well with what they had to work with. The Lions back seven is now a respectable unit. Not great, but MUCH better than it was a week ago.

 

[Sinrman]

Very glad we got Tulloch, but would have liked to see them lock him up for more than one year. If he has another really nice year, we might have to

get into a bidding war to keep him longer, and I don't see that happening.

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

They get an A for Durant, Tulloch, Houston and Eric Wright. None of them are stars, some are questionable starters. Plus they need to address that OL. I give Detroit a B- for the FA period.

Why do they have to be stars for the Lions to get an A? Does it make sense to spend big money on one star and then let the rest of the team suffer? I'd say since the Lions upgraded with each player and they all came at a reasonable price that indeed they do get an "A". The Lions didn't have a lot of room under the cap to work with. I'd say they did very well with what they had to work with. The Lions back seven is now a respectable unit. Not great, but MUCH better than it was a week ago.

Because an A is top of the line, near the best you can get. To compete for a division title, you need to get the best players not leftovers.The Jaguars let Durant go and went out and signed Posluszny and Clint Session. While Durant may be better than what you had, he isn't an A addition.

Eric Wright has had an underachieving career thus far, as did Chris Houston which is why the falcons let him go.

Tulloch makes a bunch of tackles, but rarely creates turnovers.

The Lions have improved at a few positions, which is why I give them a B-.

 

[Apple Juice]

They get an A for Durant, Tulloch, Houston and Eric Wright. None of them are stars, some are questionable starters. Plus they need to address that OL. I give Detroit a B- for the FA period.

Why do they have to be stars for the Lions to get an A? Does it make sense to spend big money on one star and then let the rest of the team suffer? I'd say since the Lions upgraded with each player and they all came at a reasonable price that indeed they do get an "A". The Lions didn't have a lot of room under the cap to work with. I'd say they did very well with what they had to work with. The Lions back seven is now a respectable unit. Not great, but MUCH better than it was a week ago.

Because an A is top of the line, near the best you can get. To compete for a division title, you need to get the best players not leftovers.The Jaguars let Durant go and went out and signed Posluszny and Clint Session. While Durant may be better than what you had, he isn't an A addition.

Eric Wright has had an underachieving career thus far, as did Chris Houston which is why the falcons let him go.

Tulloch makes a bunch of tackles, but rarely creates turnovers.

The Lions have improved at a few positions, which is why I give them a B-.

It sounds like the only way to get an "A" is to get top players for each hole. You're aware that's not possible with the cap right? They should get an "A" because with the money they had to spend, they maximized those dollars in improving/maintaining the positions that most required it.Given the money the team had to spend, what would you have done to improve their spending?

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

They get an A for Durant, Tulloch, Houston and Eric Wright. None of them are stars, some are questionable starters. Plus they need to address that OL. I give Detroit a B- for the FA period.

Why do they have to be stars for the Lions to get an A? Does it make sense to spend big money on one star and then let the rest of the team suffer? I'd say since the Lions upgraded with each player and they all came at a reasonable price that indeed they do get an "A". The Lions didn't have a lot of room under the cap to work with. I'd say they did very well with what they had to work with. The Lions back seven is now a respectable unit. Not great, but MUCH better than it was a week ago.

Because an A is top of the line, near the best you can get. To compete for a division title, you need to get the best players not leftovers.The Jaguars let Durant go and went out and signed Posluszny and Clint Session. While Durant may be better than what you had, he isn't an A addition.

Eric Wright has had an underachieving career thus far, as did Chris Houston which is why the falcons let him go.

Tulloch makes a bunch of tackles, but rarely creates turnovers.

The Lions have improved at a few positions, which is why I give them a B-.

It sounds like the only way to get an "A" is to get top players for each hole. You're aware that's not possible with the cap right? They should get an "A" because with the money they had to spend, they maximized those dollars in improving/maintaining the positions that most required it.Given the money the team had to spend, what would you have done to improve their spending?

Sounds like you want to B- is above average, not everyone can have an above average FA session.

I would've signed some OL help, which is probably the most important hole on this team given the money dedicated to the offensive skill position players. Patching up a D isn't going to matter when most of the games will be shootouts. I'd much rather make sure Staffords career isn't over in 3 years because of 3 straight injury pegged seasons. Running lanes for Best/Leshoure would be nice, time to find Pettigrew, Young, Burlison and CJ. With Backus injured with a torn pec and his status for the season in limbo, OL would be a priority.

 

[JuSt CuZ]

Until they signed Tulloch, they had a failing grade in my eyes. Now they have Tulloch, I say they get a C+, as they have had an average Free Agency period. They need to get an elite player to get an A in my eyes. Tulloch is a great addition to the Lions, but it wasnt like everyone was after his services. Houston is just an OK corner at best, resigning him is ok, but in order to get anything over average, they need to aquire a better corner...and they didnt do that so far. Houston was part of the DBs that got torched last year, and Wright got torched in Cleveland. While a better Dline does help, Fairley may not start over Williams right away, so they really have the same Dline. The secondary still is horrible, I know we are all excited about the linebackers and the Lions chances, but dont let it blind you to the bad secondary.

 

[Anthony Borbely]

They get an A for Durant, Tulloch, Houston and Eric Wright. None of them are stars, some are questionable starters. Plus they need to address that OL. I give Detroit a B- for the FA period.

Why do they have to be stars for the Lions to get an A? Does it make sense to spend big money on one star and then let the rest of the team suffer? I'd say since the Lions upgraded with each player and they all came at a reasonable price that indeed they do get an "A". The Lions didn't have a lot of room under the cap to work with. I'd say they did very well with what they had to work with. The Lions back seven is now a respectable unit. Not great, but MUCH better than it was a week ago.

Because an A is top of the line, near the best you can get. To compete for a division title, you need to get the best players not leftovers.The Jaguars let Durant go and went out and signed Posluszny and Clint Session. While Durant may be better than what you had, he isn't an A addition.

Eric Wright has had an underachieving career thus far, as did Chris Houston which is why the falcons let him go.

Tulloch makes a bunch of tackles, but rarely creates turnovers.

The Lions have improved at a few positions, which is why I give them a B-.

It sounds like the only way to get an "A" is to get top players for each hole. You're aware that's not possible with the cap right? They should get an "A" because with the money they had to spend, they maximized those dollars in improving/maintaining the positions that most required it.Given the money the team had to spend, what would you have done to improve their spending?

Sounds like you want to B- is above average, not everyone can have an above average FA session.

I would've signed some OL help, which is probably the most important hole on this team given the money dedicated to the offensive skill position players. Patching up a D isn't going to matter when most of the games will be shootouts. I'd much rather make sure Staffords career isn't over in 3 years because of 3 straight injury pegged seasons. Running lanes for Best/Leshoure would be nice, time to find Pettigrew, Young, Burlison and CJ. With Backus injured with a torn pec and his status for the season in limbo, OL would be a priority.

The Lions gave up the 6th fewest sacks in the league. Their starting 5 is set. They are not great, but they aren't nearly as bad as you make it sound. The run blocking was bad for the first 10 games or so, but was much better at the end of the year. The pass blocking was very good. Giving up the 6th fewest sacks when they were near the top in attempted passes is very good. I don't know what more people expect. The defense was clearly where they needed to focus their attention on. They had $10 million to work with. People expecting them to sign a bunch of all pros with that limited amount of money need a reality check. Considering the amount of money they had and their serious needs at LB and CB, I thought they did an exceptional job. They were not going to get a pro bowl CB unless they ignored everything else. They needed 2 CBs and 2 LBs and had to find those with about $10 million dollars. I thought they got exceptional value for their money. Tulloch may not create turnovers, but that's not what the Lions need from him. They need a MLB who can help their run defense...a run defense that allowed 4.5 yards per carry. Tulloch is a great run defender and a tackling machine. He had 160 tackles last year. Signing him for only $3.25 million is a steal. Durant's problem was not his talent level or his play; it was him being hurt a lot. Durant can definitely play. Houston struggled in Atlanta in his last year there, but he was solid for the Lions last year. Wright had a bad year in 2010, but people forget how well he played in his other 3 years. That was a very good move for the Lions.

Basically, they filled their biggest needs with quality players and only $10 million dollars to work with. I really don't know what people expect. I do know some people do not understand the salary cap and also that you don't want to overpay for one $10 million dollar player and leave 3 holes. Signing a player like Joseph and using all of the cap dollars would have been foolish.

They did not sign any star players, but they got exceptional value with the limited money they had and filled their needs with quality players and I think that is why many people, including me, would give them an A for what they did.

 

[jon_mx]

Some unrealistic expectations. Nobody is able to have the best players at all the positions. You get several studs like Suh, CJ, Fairly, Pettigrew, Stafford, Best and you build around them. All Tulloch does is tackle? Darn, that is exactly what they need. Teams ran over the Lions at will last year and now they get perhaps the best run stopper in the league. Durant has good size is fast and also an excellent run stopper. The Lions went from having perhaps the worst LB core in the NFL to one that should be above average. Pair that up with the best DL in football and it makes a very good front 7. Similarly, the Lions DB core was towards the bottom but not as bad as their LB core. They have some young talent which is improving. Wright will make them better. I understand the pessimism from Lions fans, it has been one of the worst performing franchise in all of sports for the last 50 years. But they are making lots of good moves that should put the Lions in position to contend for a playoff spot. That is pretty good for a team that was 0-16 just a few years ago.

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

Sounds like you want to B- is above average, not everyone can have an above average FA session.I would've signed some OL help, which is probably the most important hole on this team given the money dedicated to the offensive skill position players. Patching up a D isn't going to matter when most of the games will be shootouts. I'd much rather make sure Staffords career isn't over in 3 years because of 3 straight injury pegged seasons. Running lanes for Best/Leshoure would be nice, time to find Pettigrew, Young, Burlison and CJ. With Backus injured with a torn pec and his status for the season in limbo, OL would be a priority.

The Lions gave up the 6th fewest sacks in the league. Their starting 5 is set. They are not great, but they aren't nearly as bad as you make it sound. The run blocking was bad for the first 10 games or so, but was much better at the end of the year. The pass blocking was very good. Giving up the 6th fewest sacks when they were near the top in attempted passes is very good. I don't know what more people expect. The defense was clearly where they needed to focus their attention on. They had $10 million to work with. People expecting them to sign a bunch of all pros with that limited amount of money need a reality check. Considering the amount of money they had and their serious needs at LB and CB, I thought they did an exceptional job. They were not going to get a pro bowl CB unless they ignored everything else. They needed 2 CBs and 2 LBs and had to find those with about $10 million dollars. I thought they got exceptional value for their money. Tulloch may not create turnovers, but that's not what the Lions need from him. They need a MLB who can help their run defense...a run defense that allowed 4.5 yards per carry. Tulloch is a great run defender and a tackling machine. He had 160 tackles last year. Signing him for only $3.25 million is a steal. Durant's problem was not his talent level or his play; it was him being hurt a lot. Durant can definitely play. Houston struggled in Atlanta in his last year there, but he was solid for the Lions last year. Wright had a bad year in 2010, but people forget how well he played in his other 3 years. That was a very good move for the Lions. Basically, they filled their biggest needs with quality players and only $10 million dollars to work with. I really don't know what people expect. I do know some people do not understand the salary cap and also that you don't want to overpay for one $10 million dollar player and leave 3 holes. Signing a player like Joseph and using all of the cap dollars would have been foolish. They did not sign any star players, but they got exceptional value with the limited money they had and filled their needs with quality players and I think that is why many people, including me, would give them an A for what they did.

The Lions OL isn't that great. They gave up the 6th fewest sacks correct, but they also ranked 29th in YPA at 6.3. Which equates to many short passes that avoid sacks. 20th in Rushing YPA. That doesn't even equate to an average offensive line, it's bottom 3rd in the NFL. With Stafford/Best/Leshoure/Pettigrew/Calvin/Titus Young the Lions have spent four 1st round picks and two 2nd round picks on the skill positions on offense. That is a lot of resources and money in one area not to protect. Plus Backus is seriously injured already.I just would've added some OL help as well as helping the defensive back 7.I know exactly how the cap works.Why can't Lions fans be satisfied with a B-? That's an above average grade.

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

Some unrealistic expectations. Nobody is able to have the best players at all the positions. You get several studs like Suh, CJ, Fairly, Pettigrew, Stafford, Best and you build around them. All Tulloch does is tackle? Darn, that is exactly what they need. Teams ran over the Lions at will last year and now they get perhaps the best run stopper in the league. Durant has good size is fast and also an excellent run stopper. The Lions went from having perhaps the worst LB core in the NFL to one that should be above average. Pair that up with the best DL in football and it makes a very good front 7. Similarly, the Lions DB core was towards the bottom but not as bad as their LB core. They have some young talent which is improving. Wright will make them better. I understand the pessimism from Lions fans, it has been one of the worst performing franchise in all of sports for the last 50 years. But they are making lots of good moves that should put the Lions in position to contend for a playoff spot. That is pretty good for a team that was 0-16 just a few years ago.

Best Dline in the league??? This is annoying. Suh=good to great, Avril=is average to above average 8 sacks, KVB=is overrated and hasn't been that productive in years, Fairley= slipped in the draft and has proven nothingHow does that make the Best DL in the league?

 

[jon_mx]

Some unrealistic expectations. Nobody is able to have the best players at all the positions. You get several studs like Suh, CJ, Fairly, Pettigrew, Stafford, Best and you build around them. All Tulloch does is tackle? Darn, that is exactly what they need. Teams ran over the Lions at will last year and now they get perhaps the best run stopper in the league. Durant has good size is fast and also an excellent run stopper. The Lions went from having perhaps the worst LB core in the NFL to one that should be above average. Pair that up with the best DL in football and it makes a very good front 7. Similarly, the Lions DB core was towards the bottom but not as bad as their LB core. They have some young talent which is improving. Wright will make them better. I understand the pessimism from Lions fans, it has been one of the worst performing franchise in all of sports for the last 50 years. But they are making lots of good moves that should put the Lions in position to contend for a playoff spot. That is pretty good for a team that was 0-16 just a few years ago.

Best Dline in the league??? This is annoying. Suh=good to great, Avril=is average to above average 8 sacks, KVB=is overrated and hasn't been that productive in years, Fairley= slipped in the draft and has proven nothingHow does that make the Best DL in the league?

Suh was good to great? The guy was All Pro as a rookie. Some already consider him the best in the league. If that doesn't equate to flat out great, I am not sure what does.Fairley is a beast. A guy named Randy Moss dropped in the draft too, don't count on Fairly being a bust based on that. 6-3, 300 lbs with a 31 inch vertical. Avril is also very good. The biggest thing which held the DL to fewer sacks was a crappy secondary and LB core.

 

[Ilov80s]

Some unrealistic expectations. Nobody is able to have the best players at all the positions. You get several studs like Suh, CJ, Fairly, Pettigrew, Stafford, Best and you build around them. All Tulloch does is tackle? Darn, that is exactly what they need. Teams ran over the Lions at will last year and now they get perhaps the best run stopper in the league. Durant has good size is fast and also an excellent run stopper. The Lions went from having perhaps the worst LB core in the NFL to one that should be above average. Pair that up with the best DL in football and it makes a very good front 7. Similarly, the Lions DB core was towards the bottom but not as bad as their LB core. They have some young talent which is improving. Wright will make them better. I understand the pessimism from Lions fans, it has been one of the worst performing franchise in all of sports for the last 50 years. But they are making lots of good moves that should put the Lions in position to contend for a playoff spot. That is pretty good for a team that was 0-16 just a few years ago.

Best Dline in the league??? This is annoying. Suh=good to great, Avril=is average to above average 8 sacks, KVB=is overrated and hasn't been that productive in years, Fairley= slipped in the draft and has proven nothingHow does that make the Best DL in the league?

Lions were top 5 in sacks last year despite blitzing at one of the league's lowest rates. Lawrence Jackson, Corey Williams, and Sammie Lee Hill all played really well last year. Lions have 7 starting quality linemen.

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

Some unrealistic expectations. Nobody is able to have the best players at all the positions. You get several studs like Suh, CJ, Fairly, Pettigrew, Stafford, Best and you build around them. All Tulloch does is tackle? Darn, that is exactly what they need. Teams ran over the Lions at will last year and now they get perhaps the best run stopper in the league. Durant has good size is fast and also an excellent run stopper. The Lions went from having perhaps the worst LB core in the NFL to one that should be above average. Pair that up with the best DL in football and it makes a very good front 7. Similarly, the Lions DB core was towards the bottom but not as bad as their LB core. They have some young talent which is improving. Wright will make them better. I understand the pessimism from Lions fans, it has been one of the worst performing franchise in all of sports for the last 50 years. But they are making lots of good moves that should put the Lions in position to contend for a playoff spot. That is pretty good for a team that was 0-16 just a few years ago.

Best Dline in the league??? This is annoying. Suh=good to great, Avril=is average to above average 8 sacks, KVB=is overrated and hasn't been that productive in years, Fairley= slipped in the draft and has proven nothingHow does that make the Best DL in the league?

Suh was good to great? The guy was All Pro as a rookie. Some already consider him the best in the league. If that doesn't equate to flat out great, I am not sure what does.Fairly is a beast. A guy named Randy Moss dropped in the draft too, don't count on Fairly being a bust based on that.Avril is also very good. The biggest thing which held the DL to fewer sacks was a crappy secondary and LB core.

I don't hand out "great" on players after one season, especially after a rookie season. He has another year like last year it will be a trend and I will call him great.Fairly was good in college. Dwayne Robertson, Courtney Brown, Gerard Warren, all busted. Nobody is bust proof.Avril is very good? He had 8.5 sacks, lets put down the kool aid My favorite team has a DE that put up nearly the same #'s in Israel Idonije and I only consider him solid.This "crappy" secondary added Eric Wright in the offseason, but now things are all good and they should get an A for FA?

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

Some unrealistic expectations. Nobody is able to have the best players at all the positions. You get several studs like Suh, CJ, Fairly, Pettigrew, Stafford, Best and you build around them. All Tulloch does is tackle? Darn, that is exactly what they need. Teams ran over the Lions at will last year and now they get perhaps the best run stopper in the league. Durant has good size is fast and also an excellent run stopper. The Lions went from having perhaps the worst LB core in the NFL to one that should be above average. Pair that up with the best DL in football and it makes a very good front 7. Similarly, the Lions DB core was towards the bottom but not as bad as their LB core. They have some young talent which is improving. Wright will make them better. I understand the pessimism from Lions fans, it has been one of the worst performing franchise in all of sports for the last 50 years. But they are making lots of good moves that should put the Lions in position to contend for a playoff spot. That is pretty good for a team that was 0-16 just a few years ago.

Best Dline in the league??? This is annoying. Suh=good to great, Avril=is average to above average 8 sacks, KVB=is overrated and hasn't been that productive in years, Fairley= slipped in the draft and has proven nothingHow does that make the Best DL in the league?

Lions were top 5 in sacks last year despite blitzing at one of the league's lowest rates. Lawrence Jackson, Corey Williams, and Sammie Lee Hill all played really well last year. Lions have 7 starting quality linemen.

They finished 6th in sacks, but yes they played well. I've never said they didn't, but best DL in the league because of "potential" is crazy. They allowed the 6th worst YPA in pass defense, which the DL should help a bad secondary. They were 19th in INT, which pressure from the DL should cause more. Completion % 8th worst, QB rating 10th worst. I realize they added Fairly, is he going to solve all that along with 1 CB and 2 LBs?

 

[CalBear]

The Lions went from having the worst defense in the league in 2009 (#32 in points against and yardage against, #32 in passing yards against, #25 in rushing yards against) to having a decent defense (middle of the pack in most categories) in 2010. Considering that the improvement in 2010 was the result of bringing in a few new players, including a guy who was an All-Pro as a rookie and looks to be a generational talent on the defensive line, it's reasonable to be optimistic about their prospects in 2011. It's hard to imagine them failing to be a top-10 defense given how much they've put into that unit. It's premature, though, to suggest that they're going to be dominant. It might happen, but they have a big hole to dig out of to really get to the elite level.

 

[Go Blue]

Some unrealistic expectations. Nobody is able to have the best players at all the positions. You get several studs like Suh, CJ, Fairly, Pettigrew, Stafford, Best and you build around them. All Tulloch does is tackle? Darn, that is exactly what they need. Teams ran over the Lions at will last year and now they get perhaps the best run stopper in the league. Durant has good size is fast and also an excellent run stopper. The Lions went from having perhaps the worst LB core in the NFL to one that should be above average. Pair that up with the best DL in football and it makes a very good front 7. Similarly, the Lions DB core was towards the bottom but not as bad as their LB core. They have some young talent which is improving. Wright will make them better. I understand the pessimism from Lions fans, it has been one of the worst performing franchise in all of sports for the last 50 years. But they are making lots of good moves that should put the Lions in position to contend for a playoff spot. That is pretty good for a team that was 0-16 just a few years ago.

Best Dline in the league??? This is annoying. Suh=good to great, Avril=is average to above average 8 sacks, KVB=is overrated and hasn't been that productive in years, Fairley= slipped in the draft and has proven nothingHow does that make the Best DL in the league?

Lions were top 5 in sacks last year despite blitzing at one of the league's lowest rates. Lawrence Jackson, Corey Williams, and Sammie Lee Hill all played really well last year. Lions have 7 starting quality linemen.

They finished 6th in sacks, but yes they played well. I've never said they didn't, but best DL in the league because of "potential" is crazy. They allowed the 6th worst YPA in pass defense, which the DL should help a bad secondary. They were 19th in INT, which pressure from the DL should cause more. Completion % 8th worst, QB rating 10th worst. I realize they added Fairly, is he going to solve all that along with 1 CB and 2 LBs?

Is it that crazy? This is the off season, every team is all about potential at this point. Honestly, what D-lines would you take over them? I would take the Giants and maybe the Eagles. It's not out of the question that by years end Detroit could end up with the best D-line. Detroit is going to knock at least 1 QB out for awhile this year. I'm not saying in a malicious way, but it's going to happen because they are going to get a lot of sacks. Probably Cutler because Angelo decided to let Kreutz walk and signed Chris Spencer in his place. If that doesn't change for the better, I really hope Cutler is ready to take a beating.

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

Some unrealistic expectations. Nobody is able to have the best players at all the positions. You get several studs like Suh, CJ, Fairly, Pettigrew, Stafford, Best and you build around them. All Tulloch does is tackle? Darn, that is exactly what they need. Teams ran over the Lions at will last year and now they get perhaps the best run stopper in the league. Durant has good size is fast and also an excellent run stopper. The Lions went from having perhaps the worst LB core in the NFL to one that should be above average. Pair that up with the best DL in football and it makes a very good front 7. Similarly, the Lions DB core was towards the bottom but not as bad as their LB core. They have some young talent which is improving. Wright will make them better. I understand the pessimism from Lions fans, it has been one of the worst performing franchise in all of sports for the last 50 years. But they are making lots of good moves that should put the Lions in position to contend for a playoff spot. That is pretty good for a team that was 0-16 just a few years ago.

Best Dline in the league??? This is annoying. Suh=good to great, Avril=is average to above average 8 sacks, KVB=is overrated and hasn't been that productive in years, Fairley= slipped in the draft and has proven nothingHow does that make the Best DL in the league?

U must be drunk. either that or your mouth extends from your posterior.

 

[JuSt CuZ]

Some unrealistic expectations. Nobody is able to have the best players at all the positions. You get several studs like Suh, CJ, Fairly, Pettigrew, Stafford, Best and you build around them. All Tulloch does is tackle? Darn, that is exactly what they need. Teams ran over the Lions at will last year and now they get perhaps the best run stopper in the league. Durant has good size is fast and also an excellent run stopper. The Lions went from having perhaps the worst LB core in the NFL to one that should be above average. Pair that up with the best DL in football and it makes a very good front 7. Similarly, the Lions DB core was towards the bottom but not as bad as their LB core. They have some young talent which is improving. Wright will make them better. I understand the pessimism from Lions fans, it has been one of the worst performing franchise in all of sports for the last 50 years. But they are making lots of good moves that should put the Lions in position to contend for a playoff spot. That is pretty good for a team that was 0-16 just a few years ago.

Best Dline in the league??? This is annoying. Suh=good to great, Avril=is average to above average 8 sacks, KVB=is overrated and hasn't been that productive in years, Fairley= slipped in the draft and has proven nothingHow does that make the Best DL in the league?

U must be drunk. either that or your mouth extends from your posterior.

Suh is the best DLine... all by himself. Suh is a beast on the DLine, tell me one DT better? 10 sacks rookie year? sheesh, thats nice. Not to mention his just overall impact. Ask Cutler who is the best Dlineman in the league is? lol

 

[meeka]

Can we stop feeding the troll?

I am happy with what the Lions were able to do in free agency. I don't know what grade it would translate to but I do feel like it is another step in the right direction from a group that has the Lions improving. The Lions D was able to improve last year and other than VandenBosch they did not really grab a big name free agent last year on D either. It does not have to be a big name move to be a good move.

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

Some unrealistic expectations. Nobody is able to have the best players at all the positions. You get several studs like Suh, CJ, Fairly, Pettigrew, Stafford, Best and you build around them. All Tulloch does is tackle? Darn, that is exactly what they need. Teams ran over the Lions at will last year and now they get perhaps the best run stopper in the league. Durant has good size is fast and also an excellent run stopper. The Lions went from having perhaps the worst LB core in the NFL to one that should be above average. Pair that up with the best DL in football and it makes a very good front 7. Similarly, the Lions DB core was towards the bottom but not as bad as their LB core. They have some young talent which is improving. Wright will make them better. I understand the pessimism from Lions fans, it has been one of the worst performing franchise in all of sports for the last 50 years. But they are making lots of good moves that should put the Lions in position to contend for a playoff spot. That is pretty good for a team that was 0-16 just a few years ago.

Best Dline in the league??? This is annoying. Suh=good to great, Avril=is average to above average 8 sacks, KVB=is overrated and hasn't been that productive in years, Fairley= slipped in the draft and has proven nothingHow does that make the Best DL in the league?

U must be drunk. either that or your mouth extends from your posterior.

Suh is the best DLine... all by himself. Suh is a beast on the DLine, tell me one DT better? 10 sacks rookie year? sheesh, thats nice. Not to mention his just overall impact. Ask Cutler who is the best Dlineman in the league is? lol

was posting after a few cocktails. I'm on your side of this one. I meant to be indicting the guy who wrote this

Suh=good to great, Avril=is average to above average 8 sacks, KVB=is overrated and hasn't been that productive in years, Fairley= slipped in the draft and has proven nothing

To use the words 'average' anywhere near the stud/monster that is Suh is inane. To not see what Fairley is (was at one time considered a near lock for the 1 pick), especially when playing on a line where he will almost never be able to be 2x teamed is laughable, Avril is an above average pass rusher, but I can see how those who don't follow Detroit might not know how good he is (especially when he will not even face 5 2x teams all year).There isn't another line out there (save possibly NYG depending on FA) that can even hold a candle to the pass rush that the Lions will wreak on the league this year.

 

[Ilov80s]

The Lions went from having the worst defense in the league in 2009 (#32 in points against and yardage against, #32 in passing yards against, #25 in rushing yards against) to having a decent defense (middle of the pack in most categories) in 2010. Considering that the improvement in 2010 was the result of bringing in a few new players, including a guy who was an All-Pro as a rookie and looks to be a generational talent on the defensive line, it's reasonable to be optimistic about their prospects in 2011. It's hard to imagine them failing to be a top-10 defense given how much they've put into that unit. It's premature, though, to suggest that they're going to be dominant. It might happen, but they have a big hole to dig out of to really get to the elite level.

In addition, last year Delmas was never 100%. He was bothered by a siginifcant groin injury from training camp and there was speculation of losing him for the whole season. I think him being 100% could have a significant impact on the defense. He is a play maker in the backfield and strong against the run. Amari Spievey statistically actually graded out to be about a just a below average safety- pretty good for a guy who came into the season out of shape and was asked to start at a position he had never played before in his life. He claims that he is coming in this year in great shape and that he spent the offseason studying film and his notes. With more time at the position, he should develop into an above average safety. The secondary should be noticeably better this year and I expect more interceptions than last year. That being said, because so many of our DBs like to gamble (Delmas, Smith,Wright) and are prone to some mental mistakes, I think Detroit still gives up a lot of big plays.

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

can't all be signed. Not sure how much time he would have gotten anyways as the depth chart is pretty deep there (depending on avril)

READ MORE: Turk McBride (DE - DET), New Orleans Saints, Detroit Lions

Before the NFL lockout began back in March, the Detroit Lions tendered an offer to defensive end Turk McBride, who was considered a restricted free agent at the time. Under the rules of the new collective bargaining agreement, McBride is now considered an unrestricted free agent, which allows him to freely sign with any team he wants. He used that freedom to agree to a deal with the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, according to CBS Sports' Larry Holder.

The Lions have pretty good depth at defensive end with Kyle Vanden Bosch, Lawrence Jackson and restricted free agent Cliff Avril, but it's unfortunate that they lost McBride He joined the Lions from Kansas City with defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham in 2009 and had 33 tackles, five sacks and three forced fumbles last season. He made eight starts in 15 games and showed a lot of promise going forward.

With McBride departing for New Orleans, it's important that the Lions get Avril re-signed. He is a restricted free agent, so there isn't a risk of losing him, but it would be nice if a deal could be worked out soon. He has a one-year tender on the table, but Avril wants a long-term deal. I think the Lions want to sign him to a long-term deal as well, but they have been busy with other things this past week.

Even if Avril signed his tender right now he wouldn't be able to practice until Thursday, so the hope is something will be worked out by then.

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

Stephen Tulloch is not Ray Lewis. Justin Durant has little in common with Clay Matthews. Eric Wright reminds no one of Charles Woodson.

But for the Lions, they should work.

With the mad rush of free agency in the immediate aftermath of the NFL lockout, and all the handwringing in the initial days of the signing period, the Lions have done relatively well.

It’s probable the Lions got three starters for their defense in 2011 — Tulloch (who agreed to terms Sunday) and Durant at linebacker, and Wright at cornerback.

These are solid players, in their prime, who have started regularly in the NFL for a number of years.

There are some issues. Wright had brutal season in 2010 and became the subject of scorn from Cleveland Browns’ fans. Durant has been a starter for the Jacksonville Jaguars the last four seasons — when he was healthy. He has missed roughly 25 percent of the games with nagging injuries. Tulloch made a lot of tackles for the Tennessee Titans — 111 solo takedowns last season. He doesn’t make many big plays, though, just 4.5 sacks and two interceptions in 80 NFL games.

Re-signing restricted free agent cornerback Chris Houston was big. It means the gaping holes on their back seven are at least reasonably filled.

We’ll see if the front four, the obvious key to the Lions’ defense, will work magic.

That was the theory on draft day wasn’t it? When the Lions bypassed cornerbacks and linebackers in the early rounds to augment the weapons for Matthew Stafford on offense.

This was the party line, something uttered by head coach Jim Schwartz on draft nights, because the Lions have such a good front four — especially now that first-rounder Nick Fairley has been added — it will make the back seven that much stronger.

It’s why the Lions felt confident to trade up into the second round for running back Mikel Leshoure, and why they bypassed all the remaining back seven defensive players on the board to pick wide receiver Titus Young with their own selection in Round 2.

Wright struggled in Cleveland, but his front four wasn’t nearly as good. He didn’t have Ndamukong Suh pushing from the middle, or joined by the nearly as talented Fairley. Corey Williams did play with Wright in Cleveland, but fits the Lions’ 4-3 scheme better. The Lions have good pass rushing ends. Maybe that will make Wright better. Certainly, it should be a linebacker’s dream to play behind this front four. These aren’t just gap control guys. The Lions have a front four of playmakers. The scraps should be real fun for the linebackers to clean up on.

In the past, I don’t know whether I’d buy into this theory. The Lions previous coaching staffs weren’t that creative in scheming.

But Schwartz cut his teeth as a defensive coordinator. Gunther Cunningham is one of the most respected defensive coordinators in NFL history. Even when the Lions were 2-14 a couple years ago, you could see where they put defensive players in position to succeed. Last season, when they finally had some playmakers on defense, it was even more obvious. This season, they will play to the Lions’ strengths and hide their weaknesses.

Offensively, if the Lions can generate a better running attack, it will benefit the defense by keeping them off the field for extended periods

Are Wright, Durant and Tulloch long-term solutions for the Lions? No. Tulloch signed just a one-year deal. The other two are stop-gap measures. Smart move on Tulloch’s part. He should have a big season playing behind that defensive line and then can command a lot of money as a free agent.

People look at the Lions constantly and say to themselves, “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

That’s understandable.

But it’s been at least a decade since they’ve had these type of players on their roster. In the past, the Lions needed more than spare parts in free agency.

Now it is likely they will do.

Pat Caputo is a senior sports reporter and a columnist for The Oakland Press. Contact him at pat.caputo@oakpress.com and read his blog at “The Open Book” at TheOaklandPress.com

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

Hey Punters are people too...

MILWAUKEE (AP) – A Milwaukee native and former University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point football standout has been signed to the Detroit Lions.

The Lions announced on Thursday they signed Jared Jenkins to an undrafted free agent rookie contract.

According to UW-Stevens Point, Jenkins was a two-time All-American punter as well as the school’s leading wide receiver during his career.

He finished his career as the school’s second-leading receiver, with 273 receptions and 34 touchdowns.

The school said Jenkins is the first player from the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference to sign as a rookie free agent since 2007, when Jesse Wendt of UW-Stout and Pete Schmitt of UW-Whitewater both signed with the Washington Redskins.

He’s a graduate of Rufus King High School in Milwaukee.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

Lost in the frenzy that was the Stephen Tulloch signing was the signing of another key component of Detroit’s defense in 2011: the signing of cornerback ChrisHouston.

In reporting the teams’ acquisition of Tulloch this morning, I touched on the mentality Martin Mayhew and the Detroit Lions are operating under in terms of their approach to free agency.

In an article titled Lions' D Upgrades Again With Stephen Tulloch I said,

“In looking through the smoke, you can see the statement that the Tulloch signing represents.

"Detroit WILL NOT overspend for players. (This goes for current Lions unrestricted and restricted free agents, as well.)

"If I’m Chris Houston, I take a good hard look at what’s going on in Detroit and contemplate signing a smaller contract and getting into training camp as quickly as possible because Detroit could begin to look elsewhere.”

Not long after that, cornerback Houston and the Detroit Lions came to terms.Mayhew said back in January that Detroit would place a high priority on bringing Houston back. He elaborated further, saying, “We don't know what his contract status is, whether we have the ability to tender him or not. We're preparing to tender him or deal with him and make him an offer. That's a guy we definitely want back."

The Lions did exactly what they said they were going to do—not “reach” in free agency. In doing so they acquired quality talent while addressing pressing needs, signing Tulloch, Justin Durant, Eric Wright and re-signing Houston.

Tom Kowalski of the MLive.com reported that Houston, Tulloch and Wright are all making about $3 million per year, while the intricacies of Durant’s contract are still unknown.

The Detroit Lions have quietly solidified themselves by acquiring players in free agency with specific roles in mind, just as they did in April’s draft.

Detroit’s front seven heading into 2011 looks almost impenetrable. The addition of Wright to the secondary is a solid move.

Houston will most likely start opposite Wright, while Alphonso Smith’s and Nathan Vasher’s abilities are ideal in the nickel.

You add the healthy returns of Aaron Berry and Jack Williams, and you have what could be the best Detroit Lions secondary since the days of Bennie Blades and William White.

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

Interesting idea...

The Detroit Lions have already put together a great free agency in which they have not broken the bank but still added impact players in positions of need. Nevertheless, free agency is not yet over and the Lions still have a few positions of need.

Most of the starters have already been snapped up by other teams. However, there is still one under the radar free safety who could be a valuable asset starting for the Detroit Lions and that isBrodney Pool.

Pool started he career in Cleveland after he was picked by them in the second-round of the 2005 NFL Draft. However, last year he moved to the New York Jets, where he lost the favour of the coaches because his style of play did not suit the run supporting, blitz heavy role that Rex Ryandemands from his safeties.

This has lead to him hitting the free market and because of his low profile he has not made that much of a splash. While other free safeties like Eric Weddle, Danieal Manning and Michael Huff have all been locked up to long term deals, Pool has yet to attract much interest. This should not be the case.

While Pool may be poor as an in the box safety, he has shown great promise as a deep safety performing a coverage heavy role. In his six seasons he has shown that he has the awareness and closing speed to get in good position to react to the ball and make plays. His 11 interceptions in five seasons with the Browns are evidence of this. He has also been solid when asked to make tackles in space and he does not miss very many tackles when he is acting as the last line of defense.

The Lions would benefit a lot from his presence. Both projected Free Safety starters for 2011 are better suited playing closer to the line because they are not great in coverage at the moment (Louis Delmas should become better soon). This means that Pool would fit a valuable niche in the roster.

Secondly, having a good coverage safety would take more pressure off the cornerback group. Pool would allow the cornerbacks to play more aggressive coverage which could lead to more interceptions and less completions.

Finally, with the addition to the linebacker corps of Justin Durant and Stephen Tulloch, two elite defenders against the run and the shift of DeAndre Levy from middle linebacker where he was a poor run defender to outside linebacker where he should be an average one the Lions would not have to rely on Pool to defend the run.

For those of you who have read my recent articles, you will know that I firmly believe that the Lions should sign a coverage free safety. First it was Michael Huff and then Danieal Manning. However, with both of them gone the next best option is Brodney Pool. Fortunately, he is still a good starter.

The Lions have in place a very promising defense full of young players. The addition of a 27-year old coverage safety could be the icing on the cake for this budding team and set them up well for years to come. Here's hoping Pool is pulling on the Honolulu blue come September

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

ALLEN PARK - Detroit Lions defensive end Cliff Avril stopped by the locker room today, but not to sign a contract. Avril, who was just picking up some things from his locker, said he hasn't made a decision about the possibility of signing his one-year tender.

"What's the difference? I can't practice until Aug. 4th anyway,'' Avril said.

Avril is a restricted free agent and was given a first-round tender. That means that if any team signs Avril to an offer sheet, the Lions have the right to match that offer and, if they don't, that team must surrender a first-round draft pick as compensation for Avril.

The Lions are hoping to sign Avril to a long-term contract because he'll be an unrestricted free agent after this season. So far, though, those talks are not close to a resolution. Avril can sign his one-year tender and then sign a long-term agreement at a later date.

 

[Ilov80s]

Interesting idea...

The Detroit Lions have already put together a great free agency in which they have not broken the bank but still added impact players in positions of need. Nevertheless, free agency is not yet over and the Lions still have a few positions of need.

Most of the starters have already been snapped up by other teams. However, there is still one under the radar free safety who could be a valuable asset starting for the Detroit Lions and that isBrodney Pool.

Pool started he career in Cleveland after he was picked by them in the second-round of the 2005 NFL Draft. However, last year he moved to the New York Jets, where he lost the favour of the coaches because his style of play did not suit the run supporting, blitz heavy role that Rex Ryandemands from his safeties.

This has lead to him hitting the free market and because of his low profile he has not made that much of a splash. While other free safeties like Eric Weddle, Danieal Manning and Michael Huff have all been locked up to long term deals, Pool has yet to attract much interest. This should not be the case.

While Pool may be poor as an in the box safety, he has shown great promise as a deep safety performing a coverage heavy role. In his six seasons he has shown that he has the awareness and closing speed to get in good position to react to the ball and make plays. His 11 interceptions in five seasons with the Browns are evidence of this. He has also been solid when asked to make tackles in space and he does not miss very many tackles when he is acting as the last line of defense.

The Lions would benefit a lot from his presence. Both projected Free Safety starters for 2011 are better suited playing closer to the line because they are not great in coverage at the moment (Louis Delmas should become better soon). This means that Pool would fit a valuable niche in the roster.

Secondly, having a good coverage safety would take more pressure off the cornerback group. Pool would allow the cornerbacks to play more aggressive coverage which could lead to more interceptions and less completions.

Finally, with the addition to the linebacker corps of Justin Durant and Stephen Tulloch, two elite defenders against the run and the shift of DeAndre Levy from middle linebacker where he was a poor run defender to outside linebacker where he should be an average one the Lions would not have to rely on Pool to defend the run.

For those of you who have read my recent articles, you will know that I firmly believe that the Lions should sign a coverage free safety. First it was Michael Huff and then Danieal Manning. However, with both of them gone the next best option is Brodney Pool. Fortunately, he is still a good starter.

The Lions have in place a very promising defense full of young players. The addition of a 27-year old coverage safety could be the icing on the cake for this budding team and set them up well for years to come. Here's hoping Pool is pulling on the Honolulu blue come September

I thought Huff would have been a nice fit. However, i think the Lions are content with Coleman/Spievey. Since Spievey was a CB at Iowa, coverage is his strength. Now technically, Spievey is playing SS and Delmas FS. However, in the actual roles they play on the field, it is really the reverse. Delmas plays like a SS: blitzing more and coming into the box to stop the run, while Spievey is doing more coverage.

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

ALLEN PARK -- After every draft pick was announced last April, general manager Martin Mayhew was asked why he didn't draft a linebacker or a cornerback.

Follow us on Facebook!

His answer -- the draft wasn't the finish line. He thought he could upgrade those positions better in free agency and he's made good on his word.The top prize was Tulloch, the league's second-leading tackler last season with 160.

"He's a great ballplayer," said new starting SS Erik Coleman. "He's tough, he's physical, he loves to tackle and he seems like he's in control of the defense. All those values you want in a linebacker."

Tulloch's presence in the middle will force the Lions to move last year's starting middle linebacker DeAndre Levy to the outside, a move Levy was anticipating and is ready for. Most likely Durant will play on the left side and Levy on the right -- the position he played at Wisconsin.

"I talked to them (coaches) and I told them I'd be willing to do whatever helps us win games," Levy said on Saturday. "Wherever they put me, I'm going to make the most of it."

The Lions starting linebacker trio to start last season was Levy in the middle withZack Follett and Julian Peterson on the outside. This year, it looks to be Tulloch in the middle with Levy and Durant on the outside. With Ashlee Palmer and perhapsBobby Carpenter, who is still unsigned, adding quality depth.

It is a significant upgrade.

"Tulloch would add a little more speed," safety Louis Delmas said when asked about him last week. "He might be short and stubby (5-11, 240 pounds), but my man is fast. I raced him every day (in summer workouts in Miami) and I watched him run every day and man, he'd add some excitement."

Tulloch, who played on a one-year deal last year in Tennessee, was certainly hoping for a multi-year deal. But his options got real short in a hurry when the Titans signed former Tampa Bay middle linebacker Barrett Ruud on Saturday.

That, coupled with the Lions interest in former Packers linebacker Nick Barnett, may have hastened Tulloch's decision to take the one-year deal.

But the one-year deal isn't necessarily an indication that he will be a short-term fix in Detroit. Players and agents feel teams may have more money to spend in the second year of the new collective bargaining agreement.

And for the Lions, they always have the option of slapping a franchise tag on him in the second year or giving him a long-term extension. Plus, the one-year deal for Tulloch could give Mayhew the flexibility needed to sign restricted free agent and starting defensive end Cliff Avril to a long-term deal.

Contract aside, the Lions offered Tulloch the most comfortable and stress-free transition. He will be surrounded by friends and familiar faces. His defensive coordinator for three of the five seasons he played in Tennessee was Lions head coach Jim Schwartz and he's also played for defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham.

He is well-versed in the Lions' defensive system, and he's also friends with defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch, as well as Coleman and Delmas.

"Tulloch's locker was a couple down from me," said Vanden Bosch. "He's a good friend of mine and a real good football player."

 

[jon_mx]

The great thing about this Detroit front office is they have a plan. Millen literally went into drafts with less preparation than the typical fantasy-leaguer. It was a bad joke some of the stories going around on how Millen conducted a draft. Detroit now seems to have done their homework and get excellent values in the draft and in free-agents pickups. Detroit so far has filled 6 big holes they had in the off season not with superstars but still with very good players. That will translate into a huge improvement.

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

Can we stop feeding the troll? I am happy with what the Lions were able to do in free agency. I don't know what grade it would translate to but I do feel like it is another step in the right direction from a group that has the Lions improving. The Lions D was able to improve last year and other than VandenBosch they did not really grab a big name free agent last year on D either. It does not have to be a big name move to be a good move.

I'm a troll because I disagree that they don't have the best DL in the league or that they got an A in free agency...wow.I've provided many facts, not opinions.Another fact, Nick Fairly is in a walking boot and it's apparently a stress fracture in his foot. Do they still have the best DL in the league? I will venture to guess many Lions homers will say yes because Fairly is bust proof, or so one user noted.

 

[PhantomJB]

Can we stop feeding the troll? I am happy with what the Lions were able to do in free agency. I don't know what grade it would translate to but I do feel like it is another step in the right direction from a group that has the Lions improving. The Lions D was able to improve last year and other than VandenBosch they did not really grab a big name free agent last year on D either. It does not have to be a big name move to be a good move.

I'm a troll because I disagree that they don't have the best DL in the league or that they got an A in free agency...wow.I've provided many facts, not opinions.Another fact, Nick Fairly is in a walking boot and it's apparently a stress fracture in his foot. Do they still have the best DL in the league? I will venture to guess many Lions homers will say yes because Fairly is bust proof, or so one user noted.

While not looking to get enter the p*ssing match, I think this post exposes where the Lions are now weakest: lack of depth. Many of their key players already have injury histories (Stafford, Megatron, Best, Delmas, etc.) and the dropoff is precipitous in many areas should a main guy go down (OL, LB in particular).For this plus the fact that the team as assembled is still "on paper," I'm tempering expectations a little. But man, it's good to have something to look forward to after such a long drought.

 

[whoknew]

Can we stop feeding the troll? I am happy with what the Lions were able to do in free agency. I don't know what grade it would translate to but I do feel like it is another step in the right direction from a group that has the Lions improving. The Lions D was able to improve last year and other than VandenBosch they did not really grab a big name free agent last year on D either. It does not have to be a big name move to be a good move.

I'm a troll because I disagree that they don't have the best DL in the league or that they got an A in free agency...wow.I've provided many facts, not opinions.Another fact, Nick Fairly is in a walking boot and it's apparently a stress fracture in his foot. Do they still have the best DL in the league? I will venture to guess many Lions homers will say yes because Fairly is bust proof, or so one user noted.

Your credibility is damaged because when evaluating the Lions D-Line, you didn't even mention Corey Williams. He was excellent last year.

 

[Ilov80s]

Can we stop feeding the troll? I am happy with what the Lions were able to do in free agency. I don't know what grade it would translate to but I do feel like it is another step in the right direction from a group that has the Lions improving. The Lions D was able to improve last year and other than VandenBosch they did not really grab a big name free agent last year on D either. It does not have to be a big name move to be a good move.

I'm a troll because I disagree that they don't have the best DL in the league or that they got an A in free agency...wow.I've provided many facts, not opinions.Another fact, Nick Fairly is in a walking boot and it's apparently a stress fracture in his foot. Do they still have the best DL in the league? I will venture to guess many Lions homers will say yes because Fairly is bust proof, or so one user noted.

While not looking to get enter the p*ssing match, I think this post exposes where the Lions are now weakest: lack of depth. Many of their key players already have injury histories (Stafford, Megatron, Best, Delmas, etc.) and the dropoff is precipitous in many areas should a main guy go down (OL, LB in particular).For this plus the fact that the team as assembled is still "on paper," I'm tempering expectations a little. But man, it's good to have something to look forward to after such a long drought.

Lions do lack depth, but they have done quite a bit to fix it. They have turned over almost the entire roster in 3 offseasons. Luckily for Detroit, DT is their deepest position and Fairley was likely 4th on the depth chart.

 

[Anthony Borbely]

Another fact, Nick Fairly is in a walking boot and it's apparently a stress fracture in his foot.

It is a fact that Fairley is in a walking boot. It is not a fact that he has a stress fracture. That was a local writer speculating, nothing more.

 

[jon_mx]

I would happily take Detroit's defensive line over any teams in the league, even with Fairley wearing a boot.

IMHO, Fairley is a tremedous athlete who other teams will be kicking themselves for passing up.

 

[JuSt CuZ]

Another fact, Nick Fairly is in a walking boot and it's apparently a stress fracture in his foot.

It is a fact that Fairley is in a walking boot. It is not a fact that he has a stress fracture. That was a local writer speculating, nothing more.

Nothing is certain, they say it could be, but nothing is diagnosed yet.

 

[Anthony Borbely]

Another fact, Nick Fairly is in a walking boot and it's apparently a stress fracture in his foot.

It is a fact that Fairley is in a walking boot. It is not a fact that he has a stress fracture. That was a local writer speculating, nothing more.

Nothing is certain, they say it could be, but nothing is diagnosed yet.

One reporter speculated that it could be. The Lions did not.

 

[JuSt CuZ]

Another fact, Nick Fairly is in a walking boot and it's apparently a stress fracture in his foot.

It is a fact that Fairley is in a walking boot. It is not a fact that he has a stress fracture. That was a local writer speculating, nothing more.

Nothing is certain, they say it could be, but nothing is diagnosed yet.

One reporter speculated that it could be. The Lions did not.

They Leos are tight on injuries, he could have an issue, most likely is a stress fracture from the quick walking boot. But Xrays are negative, so how can it be a stress fracture? Anyone who has reported it as certainty is just guessing, like all of us.I hope we find out with certainty soon.

 

[Ilov80s]

Another fact, Nick Fairly is in a walking boot and it's apparently a stress fracture in his foot.

It is a fact that Fairley is in a walking boot. It is not a fact that he has a stress fracture. That was a local writer speculating, nothing more.

Nothing is certain, they say it could be, but nothing is diagnosed yet.

One reporter speculated that it could be. The Lions did not.

They Leos are tight on injuries, he could have an issue, most likely is a stress fracture from the quick walking boot. But Xrays are negative, so how can it be a stress fracture? Anyone who has reported it as certainty is just guessing, like all of us.I hope we find out with certainty soon.

X-Rays usually won't reveal a stress fracture. It has to be an MRI or some type of bone scan.