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Kowalski on WDFN: Early draft discussion, optimistic Kevin Jones prognosis
Posted by Bill Emkow January 3, 2007 10:33
In the draft the Lions want players like Wisconsin tackle Joe Thomas, Clemson defensive end Gaines Adams, or a middle linebacker, according to Tom Kowalski on WDFN-AM Detroit. They are not targeting wide receivers, quarterbacks, or Adrian Peterson. Killer says they shouldn't pass on any player if they believe they could be special, even if it is one of the positions they're not targeting. This is the early plan as it stands now. Also, the Kevin Jones outlook appears positive.
Q: Why were people upset that the Lions won the Dallas game? It was one thing if there was a guy that everyone wanted at the top of the draft. That's not the case here.
A: Like when the Packers could have had Troy Aikman, but won two of the last three and ended up with Tony Mandrich. Sometimes it's OK to take a step back to take two steps forward, but you're talking about a team that hasn't won a game on the road this year, has lost seven straight, and you have to do everything you can to win you have to win whenever you can.
This team has lost so much, I have forgotten what it means to win. When you win the attitude changes so much. It changes everything. Especially going into the offseason. Does it mean a ton? No, but it means you dont head into the offseason as a loser.
Q: I agree with you. This team had to have a win. To go winless on the road again, that would be a disaster. Not that it isn't already. This franchise needed wins. The players and coaches did.
A: There could be a guy by the draft that everyone wants by April. You never know. But you take care of what you can take care of right now. We'll find out soon enough if this will come back to haunt them. You can't criticize a team for trying to win.
Q: John Clayton said the Lions want to move down to grab LSU QB JaMarcus Russell. Is it too early to say that?
A: I heard that report and almost fell out of my chair. I think the one position they won't draft is a quarterback, according to everything I've heard.
The Lions have to keep an open mind just in case someone emerges as a special player at a position you don't need. But at this point they're not looking at a quarterback. Absolutely not. They want to move down a couple slots to get a (Clemson defensive end) Gaines Adams or (Wisconsin offensive tackle) Joe Thomas. They want to build in the trenches or at middle linebacker. They don't want (Georgia Tech wide receiver) Calvin Johnson, Adrian Peterson, or a quarterback.
Q: This organization hasn't done a good job addressing needs. Why discuss draft value? I couldn't give a damn where a guy is drafted, or if he's five slots too early, as long as the guy performs well and has the coaches raving about him.
A: You take the best player available you make fewer mistakes. When they drafted Johnnie Morton when they didn't need a receiver it worked out well. When they drafted Mike Williams when they didn't need a receiver, it didn't out as well.
I agree with you. If they trade down to four, and Gaines Adams is slotted at No. 6, who care? If you overpay him two draft slots, so what? Why not overpay or overreach for a position of real need? It's OK for free agency, but not the draft? That's acceptable.
Q: Will Kevin Jones be ready by training camp? Is Teddy Lehman's recover the norm for this type of injury?
A: No. We in the media did a poor job of reporting this injury story. Teddy Lehman was walking on his broken foot for three weeks before they correctly diagnosed and operated. This injury requires surgery as soon as possible, or within seven days. The fact that he was walking around for three weeks throws his scenario out of whack. Many players recover from this injury. Warrick Dunn went to the Pro Bowl two years later and didn't miss a game.
From all I'm hearing he should be back by training camp. They won't work him out heavily even if he does. They think he'll be ready by Week 1.
You don't draft an (Oklahoma running back)Adrian Peterson to cover for Jones. I think they'll go get a vet to carry the mail until his return. He's only 24 years old, and they absolutely love him. They think he fits perfectly. They just need some insurance.
WDFN Breaking News: Nick Saban skips his meeting with Wayne Huizenga and called him on the phone to say he was taking the Alabama job. He called his assistant coaches to say he's leaving. Killer is speechless.
Q: Caller asks Killer what running backs would be available?
A: Deuce McAllister is available, but they may not want to pay that kind of money. McAllister may not want to come to the Lions in that role. I haven't really looked at the free agency list yet. The salary cap is going up from $102 to $109 million, so most teams will sign their own guys easily. The Lions have like $24 million to spend. It'll be awhile before we know for sure who will be available. Mike Furrey or Cory Redding won't be there because the Lions will sign their own good guys first.
Q: Caller asks if the Lions would take defensive end Gaines Adams at No. 2. It's a position of need.
A: Trust me, that's what the Lions want. What they're fearful is that there's no one they want at No. 2, and no one wants to trade with them. Like, if Brady Quinn, JaMarcus Russel, and Adrian Peterson are there and no one wants to trade up for them.
If you look at Joe Thomas, the tackle from Wisconsin, first you wonder if he's a No. 2 pick overall. Then, you just paid Backus a ton of money. If you pick Thomas you then have a gazillion bucks tied up in two tackles, and one likely would move to guard.
Q: Why no talk about the Lions taking Ohio State QB Troy Smith? I think it would be a mistake to not take Adrian Peterson since Kevin Jones is injury prone.
A: I don't know where the Kevin Jones hatred comes from. I think you're wrong. All running backs get banged up from time to time. The way he runs he's going to get some nicks. If you look at his career, even in college, he's durable.
It's not that they don't like Peterson, they just have a lot of holes. In regards to running backs, no one is talking about Brian Calhoun anymore. If you took a running back in the third round, you'd think he'd be able to carry the load while Jones is out. He obviously can't since they're not considering him. Looks like they may have blown that pic, too.
Q: Baligian says the Lions are committed to Jon Kitna, so they're not discussing Troy Smith.
Sean loved Greg Johnson's ten-point plan to get the Lions headed in the right direction. Getting rid of Millen was No. 1 and No. 10 on that list.
A: It's not like anyone was anticipating change, and keeping him was a stunning move. I think this will be either brilliant, or even more of a NFL's most collassal blunder. We know where the evidence is leaning, but let's see where it goes.
All notes are paraphrased. Download the MP3 or subscribe to the podcast to listen.
http://highlightreel.blogs.mlive.com/default.asp?item=414294
Posted by Bill Emkow January 3, 2007 10:33
In the draft the Lions want players like Wisconsin tackle Joe Thomas, Clemson defensive end Gaines Adams, or a middle linebacker, according to Tom Kowalski on WDFN-AM Detroit. They are not targeting wide receivers, quarterbacks, or Adrian Peterson. Killer says they shouldn't pass on any player if they believe they could be special, even if it is one of the positions they're not targeting. This is the early plan as it stands now. Also, the Kevin Jones outlook appears positive.
Q: Why were people upset that the Lions won the Dallas game? It was one thing if there was a guy that everyone wanted at the top of the draft. That's not the case here.
A: Like when the Packers could have had Troy Aikman, but won two of the last three and ended up with Tony Mandrich. Sometimes it's OK to take a step back to take two steps forward, but you're talking about a team that hasn't won a game on the road this year, has lost seven straight, and you have to do everything you can to win you have to win whenever you can.
This team has lost so much, I have forgotten what it means to win. When you win the attitude changes so much. It changes everything. Especially going into the offseason. Does it mean a ton? No, but it means you dont head into the offseason as a loser.
Q: I agree with you. This team had to have a win. To go winless on the road again, that would be a disaster. Not that it isn't already. This franchise needed wins. The players and coaches did.
A: There could be a guy by the draft that everyone wants by April. You never know. But you take care of what you can take care of right now. We'll find out soon enough if this will come back to haunt them. You can't criticize a team for trying to win.
Q: John Clayton said the Lions want to move down to grab LSU QB JaMarcus Russell. Is it too early to say that?
A: I heard that report and almost fell out of my chair. I think the one position they won't draft is a quarterback, according to everything I've heard.
The Lions have to keep an open mind just in case someone emerges as a special player at a position you don't need. But at this point they're not looking at a quarterback. Absolutely not. They want to move down a couple slots to get a (Clemson defensive end) Gaines Adams or (Wisconsin offensive tackle) Joe Thomas. They want to build in the trenches or at middle linebacker. They don't want (Georgia Tech wide receiver) Calvin Johnson, Adrian Peterson, or a quarterback.
Q: This organization hasn't done a good job addressing needs. Why discuss draft value? I couldn't give a damn where a guy is drafted, or if he's five slots too early, as long as the guy performs well and has the coaches raving about him.
A: You take the best player available you make fewer mistakes. When they drafted Johnnie Morton when they didn't need a receiver it worked out well. When they drafted Mike Williams when they didn't need a receiver, it didn't out as well.
I agree with you. If they trade down to four, and Gaines Adams is slotted at No. 6, who care? If you overpay him two draft slots, so what? Why not overpay or overreach for a position of real need? It's OK for free agency, but not the draft? That's acceptable.
Q: Will Kevin Jones be ready by training camp? Is Teddy Lehman's recover the norm for this type of injury?
A: No. We in the media did a poor job of reporting this injury story. Teddy Lehman was walking on his broken foot for three weeks before they correctly diagnosed and operated. This injury requires surgery as soon as possible, or within seven days. The fact that he was walking around for three weeks throws his scenario out of whack. Many players recover from this injury. Warrick Dunn went to the Pro Bowl two years later and didn't miss a game.
From all I'm hearing he should be back by training camp. They won't work him out heavily even if he does. They think he'll be ready by Week 1.
You don't draft an (Oklahoma running back)Adrian Peterson to cover for Jones. I think they'll go get a vet to carry the mail until his return. He's only 24 years old, and they absolutely love him. They think he fits perfectly. They just need some insurance.
WDFN Breaking News: Nick Saban skips his meeting with Wayne Huizenga and called him on the phone to say he was taking the Alabama job. He called his assistant coaches to say he's leaving. Killer is speechless.
Q: Caller asks Killer what running backs would be available?
A: Deuce McAllister is available, but they may not want to pay that kind of money. McAllister may not want to come to the Lions in that role. I haven't really looked at the free agency list yet. The salary cap is going up from $102 to $109 million, so most teams will sign their own guys easily. The Lions have like $24 million to spend. It'll be awhile before we know for sure who will be available. Mike Furrey or Cory Redding won't be there because the Lions will sign their own good guys first.
Q: Caller asks if the Lions would take defensive end Gaines Adams at No. 2. It's a position of need.
A: Trust me, that's what the Lions want. What they're fearful is that there's no one they want at No. 2, and no one wants to trade with them. Like, if Brady Quinn, JaMarcus Russel, and Adrian Peterson are there and no one wants to trade up for them.
If you look at Joe Thomas, the tackle from Wisconsin, first you wonder if he's a No. 2 pick overall. Then, you just paid Backus a ton of money. If you pick Thomas you then have a gazillion bucks tied up in two tackles, and one likely would move to guard.
Q: Why no talk about the Lions taking Ohio State QB Troy Smith? I think it would be a mistake to not take Adrian Peterson since Kevin Jones is injury prone.
A: I don't know where the Kevin Jones hatred comes from. I think you're wrong. All running backs get banged up from time to time. The way he runs he's going to get some nicks. If you look at his career, even in college, he's durable.
It's not that they don't like Peterson, they just have a lot of holes. In regards to running backs, no one is talking about Brian Calhoun anymore. If you took a running back in the third round, you'd think he'd be able to carry the load while Jones is out. He obviously can't since they're not considering him. Looks like they may have blown that pic, too.
Q: Baligian says the Lions are committed to Jon Kitna, so they're not discussing Troy Smith.
Sean loved Greg Johnson's ten-point plan to get the Lions headed in the right direction. Getting rid of Millen was No. 1 and No. 10 on that list.
A: It's not like anyone was anticipating change, and keeping him was a stunning move. I think this will be either brilliant, or even more of a NFL's most collassal blunder. We know where the evidence is leaning, but let's see where it goes.
All notes are paraphrased. Download the MP3 or subscribe to the podcast to listen.
http://highlightreel.blogs.mlive.com/default.asp?item=414294
