Detroit Lions Weblog

Richard Smith, Kenoy Kennedy, Pocahontas and Me

The Lions lost Linebacker’s and Assistant Head Coach Richard Smith to the Miami Dolphins. He will join Nick Saban’s staff as Defensive Coordinator. Steve Mariucci hasn’t given any indication whether or not Smith will be replaced.

The Lions are looking to bring in Denver Strong Safety and five year veteran, Kenoy Kennedy, this week. Kennedy is a ferocious hitter who plays well up near the line of scrimmage and is adequate when required to cover a Tight End. He has been somewhat of a liability in other coverage responsibilities. He is also one of the players in the league most likely to be routinely penalized for helmet-to-helmet contact in the secondary. I like the headhunting presence Kennedy would bring but do not view him to be much of a playmaker, which the Lions desperately need.

The Lions QB search is an offseason priority that has yet to move beyond exploratory stages. They have given Jeff Garcia a physical, yet they are waiting to meet with the other available options to determine what direction they may decide to go in. According to Pro Sports Weekly’s “Buzz Column”, Garcia has indicated he wants to sign with Detroit and he is willing to accept a minimum contract with incentives.

I am afraid the Lions may end up being a groom left standing at the altar if they do not make a quick pitch to the other QB’s they have designs on. Kurt Warner has mentioned an interest in Detroit, but he will be visiting a Chicago Bears club who has exhibiting a lot of interest in his services in the past. Brad Johnson, if given my druthers the most desirable option, will visit Arizona. With his prior ties to Dennis Green, he may come off the market quite rapidly. I think the Lions will be making a grave mistake if they don’t end up with one of the three. There is a serious quality drop-off with the remaining QB’s. If they don’t sign one of the three, there best option may be to place some draft priority on a QB and stick with an unchallenged Harrington for one more season.