Detroit Lions Weblog

Mandatory Minicamps End, OTA’s Begin, Optimism Abounds

This is the most difficult time of year to be a professional football fan, in my opinion.   The excitement and ballyhoo that comes along with the draft, free agency, and off-season trades is essentially finished, for now. Their is so much build-up surrounding these off-season events, that ennui and a keen sense of letdown are a natural outcome of the preceding “sugar buzz”-like euphoria that one experiences at this time of year. 

Meanwhile, beat writers and insiders still have to produce work in order to earn their paycheck, as a result, avid football fans have to wade through a lot of media misinformation and glowing puff pieces to sate their unquenchable thirst for America’s most popular sport.

As a Lions fan, it is even more difficult.   Guarded optimism is second nature for most Lions fans during the off-season.   This shakey sense of optimism, that most Lions fans possess, quickly shifts to an impending sense of doom and disgust immediately after two or three games are played during the regular season.

Coming out of the mandatory minicamps, their is a lot of optimism about the team and a lot of exciting features about several of it’s members.   I have recently read features about players like MLB Paris Lenon, G Stephen Peterman, and several others that would lead you to believe that their future contributions may be able to help the Lions to turn the corner as an organization.

The toughest thing for me, is attempting to temper my response to these articles with some objectivity.   I really want players like Lenon and Peterman to have a Mike Furrey-like ascent from the back end of the Lions roster, but let’s be realistic.  

The Lions have serious needs on defense.   As much as I believe that their offense could be lethal entering this season.   Their lack of a consistent pass rush, their inexperienced and injury-prone linebacker corps and secondary, and the sad reality that opposing teams were able to completely eviscerate the Lions defense last season by utilizing both the run and the pass, all contribute to leading me to believe that the Lions still did not do enough to address their conspicuously weak defense this off-season.  

Underachievers like Boss Bailey, Teddy Lehman, Shaun Cody, Kalimba Edwards, and Keith Smith aren’t all going to be able to understand, perform within, and master this defense contiguously, as much as I want to believe that they are able to.  The Lions have all of the intoxicating allure of a sultry mistress, but much like those sort of fleeting relationships, these players ultimately are unable to provide the sustenance necessary in the end for fans to feel fulfilled by their performance.

I do think that Head Coach Rod Marinelli really believes what he has been saying about the quality of this team.   A veteran like Jon Kitna doesn’t casually state that the Lions are capable of winning ten games.   Their is a different state of mind in Allen Park these days and if the stars somehow align, who knows?

Lions Bring Back TE Beverly, Mandatory Mini-Camps Begin

The Lions recently signed veteran TE Eric Beverly who, as many recall, has passed through the Lions organization once before.  Beverly appears to be competing solely for consideration in the mix at TE, and will no longer contribute on the offensive line.   At the very least, Beverly can compete with incumbent Sean McHugh for the FB/H-Back hybrid role and as “Jumbo”-package TE.

The Lions 3 day mandatory minicamp began yesterday.   Published reports make it seem that the camp has been relatively mundane, thus far.   However, one roster position battle is of interest.   In Mlive.Com’s Highlight Reel Blog, new Lions Defensive Coordinator Joe Barry makes some interesting statements in regards to the competition at Middle Linebacker.

Barry essentially crowns Paris Lenon the starter at MLB, and nearly anoints him as the second coming of Ray Lewis, with the number of superlatives he attaches to Lenon.   Barry is also supportive of Teddy Lehman, but one is left to wonder if Barry’s comments are meant to serve as a motivational tool for the competitors who are on the outside looking in at the position.  

It is without question that MLB is one of the more important positions in the Tampa-style Cover-2 zone defense that the team currently implements.   Last season, the various players who filled that position were far from successful and it, along with defensive end, are two areas that definitely need to improve if the Lions can dream of being even mediocre this season.

The Importance of the Defensive Line Highlighted as Voluntary Minicamps Begin

The Lions success and growth within the Tampa Cover-2 zone defensive system hinges upon the continued development of a strong front four entering next season.   It’s two most established components, DT Cory Redding and NT Shaun Rogers, are conspicuously absent from the current voluntary minicamps.

The Lions have to place an eminent priority upon providing Cory Redding with a contract extension.  Once Redding is on board, the Lions will boast a formidable interior to build around.  Redding is currently working out and attending classes at the University of Texas.  The Lions can’t afford for Redding to miss all of the off-season camps and pre-season games, regardless of how hard he is working out in Austin.   Redding appears headed for a legitimate break-out as a defensive performer, and the Lions can ill afford to have his growth stunted due to a prolonged absence over a contract squabble.

Rogers is missing voluntary camp so that he can continue to rehab from his off-season surgeries.   Rogers has said that he plans on attending all of the mandatory workouts and camps, although it is not clear at what capacity he will contribute due to his ongoing recovery from those surgeries.

Apparently, according to Tom “Killer”Kowalski, the Lions current plan is to use Kalimba ” The Ghost” Edwards as their right side, or pass rushing, defensive end.   They expect newly acquired DE DeWayne White to play on the more run-oriented left side.   The fact that the Lions have any reasonable expectation for consistent contribution from the enigmatic Edwards is befuddling, and worrisome, to say the least. 

Edwards has been a on-going project that should yield some fruit under Marinelli.   Last year’s performance from Edwards was far from encouraging, though.  The Lions will be dogged all year in the passing game if Edwards fails to finally emerge.

White is somewhat of an unknown commodity, at this point.  He is well-versed in the defense and has a previous working relationship with Marinelli and Defensive Coordinator Joe Barry.   If Edwards falters, White could possibly help on the right side, especially if, Ikaika Alama-Francis comes along fast as a rookie.   As green as Alama-Francis is, I actually have more faith in his development than I do in Edwards, at this point.

If you believe all of the propaganda from various media outlets, the Lions may have made some draft day steals last week.   Apparently, Alama-Francis, MLB Johnny Baldwin, and CB A.J. Davis have been quite impressive at this premature stage of their NFL careers.   The Lions also have an enticing undrafted free agent in TE Ryan Sylvan.   This current staff seems to have a knack for finding players like Sylvan (Shaun Bodiford, LeVale Ellis, and Frank Davis in example).   At the very least, Sylvan may provide a challenge, or eventual upgrade, to the inconsistent and unproductive Casey FitzSimmons.

Lions Release G Piller, Redding’s Contract?

The Lions released recently-signed, veteran free agent G Zach Piller on Wednesday.   Apparently with the draft selection of G Manuel Ramirez, Piller became expendable to the team.

Here is an early depth chart:

RT George Foster-Rex Tucker-Johnathan Scott-Barry Stokes(G/T)

G Damien Woody-Frank Davis-Manuel ” Not Man-Ram” Ramirez

C   Dominic Raiola

G Edwin Mulitalo-Blaine Saipia (G/T/TE)-Stephen Peterman

LT Jeff Backus

Their will be an extensive battle amongst the O-Line personnel to claim roster spots.   The Lions like the prospects of Jonathan Scott and Frank Davis, and will give Manny Ramirez an extensive look.   The injury history of Rex Tucker, along with the poor past performance of Damien Woody, leads me to believe that they may be the least likely to eventually make the team.  Tom Kowalski has an excellent article about this very roster battle, that is exponentially more detailed and perceptive than my own.

Adam Schefter of the NFL network has reported that DE Cory Redding and his agent have entrenched themselves in regards to Redding’s future contract status.   Redding will not sign his franchise tender(meaning he will skip all of the camps and pre-season games), and will not participate until either the Lions present him with a long-term extension or he signs the franchise tender the night before the season begins. 

I believe that the Lions will get Redding’s contract done before it becomes too much of an issue, but the sticking point remains whether Redding gets paid as a Defensive Tackle or End, which holds a significant amount of difference in contract pay scale.   Redding is franchised as a DT, but will likely be needed both inside and out this season, after the Lions were unable to draft an impact defensive end in the draft.  

I expect that Redding will play end during running downs, and slide inside to tackle  in passing situations.   Of course this is contingent upon whether rookie Ikaika Alama-Francis is able to contribute immediately or not.    If Kalimba “The Ghost” Edwards is finally productive in ‘07, Redding may play even MORE DT than DE.

More thoughts on the Draft

So many observers have liked the players that the Lions selected on Saturday, that I have been mildly surprised.   Rick Gosselin from the Dallas Morning News , one of the pre-eminent draftniks and among the countries best football writers, gave the Lions an A grade.  Lions insider Mike Fowler was very positive during a recent radio interview on the “Huge Show” out of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Fowler believes that QB Drew Stanton will potentially be a Pro Bowl-quality QB and thinks that Stanton was the second best QB available in this years draft.

Peter King from Sports Illustrated has also been very supportive.   The Lions do deserve to be congratulated for taking the best player available in the draft, in spite of their recent first round history in drafting skill players. When Matt Millen was unable to receive a suitable trade package for trading down in the first round, he really had no choice but to select Calvin Johnson.  

Many Lions fans were enamored of OT Joe Thomas, who would have helped in an area of personnel need and Thomas possesses an unimpeachable character, but the Lions felt that they would have been reaching a bit drafting Thomas at #2 and would have had to decided immediately upon the future of mediocre, but dependable(and costly), OT Jeff Backus.  Furthermore, the recent acquisition of OT George Foster made it a certainty that the Lions were unlikely to draft Thomas.

I was recently critical of the selection of Stanton by comparing him to former Lions QB Mike McMahon.   Although I am still not particularly fond of the pick, I realize that the Lions viewed next year’s draft as being light on QB’s and they knew that they were going to have to move Josh McCown, irregardless of whether or not they chose to draft a QB in ‘07.  Stanton will benefit from the tutelage of Mike Martz for at least one season.  That in itself makes the Stanton pick more valuable, than what I had decided upon cursory analysis.