Detroit Lions Weblog

“Sledge” Teaching Non-Violence, Sam Gash Promoted to Running Backs Coach, Roy Williams, MLB Morgan Released by Carolina

Former Lions standout FB Corey “Sledge” Schlesinger, whose NFL career was marked by it’s 12 seasons of head-to-head, violent, midfield-car-crash collisions with would be hole-filling linebackers, has started a mentoring group which teaches young male athletes about practicing non-violence towards women. “Sledge” has always maintained an unimpeachable character, so his new role of guidance should come as no surprise to Lions fans.

Sam Gash, who along with Shawn Jefferson has been quickly promoted up the Lions coaching ranks, has become the Lions running backs coach. Gash and Jefferson are fairly recently retired as players, so they both possess a strong ability to connect with the Lions young players. Gash was a fullback for the Ravens when new Lions offensive coordinator Jim Colletto was an offensive line coach in Baltimore.

Tom “Killer” Kowalski has reported that the recent speculation about a trade of Roy Williams entering the 2008 season may be a bit premature. The Lions have one more season with Williams, who they believe will be much happier and productive player without the presence of Mike Martz.

That being said, Williams is an ‘09 free agent, who is unlikely to be franchised by the team. The Lions believe internally, that if Williams has a good season in ‘08, he is likely to return, something Williams has stated publicly. Williams is adept at massaging the media, and has never met a sound byte he didn’t like. I don’t fully buy that Williams wants to remain in Detroit beyond the ‘08 season.

Personally, if the Lions plan on managing their offense effectively next season, I think that they should leave no option unexplored, especially if upgrading their offensive line can be accomplished. I don’t believe that there will be enough balls to keep both Calvin Johnson and Williams content, let alone keep duel water bug receivers Mike Furrey and Shaun McDonald fully involved in the team’s offense, especially, if it is going to become more balanced and run-oriented.

With that in mind, I think that the Lions have to consider moving Williams, for something of value in the draft or via player trade. The Lions need to consider the inordinate investment that they have given to their wide receiver personnel, and admit their vast personnel needs throughout their roster.

Only through the lens of the Lions illogical, schaundenfreude would they determine that they can continue to emphasize their receiving corps, in spite of their overall personnel deficiencies. Williams is the most valuable player on the Lions roster, who could ever be construed as expendable, not Shaun “Big Phat Baby” Rogers or Kalimba “The Ghost” Edwards.

Carolina released injury-prone, but talented veteran MLB Dan Morgan today. Normally, a red flag would immediately be associated with any future pursuit of Morgan by the Lions, but I believe that the Lions should take a flyer on the talented linebacker who, if healthy could fill an immediate team need, cheaply.

Morgan has a great deal of speed and would allow the Lions to move Paris Lenon to the strong side, and maybe buy them some more developmental time with Buster Davis. With Matt Millen’s near-infinite job security, I don’t see where the organization stands to lose by taking a chance on Morgan, in the event he can be a healthy contributor.

By the way, did anybody see former Lions QB Joey “Piano Man” Harrington on the Rachel Ray show, clearly Harrington engineered one of the biggest deceptions in NFL history to be selected as a franchise QB. He clearly is out of his element on the football field. I just wish he would ride his clipboard off into the sunset, rather than continue to jab an icepick into the hearts of Lions fans with his faux-football antics.

Harrington, like fellow draft busts Charles Rogers and Mike Williams, is the organizational embarrassment that just keeps on giving, even if his character has never come into question like Rogers’ and Williams’ have. I know Joey’s a good guy, but…..