Detroit Lions Weblog

Enter G Milford Brown and S Calvin Lowry With Cook Out and Bullocks Next?

The Lions picked up some insurance at two positions that have been hit hard by injury during training camp by signing G Milford Brown and S Calvin Lowry. The Lowry signing is of particular interest, since the Lions have recently traded Gerald Alexander for Dennis Northcutt and are facing injuries to second round draft pick Louis Delmas and veteran Daniel Bullocks. In my eyes, Lowry’s signing is an indication of concern at a position whose depth is becoming a growing question as the season approaches.

The Free Press has an interesting article about the Lions defensive line, which has begun the process of a 180 degree philosophical change from the previous coaching regime, and is clearly a work in progress. Here are some points of emphasis regarding it’s taking shape:

The Lions’ defense is designed with ends lining up wide and funneling run games to the wider bodies inside.

“I want you at the heaviest you can weigh that you can play the fastest,” Schwartz said. “Anytime that weight slows you down, then we don’t need to weigh any more.”

The offseason roster moves made that philosophy clear:

• The Lions signed 340-pound Jackson in early March;

• They drafted Sammie Hill, a 330-pound tackle, in April.; and

• This week, they signed another 325-pound veteran tackle, Shaun Smith, who was cut by the Browns and figures to move into the regular rotation fairly soon.

Assuming the Lions keep a handful of tackles on the roster — they’re still waiting for a verdict on Jackson’s possible drug suspension to start the season — that leaves little room for others. Less than two weeks into camp, Cohen might have jumped ahead of veteran Chuck Darby and Andre Fluellen, though the latter has been getting first-team reps in nickel-defense situations.

“They’re all working really hard,” defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham said. “They’re showing a lot more toughness than I saw on tape.”

Still, those three — along with Orien Harris, acquired from St. Louis in the Ronald Curry trade last month — figure to be fighting for two roster spots at most.

In my view, with the exit of Jared DeVries due to injury, and excepting any potential unforeseen future defensive line additions, these players will likely make the 53-man roster: DE’s Cliff Avril and DeWayne White are clearly in. As well as DT Grady Jackson, even if he is eventually suspended. DT Sammie Lee Hill, even if he is the farthest from being a regular contributor, would also seem to be safe as a future projected starter. I believe that Fluellen and Alama-Francis could eventually survive due to their possessing versatility. Jason Hunter, the current starter at left end, would also seem to be safe. This configuration would likely leave Chuck Darby, Landon Cohen and Orien Harris all on the outside looking in, so eventually exchanging one of them for Alama-Francis is not out of the question.

With Mayhew’s growing acumen as a consummate wheeler and dealer, I would not be shocked to see him flip a player like Chuck Darby to another team(Chicago?), or see Darby released outright, since he is the player who has the most limited upside and was most clearly brought in as a natural and familiar fit within the failed Marinelli Tampa-2 defensive scheme.

If Jon Jansen can provide additional organizational value, either as a backup or a starter, by also serving as a mentor for big Gosder Cherilus, then Jansen’s signing will serve as among the shrewdest and wisest made this off-season by Martin Mayhew. Hopefully, Jansen’s professionalism and tutoring, as mentioned by Cherilus, is actually more than lip service:

Jansen’s take:”I’m here to compete,” Jansen said. “I want to earn a starting job just like anybody else does. But I also want to make sure that we’re prepared to win.”

Jansen, a 10-year vet who played at Clawson High and Michigan, signed with the Lions to prove he’s still got it. Cherilus, a talented 2008 first-round pick, still has much to learn. Jansen pulled Cherilus aside recently to give him a pointer on a particular play.

Cherilus’ view:”And when I used it, you know, it was better,” Cherilus said. “That’s the kind of guy he is, and that’s who we are as a group.

Apparently, the Jansen/Cherilus tandem is not the only signs of tutelage upon the Lions roster, according to this Detroit Free Press article. Terrelle Smith is helping second-year player, Jerome Felton, Julian Peterson has helped Ernie Sims, and Grady Jackson has helped Sammie Lee Hill:

Jackson said he is helping Hill adjust to the speed of the NFL the way veterans helped him as a rookie in Oakland.

“I work with him after practice sometimes, or we’ll go indoors and I’ll help him with the blocking schemes and tell him what play’s coming,” Jackson said. “It’s just a fast, fast thing for him to come from Stillman College, because I was once in that situation.

“By me having Russell Maryland, Chester McGlockton and all them guys teaching me, I think that it’s fair that I help him and teach him a whole lot.”

The value of an improved Lions offensive line, with any tangible gains in credibility and enhanced performance, is inestimable. If Cherilus can become a bedrock, sterling performer, the process of vetting Matthew Stafford can assume a quicker pace, since the Lions would be able to utilize Stafford with out inflicting the high level of psychic damage or significant injury which has terminated so many promising, gestating NFL QB’s careers in the past, which has obviously occurred at an even higher frequency within the Lions organization.

Speaking of Stafford, his Saturday debut, thus far shrouded in subterfuge and organizational mystery, is easily among the most anticipated in Lions history and clearly the most significant since either of two #20’s put on the pads for the franchise. Here are Stafford’s thoughts from the Detroit News:

Stafford, whose last game as a non-starter came as a freshman in college, admits it’ll be a strange feeling, no matter who gets the nod in the first quarter Saturday.

“It’s just to go out there and get used to playing in the NFL, I guess,” Stafford said. “Have some fun, and try to get better. Just getting out there and getting used to playing live football again, that’s the biggest thing. I haven’t played since the bowl game, and when I’m live and everybody else is live and we’re playing against somebody else, it’ll be fun. …

“But the mindset you’ve gotta have is not to try to do too much. Just go in there and execute, not try to make things happen when they’re not there.”

That being said, a rabid and fatalistic fan base definitely wants to see what Stafford might have to offer and certainly would like to see his top-of-the-line, cannon of a right arm put on a show on Saturday, especially if it includes airing out some deep balls to Calvin Johnson. That my friends, if even marginally successfully, would prove worth whatever the marginal price of admission any spectators may pay to view the team on Saturday.