Detroit Lions Weblog

Donte Stallworth Signs With the Ravens, Tom Lewand Says That The Lions Want Foote, And Running Backs

The Lions apparently lost out on the Donte Stallworth sweepstakes, since Stallworth decided to sign with the Baltimore Ravens yesterday. In all likelihood, Stallworth will thrive in the Ravens vertical passing attack, with the strong-armed Joe Flacco delivering the ball.

With that in mind, and thinking, in the Lions case, what about the Lions strong-armed QB, Matthew Stafford, throwing to Stallworth? I am fully confident that Stallworth’s tenure as a Lion would have somehow managed to have become a complete disaster. Call me a Lions fatalist, but I just have no confidence in the Lions ability to maximize a player like Stallworth’s ability, given Stallworth’s checkered and inconsistent performance during his career, yet.

Tom Lewand recently commented that the Lions wanted for Larry Foote to return to the organization, but it remains to be seen if the two sides can agree upon a contract for 2010.

Foote is Ready to Leave, If Need Be?

Foote, a vociferous leader, has vociferously stated that he is going to test free agency, since the Lions don’t appear to have made signing him a priority.

Here are Lewand’s comments, taken from the Detroit Free Press:

“It’s always my hope that if we want somebody to be here, and they want to be here that we can work out a deal,” Lewand said. “It doesn’t always happen, but it certainly gives you a better chance when the parties genuinely have an interest in each other, rather than some other thing driving the discussions — whether it’s other leverage, whether it’s selling to the highest bidder, whatever those things are.”

Billy Sims Ruled, Because You Don't!

The Lions running back situation, which if more productive, would apply pressure on opposing safeties, and open up the Lions vertical passing game, has been a major topic of conversaton during the off-season, thus far.

The Detroit News’ Tim Twentyman, who has earlier suggested that the Lions should look at Reggie Bush(to my chagrin), recently wrote an interesting article about the predicament the Lions currently find themselves in, with their running game.

This is the most damning proof of the sad state of the Lions ground attack:

The Lions year by year ranking in rushing yards
Year / Rank

2009 — 24th

2008 — 30th

2007 — 31st

2006 — 32nd

2005 — 26th

2004 — 19th

2003 — 32nd

2002 — 29th

2001 — 28th

2000 — 28th

Twentyman does a good job of breaking down potentially available players, and how their availability will be effected by the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement between the league and the players. The most desirable NFL backs, who previously would have been unrestricted free agents, will now likely become restricted, and much more difficult to acquire.

There is no question that the Lions current running backs stable, Aaron Brown, Maurice Morris, an injured Kevin Smith, and recent free agent acquisition DeDe Dorsey, will likely have a difficult time improving the Lions lot. They all appear to be supplemental players, and incapable of carrying the load.

In a recent mailbag, Q & A session, Tom “Killer” Kowalski mentioned the Lions should make an offer for Panthers RB DeAngelo Williams.

Ross: I keep hearing about DeAngelo Williams being on the trading block. What will it take to get him?

Tom Kowalski: As far as I know, I’m the only one who has put him on the block. Just looking at the situation - with Jonathan Stewart emerging as a No. 1 back - it makes sense for the Lions to try to pursue Williams. I don’t know if the Panthers want to part with him - they like having two strong backs - but it wouldn’t hurt the Lions to make an offer that Carolina can’t refuse. If I was running the show, I’d give up the second-round pick (34th overall) for Williams. Will that be enough? I don’t know, but my guess is that the Lions are certainly going to ask.

Not entirely a bad move by the Lions, in my opinion, but in the case of a running back, especially one with some tread worn off his tires and an injury history, I would much rather the Lions utilize that draft pick, than have them part with it. Twentyman agrees:

Mayhew and coach Jim Schwartz are insistent upon building the Lions the right way. They want to do that by acquiring young, talented players through the draft and veterans that are still in the upswing of their careers. and later

The Lions aren’t a player or two away from being competitive. They are five or six players away, and that could take two or three more years. By that time, those backs(mentioned in the article) will be facing retirement.

James Stewart Was Among a Long Line of Stop-Gap Backs For the Lions

In the end, the Lions will not be hurt by acquiring the best available players in the draft, and continuing to add supplemental, stop-gap players via free agency. This a rebuilding process, no one personnel move will change their current lot immediately.