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The Lions really want Patrick Willis and may try to


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The 2 most interesting comments - despite the alarmist headline ... I don't think Detroit's a threat since we're talking multiple trades (and 20 obviously won't cut it to get Willis):

 

Jeff: How many spots are the Lions looking to move down, ideally? Is it down to 5-7 for Adams or back a little further for Willis?

 

Tom Kowalski: I think the Lions would prefer to move down no further than No. 6. The consensus is that there are six elite players in the draft and then, after that, it's a pool of really good players. I believe the Lions are hoping Willis slides down the board and I think there's a chance it might happen. Not because of his ability, but because he's a middle linebacker and some teams don't even have that position while other teams have greater needs. The Lions are hoping to jump back up into the first round (after a potential trade down) and grab him about No. 20. It's a longshot, but they don't have a lot of options.

 

Mike: When dungy took over tampa they went 6-10, the next year they were 10-6... when lovie took over the bears 5-11 to 11-5... even when dungy took over the 6-10 colts they went 10-6 the next year... now i know the Lions aren't going to go 13-3, but how much do these turn arounds display the importance of understanding the 'tampa-2' and how far along do you think the lions players are... what are the chances of the Lions following suit in the 'tampa-two turnaround'

 

Tom Kowalski: It was interesting to talk to Brian Urlacher the last couple of years because he said they were basically clueless about the defense in the first year and made huge strides in the second year. He also said it takes three years for the players to really "know'' the defense and have it become second nature. But he did say the biggest leap is from the first year to the second. We'll see if the Lions can pull it off.

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The 2 most interesting comments - despite the alarmist headline ... I don't think Detroit's a threat since we're talking multiple trades (and 20 obviously won't cut it to get Willis):

 

Jeff: How many spots are the Lions looking to move down, ideally? Is it down to 5-7 for Adams or back a little further for Willis?

 

Tom Kowalski: I think the Lions would prefer to move down no further than No. 6. The consensus is that there are six elite players in the draft and then, after that, it's a pool of really good players. I believe the Lions are hoping Willis slides down the board and I think there's a chance it might happen. Not because of his ability, but because he's a middle linebacker and some teams don't even have that position while other teams have greater needs. The Lions are hoping to jump back up into the first round (after a potential trade down) and grab him about No. 20. It's a longshot, but they don't have a lot of options.

 

Mike: When dungy took over tampa they went 6-10, the next year they were 10-6... when lovie took over the bears 5-11 to 11-5... even when dungy took over the 6-10 colts they went 10-6 the next year... now i know the Lions aren't going to go 13-3, but how much do these turn arounds display the importance of understanding the 'tampa-2' and how far along do you think the lions players are... what are the chances of the Lions following suit in the 'tampa-two turnaround'

 

Tom Kowalski: It was interesting to talk to Brian Urlacher the last couple of years because he said they were basically clueless about the defense in the first year and made huge strides in the second year. He also said it takes three years for the players to really "know'' the defense and have it become second nature. But he did say the biggest leap is from the first year to the second. We'll see if the Lions can pull it off.

 

Sorry, I didn't bother to read the whole blog. I first saw this snippet on KFFL and when I saw that it came from Mlive I just read the first part of the story. I now see that it was mentioned again later in his blog.

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Sorry, I didn't bother to read the whole blog. I first saw this snippet on KFFL and when I saw that it came from Mlive I just read the first part of the story. I now see that it was mentioned again later in his blog.

No worries - good find. :w00t:

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NICE. and i agree with the above post, if Willis is there and we dont take him, i dont know what ill do with myself. im not gonna take off my Evans jersey until draft day for luck of good pickings! okay maybe not, but ill still pray like a mad man!

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If Calvin Johnson is still there at #2 I'd swap spots and add the rest of our day 1 picks to get him. Worry about running back on day 2 or stand pat with A-train. Imanige Lee Evans and Johnson at WR. Might need to do a little patchwork on defense this year but would be a great WR combo for the next few years.

 

The two problems with that is the money that it takes for a #2 pick and we do need to come away from this draft with at least one LB. The only other way to accomplish that would be by trade or a June 1st cut pick-up.

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This two problems with that is the money that it takes for a #2 pick and we do need to come away from this draft with at least one LB. The only other way to accomplish that would be by trade or a June 1st cut pick-up.

which would totally suck. sorry but CJ isnt even a possibility in neverland

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I just had a thought occur to me. Doesn't the Lions resemble the Redskins is some ways, especially during the draft? They both manage to mangle themselves, even with having great draft slots. This seems to go on year after year.

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I just had a thought occur to me. Doesn't the Lions resemble the Redskins is some ways, especially during the draft? They both manage to mangle themselves, even with having great draft slots. This seems to go on year after year.

Sure but people are probably saying that about our Bills over the last decade

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Sure but people are probably saying that about our Bills over the last decade

shoot im saying that! but only sometimes... mostly im overly optomistic. but i find weve shot ourselves in the foot with coaching. just years of bad call after bad call. hopefully with this new crew, well end that

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OK crazy trades I thought about - Tampa trades their 1st 2nd and 3rd for detroit's 1st or Atl trades picks 8, 39,44, 75, and 2008 2nd for detroit's 1st - with either trade Detroit seeks to get back to the first round getting some combination of Gains, and Willis, or Laundry.

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This two problems with that is the money that it takes for a #2 pick and we do need to come away from this draft with at least one LB. The only other way to accomplish that would be by trade or a June 1st cut pick-up.

re the money - not sure that it would cost that much more to sign the # 2 pick than to sign the #12, 44, 108, &120something combined. If we were totally committed the cash to cap stuff, the FA's that have been sighned would have been signed to roster bonuses, not signing bonuses (ie the total hit would be this year)

re the linebacker - like I said, would need to do some patch work this year...move a 240 lb Schoebel to LB, trade for the guy from Carolina, rely a little more on Wire than we would like, maybe Stamer steps up, whatever, this year would be a struggle but a good foundation for the next few years and some excitement this year.

re the next guy who says I'm in never neverland - yeah, I know, this is the first time this has been anything but a dream. We were never going to get Conlan and Bennett in the same draft either.

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If Calvin Johnson is still there at #2 I'd swap spots and add the rest of our day 1 picks to get him. Worry about running back on day 2 or stand pat with A-train. Imanige Lee Evans and Johnson at WR. Might need to do a little patchwork on defense this year but would be a great WR combo for the next few years.

I'd love C. Johnson but I'd take more than our 1st 2nd and 2 3rds to move up to pick 2 - but I will give you an unlikely Scenario - Tampa deciding that C. Johnson will not fall to them and not wanting to spend their 1st, 2nd and 3rd to move up to 2 decides to move down- the Bills trade pick 12, 43, 92, and 2008 3rd to move up - Tampa's wrong and some combination of Russel, Thomas, Quinn, or Peterson go in picks 1-3 leaving C. Johnson for the Bills. This would be a really bold move cause if neither of the QBs were taken then the Bills would be screwed.

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re the next guy who says I'm in never neverland - yeah, I know, this is the first time this has been anything but a dream. We were never going to get Conlan and Bennett in the same draft either.

To quote John Lennon: "You may say that I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one."

 

Great point about Conlan and Bennett - who'd a thunk it?!

 

Stranger things have happened.

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I'd love C. Johnson but I'd take more than our 1st 2nd and 2 3rds to move up to pick 2 - but I will give you an unlikely Scenario - Tampa deciding that C. Johnson will not fall to them and not wanting to spend their 1st, 2nd and 3rd to move up to 2 decides to move down- the Bills trade pick 12, 43, 92, and 2008 3rd to move up - Tampa's wrong and some combination of Russel, Thomas, Quinn, or Peterson go in picks 1-3 leaving C. Johnson for the Bills. This would be a really bold move cause if neither of the QBs were taken then the Bills would be screwed.

 

 

We all know they're going WR... this is just a SMOKE SCREEN they put up to make the rest of us think matt millen is sane.

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If Calvin Johnson is still there at #2 I'd swap spots and add the rest of our day 1 picks to get him. Worry about running back on day 2 or stand pat with A-train. Imanige Lee Evans and Johnson at WR. Might need to do a little patchwork on defense this year but would be a great WR combo for the next few years.

 

 

Mr. Ditka? Welcome. We all know how well the "give all our draft choices away for one guy" strategy works in the NFL (especially when that draft pick doesn't fill an area of dire need).

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