Talking NFL

Our Lions draft preview is brought to use by the honorable Judge Smails; Root Administrator for the Lions-fans.com web forum.  The Judge enjoys German beer, stinky cheese, spicy beef jerky, and former Catholic school girls (though not necessarily in that order…).

He also unearthed a great fact from a past Lions draft that I had never heard before, involving the New England Patriots. So crack open a Fresca, and enjoy!

It’s your honor, your honor (heh, heh…)

Detroit Lions 2007 Draft Preview
by Judge Smails, Lions-fans.com

So here we are Detroit Lions fans, less than a month away from our yearly Super Bowl. It’s our only chance for hope for the next coming of our baby Jesus, our Kal-El (i.e. Clark Kent) so to speak, to come to Detroit and save this pathetic excuse for an NFL franchise (which was recently ranked dead last (122 out of 122) in ranking all professional sports franchises).

Let’s break down what the team greatest needs are…

1. A new owner - (No explanation needed).
2. A new general manager - (See #1).
3. A pass rushing defensive end (If passing on Shawn Merriman to draft Mike “Big Mac, no pickles” Williams doesn’t make you angry to this day…)
4. A new offensive line - (Kitna was on his back more last year than Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton combined).
5. A middle linebacker - (Paris Lennon? No seriously…)
6. A cornerback - (We signed the guy that replaced Dre Bly in St. Louis when he left for Detroit. Anyone see the irony in this?)

So when Roger Goodell walks to the podium and says, “With the 2nd pick in the 2007 NFL draft, the Detroit Lions select…..” who will it be!?

All I know is if he says the name Calvin Johnson, there will be more broken TVs than a weekend in Detroit when the power goes out and the looters hit the local ABC Warehouses and trip on the potholes on the streets of Detroit.

So what is the fan’s take on this soon this soon to be Matt Millen masterpiece debacle? Let’s break down the scenarios:

1. Joe Thomas - The “safe” pick.
2. Brady Quinn - The “anyone but him” pick.
3. Adrian Peterson - The “another injured guy” pick.
4. Gaines Adams - The best pick.
5. Calvin Johnson - The “not another *&#&’ing wide receiver” pick.
6. Jamarcus Russell - Just cut it out, seriously.
7. Trade down - The “what smart GMs do in rebuilding years” pick.
8. Trade down again - The “you are a genius and we will love you forever” pick.

You might not know this, but the Detroit Lions were offered New England’s two (2) number one picks and 2nd round picks in the 2003 draft (where they obtained local pothead Charles Rogers. But the trade was nixed because Millen wanted a third rounder as well.)

So when the question is asked, “Who do you want the Detroit Lions to pick?” the obvious answer is TRADE DOWN.

Right now, the Lions are gutting the team in essence, trading away players who don’t fit the Marinelli mold (see: Dre Bly and James Hall). Trading down and picking up additional picks does a few things…

1. Gives the Lions more opportunities (players) to succeed in the NFL.
2. Gives the Lions some insurance in case another #2 pick overall turns into the next big bust.
3. Allows the team to pick more positions that are in dire need (see: offensive line, defensive line, middle linebacker, cornerback, and such and such)

Ideally, the perfect picks would be to…

1. Trade down to #5 and pick up DE Gaines Adams, picking up an additional 2nd rounder to address the offensive line, MLB, and secondary needs.
2. Trade down to #8, and pick up a LaRon Landry (Saf.) or a Patrick Willis (MLB, pictured below).

So who do we think they will actually pick?

Most of us agree that Mike Martz is pushing hard not to draft Brady Quinn, that is obvious. For what he did with the likes of Marc Bulger, Kurt Warner, and Fitzpatrick, you don’t need a top-flight QB to succeed in this offense (see: Jon Kitna throwing for 4200+ yards last year).

I think Joe Thomas is the safest pick, and if they are stuck at #2, he will be taken.

Will the fans like the pick? I think we will all understand why we took him, but it really doesn’t make team sense since Jeff Backus is getting franchise money at left tackle (laughable) and you won’t want to move Thomas (or Backus for that matter) to the right side while giving him franchise/#2 money.

So like in recent years, the fans and the national media will praise Matt Millen and the Detroit Lions for the excellent job they did at the NFL draft, but fast forwarding to a few years, we will most likely be slamming the entire organization and and posting “YUO IS TEH SUCK MILLEN” on all the message forums.

Until next year,
Judge Smails - Lions-fans.com

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