2013 Detroit Lions

**smogboy** · January-08-13, 06:27 PM

The 2012 season was disappointing to say the least for so many of us loyal Lions fans. We expected more after a semi-stellar 2011 dash culminating in a spot in the playoffs.

But rather than re-live and flay the previous season, let's continue to move forward and discuss the Lions team the Ford family will put on the field in 2013.

All I ask is for lively discussion, some sense of civility, and a healthy respect to one another as we all have varying opinions of our team. Have some rationale for your points. Don't come here, blurt out some obvious statement, and dash off never to be heard from again. We have dialog & conversations here. Have some facts, stats, or at least some solid reasoning to back up your opinions.

But the over all gist of this thread is to cheer on this team, break down what we thought went well and what didn't go well with the team. Honest criticism can be healthy as long as it's framed properly.

The Lions, warts and all, are our team and we'll continue to cheer for the Honolulu Blue & Silver!

**smogboy** · January-08-13, 06:29 PM

And as we move forward with these Lions, here's a list of free agents that our 2013 Lions will have to contend with:

Unrestricted free agents [[22)
DE Cliff Avril
T Gosder Cherilus
S Louis Delmas
LB Justin Durant
CB Drayton Florence
DT Andre Fluellen
DE Dylan Gandy
K Jason Hanson
P Nick Harris
TE Will Heller
DT Sammie Hill
T Corey Hilliard
CB Chris Houston
DE Lawrence Jackson
CB Jacob Lacey
CB Pat Lee
LB DeAndre Levy
KR Stefan Logan
LS Don Muhlbach
WR Kassim Osgood
RB Kevin Smith
DT Corey Williams

Restricted free agents [[3)
T Jason Fox
S Amari Spievey
DE Willie Young

Exclusive rights free agents [[5)
RB Joique Bell
FB Shaun Chapas
WR Kris Durham
S Ricardo Silva
DT Jimmy Saddler-McQueen

**Thruster315** · January-08-13, 08:30 PM

Off of the Unrestricted list the only ones I'd consider tossing any money towards would be:

-Avril [[but not even near the $9-10 mil he was asking for)
-Delmas [[a one year incentive ladened contract)
-Durant
-Fluellen
-Heller
-Hill
-Houston [[probably top priority IMO)
-Jackson
-Levy
-Muhlbach
-Osgood
-Williams

As sad as it may be, it's time to cut loose a great guy like Jason Hanson because he'd be a salary cap casualty- not a performance issue.

**kenp** · January-09-13, 09:15 AM

Seems like yesterday we [[fontes) made a priority of drafting a kicker that could kickoff into the endzone. Murray was hurting our field position. Man that was over 20 years ago.

I dont think we resign Avril, though when healthy is is a great player.
I dont care were we get them but please give us some linebackers, safties and corners.

**gnome** · January-09-13, 02:50 PM

Jeeze, I just wrote a long post with links and quotes and fun word-play and it poofed. Gone.

point: don't trust nothing or nobody...

---
vikes at 16 million under the salary cap
Bears are 13 million uunder
pack is 7 uunder
lions are 1+ million over.

yep. So as sucky as we were we were also the most expensive team in the North.

hence, we can not solve this by throwing money at it.

That is on Lewand and Mayhew.

**Thruster315** · January-09-13, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by gnome

vikes at 16 million under the salary cap
Bears are 13 million uunder
pack is 7 uunder
lions are 1+ million over.

yep. So as sucky as we were we were also the most expensive team in the North.

hence, we can not solve this by throwing money at it.

That is on Lewand and Mayhew.

Our poor Lions were the victim of the days when top draft picks were paid a shopping cart's worth inside of Fort Knox. We had to pony up the cash to pay high draft picks like Calvin, Stafford & Suh.

**Thruster315** · January-10-13, 03:33 PM

One other major deficiency that I haven't exactly seen too many people talk about with this team has been their Special Teams. It was one major stinker of a performance by that squad this year [[I'm still shocked that Crossman wasn't given the gate when all of those other coaches were released).

The only "bright" spot on the squad was probably Don Muhlbach- but quite bluntly if we're talking about him in a discussion, this team is seriously doomed. Even the ever reliable Jason Hanson missed a game winner this year. I wouldn't mind having him back for another year [[he's still pretty darn accurate and the KO rules have allowed for a slightly weaker kicker to be productive) but his contract still needs to be a lot more cap friendly.

Nick Harris? No way. Stefan Logan?? Thanks but no dice [[Joique Bell seemed pretty darn explosive in that one game). And the return and cover teams never got on track. Kassim Osgood had some moments and even the gunner John Wendling wasn't as effective as the year before. I would honestly say we even lost a few games directly because of the special teams play.

We need to look at this squad a little more closely and not just think it's a place for the non-starting scrubs to get some play on the field. Football's not just offense and defense; this bunch can make or break a team's field position and turn momentum in a split second.

**smogboy** · January-14-13, 12:23 AM

Originally Posted by Thruster315

Our poor Lions were the victim of the days when top draft picks were paid a shopping cart's worth inside of Fort Knox. We had to pony up the cash to pay high draft picks like Calvin, Stafford & Suh.

We can't deny that we're the "victims" of the system that was put into place then but that being said with all of those high draft picks, we should be light years ahead of other teams then. Instead we're not. We've got some amazing top notch talent yes, but not enough of supporting talent around for them to make any noise.

A close comparison might be to our Red Wings with all of that free agent talent they acquired back in the day [[Hull, Robitaille, Hasek, etc.)- they wouldn't have gotten anywhere near the Cup if the chemistry wasn't right and if it wasn't for the muckers & grinders. For every amazing talent such as a Federov, a team needs a Maltby.

This Lions team has some solid Pro Bowl caliber talent in Calvin Johnson, Matt Stafford & Ndamukong Suh- but we also need the second tier talent to step it up too. For this team to step up, we need bigger games from the likes of younger guys Mikel Leshoure, Ryan Broyles, Dwight Bentley, Tahir Whitehead, Don Carey, Jonte Green, Ricardo Silva, and most noticeably Riley Reiff needs to step into [[and contribute in a solid way) a starting position soon.

Now some of these poor souls got injured early or just played like bad rookies last year- but all one has to do is look around the league and see how they have rookies taking charge. Our last draft had no sense of urgency or immediacy to it. We drafted luxury picks.

Martin Mayhew needed to, and with this year's draft has to be more desperate in getting starters. And not just any starters- he needs to be able to get starters and contributors in the second, third and later rounds. I would even say it's fair to say that Martin Mayhew's later round picks have not panned out well.

All one has to do is remember the likes of Derrick Williams, Zack Follett, Jordan Dizon, Johnny Culbreath, and the troubled Titus Young.

Regardless of how they handle our own free agency signings [[which is daunting to say the least), the Draft needs to be solid from the first to the last. No more of these guys that look great at the combines, have great Senior Bowls, have impressive collegiate stats, etc.- they need to step up and contribute on this Lions team in a meaningful way. Mayhew's got to find them by hook or by crook. The honeymoon's over and they need to produce.

**Downriviera** · January-14-13, 09:06 AM

but all one has to do is look around the league and see how they have rookies taking charge.

Good Point. I wonder how much playing on a team with a winning culture and zero tolerance for poor play and behavior has to do with these rookies and free agents taking charge on these teams.

**gnome** · January-14-13, 10:59 AM

We took Reiff at 23 in the first round, New England took Dont'a Hightower at 25. Hightower has been a monster at Linebacker all season. Reiff has contributed for us, and I have seen him contribute, but he hasn't been a monster.

maybe our problem lies in scouting. I can't imagine Mayhew and Company do all the filtering, it has to start with scouting. Besides Charlie Sanders who plays the role of being a Dutch Uncle to the players, I don't know much about our scouting staff, but whomever they are they need to go and Ford needs to back a Brinks truck at the doorstep of the head of New England's scouting department.

**gnome** · January-14-13, 03:41 PM

Guys ... we never had a meet-up this year. Or last year either.

Anybody want to get together for the Super Bowl?

**kenp** · January-23-13, 03:50 PM

I wasnt posting much the the 2012 season, but I wouldnt mind a meet-up to watch the game.

**gnome** · January-24-13, 10:42 AM

Ok, that makes two ...

**kenp** · January-24-13, 02:48 PM

Titus Young = idiot
He must have mental issues.

**gnome** · February-05-13, 03:21 PM

Like a supermodel our Leos are purging unwanted meat.

**kenp** · February-06-13, 03:56 PM

VandenBosch wasnt a shock, he was a solid player but couldnt practice the last 2 years.
Petermen was a shock, I thought he was solid.
Young was a wasted pick, guy has talent butn just a gaping ahole

**gnome** · February-06-13, 08:25 PM

KVB is a class act, but from all appearances the Lions had a leadership problem. KVB was the leader, therefore he either wasn't doing his job, or was not doing it well.

He has the full rev going on the motor, is well-spoken and smart; but when production zeros out, leadership does not seem effective and a huge payday is due ... = so long.

I do wish he'd stay around as a coach though. He is going to coach someplace. Might as well be here.

had the opportunity to shake his hand at a Moth Storytelling event at the GEM. Not the kind of place you'd expect to run into an NFL lineman.

**gnome** · February-09-13, 06:47 PM

You know why the Lions don't have a website?

because they can't string together three 'W's.

try the veal...

**Roq** · February-23-13, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by gnome

You know why the Lions don't have a website?

because they can't string together three 'W's.

try the veal...

Ok. I laughed.

**kenp** · February-24-13, 08:07 AM

ha try the veal, its the best in the city

**Thruster315** · March-05-13, 07:26 PM

I've laid really low with the Lions thread as of late just because all of this mock draft stuff drives me nutty. The football brainiacs think we're drafting everything from the second coming of Bronco Nagurski to Aunt Jemima. All of this pre-season hype is mind numbing. The combines are nuts.

I know Martin Mayhew targeted a meager handful of our own free agents and the soap opera continues. Not much to say and not much to see here although the Lions still seem like a hotbed of discussion on the sports talk circuit.

**smogboy** · March-06-13, 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by Thruster315

Off of the Unrestricted list the only ones I'd consider tossing any money towards would be:

-Avril [[but not even near the $9-10 mil he was asking for)
-Delmas [[a one year incentive ladened contract)
-Durant
-Fluellen
-Heller
-Hill
-Houston [[probably top priority IMO)
-Jackson
-Levy
-Muhlbach
-Osgood
-Williams

As sad as it may be, it's time to cut loose a great guy like Jason Hanson because he'd be a salary cap casualty- not a performance issue.

Well you got one of your wishes fulfilled. DeAndre Levy was just signed to a three year deal. Ashlee Palmer was signed at the end of the season so it might seem that Justin Durant might be cast off. Is this also harkening the arrival of Jarvis Jones too?

**firstandten** · March-06-13, 10:44 PM

thruster 315 I don't think the Lions can afford to cut Hanson because of salary cap issues. Hell... where is the scoring going to come from. Many times the bulk of the scoring is coming from Hanson rather the the TD's the offense should be getting. Getting a so-so kicker on the cheap isn't going to help us unlike most teams we are real kicker dependent.

**gnome** · March-08-13, 03:33 PM

Delmas is whining the Lions aren't showing him enough love.

Love?

I like the guy, but love? please.

**Thruster315** · March-11-13, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by firstandten

thruster 315 I don't think the Lions can afford to cut Hanson because of salary cap issues. Hell... where is the scoring going to come from. Many times the bulk of the scoring is coming from Hanson rather the the TD's the offense should be getting. Getting a so-so kicker on the cheap isn't going to help us unlike most teams we are real kicker dependent.

I have no issues with keeping Jason Hanson, but please be reasonable with a cap friendly number. I adore the guy and love him for his dedication and accuracy. Hell, I think he's borderline NFL Hall of Fame material- but as a Lions fan today, I want him to come back with this team and have a friendly salary number.