1984Echoes

The Great Trump Depression of 2025-2028.

Any minor league pitches for Jobe this year are wasted pitches. All MLB: bullpen/ starter/ or otherwise.

No, I'm not talking about Hutch... he has the moves. I'm talking about the all the other pass-rush hopefuls on the team (now or drafted in the near future) who may have not had the technique instruction that Hutch had. Guys who have some "project" in them in which, they may never turn into Hutch (which of course I would not expect), but maybe they turn into a future Za'Darius Smith. IE: ZS 2015 5.5 sacks, 2016 1.0, 2017 3.5, 2018 8.5, 2019 13.5, 2020 12.5... etc. I think that works opposite Hutch. ZS started out slow and only really picked it up in year 4 and thereafter.

Also... Before we signed Barnes back... I thought the shocker that Brad was going to pull was to trade up and draft Jihaad Campbell. Now my WAG is... James Pearce?

I was hoping for Mike Green in the 2nd round because he was "flying under the radar"... At the time. Umm, well, he's not flying under the radar so much anymore so...

"Vlad? How do I run a corrupt fascist murderous dictatorship like you do? Where... I get all the money?"

Well... This is what Putin fears also. So Trump of course was taking notes from His Master. Piss off the Proletariat and they will all come out with their pitchforks to take off his head. He's trying to placate them by talking them out of their pitchforks... for at least as long as it takes before he can get the US Army on board with confronting and gunning down "disloyal Americans". See... there's a reason Trump has been kissing Putin's boots for over 20 years and it wasn't only about a Trump Tower Moscow.

PS: I think he would do better if was not the "ONLY" guy. Which, basically, he was by that time. Last man standing and I don't think he's a "do-it-alone" guy, certainly not at this stage of his career. He needs Hutch, and McNeil, and any other help we can get on the DL because... he just does. I don't think that makes him a no value guy... Just a DE with a "specific, veteran" value. Whatever that is. The Lions, and he, if they can get on the same page for a contract... will have that understood.

If they can get him back on a contract that works for the Lions I am perfectly fine with getting him back here. I don't consider either him or Marcus or any other FA they could sign as the perfect compliment to Hutch however. I would look to draft the future DE compliment to Hutch. I look at Za'Darius and Davenport as the "vets" that teach the younger guys all their moves, all their "vet knowledge", and start until the new guy is ready to take over a starting spot. It could be a 1st round guy or a 3rd round project. Call him Shemar Stewart. I love the guy. 4.5 sacks over 3 years. But mad pass-rushing "potential". Or at least that's what "they" say... How does he go from potential to reality? I think those two guys would help him along. And then turn into the 1st, or the "key", backups behind Hutch and Stewart as we go on next year's playoff run and win the next Super Bowl... Oops, sorry, I have too many fantasies and dreams and sugar plums rattling around in my head... But I'd still be good signing back Za'Darius... at the right price.

I'm not ready for "what ifs" at this point. I want to see it in black and white and then I'll make my comments and judgements. I like to speculate as much as everyone else on here... but on this one... no.

As long as Za'Darius is coming back I'm good...

And/or Draft Position Watch: We're basically tied at the 13th spot at the moment but... do we move further up the draft or win a few games and move back by season's end...?

This team is just, annually... Too, too frail.

And Mize appears to have also risen from the dead. It's a good thing if these two are back on track and even a little closer to the old expectations...

Along these lines... I still consider the Wings in the "Pistons Phase" of the past few years... "accumulator of talent". That's why I agreed with you on Rantanen. Wrong time to pay this cost. He's a perfect "Brendan Shanahan Last Piece of the Puzzle". And we're not there yet. We need to still be trying to accumulate young talent. By draft, trade, or lucky FA signing. Not trading important future assets yet... at least until we're searching for that mythical "last piece"....

Who is your 1st line centerman with Rantanen? You have two top wingers in Raymond and Rantanen, but who centers? PS: I would have traded DeBrincat for Cozens.

Alex Lyon is a UFA and will be gone in the offseason. Having Talbot and Mrazek, IMO... Says NOTHING about Cossa's NHL time next year. I think Cossa and his NHL-readiness (or not quite there as of...) say everything about how much NHL time he gets. IE: Blow the doors off in training camp and trade one of those other two. Start in Grand Rapids (if he's not quite ready) and blow the doors off down there showing that he's ready for the NHL... move one of the other two. Not ready until the trade deadline but showing it right before then...? Trade one before the deadline. Mrazek is "Cossa-readiness Insurance"... nothing more. IMO.

On Rantanan... No. I agree with you. This team isn't ready for a Rantanan trade. I consider him to be about as close to a Brendan Shanahan as could possibly be without actually being Shanny. So yes... I would LOVE Rantanan on this team, as the "missing piece"... With the problem being that we're not currently in the position to be hunting, or trading for, an expensive "missing piece". In fact... a Raymond-Larkin-Rantanan line would be "outstanding"!!! No... I was looking in a different area... Call it the "Dark Side of the Moon".

The one I HATED... Was trading Walman PLUS a 2nd in the summer.... WTF?!?! I HATED it then and I hate it even more now. Trade an up and coming D, partnered on the 1st pairing with Seider... I know he's not a 1st pair D but... DON'T dump Petry. DON'T dump Holl. DON'T move Maata. SIGN Gustafson? AGAIN... WTF?!?! This one BURNS me big time. There was NO OTHER way to make room on D except to trade Walman...? BS.

Stevie's not selling off... He's playing "Status Quo".

I'm keeping my eye on that this offseason to see what happens... If anything.

Alex Lyon is a UFA so it's a wash... This trade is just to get the team through this season... that's it. Petry is also a UFA this offseason so I'll take that as a HUGE PLUS...

Oh, I wanted the Moon...

Great. But he's still a band aid.

"Moving the deck chairs around" they're calling it and that's fine... They lost Copp so Smith is a band aid. Agree on Mrazek. I'm looking to shift over to Cossa this season or next season... So I'm just guessing... but Talbot might still be moved...