Motown Bombers

I had high expectations after 2011 but the Packers were 15-1 that year and again 2011 ended in disappointment as the Lions lost to Matt Flynn. It was the difference between playing the Saints and a weaker Giants team. The Packers were still the class of the division even though it seemed the Lions were up and coming. This year it feels like the division is the Lions to lose.

I remember there were some expectations in 2015 following that 11 win 2014 season. One thing that is different is the Lions had a chance to win the division and finish as high as the 2 seed with a win at Green Bay on the final game of the season. The Lions lost by double digits and tumbled from a potential 2 seed to 6 seed. They probably should have beaten Dallas. The defense was legit. This year they go into Green Bay in the final game of the season it was is for all intents and purposes a playoff game and win. They win by outplaying the Packers in the 4th quarter. They got the ball back with 3:30 left and the Packers with three timeouts. The Packers never get the ball back. That was a changing of the guard moment for me.

I'm starting to jump on the trade up for Will Anderson train now.

The Lions can still cut Okawara post June 1st and save an additional $2M. This by no means commits Okwara to the opening day roster. He will still need to earn it in training camp.

If the Lions cut him, they would have saved $7.5M. This way they save $9M. I also believe Okwara's salary this year was not guaranteed. Now I believe it is so Okawara benefits as well. Had he been cut, he was not going to get a guaranteed contract given his injury history.

The way I understand it is Okwara will get 1/17th of $500k for each game he plays so roughly $29k per game. $500k per game would be a lot and the Lions would need to keep $10 million in cap space open. That wouldn't seem to do them any good.

Okwara's pay cut saved the Lions more in cap space than if they cut him.

They really have a logjam at defensive end now. Hutchinson, Houston, Cominsky, Harris, Okwara, Paschal and on the interior you have Buggs, McNeil and Levi. Cominsky and Paschal can move inside and I'm not sure Levi makes the roster.

He took a huge pay cut. It was probably take the pay cut or get cut. He probably at best would only get a non guaranteed contract.

Renegotiated means Okwara took a pay cut and it looks like he took a hefty one at that. A restructure means they shifted or converted something. It changes the cap hit but not how much the player makes.

Jacobs likes these moves even though he is being pushed down the depth chart.

For the amount of money Miami is paying Jalen Ramsey, you could sign two of Sutton, Mosely and Gardner-Johnson plus not have to give up a draft pick. Maybe none of them are a top CB like Ramsey, though I believe he is regressing, but the Lions needed depth in the secondary and they have it now.

Got bad news for you guys. According to Bears fans, the 3 win Bears are still favorites for the division.

Holmes getting busy. This put the Lions over the top now.

Drafting a CB is still a possibility in the 1st round. Mosely, CGJ and Harris all signed one year deals. Okudah is in the last year of his contract if they don't pick up the 5th year option. All these players could be gone by this time next year. Holmes set himself up to where he could go in any direction this draft.

I would not be surprised if they went offense with the 6th pick.

Gives them good flexibility as I wouldn't count on Tracy Walker being 100%. Can play CGJ at safety or trying moving Okudah to safety. Love the free agency by Holmes. He was more aggressive this year but the team isn't locked into any bad contracts. None of these contracts affect possible extensions to Sewell, St Brown and Goff if they want to. Still flexible to sign Hutchinson when the time comes. It also allows them to be flexible in the draft.

Not sure if this takes them out of the running for Chark.