MichiganCardinal

Yeah that's what I mean. I wasn't really comparing them to other teams when making the grades but was thinking in a vacuum. It's quite possible I'm just the TA you want in your class. On a team-wide basis, I think the only team squarely better than them today in the NFC is the Eagles. I think they are in the next group, along with the 49ers and Cowboys, that has a legitimate chance when healthy to make a deep playoff run, but that the road runs through Philly. The Lions probably have a slightly easier schedule than those three though. If you add in the AFC, I don't think they're on the same level as any of the powerhouses, being the Chiefs, Bills, and Bengals. I might put them in the same category as teams like the Dolphins, Ravens, and Steelers. To comp each position group would take me a lot of time... but what else am I going to do until August? Maybe I'll do it.

A better exercise may have been comparing what I had them at in 2022 compared to now. Grades like this are inherently subjective, and I'm sure my B+ is not your B+.

Somewhere between wanting Holmes fired and booking tickets to Vegas.

I feel attacked.

They probably don't even know who he is, MCDC just saw 6' 9 1/2" and said "I gotta meet this mofo"

Never heard of this Charlie Campbell guy but he seems to like the Lions.

I'm hopeful this is the last year we have to depend on our rookies to be immediate difference makers to be a good team. Teams that are consistently good have systems in place that allow their rookies to succeed without the pressure of being 'the guy' out of the gate.

Remaining Wish List (from UDFAs, trades, or late free agency) 1. Wide Receiver with Starting Potential (DeAndre Hopkins, DeMarcus Robinson, Jarvis Landry) 2. Defensive Tackle with Starting Potential (Poona Ford, Matt Ionnidis, Akeim Hicks, I can't think of any trade targets) 3. Kicker Competition (Nick Folk, Brett Maher, Robbie Gould) 4. Linebacker depth (UDFAs) 5. Backup QB to replace Sudfeld and allow Hooker to be the developmental QB3 even when healthy (Teddy Bridgewater)

Post-draft roster evaluation: QB: Jared Goff / Nate Sudfeld / Hendon Hooker... A- Goff isn't perfect, but he's plenty good enough. Hopefully Hooker stays on track in his recovery well enough that we don't have to carry three QBs into the regular season, or at least are able to drop Sudfeld and pickup someone else's training camp cut to backup Goff while Hooker recovers and develops. RB: Jahmyr Gibbs / David Montgomery / Craig Reynolds / Jason Cabinda... A I didn't expect a total overhaul at this position in January, but on the outside looking in it appears to have improved. The only real question is how they will mesh with the offensive scheme and offensive line. WR: Jameson Williams / Amon-Ra St. Brown / Marvin Jones Jr. / Josh Reynolds / Kalif Raymond / Tom Kennedy / Antoine Green... B- / B+ The B- is without Jamo and the B+ is with him. This group scares me a little bit without him. There is really no vertical threat, and I'm not sure what to expect out of an aging Jones. We need Jamo back quickly and we need the others to stay healthy. I would not be opposed to finding someone for this group. TE: Sam LaPorta / Brock Wright / James Mitchell / Shane Zylstra... B+ I expect LaPorta to come in and compete from day one. I expect Wright to pickup where he left off with being a block first, occasional weapon. OL: Penei Sewell / Taylor Decker / Frank Ragnow / Jonah Jackson / Graham Glasgow / Halapoulivaati Vaitai / Matt Nelson Colby Sorsdol / Ross Pierschbacher... A The only thing keeping this from an A+ is the small question mark at RG. Hopefully Glasgow and Vaitai can turn that into a training camp competition and make each other better. If we get 2021 Vaitai, this could be the best offensive line in football. DT: Alim McNeill / Isaiah Buggs / Josh Paschal / Brodric Martin / Levi Onwuzurike... C+ The only true "weakness" I see on this team right now. This was a position group that definitely could have stood to improve in the offseason, but no real improvement has been made to this point, unless Martin is better than I think he is out of the gate as a rookie. These players performed well enough down the stretch, and if they can replicate that performance, I think they'll be alright, as in not actively costing us game. I worry about ground-and-pound teams with really good offensive lines (notably the Eagles and 49ers) having their way though. EDGE: Aidan Hutchinson / Charles Harris / James Houston / Romeo Okwara / Julian Okwara / John Cominsky... B+ A crowded room, but one devoid of high-end talent outside of Hutch. We really need one of Harris or either Okwara to turn into an every down option that can take some attention away from Hutch. If Houston can even come close to replicating his work down the stretch it will make a world of difference to the entire defense. LB: Alex Anzalone / Jack Campbell / Malcolm Rodriguez / Derrick Barnes... B Improvement has been made, but that wasn't hard considering this was the league's worst linebacking corps not that long ago. We will still need Campbell to come out of the gate hot if we expect this to be a better unit. DB: Cam Sutton / CJ Gardner-Johnson / Emmanuel Moseley / Kerby Joseph / Tracy Walker / Will Harris / Brian Branch / Jerry Jacobs... A- What a difference a year can make. This is a whole new look secondary. My only concern is putting so many new pieces into one defense while getting Moseley and Walker healthy. If they can mesh and get on the same page culturally, this will likely be the best secondary in the division by a wide margin. ST: Michael Badgley / Jack Fox / Jake McQuaide... B I don't like the idea of Badgley being our kicker this year. He's good enough in the short range, but he can't be trusted from 50+. I don't want to be going for it on 4th and 9 from the opponent's 35 in a must-win game because our kicker can't be trusted to make a 52-yard field goal. I'd like to bring in one of Nick Folk, Robbie Gould, or Brett Maher, and let them compete with Badgley for the starting gig. Jack Fox is still great though. Coaching: Dan Campbell / Ben Johnson / Aaron Glenn... A I think this is one of the best coaching trios in football, and that if this team meets their potential we will need two new coordinators for 2024. Overall Offense: A- Overall Defense: B Overall Team: A- This team has sky high potential in an NFC that isn't very good. It seems to be in Dan Campbell's MO to expect there will be a game or two where we come out flat (that's not a knock, it's impossible to give 110% in 17+ NFL games), but I think - if we stay healthy - we should be favored in almost every game this season. I'm really excited.

Antoine Green, WR, UNC

Lions are on the clock. Make or break pick for the Super Bowl....

There goes Hutchinson and Iosivas. Screw it, take a long snapper.

AT Perry goes to the Saints at #195.

AT Perry and Andrei Iosivas are still on the board. I don't think they're drafting for position at this stage though.

2023-2024 OROY Colby Sorsdal.

FWIW, he was announced to the media as a tackle, but the Lions are announcing him as a guard.

I nailed it.

Pick is in.... Colby Sorsdal, OT, William and Mary

You know we are getting into the later rounds when their stats on a guy are "two time SEC Honor Roll"

Packers just picked Sean Clifford. What are the odds we see him get game action this year?

Noah Sewell goes to the Bears. Damaging blow to his career.

As we crawl towards #152, I'm thinking it will be one of the following players: Jammie Robinson, AT Perry, Antonio Johnson, Jaylon Jones, Mike Morris, Henry To'oTo'o, Jarrett Patterson, Nick Broeker, some dude from some small school I have never heard of.

I think this is really good business on the Lions part. It has to be realistic, like if the Eagles said they'd only give a 7th and Houston was willing to give a 4th, sorry D'Andre, you're going to Houston. But free agents care about how they're treated when this time comes, and I'm sure word spreads regarding what teams will take care of you and what teams will take you out to the curb on Wednesday night.

He was Lionized (old Lionized) in his first game though when he dropped what should have been a game-winning TD against the Bears. He was doomed from that point on.

I don't love it, but I also didn't expect to get a 4th round pick for him at this point (even two years from now). I'm not really worried about him having some 150-yard game in a playoff game against the Lions. He hasn't shown any ability to consistently succeed without a pitch count.