MichiganCardinal

As ridiculous as it sounds this is probably accurate. Officiating was the wild west just 20-30 years ago. It was daddy ball and who you knew that got you a job, and there were no real performance standards. Nepotism is still there to a degree, but they at least care more about fitness, ability, and performance now than they did back then. What's really changed is technology. Twenty years ago the refs were marginally worse, but technology wasn't quite there yet to tell us just how good or bad some of those calls were. Technology has far surpassed where the human eye will ever be able to go, and is only still getting better. Take Devonte Smith's no-catch for instance. It's not even fair to criticize the official for not getting that right. He was five yards away, yet he literally cannot see through Smith to see the ball briefly hit the ground as Smith hits the ground. Slow it down and view it from the angles that took the NFL way too long to get, and it's clearly incomplete, but I'm not going to crucify a ref for not getting that right when he did everything right, and just didn't have the angle. Don't get me wrong, it could absolutely get better, and I do think having the Referee of each crew be full-time NFL employees would help. But with the nature of football, you're never going to get to a point where a robot is calling holding or pass interference or roughing the passer. Those are just judgment calls where some refs are going to get it when it's meh, some are going to get it when it's bad, some are going to get it when it's BAD, and some aren't going to get it unless it's attempted murder. As much as you try to make it objective, most fouls just aren't. And then there will be always be some straight misses. At some point you have to draw the line of how far you want technology to take the game. Personally, I think the line has already been passed. Focus on the human element and getting the best possible officials in those roles, and then let the human element mean something, as shitty as that is for the Lions oftentimes. I don't want four-hour games while we spend five minute reviews on how much contact was made between the WR and the DB on a particular route, or even two minutes on whether something was a catch. If you can't tell in 30-60 seconds, cut the replay feed and the call stands, let's play.

Part of me wonders if Rodgers is just trolling. The medicated enema last season, the darkness retreat now.... I would respect him so much more if after he retires he comes out and says "I was in the Bahamas that whole time just escaping the media and y'all fell for that schtick hook, line, and sinker." Given he's an anti-vaxxer though, I seriously doubt it. He's just a stupid diva who probably actually thinks this nonsense helps. I would not want him on my team.

It depends. If Levis is there, and that's who they're obviously wanting, you might be able to bid them against the Raiders, Titans, and Commanders and drive up the price. Teams can't usually move up for a franchise QB without surrendering significant capital. Not to mention, for "just" a second round pick, I have to weigh whether it's worth the possibility that the Raiders or Falcons take my preferred player before #9.

Picking up a premier starting offensive lineman would be productive both for now and the future. The offensive philosophy starts with and relies on the strength of the offensive line. Decker is signed through 2024, but that 2025 offseason is right about the time we are going to be needing to re-sign a lot of our Holmes picks, including Sewell and ASB. We may not be able to keep a 32yo Decker. If we pick up a Skoronski or Steen that could be an immediate plug-and-play option at RG now, and slide to RT in the next few years while Sewell slides to LT, it could make a lot of sense.

I didn't watch either game, but in reading up on it, it seems a lot was attributed to the Texas IOL, which collapsed on impact against better defensive lines, making a lot of his touches in those games impressive just in the nature of getting back to the line. It seems those two defenses were good, and decided to sell out against the run, and it paid off. Others put blame on Sarkisian's play calling. Bijan only got 12 rushes and wasn't targeted even once in the TCU game. He was used to some extent in the passing game against Alabama and was pretty effective, with 3 catches on 4 targets for 73 yards. Combine that with his 57 yards and a TD on the ground, and his stat line of 130 APYs was actually pretty decent I think against a really good Alabama team.

I think Bijan's ceiling is higher than Swift's, but it's not immensely higher. I think Bijan could be put into some packages where he is a man in motion and goes on a route, or lines up in the slot, or lines up in the shotgun across from Jamaal and really opens up the playbook in a way that, when combined with Ben Johnson's playbook, really keeps defenses on their toes. The best player comparisons I can think of are McCaffery and Kamara, or a better version of Deebo Samuel. I don't think Swift is at that level. Swift can catch the screen pass just fine and find his blocks, but he's not going downfield to be a threat in the air game. I think the more fair criticism to your first point though is asking how likely it really is that we will ever get to see a slightly improved Swift. If you told me we would get the Swift we saw against the Eagles across a 17+ game schedule in 2023, I wouldn't give Bijan a second look. I just think it's much more likely we see one week of exciting Swift and 16 weeks of frustration (again) than it is we ever see a full and complete season of vintage Swift. The second point I agree wholeheartedly with, and it could go for any running back prospect compared to any of the past running back failures here.

I think you still re-sign Jamaal. They are different kinds of backs, with different types of workloads, and if utilized well Jamaal can probably help keep Bijan healthy... I can also think of goal-line formations that include them both that would keep a defensive coordinator up at night. I think you trade Swift, either in the trade to move up for Bijan or for whatever draft capital you can get. It won't be much, but you might be able to get a 3rd or 4th round pick.

I like Bijan a lot. I think he's probably one of the two or three best players in this draft class, and I don't think he drops below the Eagles at 10. The tricky part about taking a RB that high is durability and health. If Bijan is the unicorn that is elusive enough to stay relatively healthy and be a 2000+ yard all-purpose threat out of the backfield, I'm totally okay with it. He could easily be the best player Detroit has seen at that position since Barry. The last five RBs drafted in the top ten though are Saquon Barkley, Leonard Fournette, Christian McCaffery, Ezekiel Elliot, and Todd Gurley... There is a lot of talent on that list, but also a lot of frustration. I could really envision Robinson being the Jamo of this draft that we go and get if he is slides a little. I could see taking Carter/Anderson/Wilson at #6 and then trading up to #9 with the Panthers. It's quite possibly a way they could get the two best players in the draft if the cards fall perfectly.

Yes, don't get me wrong, those moves alone would probably still allow for two of Jerry Jacobs, Amani Oruwariye, and Mike Hughes to be on the team as depth, and that's not in the team's best interests. They need depth badly as well, but depth can be found even later than the 2nd round or for much cheaper than Dean.

Also this. Glenn is out in Arizona, which leaves only Indy to possibly poach him.

I think the Lions will pick up one high-end corner in free agency, and that addition alone would change the conversation about the secondary drastically. If you sign Jamel Dean, then all of a sudden you have your CB1, you have your CB2 in Okudah, and all you really need in terms of draft day starters is your nickelback, of which the 2nd and 3rd rounds should have plenty of. Brian Branch, Antonio Johnson, and Quan Martin are probably the three best nickels in the draft (as of now), and any of the three could drop to the middle of the 2nd round.

I'm not one to judge a guy's injury in this sport. It's too violent and they're putting their lives on the line every play.... but I don't think that locker room appreciated how Lamar's season-ending injury went down. It definitely stunk of something fishy, and it probably wasn't great for moral as 21 other starters played while hurting while he didn't even show up to practice and posts on Twitter "sorry guys I'm still hurt 😞"

I don't think the Lions draft a corner in the 1st round unless they see a Sauce Gardner type. There are just so many available that there will be very good ones still there in the 2nd and 3rd round, who would go in the 1st in a normal year. Similar to when the Lions waited on a WR two years ago, and wound up with ASB.

Lamar to the Panthers then?

Let him walk / trade him for picks that will let you get his successor... He's not Mahomes or Burrow. Let another team sweat like the Browns are after Watson's mediocre 2022.

If Holmes picks either of them, I won't immediately categorize it as a waste. He's earned at least that much. Hooker is at least somewhat intriguing to me because he's going to fall like a rock. I know 1984 said 2nd round, I don't think I would be interested there. Too many good corners and linebackers are likely going to be immediate plug-and-play options in the 2nd round. I think Hooker may be there in the 3rd/4th round or even later though. A lot of teams need immediate answers at QB, and a lot will cross him off for injury concerns and age. Had he not torn his ACL though, I think he's talked about in the Levis/Richardson tier 1B of QBs this year. He had a really good year for Tennessee and was an impressive dual-threat QB. If he's there at 81, or into the 4th Round, or at 149 or later, I think he's worth consideration alongside the others on the board. He'd be QB3 in 2023 and would be a NFI out of camp (like Jamo), maybe for the whole season. If he ends up sucking as the, you roll with Goff like nothing happened and he's just a mid to later round bust, which isn't ideal, but also isn't the end of the world.

Cards should probably put out the fires in their ownership and front office and find a head coach willing to work with their QB before thinking about the draft anyway.

I could see a world in which the Cardinals absolutely fall in love with Bijan Robinson. I forgot that Saquon was taken #2 overall, I knew it was high but sheesh. Otherwise though, I agree. I think Levis is the kind of guy that some teams in the top five could be all about, while others would cross out.

Tyree Wilson is setup perfectly for a Travon Walker like jump. Down to the same initials. His physical measureables that the analytics fanatics drool over are better than either Anderson or Carter, Anderson just had a "down year" (compared to his phenomenal 2021 at least), and Carter has the mysterious "character concerns". If the top three QBs do go in the top five, all you need is one player not named Carter or Anderson (could be Wilson, could be Skoronski, could even be Bijan Robinson) to jump them and all of a sudden a perfect fit has fallen into your lap, just like Sewell did when the Bengals took Chase and Hutch did when the Jags took Walker.

I think if three QBs go in the top five there is a 50/50 or better chance that one of Carter/Anderson is sitting for us. And IMO it would make it three straight years of the perfect prospect for us falling into our laps, so maybe too much to ask for.

My Mock Draft 2.1 1. Carolina Panthers (Trade w/ CHI): Will Levis, QB, Kentucky 2. Houston Texans: Bryce Young, QB, Alabama 3. Arizona Cardinals: Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech 4. Indianapolis Colts: CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State 5. Seattle Seahawks (from DEN): Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia 6. Detroit Lions (from LAR): Will Anderson, EDGE, Alabama 7. Las Vegas Raiders: Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson 8. Atlanta Falcons: Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon 9. Chicago Bears (Trade w/ CAR): Peter Skoronski, OL, Northwestern 10. Philadelphia Eagles: Isaiah Foskey, EDGE, Notre Dame 11. Tennessee Titans: Paris Johnson, OT, Ohio State 12. Houston Texans (from CLE): Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU 13. New York Jets: Tyler Steen, OT, Alabama 14. New England Patriots: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State 15. Green Bay Packers: Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame 16. Washington Commanders: Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State 17. Pittsburgh Steelers: Jaelyn Duncan, OT, Maryland 18. Detroit Lions: Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas 19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Brian Branch, DB, Alabama 20. Seattle Seahawks: Lukas Van Ness, EDGE, Iowa 21. Los Angeles Chargers: Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois 22. Baltimore Ravens: Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida 23. Minnesota Vikings: Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina 24. Jacksonville Jaguars: Jordan Addison, WR, USC 25. New York Giants: Cedric Tillman, WR, Tennessee 26. Dallas Cowboys: O’Cyrus Torrence, OG, Florida 27. Buffalo Bills: Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina 28. Cincinnati Bengals: Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia 29. New Orleans Saints (from DEN thru SF): Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson 30. Philadelphia Eagles: Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia 31. Kansas City Chiefs: Tuli Tuipuloto, EDGE, USC Lions 2.18 - Antonio Johnson, DB, Texas A&M 2.26 - Cody Mauch, OG, North Dakota State 3.18 - Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State 5.18 - Dante Stills, DT, West Virginia 6.5 (from DEN) - Jake Moody, K, Michigan 6.18 - Garrett Williams, CB, Syracuse

I think if they’re taking a guard that high they’re expecting them to be a day one starter. Jonah Jackson is the last guard we took that early and he started his rookie season. If you can afford to keep Vaitai, I’m not opposed to the rookie being a backup interior offensive linemen. But I don’t want to keep paying Vaitai OT money if there is a perfectly capable guard sitting on the bench.

Vaitai probably won’t be decided until after the draft. If we take a guard in the first three rounds, Vaitai probably gets cut and we have that rookie start at RG… otherwise, he’s brought back.