Mr.TaterSalad

Regarding David, I would have been willing to overpay on a two year deal if it meant we were getting the better player of the two, which I feel we would be for at least a season. I would have offered a deal that was heavy in up front, guaranteed money for year one and then less on the back end. I would go 2 years @ $14 million with $10 million guaranteed and an incentive laden $4 million for year two if he both performs well and wants to return for a second stint. If he was willing to bite on a deal like that it would allow us to draft a Trenton Simpson, Jack Campbell, whomever and have him sit behind David for a year. Same kind of deal for Wagner too probably. I'm just playing Madden GM there though and that's easy to do. I'd like to think we are getting the Anzalone from the last 6 or 7 games (minus Carolina) of last season. As you said though, his career sample size doesn't dictate that. Hopefully Holmes and Campbell bet correct on their own guy here.

I hope this doesn't preclude us from drafting Jake Moody.

I wouldn't expect anything to leak on Holmes' end, but a players agent could leak something out to an Adam Schefter, Ian Rappaport, Dave Birkett after the fact. I doubt we'll hear much, if anything, about whether or not the Lions were in on David or Wagner.

Sorry, I missed the not part in my post. Maybe the upgrade comes in the form of a draft pick who eventually out players Anzalone. I sorta think the book is out on Anzalone himself, but maybe he just outperforms expectations as well.

If a report comes out that he tried going after David or Wagner then great. I suspect that they wanted their own guy back in Anzalone all along, but of course don't know for certain.

When you see what a better player like Lavonte David signed for in Tampa Bay it makes this deal that much harder to accept. I trust Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell on the whole and like what they are doing, but as Buddha said earlier, they are infallible people. I just can't help but wonder if we could have gotten one of David or Bobby Wagner at that price.

I've been dismissive of the Lions drafting a WR or OL with their first pick in the first round, whether at #6 or if they trade back. But maybe I shouldn't be. Is there a realistic chance that Brad Holmes has either Quentin Johnson or Peter Skoronski rated highly enough on the Lions draft board that he would pick one of them at #6 or with a trade down to a few spots lower? I originally would have dismissed this idea entirely. However, there are a few not very scientific things that make feel this isn't entirely a stretch. I do feel their draft board has changed with the recent Jalen Carter news and I think he has fallen down or completely off their board, opening up a spot for someone to rise up. They haven't resigned DJ Chark yet and clearly still need an outside, big-bodied, contested catch WR and Quentin Johnson fits that role perfectly given his height and style of play. As well, Brad Holmes has clearly shown he loves building in the trenches and dominating up front. It seems he feels the key to success is to have a dominate offensive line and Skoronski could become their long term starter to replace Vaitai or slide over eventually and replace Decker at Guard. Should we be giving more credence to either one of these two at #6 or if they trade back a few spots?

WOW, $42 million for Slay with $23 million in guaranteed money. A bit surprised at 32 years old that he's getting that.

Randall Cunningham too.

I do believe we are in a unique position, with a great offseason, to be one of, if not the best team in the NFC next year. I do believe we have had a really nice offseason so far, but bringing in a Bobby Wagner or Lavonte David turns good into great. It could turn the 3rd or 4th best team in the NFC into the best team in the NFC. This is why I wanted a Bobby Wagner or Lavonte David signing versus resigning Anzalone. It's not that Anzalone is a bad football player, he is not. I just feel that a Wagner or David elevate your defense to a level that Anzalone simply cannot due to him hitting his ceiling talent wise.

Clowney seemingly made an entire career off of an ESPN Top 10 highlight reel hit on Michigan's Vincent Smith in a bowl game. Clowney, for where he was drafted, has had a pedestrian career, never once totaling double digit sack totals.

Buccaneers re-sign LB Lavonte David for 1 year @ $7 million. Woulda loved to have had him here, even if it took a little more money to pry him away from Tampa Bay, versus what we paid Anzalone. I was told he and Bobby Wagner were going to want 3 year deals and way more money. I wonder what David would have said if Holmes offered him 1 @ $10 million?

I always love Larry Craig type stories where anti-LGBTQ, homophobic male Republicans are caught in the act soliciting sex or thirsting over men. In this case, the anti-LGBTQ, homophobic male Republican is Tennessee Lt. Governor Randy McNally. He was caught making comments on nude and near nude photos of a 20 year old man on Instagram.

I've felt since the drag racing story broke that he was off their draft board. This only adds to that thought. Maybe if he's there at 6 they can get someone to trade up for him, but I don't think Carter will end up a Lion.

Does signing Montgomery stop the Bijan Robinson at #18 talk?

WOW!!! I cannot say I saw this move coming. Montgomery is only 25 years old so he should have a fair amount of gas still left in the tank. I guess he'll be our RB1 instead of Swift.

So Harris will serve as Mosley's backup in the slot?

Darren Waller traded to the Giants for a 3rd round pick. That seems like a good deal for the Giants.

Are Mosley and Harris going to be competing for playing time in the slot?

Love the Cominsky deal by Holmes. Seems like a steal of a re-signing. I had posted earlier about Comisnky getting 2 years, $4 million with $2 million guaranteed and that seemed too low. So him only getting $4 million guaranteed seems closer to the low-ball number I originally thought he might get versus getting something north of $6-$7 million in guaranteed money.

No they won't sign for close to what Anzalone did and I don't care because they are better players than AA is. Sometimes you have to splurge and go big if you have the opportunity to make a significant upgrade at a position. You can't and shouldn't fill every need or make every upgrade in free agency because it won't work and will put you in cap hell over the long run. But I think this is a bit of a unique situation with Wagner and David because you have two players, both over 30, who could conceivably sign a one year deal. If an over 30 player like Wagner or David, who could reasonably be expected to give you at least one more good season, were willing to sign for a year you wouldn't have gone in big and offered $17-$18 million or something close to that? Let's say the Lions draft a guy like Jack Campbell or Trenton Simpson. You'd only hope those players could be as good as Wagner or David are and would be paying them accordingly down the line when their contracts are up. Having a Wagner or David around to mentor our rookie would be a huge added bonus.

I know it's way too easy as fans to armchair quarterback a GM's decision making and say why wasn't player X signed instead of the guy you did. I know there is a lot more than goes into signing a player than the Madden, video game view of free agency that many of us fans have. But I'm going to armchair GM for a second and put on my Madden hat. I just have a bit of a hard time paying Anzalone this type of money with someone like Bobby Wagner or Lavonte David still on the market. And who knows, maybe they are in on trying to sign Wagner or David. Maybe they were in but the price is too high or they simply won't sign here. But I can't help but think that Wagner or David coming in to fill Anzalone's role and quarterback this defense, even at age 32, would be an upgrade over what Anzalone has done the past two seasons. I'm not mad that Holmes gave Anzalone this contract, it's just disappointing to see someone like Wagner or Lavonte David still on the market and we put the money into Anzalone on day one of free agency.

I want to hold off and see how much of the Anzalone contract is guaranteed before I really express my belief on it. He wasn't a guy I really even wanted back, but figured they might bring back. But I hope the guaranteed money is very minimal.

I don't think so either. Not for LB and not for corner either.

Damn, this one sucks. Not only because we missed out on him but because he went in-division to a rebuilding team in the Bears.