NYLion

That's the lone positive I see from this as well. We knew what we were getting in Bey and it wasn't fun to watch in the least. At least with Wiseman it's something new to keep an eye on because otherwise, I was running out of reasons to watch.

Weaver always has one head scratching trade a year. Well, this one fills the quota. Throw another big man bust into the large pile of big man busts in Okafor, Bagley and Noel because.... reasons? Bey was clearly flawed but this is the best they could do for him? I'd take the 5 2nds that GS got over Wiseman, quite easily, and those 2nds (which I assume or mostly mid to late) are useless.

I think it'll depend on who they cut, how many of their guys that they re-sign but I could see a guy like Bradberry being in the very high end of the splurge scale for Holmes. Cominsky had huge importance for this defense, the numbers with and without him were eye opening, and he's only 27 so I'd go up to 3 years $15-18m for him. He, like Williams might take a bit of a discount to stay here. They're the two that are a big part of the culture and have spoke the loudest about their desire to stay.

The numbers on Cominsky are WAY low. I think he'll be in the ballpark of 2 years $8-10m. Eliott will probably get offers of 3m per year on the open market, no way he gets 3m total over 2 years IMO unless he takes a team friendly discount. Chark and Williams seem about right although I think Williams might take a little less. Either way, I don't see Holmes splurging in free agency. I think it'll more "prove it" contracts like the Chark one last offseason and finding diamonds in the rough like Cominsky, Buggs and Eliott. Don't really see him being in on the big names.

I believe in Bijan for a couple of reasons. He could make this offense elite of the elite. I know they're already really good but he would potentially vault them to another level and if you have an elite offense, you're pretty much an auto contender, how do you stop the Lions with that many weapons? He might have the highest offensive upside in this draft. Also, they have 4 other Day 1 and 2 picks to address needs so they can afford to go luxury with a high pick if they believe in a guy who will have the most impact, or BPA. If we're following Holmes patterns and past draft rumors, combined with the amount of high picks, we could very well see a trade up to get a guy he loves. He was heavily rumored to want to trade up for Sewell and Levi, did trade up for Barnes, traded up for Jamo. I think we could very well see a consolidation of the picks for a trade up into the 1st and I wouldn't be surprised if it's a position that we least expect like RB, WR or even offensive tackle. I think a trade down is unlikely at least on Day 1 or 2. They already have a lot of picks as is and have a roster that is starting to get overcrowded with young players as is, not to mention that it doesn't fit the Holmes pattern.

I see that too. He has the measurables and is exactly the type of athlete that will crush the combine and open up some eyes. His production was far more impressive than Walker's too on a defense where he was more of the focal point. Not saying that he's a better prospect than Walker necessarily but I could see him being a real riser in the draft process and, for me, is the #1 option for the Lions if the Anderson and Carter are gone based on upside. Bijan Robinson would be #2 for the same reason, upside. I'm just not enamored enough with any of the CBs to take one at 6 and with this being such a deep CB class (arguably the deepest position in this draft), the Lions should get a good one at 18 regardless.

Oh don't get me wrong, the Bears have needed a new stadium for a long time. I just hate that in places that have had a lot of memorable outdoor games in Chicago and Buffalo, that we'll never see that again once they go to domes. A dome in Chicago and Buffalo just doesn't seem right, doesn't feel like "football" but maybe I'm just being a "Get off my Lawn" guy right now.

Speak of the new stadium, the Bears are building a dome stadium, right? It's a shame that all these teams are going that route from outside stadium to domes with the Bills and Titans being next. One of the great things about football that distinguishes itself from other sports is the outside elements and it's being taken away from us little by little.

The Jets need to give at least a 2024 1st or GTFO. No way am I taking that big a drop and not getting a 1st out of it.

The only reason I'd trade Bey for a 1st (outside of the lottery) is so the Pistons can use the 1st in a bigger trade to bring in an impact player. For instance if they can get back their 1st from the Knicks, that would open up a lot more trade possibilities because right now they're unable to trade any 1sts because of the conditions on the pick. I certainly wouldn't just give Bey away for lesser value. I'm not big on Bey but I don't think trading him for the sake of trading him is the answer.

Iffy just needs to be healthy, he showed some decent flashes towards the end of the season at a new position so I wouldn't give up on him quite yet. I think the secondary will have the most flux. The NFL is weird in that the draft comes AFTER free agency so what they do in free agency should set the table for what they do in the draft. I think they need to sign at least one capable vet at corner/safety because they're likely to have an overflow of young corners if they draft one or two like most people think they will, then the question willl they re-sign Elliot, Harris, Hughes. Then you have Okudah, Jacobs, Iffy, Lucas and draft picks. Not to mention Walker's status playing into the equation. Could see a lot of turnover there.

The Lions hadn't handled a running QB all season, don't see why that would have changed against the top rushing attack in the league with weapons all over the map. The Lions obviously made big strides but asking for them to compete with Philly in Philly in a playoff game is too much too soon IMO.

I'd be shocked if they don't pick up Okudah's option.

I'm as bullish on the Lions future as anybody but the Eagles likely would have dismantled them as well. I wouldn't have liked their chances against the Niners with a healthy QB either but the Eagles in particular are just a bad matchup for a very young defense. Speed at all levels, elite running QB, veteran offensive line. It would have probably gotten ugly at least defensively against those guys. I would agree that the division is there to be had next season but I don't think the Lions are ready to compete with the big boys yet. I also don't think Holmes will make any clear cut win now moves to mortgage the future. Sheila gave Holmes/Campbell a long, long term deal for a reason. These guys are builders and I think they will continue to build through the draft. Of course, the Lions are ahead of the original timeline but I don't think that will change their course of action. For instance, I don't see them making a move for Ramsey or a big splurge in free agency. They have lots of high picks to fill out the roster and I see Holmes using a lot of the cap space to re-sign his own guys so while I don't think he'll be absent in free agency, I think it'll be more short term deals like he's done the last few offseasons on guys that will be hungry to prove doubters wrong. Plus, Holmes seems to find these guys off the scrap heap pretty regularly to fill big roles (Cominsky, Buggs, Eliot, Raymond etc.) so I see more of those types of guys.

Never draft for need. You don't pass up on a high upside D-lineman because you have two guys who might even be cut casualties on the roster and a guy who is just entering his 2nd season still relatively unproven. Not to mention Paschal who could hardly even get on the field last season. They have the luxury of 5 relatively high draft picks so they can afford to either take BPA regardless of position (as long as it's not a 1st round tight end) or consolidate the picks to trade up for an impact player like they did with Jamo last season. Also, if you look at the teams that have gone far in the playoffs, there's two areas where they have strengths, QB and defensive line. Teams with real depth on the defensive line tend to be successful. If they take Wilson or Murphy at 6, they have many other picks to address the defensive backfield then there's also free agency. Take BPA, unless it's a tight end.

I watched plenty of Richardson. He made a lot of bad throws especially in the intermediate range when he would throw a fireball when touch was required and some of those instances were open receivers. If you draft him, it's a loooong term project in terms of developing an NFL passer and chances are that long amount of time invested in developing his passing ability won't pay off. The more likely scenario is that he turns out to be like a Taysom Hill that can be used in specific running packages but isn't giving you much value in the passing game. Granted, he has a bigger arm than Hill but the point remains. With that said, maybe I'm wrong and he's the next Jalen Hurts. I certainly didn't expect Hurts to turn into what he did.

Isn't it all "What ifs" especially when it comes to QBs that aren't future Hall of Famers, it's almost impossible to know what you're going to get from year to year but I will hedge my bet to Goff being a high quality starter going forward based on his tenure here, which is a year and a half of strong play after Lynn was let go and a history of high quality play with another organization, than him regressing to the point where he gets supplanted by a rookie. Part of it is my growing belief in Goff and part of it is in my even bigger belief in this regime to continue to provide him a strong supporting cast and coaching guidance. Honestly, I don't think it's even that hard of a decision. A QB like Richardson who is as raw as it gets for a projected high pick isn't likely to help them in their winning window which should be starting right now while just about any other player you draft in the 1st will more than likely provide something of value in the next few years. Love and Lance are two recent examples of this, Willis will likely be another but at least he was a later round pick. I know you're not advocating for them to take a QB early, I was just reiterating my stance on it.

A work in progress but I expect that offense to translate big time. Apparently the Thompson twins are good/athletic defenders but they play a bunch of nobodies so it's all projection with those two and neither shoot that well against...again... nobodies. Whitmore looks like a bouncier Saddiq Bey to me, not overly impressed with him. Miller has the highest floor of all these 2nd tier guys, at the very least you get a 6'9 guy who can shoot at an elite level. If he develops his handle more, he's a perennial All Star IMO even if the defense doesn't come around.

The thing is, Goff is right smack dab in the middle of his prime so he could have another 5 high level years easy so if Goff is your starter leading you to the playoffs regularly for the next 2-3 years and Richardson never gets off the bench outside of mop up duty or the occasional meaningless game like Love, how much value does he have when you realize, again, that Goff is your guy and Richardson needs a fresh start elsewhere? You're certainly not trading a 28-30 year old Goff if he's leading a perennial playoff contender. Also, in the interim during a winning window, you're getting nothing from your 1st round pick whereas you'd potentially be missing out on an impact player with that pick you wasted on Richardson like a defensive fix or a franchise RB in Robinson if they choose to go that route. I guess an alternate take would be if you're not buying in on Goff and see Richardson as a guy that can supplant him either next season or the one after if he falters. I think this regime is fully buying in on Goff. Drafting a QB with either 1st would contradict that so I don't see it happening regardless.

Is it great trade bait? How much value do you think Lance or Love have right now? A lot less than it was on draft day, I'll say that much. If you have a QB sitting behind your starter for a few years, it's a depreciating asset. If you're taking a QB in Round 1 that means you don't believe in your current QB to be the answer for much longer, I don't think that's the case here. Favre was old when Rodgers was drafted, Smith was older and fairly average when Mahomes was drafted, Garrapolo was average when Lance was drafted etc. so I don't see those situations as the same of this one with Goff who was a borderline top 5 QB this season.

Most NFL regimes don't have 3 years to assess their backup QB. I'm all for drafting for upside down the road but not in the 1st round when they are closer to winning than originally planned. This thing is being built around Goff so lets get players that can contribute next season and beyond, not 3 years down the road. Take a swing on a QB in the 3rd like the Titans did with Willis or the Falcons with Ridder etc. if you want to take a shot at upside.

That's an extreme outlier. And even if you want to draw that parallel to drafting Richardson, you're willing to burn a 1st on a player who might be a starter in 4 years? Hell, this regime might not even last 4 more years for all we know.

When you're using significant draft capital to draft a QB, you're drafting him to be a starter sooner than later. Otherwise, what's the point? We see how well that's worked out for Green Bay and yes, I'm aware that Goff isn't Rodgers but that's besides the point. Hasn't worked for the Niners thus far. You say that backup QB is one of their biggest needs. Well, I disagree. I think backup QB is largely irrelevant in the NFL. Any starter goes down for a significant period of time and it's curtains for just about everybody except for a team like San Francisco that depends on their QB arguably less than any other team in the league. Oh and btw, their current QB was drafted late. Furthermore, Richardson isn't winning games for the Lions next season most likely so he doesn't fill an immediate need either. He's being drafted as a Goff replacement if he's taken high in the draft.

Brandon Miller. I liked him the moment I watched him in pre-conference play and he's grown on me more and more with every game. He's been shredding SEC competition vastly improving his inside the arc efficiency while still destroying it from deep. 6'9", nice length, not plus plus athleticism but he moves smoothly kind of like a less athletic Paul George. I know a lot of Pistons fans probably prefer an uber athletic guy like one of the Thompson twins but Miller's game seems a lot more advanced than them and he's a deadly 3 point shooter which is vital to have in todays' NBA. He's my #3 right now, fluid situation and all.

I saw somebody on another forum comparing him and Geno Smith in the sense that neither will get respect for their breakout season because of past perception. Uhh, one major difference. Geno was a complete bust until last season while Goff went to a Superbowl and was a two time pro bowler. People seem to conveniently forget that. I know you've touched on this before but Goff is much more on a Stafford trajectory than a Smith trajectory careerwise. Apples and Oranges comparison. There's no guarantees going forward so maybe Goff will regress to what he was in his late Rams tenure but how can anyone not give him the respect he deserves based on what he's done here thus far. He has something like 40 TDs and 9 INTs since Lynn was let go (with periods of a heavily injured receiving core to throw to) and was nearly flawless during the Lions 8-2 run to close this season. What more could you want from him really.