TP_Fan Posted January 13, 2022 Share Posted January 13, 2022 I’ll start with this: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motor City Sonics Posted January 13, 2022 Share Posted January 13, 2022 2022 opponents Home Green Bay Chicago Minnesota Philadelphia Washington Buffalo Miami Jacksonville Seattle Road Green Bay Chicago Minnesota Dallas NY Giants NY Jets New England Carolina If they don't win 8 next year, it would be a disappointment. That's a weak schedule (as of now) | Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRamage Posted January 13, 2022 Share Posted January 13, 2022 9 minutes ago, Motor City Sonics said: Green Bay x2 (13-4) Dallas (12-5) Buffalo (11-6) New England (10-7) Philadelphia (9-8) Miami (9-8) Minnesota x2 (8-9) **** Lions in 2022?? **** Washington (7-10) Seattle (7-10) Chicago x2 (6-11) Carolina (5-12) NY Giants (4-13) NY Jets (4-13) Jacksonville (3-14) If they don't win 8 next year, it would be a disappointment. That's a weak schedule (as of now) So if we win 8 games that would (on paper of course) means we should beat Washington, Seattle, Chicago (x2), Carolina, NY (x2) and Jacksonville. That seems reasonable. Now obviously we have the full off season to go and some teams will go and down, but over all I think 8 wins seems like an obtainable goal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motor City Sonics Posted January 13, 2022 Share Posted January 13, 2022 7 hours ago, RedRamage said: So if we win 8 games that would (on paper of course) means we should beat Washington, Seattle, Chicago (x2), Carolina, NY (x2) and Jacksonville. That seems reasonable. Now obviously we have the full off season to go and some teams will go and down, but over all I think 8 wins seems like an obtainable goal. I mean, think about this year. If they had Riley Patterson in Pittsburgh, that's probably a win. It took an all time record field goal that bounced off the upright, hung in the air for 11 minutes and went through to lose the Baltimore game and a Minnesota kicker beat them at the buzzer..............You know, kickers from Minnesota aren't usually clutch. This is a team that could have won 6 or maybe 7 games this year. I think if Campbell had some experience play calling before he actually tried it and they started using St. Brown as the Swiss Army Receiver a few weeks earlier they would won at least 6 games. Based on those trends, 8 is not a lot to ask for next year. I guess a lot depends on their first 5 draft picks. If 4 of them make an impact by the end of the next season, we'll be in good shape. At least they were fun at times this year. Better than that losing bland dreck we had under Brutus The Rocket Scientist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motown Bombers Posted January 13, 2022 Share Posted January 13, 2022 If Green Bay moves on from Rodgers, I can easily see the Lions splitting with Green Bay and they already split with Minnesota this year. I don't think their only path for divisional wins is beating Chicago twice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyMarsh Posted January 13, 2022 Share Posted January 13, 2022 I don't put much stock into how teams are going to look a year from now because things and teams change so quickly in the NFL but as is that is a pretty friendly schedule. Assuming all the teams are similar next year to what they are this year I could see 7 or 8 wins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddha Posted January 13, 2022 Share Posted January 13, 2022 45 minutes ago, RandyMarsh said: I don't put much stock into how teams are going to look a year from now because things and teams change so quickly in the NFL but as is that is a pretty friendly schedule. Assuming all the teams are similar next year to what they are this year I could see 7 or 8 wins. exactly. we have no idea how those teams are going to look next year yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motown Bombers Posted January 13, 2022 Share Posted January 13, 2022 Trevor Lawerence and Zach Wilson can have breakout seasons in year two and those teams could be much improved, especially with the Jets having a lot of good draft picks. Conversely, Green Bay and Minnesota could potentially be without Rodgers and Cousins and rebuilding. Green Bay could also trade for Russell Wilson. Way too early to guess wins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichiganCardinal Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 I'm not ready to ask for, or expect, a near .500 showing of 8-9. They're definitely improving, but they're not there yet. If they can double their win total to 6, I would be content. At 8 wins, I would be happy. At 4 wins, I would be concerned. In 2023, I will expect tangible results and meaningful December football. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motown Bombers Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason_R Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 46 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said: That’s the thing about starting the season at rock bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.TaterSalad Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 Brad Holmes and Steve Yzerman both figured out how rebuilds work. You have to bottom out and go down first to end up higher than you were before. The questions for Holmes now is can he break the 7-9/9-7 barrier of mediocrity that this team has been stuck up against before. With more draft capital and higher draft picks I feel confident that we're off to a good start from a player acquisition standpoint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TP_Fan Posted January 17, 2022 Author Share Posted January 17, 2022 Looking at the cap numbers it would be very surprising if Trey Flowers returns. The cap is set at $208M. Currently the lions have $41M in cap space, minus $8M in dead cap and that leaves $33M. A post June 1 cut saves the lions $10M in cap space, with would then give them a total of $43 million. They could wait until post June 1, which would give the lions an additional $6M. But I’m guessing they would do flowers right and cut him early. I assume Harris and Walker will get new contracts. Goff is for sure back for next year, then his dead cap starting is 2023 becomes much more manageable. But I’d assume he will be around for 22 and 23. Overall the lions are good shape with the cap this year and heading into 23. Let’s see what the FA signings look like, that will show what Holmes is trying to do. He could sign a speedy WR and LB and then head into the draft getting an edge rusher and another WR. Suddenly the lions are looking decent in hear 2 of the rebuild. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motown Bombers Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 Wil Harris is under contract next year and I'm not ready to give him a new contract yet. Charles Harris I would bring back but I'm not going to break the bank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motown Bombers Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 The Lions are estimated to have around $35 million in cap space. The Vikings and Packers are both going to be way over. The Bears project to have around $40 million. This division is going to be wide open soon. The Vikings and Packers are looking at rebuilds sooner than later and the Bears have one of the oldest rosters in the league. If Holmes does this right, the Lions could be perennial contenders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hongbit Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 1 hour ago, TP_Fan said: Looking at the cap numbers it would be very surprising if Trey Flowers returns. The cap is set at $208M. Currently the lions have $41M in cap space, minus $8M in dead cap and that leaves $33M. A post June 1 cut saves the lions $10M in cap space, with would then give them a total of $43 million. They could wait until post June 1, which would give the lions an additional $6M. But I’m guessing they would do flowers right and cut him early. I assume Harris and Walker will get new contracts. Goff is for sure back for next year, then his dead cap starting is 2023 becomes much more manageable. But I’d assume he will be around for 22 and 23. Overall the lions are good shape with the cap this year and heading into 23. Let’s see what the FA signings look like, that will show what Holmes is trying to do. He could sign a speedy WR and LB and then head into the draft getting an edge rusher and another WR. Suddenly the lions are looking decent in hear 2 of the rebuild. They let each team designate either 2 or 3 players they can cut after the new league year starts but designate them as post June 1 cuts as to allow some flexibility for the player to not get screwed over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMRivdogs Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 I'm assuming this list is correct https://overthecap.com/salary-cap-space/ The Lions have $33+ million with an estimated $13 once they sign a 51 man roster... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichiganCardinal Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 Another guy I wouldn't be surprised to see get cut is Vaitai. Quinn signed him for starting tackle money ($45MM plus incentives over five years) and he's playing guard. Overall he did a decent job this year at guard, but at $9MM/year he's the 5th highest paid right guard in the NFL. I don't think he's worth that kind of money. As a post-June 1st cut, he would have $1.7MM associated dead cap to save $7MM. If he would rework his deal I would be interested in keeping him, just not as a top-five paid player as his position. If not, Evan Brown has shown his worth this year while in for Ragnow and depth can be found late in any draft (or Stenberg can be depth if he's ever healthy). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.TaterSalad Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 (edited) Cutting Vaitai and finding a cheap replacement in the draft or via free agency is a smart move. We can match his production at half the price and I think he will be gone. Edited January 17, 2022 by Mr.TaterSalad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1984Echoes Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 The only thing I would say to that is... Don't F up the O-Line. I would wait on Vatai until he gets pushed out the door by better play. And that means at the END of Training Camp next year. What if Evan Brown gets an injury? What if a mid-round draft pick for O-Line depth isn't good enough.. at least yet? Stenberg? I'm going to take a guess here that Vatai doesn't get the boot until the end of training camp next year, at the earliest. I don't think Campbell, or Fraley, or Holmes wants to mess up that line. So Holmes will defer to Fraley/ Campbell's decision on that timing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motown Bombers Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 Vaitai is $7 million in cap space with a post June 1st release. I suppose they could give him a shot. Between he and Flowers that's $23 million that can be freed up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1984Echoes Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 I think it would take specific circumstances to release Vatai.. like they had run out of FA money and found a "had to have" FA or something like that. Flowers I think is easier because he hasn't been on the field and they have a shit-ton of candidates to replace him, especially if they draft Hutch or KT. And Flowers doesn't protect Goff or is a part of their running game... I wouldn't have a problem letting go of Vatai, I just think the team is going to be very careful about doing that, so I don't expect it, at least not right away. Like I said, I don't think that decision is made before the end of this year's training camp, at the very earliest... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichiganCardinal Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 3 hours ago, 1984Echoes said: The only thing I would say to that is... Don't F up the O-Line. I would wait on Vatai until he gets pushed out the door by better play. And that means at the END of Training Camp next year. What if Evan Brown gets an injury? What if a mid-round draft pick for O-Line depth isn't good enough.. at least yet? Stenberg? I'm going to take a guess here that Vatai doesn't get the boot until the end of training camp next year, at the earliest. I don't think Campbell, or Fraley, or Holmes wants to mess up that line. So Holmes will defer to Fraley/ Campbell's decision on that timing... Vaitai has been decent, but I would argue that Evan Brown and Matt Nelson have played just as well. They were both UDFAs. When your O-line is anchored by the likes of Decker, Sewell, and Ragnow, I think it’s tough to justify putting $9MM in resources on one of the guards. You can get away with it right now, because Sewell isn’t due for his big payday yet, but I think it makes more sense to find Vaitai’s replacement this offseason. I am okay with waiting until the end of training camp if we either don’t have any confidence in Stenberg to stay healthy, or if we don’t take a OG in the draft, but I am pretty confident as it stands that Vaitai at $9MM is not going to be the best option for the Lions in 2022 or beyond. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddha Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 10 hours ago, Motown Bombers said: The Lions are estimated to have around $35 million in cap space. The Vikings and Packers are both going to be way over. The Bears project to have around $40 million. This division is going to be wide open soon. The Vikings and Packers are looking at rebuilds sooner than later and the Bears have one of the oldest rosters in the league. If Holmes does this right, the Lions could be perennial contenders. the bears seemingly have a lot of cap space, but 3/4 of their team are free agents. they have a ton of players to sign. the rest of the team is old. the bears are not in great shape unless you think justin fields is the real deal. then they still have to put a team around him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motown Bombers Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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