Detroit Lions: 2025

[Motown Bombers]

He was up for an extension too. 

[Motown Bombers]

Justin Simmons is a free agent. 

[MichiganCardinal]

2 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

Justin Simmons is a free agent. 

I wouldn't be shocked to see them spend the money earmarked for Branch on extending Amik for two or three years instead and drafting a long-term replacement. You can keep Branch around on a one-year deal for 2027, but as awful as an Achilles can be, you have to plan as if he's not going to re-take the field in a Lions uniform.

[Jason_R]

Another disastrous season for injuries.

[Hongbit]

23 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

He was up for an extension too. 

It was already going to be tough to find the money Gibbs in now going to cost much more than previously expected.  Not sure he’s in the long term plans anymore and maybe the same with LaPorta.  

Edited Friday at 04:02 PM by Hongbit

[Klondike]

32 minutes ago, Jason_R said:

Another disastrous season for injuries.

Into a good chunk of next season with the achilles. Maybe never the same after that injury. Defense Will need a total reset. 

[Klondike]

23 minutes ago, Hongbit said:

It was already going to be tough to find the money Gibbs in now going to cost much more than previously expected.  Not sure he’s in the long term plans anymore and maybe the same with LaPorta.  

I doubt it. He's good but his TD'S remind me of that rb a few years ago who had like 17 rushing tds and was let go after that season and never hear of again. No way you pay him crazy money. 

[Klondike]

37 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

I wouldn't be shocked to see them spend the money earmarked for Branch on extending Amik for two or three years instead and drafting a long-term replacement. You can keep Branch around on a one-year deal for 2027, but as awful as an Achilles can be, you have to plan as if he's not going to re-take the field in a Lions uniform.

He will neve be the same after that injury. Terrible luck

[Motown Bombers]

Gibbs is not Jamaal Williams. What are we doing here?

[MichiganCardinal]

13 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

Gibbs is not Jamaal Williams. What are we doing here?

When we drafted Gibbs, I liked the pick because I liked the player, but I also thought a reasonable strategy was to draft a running back in the first two or three rounds once every five years and never give one a second contract, because the position is so fragile. Just ride with youth at the position.

I still think that's a reasonable strategy for most teams. But I also think you have to acknowledge pure generational talent when you see it. Gibbs is special. He's also got staying power, because he's so agile and elusive that he can generally avoid hard contact. And he's only 23! He could easily keep going another 5-7 years.

You have to be smart with running backs, because when they fall off they fall off very quickly. 28-year-old Saquon signed a $41MM deal this offseason and may not rush for half the yards he did last year, behind one of the best offensive lines in football. But that all being said, it would be incredibly stupid to not extend Gibbs. Just keep it to three years or so.

[RedRamage]

19 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

Gibbs is not Jamaal Williams. What are we doing here?

I suspect an argument could be made that a RBs success is, at least in part, dependent on the OL. Exhibit A would be J-Will. Averaged 482 yards per season rushing in 2017-2021, and 2023. Averaged 2.3 TDs per season rushing. In 2022 had 1066 rushing yards and 17 TDs. I think it's safe to say that he didn't suddenly become a pro-bowl talent in 2022, then lose that talent in 2023.

So, the question then becomes how much is Gibbs success because of OL and how much of it is his talent? Certainly he gets a boost playing because a great (at times) OL. But there's also no denying that Gibbs has TONS of talent. To try to argue that the Lions could just swap in any other RB in his place is pretty silly imho.

 

[MichiganCardinal]

1 minute ago, RedRamage said:

I suspect an argument could be made that a RBs success is, at least in part, dependent on the OL. Exhibit A would be J-Will. Averaged 482 yards per season rushing in 2017-2021, and 2023. Averaged 2.3 TDs per season rushing. In 2022 had 1066 rushing yards and 17 TDs. I think it's safe to say that he didn't suddenly become a pro-bowl talent in 2022, then lose that talent in 2023.

So, the question then becomes how much is Gibbs success because of OL and how much of it is his talent? Certainly he gets a boost playing because a great (at times) OL. But there's also no denying that Gibbs has TONS of talent. To try to argue that the Lions could just swap in any other RB in his place is pretty silly imho.

 

I would counter that he defies that with what he's doing this year with the likes of Trystan Colon, Kayode Awosika, and the ghost of Graham Glasgow's past being featured at times on the offensive line. 

[Hongbit]

7 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

When we drafted Gibbs, I liked the pick because I liked the player, but I also thought a reasonable strategy was to draft a running back in the first two or three rounds once every five years and never give one a second contract, because the position is so fragile. Just ride with youth at the position.

I still think that's a reasonable strategy for most teams. But I also think you have to acknowledge pure generational talent when you see it. Gibbs is special. He's also got staying power, because he's so agile and elusive that he can generally avoid hard contact. And he's only 23! He could easily keep going another 5-7 years.

You have to be smart with running backs, because when they fall off they fall off very quickly. 28-year-old Saquon signed a $41MM deal this offseason and may not rush for half the yards he did last year, behind one of the best offensive lines in football. But that all being said, it would be incredibly stupid to not extend Gibbs. Just keep it to three years or so.

Good post! This is pretty much exactly how I feel.  

[Motown Bombers]

12 minutes ago, RedRamage said:

I suspect an argument could be made that a RBs success is, at least in part, dependent on the OL. Exhibit A would be J-Will. Averaged 482 yards per season rushing in 2017-2021, and 2023. Averaged 2.3 TDs per season rushing. In 2022 had 1066 rushing yards and 17 TDs. I think it's safe to say that he didn't suddenly become a pro-bowl talent in 2022, then lose that talent in 2023.

So, the question then becomes how much is Gibbs success because of OL and how much of it is his talent? Certainly he gets a boost playing because a great (at times) OL. But there's also no denying that Gibbs has TONS of talent. To try to argue that the Lions could just swap in any other RB in his place is pretty silly imho.

 

Yards per season is useless. When Williams ran for 1,000 yards, he broke his career high in carries by over 100. He averaged 4.1 yards per carry which was actually less than what he averaged in Green Bay. Swift played behind this same line and wasn't as dynamic as Gibbs. 

[Motown Bombers]

28 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

When we drafted Gibbs, I liked the pick because I liked the player, but I also thought a reasonable strategy was to draft a running back in the first two or three rounds once every five years and never give one a second contract, because the position is so fragile. Just ride with youth at the position.

I still think that's a reasonable strategy for most teams. But I also think you have to acknowledge pure generational talent when you see it. Gibbs is special. He's also got staying power, because he's so agile and elusive that he can generally avoid hard contact. And he's only 23! He could easily keep going another 5-7 years.

You have to be smart with running backs, because when they fall off they fall off very quickly. 28-year-old Saquon signed a $41MM deal this offseason and may not rush for half the yards he did last year, behind one of the best offensive lines in football. But that all being said, it would be incredibly stupid to not extend Gibbs. Just keep it to three years or so.

I would be fine extending him to around age 28. An extension now can also help the Lions in the short term. He is going to make a Pro Bowl and most likely be an All-Pro so his 5th year option will be expensive. You can sign him now and reduce that cap hit now. 

[GalagaGuy]

 

[MichiganCardinal]

Week 14: Bears @ Packers (4:25)
Week 15: Browns @ Bears (1:00), Lions @ Rams (4:25), Packers @ Broncos (4:25)
Week 16: Packers @ Bears (Saturday Night), Steelers @ Lions (4:25)
Week 17: Lions @ Vikings (Christmas Day), Ravens @ Packers (TBD), Bears @ Niners (Sunday Night)
Week 18: Lions @ Bears (TBD), Packers @ Vikings (TBD)

Lots of important football to be played and only a game-and-a-half out of 1st in the division. It's not out of the question that 3-1 could be good enough if the Packers lose difficult games to the Broncos and/or Ravens.

Would be very helpful for the Bears and Packers to split their two against each other.

 

[Motown Bombers]

 

[Sports_Freak]

3 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

 

The guy is a monster. Another Brad gem!

[Sports_Freak]

And he still has 4 games to go;

 

[Motown Bombers]

3 hours ago, Sports_Freak said:

And he still has 4 games to go;

 

Two of those receivers had Goff as QB. 

[number20]

Muhammad's sack total is now ahead of Hutch

[Motown Bombers]

Lions should have traded for Hendrickson to play opposite Muhammad. 

[Sports_Freak]

3 hours ago, number20 said:

Muhammad's sack total is now ahead of Hutch

 

3 hours ago, Motown Bombers said:

Lions should have traded for Hendrickson to play opposite Muhammad. 

When Hurltch get double teamed and then chipped by a RB, it should free up others. I would be more mad if other players didn't get more sacks. And the secret is consistently, other players need to bring pressure every week, not just in a game here or there.

[Jason_R]

3 hours ago, number20 said:

Muhammad's sack total is now ahead of Hutch

Maybe now they will stop double- and triple-teaming Hutch.