Linemen are the unsung heroes of the game. People don't know who the guys in the trenches are, but they can damn well see the results of their work. Without a great o-line, do you think a rookie like Joe Flacco would've done half as well as he's done? The reason why him and other QBs can be successful is because their o-line 1. gives them the time to make plays, 2. can open lanes for the running game, and, most importantly, 3. keeps them healthy by avoiding sacks/hits/knockdowns. :2 cents:
2009 Mock NFL Draft
- Thread starter young_guns
- Start date
Linemen are the unsung heroes of the game. People don't know who the guys in the trenches are, but they can damn well see the results of their work. Without a great o-line, do you think a rookie like Joe Flacco would've done half as well as he's done? The reason why him and other QBs can be successful is because their o-line 1. gives them the time to make plays, 2. can open lanes for the running game, and, most importantly, 3. keeps them healthy by avoiding sacks/hits/knockdowns. :2 cents:
I fell in love with this guy last year and he continued to make me gush in 2008. His ink has got to be some of the sweetest "tribal" tats I've ever seen.
Whatever team drafts Tebow after his next year will invent a new position for him. He's just that good. As a Florida State alum, I've been watching him in awe for three years now and dealing with the likes of Christian Ponder, Wyatt Sexton and Chris Rix.
Now that the Giants are over and done with, it's time to look ahead and deal with this linebacking core. Somehow getting our hands on Maualuga is going to take another deal with the devil (part of me still wants Rivers, even after Eli led us to a SB42 win), so who is going to be available in the late 20s?
Brandon Spikes from Florida?
Brian Cushing from USC?
Aaron Maybin from Penn State?
or my boy Everett Brown from Florida State?
We also need to address the TE position and it depends on what we do in the free agent market as well or if we have a change of heart with Plax. Ugh, this draft is too damn far away.
I'm just going to say he declares since there was most certainly not enough NFL caliber QBs to go around the league this year. We are in a QB transition period and he would be wise to come be a part of it.. out with the proven veterans and in with the new blood.
Not sure how much more of these guys we'll be seeing:
Jeff Garcia, Brian Griese, Sean Hill, J.T. O'Sullivan, Alex Smith, Brett Favre, Tavaris Jackson, Gus Frerotte, Jon Kitna, Marc Bulger, J.P. Losman, Brad Johnson, Trent Green, Damon Huard, Matt Hasselbeck..
Now there are some names on there, but there are plenty of jobs out there to be had and won this coming year.
St. Louis
Minnesota
San Francisco
Tampa Bay
Detroit
NY Jets
Seattle (new regime change, new QB to replace the glassman?)
If Stafford comes out he's going to make a ton of money guaranteed, before they institute that new rookie salary cap as well. If he wants to be paid, he'll come out now - and he'll be drafted #1 overall, regardless of whether Bradford was in the mix or not. Those type of cannons don't exist on the likes of Alex Smith or JaMarcus Russell or hell, even my boy Eli Manning. Strike while the iron is hot Detroit.
If I were the Lions I would use this draft to improve the O-line and D and draft a QB in next year's draft. You will have a pick between McCoy, Tebow, and Bradford. They already have a decent back in Smith so get the running game going and learn how to stop other team from scoring this year, then get the top QB in 2010 draft and watch their win total climb.
As a Niners fan I hope they will improve the O-line and the secondary as the top priority. I'd like to see them adding another running back and institute a 2 back system much like Tenessee. Gore is good but he'll be even better doing some timeshare so his legs can stay fresh for the whole season. Singletary will get the most out of his players so I am really looking forward to next season. Niners should be playoff bound or it would be a disappointment.
*fixed
maildude
Postal Paranoiac
Detroit has a lot of picks in the first few rounds. Like a lot of teams they're going to want to build up existing strengths and cover weaknesses. The QB position is a pick for programs planning to build an already existing franchise around a new leader. The Lions have a lot of issues--particularly on the O-line.
This is why you are not an NFL GM. The Lions are trying to build a champion, not a tv rating star. Get your ticket sales talk out of here.
And this is why Detroit should wait until next year. You would think with your, "everything starts with the qb" theory that you would agree.
Draft O-Line and D-line this year. Orlovsky/Johnson/Smith can carry the offense next year and will give a year of experience to their draft picks to protect whoever they draft at qb NEXT YEAR, because they are clearly going to have a top 5 pick again.
Protect the QB and stop the run. These are the keys to winning a title. Not ticket sales and high tv ratings.
well mark sanchez declared himself available today as did percy harvin.Detroit can help it self on both lines plus the secondary with all the picks they have and grab a qb next year with that loaded class. the rookie salary cap won't go in effect in 2011 at the earliest and since the union still has no leader it could be later than that
red001
red001
So....will he fire all the players Rod Marinelli signed and start over? Marinelli was "allegedly" a D guy. Now that I think about it...Romeo Crennel was another D guy for Cleveland and he didn't really know shit about QBs either. Maybe these D Cord's who become HC's are clueless:dunno:
I think it would be futile, insulting, and professional suicide for Detriot to go into next season with the same QBs they have on the roster today and think they will win a game. I don't see how a franchise can go winless 2 years in a row and expect to survive. Maybe the Ford Family wants to declare Bankruptcy and shutter the franchise?
I have no stake in whether the Lions turn their team around or circle the drain. They have never listened to me before and look where they are today. Perhaps they DO NEED to start listening to ol' Titsrock.
I merely said that thing about next year from the POV of a prospective college QB--I know I'd rather go into a draft facing little competition in a down financial market...I'd rather have several teams fighting for few QBs rather than plenty of QBs and fewer teams.
Carolina and Tampa Bay have pretty good defenses..certainly better then the Lions. But they both have QB issues. They both flamed out with veteran QBs who may have shotty arms. I can see either of these teams being next year's Baltimore if they draft a QB....
Sanchez is listed as the 4th best player in the draft by Kiper/ESPN...Stafford is #5. These aren't "project Vince Youngs" who can't complete passes. How high did Vince Young go, btw? Maybe the Lions will go in another direction.:dunno:
I completely forgot about Plunkett. Thanks.
So....will he fire all the players Rod Marinelli signed and start over? Marinelli was "allegedly" a D guy. Now that I think about it...Romeo Crennel was another D guy for Cleveland and he didn't really know shit about QBs either. Maybe these D Cord's who become HC's are clueless:dunno:
I think it would be futile, insulting, and professional suicide for Detriot to go into next season with the same QBs they have on the roster today and think they will win a game. I don't see how a franchise can go winless 2 years in a row and expect to survive. Maybe the Ford Family wants to declare Bankruptcy and shutter the franchise?
I have no stake in whether the Lions turn their team around or circle the drain. They have never listened to me before and look where they are today. Perhaps they DO NEED to start listening to ol' Titsrock.
I merely said that thing about next year from the POV of a prospective college QB--I know I'd rather go into a draft facing little competition in a down financial market...I'd rather have several teams fighting for few QBs rather than plenty of QBs and fewer teams.
Carolina and Tampa Bay have pretty good defenses..certainly better then the Lions. But they both have QB issues. They both flamed out with veteran QBs who may have shotty arms. I can see either of these teams being next year's Baltimore if they draft a QB....
Sanchez is listed as the 4th best player in the draft by Kiper/ESPN...Stafford is #5. These aren't "project Vince Youngs" who can't complete passes. How high did Vince Young go, btw? Maybe the Lions will go in another direction.:dunno:
Marinelli wasn't a coordinator he was a defensive line coach. With much less experience at that. Schwartz is an incredible defensive mind and having worked under Fisher for 10 seasons I think he'll make a fantastic coach.
Oh Fisher was a defensive coordinator??
Anyways, I still don't think a QB is the solution, or key to success for the Lions. But as long as they dont take one number 1 overall, I'll consider their draft a success.
Agreed. None of the QB's in this draft are number 1 picks. So they might aswell just use the number 1 pick for someone who is a true number 1. Then later down the first round, draft Stafford, Sanchez, or even the kid from Ball State.
With the first pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions select...Michael Crabtree, Wide Receiver, Texas Tech :1orglaugh
maildude
Postal Paranoiac
Don't laugh. NFL draft choices are like young girls in bad relationships: they do it, cry, and then just keep doing it.
Mark Sanchez is nowhere near ready to be a NFL QB starter
I like him better than Stafford or Bradford for that matter.
None of the QB's this year (including Bradford, Tebow, McCoy-if they came out) are Matt Ryan or Joe Flacco. I think Sanchez will have to best career out of any of those guys.
The Lions need a new one of everything. Taking an offensive lineman #1 is just silly. #1 picks are reserved for DE, QB and RB. Anything else taken first overall must be a transcendent player at that position. Sure, the defense couldn't stop a pop warner team, but with talent like Kevin Smith and the most underrated WR in the league, Calvin Johnson, on your offense, you could possibly win a few games this year with a top tier QB.
If a lot of picks means two, then yes, they have a lot. #1 and #20.
The Giants mortgaged many years of their draft picks for a QB, drafted only 3 spots ahead of where they were picking! It's absurd to think the Lions will do anything else but draft a player who will become the main component of this potentially very good offense. You can find some wonderful talent to play defense at picks #20 and #33, but you'll never find the caliber of QB that Stafford is.
Is Mark Sanchez really all that good or is does he simply look like a stud with all of the talent around him? Matt Leinart anyone?
How much coaching and decision-making did Jim Schwartz do in Tennessee under Jeff Fisher? This has the makings of another Rod Marinelli nobody hire for the Lions. I take it that the Lions don't have the money to actually turn around their team so they are "going cheap" with their coaching and their team.
Sanchez is raw but in the NFL you don't have practice time limits and workout limits like you do in college. Sanchez will be able to practice everyday of the year basically...
Seeing as Matt Leinart's WRs haven't exactly lit up the NFL either (Jarrett, Smith, DOminique Byrd, Mike Williams)...I think my opinion of Leinart has improved actually. He was the only Cardinal that got off the plane against New England in that snowstorm and actually looked like a professional athlete.
Based on the hiring mistake the Lions have made--I hope neither Stafford or Sanchez go there. Let the Lions take somebody else.
