The Who's Who Among Who's New on Defense for the 2010 Detroit Lions

And I have loved every minute of it.

About this time last year I started messing with Saints fans on www.nola.com/saints .  Like the crew at www.mlive.com/lions , they are a passionate and spirited bunch, and love their team like there is no tomorrow.  I picked and poked and harassed and got harassed, but when it was over, I got to know some guys who shared the same aspirations for their team that I shared for mine:  a Super Bowl Championship for an underdog team.  Passion, intensity, and enthusiasm were definitely present among those commenting!

Saints fans got to watch the acquisition of their franchise quarterback, and then see a team continue to be assembled to provide weapons for success on both sides of the ball.  Years prior, we watched the Colts do the same thing when they selected Payton Manning atop the 1998 NFL Draft.  Eight years later, Manning would hoist the Lombardi Trophy as a Super Bowl Champion.

To me, the Detroit Lions are building something of a hybrid Saints-Colts-Titans-esque ballclub.  An immediate infusion of talent has been necessary since the 2008 meltdown, but the building blocks upon which to build the future of the franchise can be acquired only so quickly.  Mayhew’s approach has been full tilt and at flank speed.

Here are my half-dozen “Who’s Who Among Who’s New for the 2010 Detroit Lions:”

Kyle Vanden Bosch – RDE

I remember watching Kyle come of age as a Cornhusker and wishing the Detroit Lions would find a way to add him to their roster somehow before his best playing days were over.  For me, the unbelievable came true on March 5, 2010 when Jim Schwartz reached out to his former star player, and team president Tom Lewand signed KVB to a four-year, $26 million contract.  I think the three-time pro bowler still has plenty of ethanol left in the gas tank.  (Welcome to the Big 10, Cornshuckers!)

If your question is, “Well, what kind of production will KVB have when he isn’t playing next to Albert Haynesworth?”  Guess what?  It doesn’t matter.

The Detroit Lions landed my favorite pick of the 2009 draft with the 115th selection overall, Stillman DE/DT Sammie Lee Hill.  Sammie got valuable immediate starting time last year, and will be joined by Corey Williams and Ndamukong Suh to drastically improve the Lions defensive line.  This is who KVB will be playing next to.  I’ll take it.

Corey Williams – DT

If Corey Williams is able to immediately contribute at the same level he did during his 2006-2007 seasons with Green Bay, Lions fans should be delighted and so will Detroit pass defenders.  Williams’ penchant for generating sacks on the road will go a long way toward the Lions stopping their road blues.  Smacking Bears QB Jay Cutler in the mouth early and often on the afternoon of September 12, 2010 could help the Lions snap their road losing streak.

Williams didn’t fit in with the Browns in their 3-4 system.  Dick LeBeau didn’t fit in with the Browns either.  I hope the legacy of LeBeau can be visited upon Corey Williams for his best production yet.

Ndamukong Suh – DT

This was my first mock draft to feature Suh as my top pick for the Detroit Lions in the 2010 NFL Draft:

2010 Detroit Lions Mock Draft:  October 12, 2009
Rd	Ovrl	Player	Pos	College
1.	(5)	Ndamukong Suh	DT	Nebraska
2.	(38)	Perrish Cox	CB	Oklahoma State
3.	(69)	Jason Fox	OT	Miami (FL)
4.	(105)	Myron Lewis	CB/S	Vanderbilt

Although there have been many players in recent NFL history whose play has yet to match their draft status, there is a confidence around Allen Park that the #2 overall pick in the 2010 draft will be exactly as advertised:  a QB-havoc-wreaking beast.

The “House of Spears” now resides in Detroit, and opposing quarterbacks should be put on notice.  He doesn’t just want to sack Brett Favre; he wants to sack them all.  Coincidentally, I’d like to see him sack them all as well.

Chris Houston – CB

When the Atlanta Falcons acquired CB Dunta Robinson, Chris Houston became expendable to future operations in Atlanta.  Martin Mayhew was able to work a trade that sent the Lions 2010 6th Round pick and a conditional 2011 7th Round pick as remuneration to Atlanta to secure the services of CB Chris Houston.

What are the chances that Detroit would be able to draft a starting-grade cornerback in the 6th Round, let alone the 7th?  That’s what makes the Chris Houston trade such a great value for the Lions and their fans:  starting-grade talent obtained with low-grade assets.

Outstanding.

One positive is that Louis Delmas will return to play “center field” for the Lions, and his hunger and passion for success will help to change the tide for the Detroit defenders.  All stakeholders hope that the addition of Chris Houston at one of the starting cornerback positions can yield immediate results.  If Houston can gel quickly in the defensive backfield, results could come much sooner than some of us think.

Amari Spievey – CB

When the Detroit Lions staff was coaching the North squad during the 2010 Senior Bowl week, they used their opportunity to gain requisite perspective to draft former Iowa CB and Big Ten standout, Amari Spievey.

Now, I must admit I was a little torn when the Lions made Spievey the pick, but only because my pick was Myron Lewis.  At least the Buccaneers agreed with my theory and made Lewis the following pick.  Obviously, this sets the stage for me to closely follow the progress of both players, and on December 19, 2010, the Lions will travel to Raymond James Stadium to case their wares against the battle-barge Bucc’s.  Stafford v. Freeman, and Spievey v. Lewis.  Love it – great undercard too.

What the Lions coaching staff and college personnel evaluators must see in Spievey is a hard-working young man who likes to hit and thrives on competition.  They see a young player who has been well coached by well-respected Kirk Ferentz.  If this 3rd Round prospect can delight us like DeAndre Levy did in 2009, I’m all for it and twice on Sundays.  If he performs like the other 2009 3rd Round draft pick, Houston will have a problem, and so will Detroit.

I don’t know what role coach Schwartz envisions for Amari this fall, but if Baltimore Jimmy hits on another starter on the defense in Spievey (as he did with DeAndre Levy), either at cornerback or safety, it could take away pressure, perceived or real, from the stacking of the 2011 draft board.

C.C. Brown – Safety

The addition of C.C. Brown was another of Mayhew’s surprises for me, and just like the many others, I like it.

Martin Mayhew was the starting cornerback across from Darrell Green during their Super Bowl championship run, and I think he has great perspective on what it takes to be successful in the defensive backfield in the National Football League.  Unlike his former teammate and ex-boss, Matt Millen, the Georgetown Juris Doctor “gets it”.

Last season, Mayhew brought in a cast for the Lions secondary, and the only real survivor was FS Louis Delmas.  From a continuity perspective, that’s bad.  From a talent perspective, that’s good.  From a reality perspective, it was a nightmare.

This crew in the front office seems to be pretty good at “weeding the garden” so far.  There have been a few questionable moves, but when you operate outside the clandestine operations of Mayhew, Lewand, Schwartz & Co., you certainly won’t be privy to close-to-the-vest information that can drive decision making.  That’s okay too.  At least our general manager and head coach isn’t broadcasting their intentions to the NFL via the media like Matt Millen used to do.

The man to whom I refer as my “father in business” once said to me, “Johnny, get people better, or get better people.”  And he meant it.  From what I have witnessed of the “Mayhew the GM” era in Lions football, his approach is likeminded and for the betterment of all stakeholders around him.  I think Martin Mayhew well understands the impact of the decisions that he takes in consult with head coach Jim Schwartz.  It really is a pleasure to watch these men go about the waging of their craft.

Unkind Giants fans have felt free to use Brown’s initials to endear him with the label of “can’t cover”.  Seeing a Detroit Lions safety get beat deep wouldn’t be unusual for Lions fans, that’s for sure.  What the leadership is trying to build is a defensive backfield that can work together to accomplish the mission of cancelling the effectiveness of the opponent’s receivers.

Mlive Lions Insider Tom “Killer” Kowalski recently wrote that C.C. Brown has the inside track to be the Lions opening-day starter at safety alongside Louis Delmas.  If true, current starters in the Lions defensive backfield include CB Chris Houston, FS Louis Delmas, and SS C.C. Brown.  Eric King and Amari Spievey would figure to compete for the remaining starting CB position.

As the Lions prepare to enter the 2010 campaign, continuity of starting personnel will not be on their side.  Talent alone has never been enough to win a championship; just ask Daniel Snyder, owner of the Washington Redskins.  One season of playing together once the bulk of future building blocks has been assembled will set the tone for future success.  Brick and mortar must first be laid.  The foundation is set for the future decade of Detroit Lions football in 2010.

Martin Mayhew and Tom Lewand have helped to provide a tremendous influx of talent, and coaches Schwartz and Cunningham will deploy their new-found assets to exact the best results they can achieve.  It will help that Kyle Vanden Bosch knows Schwartz’ system, and he should be able to provide solid performance and priceless mentorship to a hungry defensive pride.

I’m looking forward to the creation of the “Silver Rush II”, 2010 edition.  First up:  da Bears.