Daunte Culpepper was a bad idea. Big shock. I can say this after only a few games because there was no reason for the Lions to have picked him up, and he has not yet shown one.
This is not really a first though, is it? Detroit has long been a dumping ground for what used to resemble decent talent but doesn't resemble an NFL starter at the time of signing.
Therefore, I have decided to compile a position-by-position listing of senseless free-agent signings by the Lions in the past, combined with a likely repeat of such mistakes possible out of the 2009 free-agent pool, and a helpful alternative.
Think of it like Eat This, NOT That, NFL Edition.
Quarterback
Past: Where to start? Jon Kitna, Daunte Culpepper, even Jeff Garcia fits into this class, though it is difficult to classify him as a mistake now that he has carved up the Lions defense. The Lions have long been the team of the "quarterback with no upside," which is one reason fans are so anxious to see Drew Stanton play.
Future blunder: Draft busts Kyle Boller and Rex Grossman hit free agency in 2009, and it does seem tempting for the Lions to cut corners and stop waiting for their own picks to become busts and pick one up that is already disappointing.
Instead: Re-sign Dan Orlovsky, since he knows the system and was starting to show flashes before his injury. Matt Cassel is turning into an intriguing prospect, which means getting him will cost a lot of money and time in the offseason. The best move for the Lions is to stay out of the QB market this offseason and give Stanton a season to show some life.
Running Back
Past: From "just okay" in Denver to "not good" and "you mean we re-signed him?" in Detroit, Tatum Bell never has or will show anything great enough to overshadow "luggage theft" in his career.
Worse yet, we actually gave up close to average talent in Dre’ Bly to get him and another player to be discussed shortly.
Future blunder: Kevin Smith is showing some greatness potential and may be the best draft pick for Detroit in years. Rudi Johnson seems content to play the role of third-down back, so it seems likely the Lions will stay out of the RB market.
That being said, Ricky Williams is hitting free agency this year, and if there are two things the Lions can't get enough of, it's substance abusers and guys named Williams.
Instead: Love the one you're with. Kevin Smith will only get better, and that gives the Lions an answer on a team full of questions.
Wide Receiver
Past: I'm not covering draft picks here, otherwise this would be easy, and even redundant. So I did some digging. And while digging, I found Eric Fowler. You don't know the name, because he's just a practice squad addition. However, this kid's time line is too delicious to ignore. This could only happen with a team like the Lions.
- July 25, 2008: The St. Louis Rams cut Grand Valley State graduate Eric Fowler.
- July 27, 2008: The Detroit Lions sign Fowler to one-year deal.
- July 30, 2008: The Detroit Lions release WR Eric Fowler.
- August 19, 2008: The Detroit Lions re-sign Fowler. Terms are not disclosed, and it turns out it is irrelevant, because...
10 comments Last one added 7 months ago — Leave a Comment
Rory Brown 7 months ago
A great read. Very funny, and unfortunately for Lions fans, also very true.
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Ellen Schneider 7 months ago
Great read but not very true as written. Williams could have tested free agency for the first time after this season. Instead, on Aug. 31 he signed a contract that included a one-year extension through 2009.
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Ellen Schneider 7 months ago
Great read but not entirely accurate. Williams could have tested free agency for the first time after this season. Instead, on Aug. 31 he signed a contract that included a one-year extension through 2009.
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Dean Holden 7 months ago
Indeed, you are correct. Williams did sign an extension through 2009. I'll have to check my sources a little better next time. Thanks for the heads-up.
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Ben Skolozdra 7 months ago
Delightful article! Witty and humurous, as well as a unique way of showing all of this terrible team's weaknesses. I'm a Lions fan, and you sir should be the GM. =)
BTW, @ WR
Calvin Johnson plz. He's the only reason I care about this team right now.
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Scott Rieger 7 months ago
Dean, nice article, but much of what you said isn't going to happen.
BTW, we "supposedly" tried to get Vilma last year but it didn't happen. I doubt the Saints let him get away.
We shouldn't re-sign Orlovsky unless only for a backup spot to Culpepper. Culpepper will be better next year than Stanton could ever be, which leads me to this nugget....Stanton sucks. He wasn't that great in college and won't be good in the pro's. Not to mention, he's injury prone.
People in Detroit just want to see him because they want some hope and "hope" that he'd be the savior. We've been down this road before with every backup QB since time began.
Here is what will probably happen.
We have a ton of picks in the draft, and after this dreadful season, I think the Ford's are ready to make the Lions winning a priority. They will hopefully have a solid draft that addresses our main weaknesses, OL, MLB, CB and DL.
They will likely make a run at C. Gamble, A. Haynesworth, and some other big name FA's (including Vilma) and they should. Of course, because it's Detroit, we'll have to overpay..but I don't care. Once we start winning, people will come for regular prices. When you suck, you must over pay. See Tigers and Pudge Rodriguez.
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Dean Holden 7 months ago
There's no doubt that most of my projections are pipe dreams. The odds of getting Finnegan or Vilma here now that teams have taken notice of them are very poor. Still, I did mean to play with a "best case scenario" option.
The bottom line is the team has to be built through solid drafts, and not washed-up free agents. Culpepper is not the long-term answer. Maybe Stanton isn't either. He needs to show that, first, though.
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Kent Nguyen 7 months ago
Great Article. Dan Orlorvsky was starting to look good before he got injured. Although that step out of the endzone may be all that we remember about him. I think Dan will be the Lions qb of the future.
And Pats receivers have actually performed better when not in New England. Thats a little know fact.
Anyways, nice breakdowns. I think the Lions are better than their 0-11 record. Not with Millen gone. Lions might have some potential next year.
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Dean Holden 7 months ago
Dan O COULD be the future of the team. He won't play again this season, and it's up to the Lions' future management to decide whether he's worth a re-signing, or if they just want to clean house, and build around Kevin Smith, Megatron and Gosder Cherlius.
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Samuel Bell Jr 7 months ago
This is good writing...also very funny, Detroit fans are among the most embattled in sports...Ladies and Gentlemen, we welcome Matt Millen to football infamy, and a lifetime of dubious distinctions
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