Foote Fills Gap, But Not Enough, Part Two

The 0-16 Detroit Lions roster shuffle continues. In Thursday's article, I discussed the offensive side of the football, saving today's focus for defense. However, I should take a moment to comment on the Lions most recent move, which involves Keary Colbert. I'll recap Thursday's receiver section.

WR, cont.

The Lions have 11 receivers listed on the depth chart. Let's assume Detroit keeps five on their game-day roster. Calvin Johnson is a lock. The others include Ronald Curry and Derrick Williams, who were picked up via free agency and the draft respectively. Let's say that's three.

As I said, don't expect to see Aaron Brown at running back. He is 6'1" and 196 pounds. Probably not the ideal size for a between-the-tackles runner. He could challenge Cason for the third-down back spot, but more likely than not, he was taken to beef up the receiving corps. That's four.

Bryant Johnson, another free agent, makes five. The sixth spot, in my opinion is wide open*, but the Lions don't necessarily need to hit the free agent pool again. There is a slew of receivers on the market, but many have questions, included, but not limited to age, off-field problems and questionable skills. If the Lions wanted a vet, they could look at Reggie Williams. He has six years in the league and tons of experience. I think the correct leadership, now in Detroit, could screw his head on straight and make him a stud.

*I would now say the sixth spot is Colbert's. Unless the Lions go in a different direction when it comes to Johnson, or even if they cut Brown, or shuffle players between the practice squad and game-day roster, I would now say they will not pursue a free agent. The last thing they need is a stable of receivers on the payroll.

Now on to the good stuff, meaning defense, which from what I've heard, wins championships.

DL

Detroit has seven ends and five tackles on the depth chart. Under Rod Marinelli, the Lions played a Tampa 2 defense. This season it looks like Detroit will play a 4-3 defense again, but with elements of the 3-4. Playing in the 4-3 means the Lions needed Larry Foote and his role as middle linebacker becomes more important. But there will be more on that later.

Among the seven ends, I think Cliff Avril and Jared DeVries are the top two. Some might throw Ikaika Alama-Francis in the mix, but I think putting him in a rotation would be most beneficial. A huge key on the line this year will be the play of DeWayne White.

White was a Lions starter in 2007, but didn't see the same action in 2008. He will be looking to make his mark this year, which is good because the Lions will need all they can get off the ends. He had a career-high 6.5 sacks in '07, but he will need to build on that. If he, Avril and Francis can tally between seven and nine sacks each, the line will be solid.

When it comes to the free agent pool at the DE spot, there isn't much to be thrilled about. If it were five years ago, it would be great with names like Vonnie Holliday and Jason Taylor. If there is one guy I would work out, it's Kevin Carter. He is a very experienced veteran with 15 years in the league. If his work out went well, he could be a good veteran addition to the defense.

Among the six defense tackles on the roster are rookies Sammie Hill and John Gill. At 345 pounds, recent addition Grady Jackson is the largest man-in-the-middle, but he is also the oldest at 36. And while Jackson has the most NFL experience, Chuck Darby has the most Lions experience as he started 15 games in 2008.

Unfortunately for Detroit, there is just about nothing available at this position. Coach Jim Schwartz is going to rely heavily on Jackson to mentor Hill, Gill and second-year men Landon Cohen and Andre Fluellen. Chuck Darby will also need to be a positive influence on the squad.

LB

To start, they only need three names. Those are easy. Playing outside linebacker Ernie Sims, on the inside, Foote, and on the opposite side will be 10-year veteran Julian Peterson. The player who must have a huge impact off the bench is Jordon Dizon.

Dizon was probably picked a little too soon by Millen in 2008. He never started and only played in 12 games. He's been clocked at 4.59 in the 40-yard dash, so he has good speed, but he wasn't the impact player he should have been considering where he was selected.

One man I am eager to see hit the field is rookie Zach Follett. He is aggressive, a big hitter and notched 10.5 sacks his senior year at California. I can see him starting early on special teams where he can fly down the field and flatten return men and then earning some time in the Lions linebacker rotation.

I recognize the Lions allowed more than 170 rushing yards per game last year, but I think they may have done enough to shore up their second line of defense. I was not among those who wanted Aaron Curry, so I wasn't disappointed we didn't take him. Foote, I think, solidifies the linebackers.

DB

The secondary is the Lions biggest weakness. They don't have a shutdown corner or a knock-your-lights-out safety. They also don't have any more options in free agency. Their biggest secondary signing was Phillip Buchanon, whose best years might be behind him.

Recent signee Eric King, free agent from Tennessee Titans, didn't record an interception last season. Anthony Henry, who Detroit acquired via trade with Dallas, started 15 games for the Cowboys secondary and recorded only one pick last year. Lions corners in the 2008 season who did not record an interception include Chris Roberson, Ramzee Robinson, Keith Smith and Dexter Wynn.

One guy I would look at to add a solid athlete to the secondary is Ricky Manning, Jr. He might be undersized, but in six years, basically five where he played in at least 15 games, he has 14 interceptions. He was on a bad St. Louis team last year, and while things were obviously not better in Detroit, I think the Lions front seven could give Manning some chances to steal some balls this season. If I were Schwartz, I would bring him in and run him around to see what he has left.

The last line of defense, and the last position to be covered, is the safety position. I'm not sure there is a worse safety lineup that Detroit's. Five men listed, and the man with the most professional experience is Stuart Schweigert. He's not a bad player, but in four years in Oakland, before his last in Detroit, he only recorded four picks.

Four years ago, the Lions picked Daniel Bullocks out of Nebraska. They had high hopes for the hard-hitting young man, but injuries have held him back. He has shown flashes, but he will have to really prove himself this season if he expects to make it in the league. He has one pick in two seasons.

When it comes to Louis Delmas, the second-biggest surprise (Pettigrew) of the Lions draft, his contributions need to be big, frequent and effective. The Lions have been lacking a hard-hitter since the days of Bennie Blades and William White. Blades was last on the Lions roster in 1996 and White in 1993. If Rey Maualuga proves to be a Chris Spielman-type linebacker, or better, it will be another big Detroit draft-day miss.

One guy I would take a long, hard look at is Mike Brown. Yes, he is 31, does have 10 years in the league, but he does have big-game experience and has proven to be  athletic. However, the Lions could use a smart player deep in the secondary with good eyes and strong football smarts.

Still building

There is no dout the Lions are a work in progress. They are basically stuck with their current roster. It's too late in free agency to get a steal and there isn't much depth at any position. With a good mix of veteran leadership and youth, Coach Schwartz will have his hands full in the NFC North. Just getting the Lions to compete for 60 minutes of all 16 games will be a huge accomplishment for the rookie head coach.