An Honest Look at The Detroit Lions

As of right now... I am becoming more and more comfortable with our current team.  But I do know some key areas need imporoved.  Lets take a look at where we stand.

QB's

I am ok with Stanton being on the team and fighting for the #2.  But I believe in the end, we need a quality back up.  Maybe a guy like Jake Delhomme or Chad Pennington

Rb's

I know K.Smith is banged up, but I think MoMo showed enough last year to make us ok at that postion for now.  Plus I am a huge A.Brown guy.  I think he is a very poor mans' version of Reggie Bush.  WIth some coaching, he can be our poor mans's Reggie Bush and we can remove the adjective "very".  Plus I am interested in 3D.  Between those 3 backs, I think we will be fine until K.Smith returns.  He is a legit #1 back.  Not the fastest guy out there, but that is what we have A.Brown for.

WR's

Calvin is great.  Nate will be a good #2 and D.Will has to show something this year.  I also think that A.Brown needs to get more reps at WR.  We have to use his speed as much as possible.  Someone please teach him how to run 4 or 5 routes and he could be very productive.  I would like to pick up a WR in this draft.  There are several guys I like in each round.  I am ok with using a later rd pick on a guy like brown from CMU.  As a matter of fact, I would prefer to do that.  Once we somehow get rid of either B.Johnson or D.Northcutt, we will be left with 2 talents, 2 potential talents, and a rookie with potential.  This sounds good to me.

TE's

We are strong at the position as long as BP comes back healthy.  Heller did a good job last year.

OL

Well believe it or not, when Peterman was healthy, we look better than average and even good at times.  I'm ok with our tackles and center.  We need another starting guard and 2 quality back ups.  I like Manny and Loper, but they just havent showed much consistancy.

DL

With bringing in Williams, KVB, and having Hill really impress me for a project player last year.  I am happy with our DL.  Avril needs to show a little consistancy, but I think he can develop into a very good 3rd down pash rusher.  Dont get me wrong, I want a stud on this line.  But I do not think we HAVE to get one with our 1st pick.  The draft is deep enough to get one a little later.

LB's

Probably our strongest position.  I want L.Foote back though.  He played well enough last year to pick him up for 2 more.  Which is probably all he is looking for..  Levy was impressive and I am not ready to write off Dizon.  Plus ... come on,  who doesn't love the Zack Attack.  This leaves us with a question.  JP.  Let me say that I do like him and he started to come on pretty well for us.  He is overpaid for last year's production, but I would like to keep him.  He is versatille enough to use him on the DL at times, maybe on passing downs with avril on the other side.  If we can get K.Bullocks from Ten for a lot less money.  I am ok with that too.

CB's,

Ah, our biggest need.  I like the Houston pick up.  And I like several of the guys who we had last year.  Everyone just got hurt so not much developing could take place.  I'm ok with Buchanon and Henry being gone, but I would of liked to keep Will James for depth.  I know he is not starter quality, but he played well enough for us to keep.  Hopefully some how we havent burned any bridges with him and he will be back.  Don't be fooled by anything I just said.  We need 3 starting CB's.  With one being a shutdown stud.  I want Kyle Wilson.  He is the skills and the attitude I love.  We have got to get this guy.  This might sound crazy, but I wouldnt even been angry if we traded back our 1st rd pick enough to justify getting him in the first.  I like him that much.  If we somehow pull that off and land him, we still need 2 more.  There are several guys in the draft worth looking at.  D. Warren,  J.Arenas just to name a couple.  But please make Wilson this years draft priority.

S

I like our safety's.  Delmas is our stud, and both Simpson and Bullocks have enough potentional to be good safety's.  They just have to stay healthy.

So with all that being said... here is my mock draft

1st rd       N. Suh if we stay at # 2.  I am also ok with Russel Okung  there, if we trade down, keeping going down to get K. WIlson and stock pile some 2nd and 3rd rd picks.

2nd rd    K. Wilson if he is available and we didn't get him in the 1st.  D. Warren would be a great option.  I dount B.Graham is still there, but if so, take him.  It would be a steal.  I also  like Guard M. Ilaupti (or however you spell it) here if he is availble.  I do not want a skill postion player like RB or WR here.

3rd     It is here I am ok with taking a skill player.  Either a RB or Wr.  I would also be ok with getting a good project O lineman.  To be honest I wouldnt be againt taking Rb Blount with this pick.  It may sound high, but I think he is going to go faster than what most people think.  Plus, our short downage attempts sucked last year.  We must be able to get 1-2 yards whenever we need to.  He  can do that.

4th      John Jerry or even that DE Alex Carrington guy.  He seems like this years version of Sammy Hill.   

5th       Maybe we get lucky here and are able to get Punter Zoltan Mesko.  If not,  WR.  A. Brown for CMU should still be here and he is probaly my favorite at this pick

6th      Give me an O Lineman project here.  A guy from a small school who can play all 3 interrior spots.

7th      Yet another o lineman project here.  This time, maybe a guy who fell because of a bad combine or even an injury.  Hey this is the 7th rd, we can take a chance here.

Once all of our wheeling and dealing is done, I am not sure what picks we will have, this is why I gave us one in each round.  One last note,  I would like us to somehow get Dorsey from the chiefs.  GUN drafted him and he likes him.  I think he could be very good in our 4-3 which is what he was drafted for.

I think the ROAR is being RESTORED