Lions News

[Topweasel]

May not be retired. Calvin is in the hall as a Lion only player and his number is that only effectively retired and not actually retired. But not counting your super and annoying vomit of dislike for Super Bowl winning and 12 year veteran of the Lions, Matthew Stafford, most Lions fans respect Stafford as the player who gave it his all while teams were built by people incapable of doing the job. On top of that the FO had him ask Stafford for permission before he could use it. So they have the highest respect for him.

Besides that even if you don't like him. If you can't only contribute negatively because other people don't hate Superbowl winning QB Matthew Stafford, then you are as bad as your chicken shit brethren who ran away when Super Bowl winning, national champion, QB Matthew Stafford, won his Lombardi trophy. And much like them if I am going to participate here I am going to do it without reading your drivel.

[CGVT]

That's Future Hall of Famer Matthew Stafford to all of you He-Man Stafford Haters.

[Topweasel]

Move like what? Asking for a different number?

Jesus. People sure are looking for reasons to dislike this kid.

Maybe it is. I'd like players to have a little more love of the game that if they feel attached to a stupid number enough to when told they are required to ask a previous player for permission to use said number, that they stick with it and try show that number some respect.

Look at my post history regarding this very topic when he asked for #9. Someone suggested that if we moved from Okudah he would take #1. I had the opinion then it would look bad if he tossed it aside for #1 after just a year. Well guess what it looks bad.

This isn't me ragging on him for some of his childish Twitter posts. Miss reading the GM for the hell of it for no other reason. Even when I was at my highest on Jamo, I said I wouldn't like it, if he did exactly what he is doing now. That's before I thought there was a chance he would even do it.

This is just my opinion on having to ask and doing so to use the number of a previous Lion great and tossing it aside for that oh so glorious college #1.

[froot loops]

That's Future Hall of Famer Matthew Stafford to all of you He-Man Stafford Haters.

The Stafford Haters can never, ever let go.

[Topweasel]

That's Future Hall of Famer Matthew Stafford to all of you He-Man Stafford Haters.

Lol, a little ahead of ourselves. But maybe my pettiness speaking but I will have a good chuckle at their expense if he does get that jacket.

[whatever_gong82]

Lions keep QB future in mind even with Jared Goff ready to start in 2023

By Colton Pouncy

Apr 11, 2023


It’s easy to forget sometimes that, in many ways, Brad Holmes is still new to this.

Entering year three as a general manager, his first stint in this role after a lengthy run in the Rams’ scouting department, Holmes has developed a track record for finding productive players via the NFL Draft with an eye toward the future. In his short time in Detroit, the Lions have gone from the NFC North basement to favorites to win the division. It’s been a remarkably fast turnaround, given where this franchise once was.


But where it goes from here is entirely dependent on the QB position, and Holmes’ vision for its future.

The Lions have been discussing their options at quarterback this offseason. They have a pretty good one in place in Jared Goff, and don’t feel pressured to do anything. But it’s clear they’re looking at the QB position ahead of April’s draft. Holmes hasn’t ruled out the possibility of adding a veteran with experience or a young guy willing to work. What the Lions ultimately add to the QB room this offseason could shed light on how they feel about Goff long-term, as Detroit looks to jump into the upper echelon of the NFL.

Let’s examine some of their options, and what each would mean for the bigger picture.


The Veteran Backup


One natural move for the Lions would be to add a quarterback with significant game experience, one who won’t threaten Goff for playing time but could step in seamlessly should he get injured. A move for a vet could signal a strong belief that Goff is a quarterback with which this team can win. It doesn’t take quarterback entirely off the table come draft weekend, but it would be the sort of move that reinforces the Lions’ public praise of Goff this offseason. At that point, it becomes more than just words.

For the Lions under Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell, this third year together was always the season circled as the time to make some noise. The Lions have become a trendy pick to do just that in 2023. They’ve said they believe in Goff. If that’s the case, shouldn’t there be a greater sense of urgency behind him than what they’ve shown in previous years?

Reports surfaced over the weekend that free-agent QB Teddy Bridgewater is mulling an offer from the Lions. The fit makes sense on multiple levels. Bridgewater has 65 starts under his belt and spent two seasons in New Orleans with Campbell as a backup. He fits the mold of an upgrade at backup, and won’t push Goff for the starting job. Bridgewater might be waiting to see what happens later this month, but if the Lions don’t invest in a young quarterback early in the draft, maybe the two sides come together on a deal.

continued..

[whatever_gong82]

Holmes has said he wants to make sure the Lions aren’t scrambling for backup help again — a situation that landed them Nate Sudfeld following a training camp battle between David Blough and Tim Boyle. Sudfeld remains on the roster, but Holmes didn’t rule out the possibility of more.

“I’m well aware of the mystery behind Nate about the lack of game experience, but we did like Nate,” Holmes said at the owners’ meetings last month. “We were looking at some other quarterbacks that had a little bit more game experience, but obviously it just didn’t work out. … If we do add another one, then obviously Nate would be competing.”


The Developmental Backup


Detroit doesn’t necessarily need to add a veteran in free agency. Sudfeld has some experience and Holmes clearly liked him enough to bring him back. Could the Lions opt to add via the draft instead? And would a potential Day 3 prospect make sense? Let’s talk about it.

The Lions own five of the top 85 selections. The expectation for top-100 picks should be to find players capable of starting — whether it’s from the jump or a year from now when an opportunity opens up. That’s a sound blueprint for roster-building. If the Lions want to build up the roster and add a QB later on, it would make sense.

In this scenario, the Lions could target a quarterback in rounds 4-7 who could develop behind Goff, while perhaps offering more upside than Sudfeld. He wouldn’t come in with expectations to unseat Goff, either, which is important to note. Brock Purdy is the ideal rookie success story. He was a seventh-round pick — quite literally Mr. Irrelevant — who played well enough to lead a stacked roster to the NFC Championship Game after everyone in front of him suffered injuries. He’s not the norm. But some mid- to late-round rookies might be capable of it.

Here are the QBs given draftable Day 3 grades from The Athletic’s Dane Brugler in his 2023 edition of “The Beast”:



2023 Potential QBs to train for Detroit Lions.jpg


continued..

[whatever_gong82]

The Home Run Swing — and eventual successor


Campbell, not known for his poker face, has done his best to keep things close to the vest re: the QB conversation. At the combine, Campbell spoke highly of Goff. But in the same breath, he mentioned that Goff, only 28, won’t play forever. At the owners’ meetings, Campbell again publicly backed Goff while also noting the Lions will look to upgrade wherever they can — QB included.


Depending on your read of the situation, it’s either an attempt to pave the way for a young quarterback or one to blur the lines of Detroit’s true draft plans. But at the very least, the Lions are doing their homework. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker is scheduled to meet with the Lions on Tuesday.


“I would say this, man,” Campbell said. “This year, as with most, you’re always looking to upgrade. And free agency has given us the ability in areas to, man, we can do whatever we need to do in the draft. We feel pretty good about that. We don’t feel forced to do anything. … It doesn’t matter what the position is. If we can upgrade our team top to bottom, we will do that.”


If the Lions select one of the top five quarterback prospects later this month, it’ll be a swing at an upgrade to eventually replace Goff. No other way to put it, and the reasons why it could be on the table have been well-documented.


Goff is an above-average starting quarterback who is capable of leading this team to the playoffs. After all, he almost just did it, and he could have several more years of quality football ahead of him in the right situation. Holmes helped draft him with the Rams and traded for him with the Lions. There’s a plausible scenario in which Detroit moves forward with Goff in mind and works to build around him rather than replace him. Why not see where he could take this squad first, ahead of a year with real expectations, before deciding to run him out of town?


At the same time, though, Goff isn’t without his limitations, and there are several questions that go beyond football to consider. What if Ben Johnson, the offensive coordinator who helped revive his career, leaves for a head coaching opportunity next year? Is Detroit’s coaching staff stable enough to provide the sort of continuity to maintain Goff’s level of play? If not, and Goff’s production isn’t what it once was, where would that leave the two sides — especially during a competitive window?


Goff’s current contract is fair for what he provided last season, but what about a few years from now? He’ll be due for an extension soon, and quarterbacks these days are making north of $40 million. The Lions will have to pay key players like Jonah Jackson, Penei Sewell, Amon-Ra St. Brown and others down the road. Some teams have no problem paying QBs top money, knowing the guy they have in place is worth the cap configuration. Do the Lions believe Goff is worth it?


And finally, considering Detroit might not find itself drafting this high again — at least not without trading the farm — would Holmes consider drafting a quarterback early and letting him learn under Goff and Johnson before moving forward with him as the starter? Holmes said in January that it’s easier to get worse at quarterback than it is to get better, and there’s certainly logic behind that. This feels like a move Holmes would only make if he were confident in the environment the Lions have built to get the most out of a QB. Detroit has one of the better offensive lines in football, two young receivers ready to go, a solid run game and a veteran QB it can win with in the meantime.


It’s hard to think of a better environment for a young QB than what Detroit has in place. And with the Lions meeting with Florida QB Anthony Richardson at the combine, and Hooker reportedly on Tuesday, it’s among the options they’re clearly considering.

We’ll find out soon enough.


Colton Pouncy is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the Detroit Lions. He previously covered Michigan State football and basketball for the company, and covered sports for The Tennessean in Nashville prior to joining The Athletic. Follow Colton on Twitter @colton_pouncy

[whatever_gong82]

Falcons acquire CB Jeff Okudah from Lions for fifth-round pick: Source

By The Athletic Staff
Apr 11, 2023

By Jeff Howe, Josh Kendall, Colton Pouncy and Larry Holder

The Lions are trading cornerback Jeff Okudah to the Falcons, a league source confirmed to The Athletic on Tuesday. Here’s what you need to know:

*- The Lions will receive a 2023 fifth-round pick in exchange for Okudah, a league source confirmed.
*- Okudah spent the past three seasons with the Lions collecting two interceptions, 10 pass breakups and a forced fumble in 25 games.
*- The Lions had until May 2 to decide whether to execute Okudah’s fifth-year option.

The Athletic’s instant analysis:


What this means for the Falcons


The Falcons figured to be in the market for a cornerback early in the upcoming draft, even as high as No. 8. This deal would seem to preclude that, and a fifth-round pick this year as compensation is a great deal for Atlanta.


Okudah, who was the No. 3 pick in the 2020 draft, could start right away for the Falcons, or, if veteran Casey Hayward returns from a torn pectoral injury at full strength, Okudah could serve as the third cornerback in a rotation while familiarizing himself with Atlanta’s system. The Falcons already had signed former Lion and former first-round pick Mike Hughes in free agency, and Hughes is expected to have the first shot at the starting nickel position. — Kendall


Why the Lions made the move


When the Lions signed two cornerbacks in free agency, you had to wonder what it meant for Okudah’s future. The former No. 3 overall pick has not lived up to expectations in his short career, though a lot of that has been out of his control due to injuries. Still, though, the Lions had a deadline of May 2 to decide whether to pick up Okudah’s fifth-year option — priced around $11.5 million. That’s a lot of money for an unproven corner entering his fourth season. Instead of keeping him around to compete for a starting job, the Lions opted to move him ahead of the 2023 draft for a fifth-round pick. Not a total surprise, but still a rather unceremonious exit for a player once drafted to be a cornerstone. — Pouncy


Okudah’s 2022 rebound season


The 2020 No. 3 overall pick started showing promise in his first near-full season in 2022. He yielded an 87.6 opposing passer rating, via Pro Football Reference, allowing a 59.7 completion percentage when targeted with one interception and one touchdown allowed in 15 games. That’s a significant improvement after his 2020 rookie season, where he surrendered a 77.4 completion percentage and an opposing 118.0 passer rating. Okudah suffered a ruptured Achilles in Week 1 of the 2021 season.

PFR ranked him among the top 24-33 cornerbacks last season in the site’s Approximate Value metric. Others within the group included Carlton Davis, Stephon Gilmore and Jaycee Horn. Okudah ranked 40th among cornerbacks in 2022 in Sports Info Solutions’ Total Points Saved metric.

All of these metrics basically point to the Falcons acquiring a viable starting cornerback and a seemingly ascending player. — Holder


Backstory

The Lions have spent this offseason remaking their secondary and have signed cornerbacks Cam Sutton, Emmanuel Moseley and defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson.

Sutton spent his first six seasons in Pittsburgh, the Steelers used Sutton at safety, nickel and as an outside corner — where he projects in this Lion’s defense.

Moseley is recovering from a torn ACL and the Lions were able to sign him for just $6 million.

Gardner-Johnson is expected to play the nickel position in defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn’s defense.

[whatever_gong82]

Grading the trade: Falcons buy low on former No. 3 pick Jeff Okudah; Lions shed salary


By Jeff Howe
7h ago


The Falcons continued adding defensive talent Tuesday, acquiring cornerback Jeff Okudah from the Lions in exchange for a fifth-round pick in this month’s NFL draft.


Why they made the trade


Okudah, the third pick of the 2020 draft, struggled with injuries during his first two seasons before finally earning a starting job in 2022. He allowed 59.7% of passes thrown his way to be completed, according to Pro Football Reference, while conceding a 87.6 passer rating against in 15 games. His overall performance, however was inconsistent as part of a defense that allowed the most yards in the league and required an offseason makeover; so the Lions decided to duck out of his deal and save about $5 million in cap space.





Okudah is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and the Lions were going to have to make a decision on his fifth-year option this offseason. But after adding cornerbacks Cameron Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson in free agency, it seemed clear which way the Lions were leaning on Okudah’s option even before the trade.




The Falcons, meanwhile, have beefed up their defense this offseason as well. They’ve signed safety Jessie Bates, defensive linemen Calais Campbell and David Onyemata and linebacker Kaden Ellis. They’re now hoping Okudah can benefit from a change in scenery to revitalize a career that was buzzing with promise when he left Ohio State.


Trade grade (Falcons): B


It’s a low-risk move for a team that is hoping to contend in the suddenly wide open NFC South. The Falcons are taking on about $5.1 million for the final year of Okudah’s deal and can assess whether he can be a longer-term fit for a defense that figures to be more competitive in 2023.

If this move sparks Okudah, who is now virtually guaranteed playing time, it’ll be viewed as a steal. If not, it was worth a shot for general manager Terry Fontenot’s front office that has been willing to get after it this offseason, and there’s value in showing players around the league they’re interested in spending to compete.


Trade grade (Lions): B-minus


On the surface, it can be hard to stomach a net loss like this — moving the former third overall pick for a fifth-rounder after just three seasons. But Okudah was drafted by the previous regime, and the Lions established a ton of momentum late in 2022 and continued to build this offseason. They identified Okudah wasn’t part of their future and recouped an asset while shedding salary rather than holding on too long and losing him for nothing.


There’s also value in working with a player to find him a good landing spot. The little things like that matter in the locker room, especially one that is establishing a new identity.



Jeff Howe is the NFL National Insider for The Athletic. A native of Lowell, Mass., and a UMass graduate, he previously covered the New England Patriots from 2009-21. Howe, who has been with The Athletic since 2018, is the author of “If These Walls Could Talk: New England Patriots.” Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffphowe

[Iron Lion]

Why's Jamo ditching #9 when his speed means his go-to route is the 9 route?

[Cody_Russell]

Low risk, maybe some reward for the Falcons.
It’s a move that’s very reminiscent of the Pistons’ strategy for the last several years under Troy Weaver. Buy low on a player that was drafted high. The possibility of a change in scenery giving a fresh start to a player perceived to be talented. Jahlil Okafor, Josh Jackson, Marvin Bagley, Kevin Knox, and James Wiseman. Bagley being the only one that was decent at times.

Mixed feelings from the Lions side of it. Smart to receive some draft capital if Okudah isn’t in the future plans for this regime. Okudah certainly hasn’t earned his next contract based on the lack of production and quality of play. One issue is we don’t know when Moseley will be ready after ACL surgery. I could have seen Sutton + Okudah + CJGJ (nickel) as primary CBs week 1 due to that reason. It’s always good to have depth there too because injuries happen. Now the Lions might need Jacobs, Harris, and rookie CB(s) to step up early on in the season until Moseley is good to go. If the Lions draft a CB high in the draft, I guess it’s fine to have expectations for him to contribute. The CB class has so much depth in general. Safe to assume a rookie will be added to the mix in the near future.

[jaadam4]

Because this is Year 2 coming off an Achilles.
Year 1 is always a wash - you get whatever you can get in Year 1 - and be glad you got that.

If this happened a year earlier, they'd have the luxury to ride it out.
Timing is a bitch.

This

[Futureshock]

Falcons acquire CB Jeff Okudah from Lions for fifth-round pick: Source

By The Athletic Staff Apr 11, 2023

By Jeff Howe, Josh Kendall, Colton Pouncy and Larry Holder...

What this means for the Falcons

The Falcons figured to be in the market for a cornerback early in the upcoming draft, even as high as No. 8. This deal would seem to preclude that, and a fifth-round pick this year as compensation is a great deal for Atlanta.

Okudah, who was the No. 3 pick in the 2020 draft, could start right away for the Falcons, or, if veteran Casey Hayward returns from a torn pectoral injury at full strength, Okudah could serve as the third cornerback in a rotation while familiarizing himself with Atlanta’s system. The Falcons already had signed former Lion and former first-round pick Mike Hughes in free agency, and Hughes is expected to have the first shot at the starting nickel position. — Kendall

Maybe another off shoot is the Falcons snatching (maybe) Jalen Carter before Chicago can

[The King]

We didn’t get a 5th rounder. We got a 5th rounder and $5 million in cap space.