Wolverine247 Board

Tim Twentyman @ttwentyman
Lions have announced that longtime starting left tackle Jeff Backus has decided to retire after 12 NFL seasons.

Dave Birkett @davebirkett
Tom Lewand said this "is not unexpected" and that Backus is "at peace" with the decision

Really didn't want to see this happen at this point. I really don't want to break the record for highest MAC player ever selected in the NFL draft. Not a fan of Fisher personally, but I gotta assume he's the pick now.

Ugh!

Not sure why everyone thinks the Lions have to take a tackle at 5 now. They used a first round pick on Reiff, he should start at LT.

For RT, they like Hilliard, and I would expect him and Fox to battle for the other tackle spot.

They could use some help inside at Guard if anything, and you don't have to use a top 5 pick to upgrade the interior of the OL.

Well they drafted him in the first round despite having other needs, so I would hope they do.

They have to give him a shot there.

Naw... there's 3. Sims will be at LG and Raiola will be at C.

Reiff and Hilliard are both pretty much locks to start. So that leaves 1 unknown starter.

I'd much rather have them address the defense with that pick, and take a OL in the 2nd or 3rd like Kyle Long or Barrett Jones who can play multiple positions.

Semi-relevant to the Lions but the Eagles just signed Connor Barwin from the Texans. With Trent Cole and Brandon Graham their probably not going to draft another pass rusher at 4. Which means they will probably go with Eric Fisher because of the top 3 OT’s he’s the best fit for that system.

So Lane Johnson is going to have to be the pick if they go OT. I’m kind of happy about this.

It’s a need but a CB hasn’t been drafted in the top 4 since Charles Woodson. 4 is very high for a CB who doesn’t project to being a shutdown CB at the next level. He wasn’t even one at Alabama.

Wonder if they would take Floyd or Loutelei if both fell to the Lions at 5. I've heard there is little chance of resigning Suh when he hits the market and his contract is already becoming untenable. Maybe they could trade Suh next season and reload on the interior of the line with Floyd/Loutelei and Fairley. But most likely not.

This would be my ideal Draft as of today

1. Lane Johnson OT OU
2. Jonathan Cyprien S FIU
3. Cornelius Washington DE UGA
4. Montori Hughes DT UT Martin
5. Courtney Gardner WR Sierra CC
6. Oday Abushi G UVA
7. Marquies Gray TE/ATH Minnesota

Claiborne was a much better prospect than Milliner and it’s not even close. Much better hips, lateral quickness, and ball skills. It doesn’t matter what a CB’s 40 is if he can’t turn his hips and run.

Milliner is not a top 5 player in this class.

I feel like we are just conceding that the Chiefs will draft Joeckel. I think #1 is pretty high to be drafting a RT , which is what he would be for them with Albert there. In fact , I could see JAX ( Monroe) , OAK (Veldheer), PHI ( Peters , plus Herremans has experience as a blindside T) , all passing on Joeckel . . I see him sitting there for Detroit at 5 .

In the 2nd round they should go DE. The trio of guys from FSU could all be available. Werner is probably the most complete player , but he'll probably be gone . Tank Carradine and Brandon Jenkins both make sense , if they have recovered from their injuries. Mayhew and Schwartz have talked about not being scared of injuries when drafting players , for better or worse. Datone Jones would be another DE that could fit in , although he would basically be another Jason Jones clone. Damontre Moore may be there too. The point is , there shold be a wealth of DE options available at 36 , to the point they could posibly even trade down.

In the 3rd round , I'd see them probably look for either a S like Jonathan Cyprien or Eric Reid. Both would be excellent fits. Don't be surprised if a very good WR slips to this pick , and they take him. A Justin Hunter pick would both upgrade the WR position tremedously , as well as allow us to cut Mike Thomas , and use that 1.45 million in cap space on a veteran DB. So a WR pick would upgrade two positions instead of one.

In rounds 5-7 , I think you just have to swing for the fences. I don't think Honey Badger will still be available , but if he is , he would make sense this late. Probably need to grab a G or C to develop and replace Sims eventually. Could see a DT down here as well.

* expected Eric Wright compensatory pick

Dream Draft (as of 3/14/2013)

1 - T Luke Joeckel
2 - ( trade down - pick up extra 4th rounder) DE Tank Carradine
3 - S Eric Reid
4 - WR Justin Hunter
5 - DE Sam Montgomery
*5 - G Jeff Baca
6 - DE Mallaciah Goodman
7 - DT Will Cambell

No one really makes since for the Chief’s besides Joeckel unless they get rid of Tamba Hali. Mike Vick is left handed and Jason Peter’s is 31 and is coming off two ruptured Achilles. OT is a huge need for them.

I think Carradine, and Moore might be gone by then but I hope they aren’t.

Cyprien is getting a lot of late 1st early 2nd round buzz. He’ll be gone by the 3rd round. Eric Reid is more of a center fielder type. We need a physical in the box presence. I doubt Justin Hunter makes it out the 1st Rd.

Tyrann Mathieu doesn’t really make since anymore with Glover Quinn now on the roster. Mathieu is probably going to play a similar role in the NFL.