RealGM

It's the off season, but I still want to talk football.

http://football.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ ... rs_in_box/

I'm thinking that the solution can come this summer. Pick up Ahmad Bradshaw for a good price. Spend a high draft pick on speedy running back. Spend another pick on a high grade offensive lineman. Johnson makes it easier for them to run, and they can help make him even more effective.

Lions actually ran the ball pretty well, they just didn't stick with it enough. They had a better YPC average than Houston until the last game of the year, ranked in the top 10 through Thanksgiving. Joique Bell averaged 5 YPC despite only having 4 runs (of 82) more than 10 yards.

Don't be surprised if they sign Reggie Bush.

If they can get some consistency at running back and a decent #2 receiver, they'll be a ridiculous offense to try and stop.

I wonder if the Lions will view the running game as a priority over stockpiling more talent on defense.

JustAwesome wrote:I wonder if the Lions will view the running game as a priority over stockpiling more talent on defense.

I think their first pick (barring a trade down) will definitely be defense. Probably the best DE left between Moore, Werner, Ansah. Dark horse being Milliner.

After that it's hard to tell. They have so many needs (OL, DE, CB, #2 WR) that I think they'll just take the best player on the board that fills one of them.

I'm not sure they need to spend another first round pick on a defensive lineman. I'd like to think that with their two monsters inside, they can get a productive end later on in the draft.

Can't say it's surprising. The Lions' playcalling was awful. They treated Stafford like Rodgers and Brady giving him 50+ pass attempts in some games. It really killed them.

Yeah the playcalling was an issue. Stafford broke the attempts record in the 4th quarter of their 15th game, threw 40+ times every week even with Kris Durham and Mike Thomas as the 2 & 3 receivers opposite Calvin the final month and Bell/Leshoure both over 4.5 YPC after Week 7. Lions finished 6th in yards per carry on first down, a full three yards better than Arizona and a full yard better than Baltimore.

Now that it seems like Avril is leaving via free agency, the idea of the Lions spending a draft pick on another defensive linemen isn't as crazy. I don't like the idea personally.

Vikings are pleased to offer Toby Gerhart for a 5th rounder

I haven't paid much attention to Gerhart, but is he really only worth a fifth round pick nowadays?

yes. Not saying it couldn't pay off for the team acquiring him, but there's no reason to pay a higher price than that for battering ram HB w/ no breakaway speed.

Guess you're right. Plus, teams have been able to find serviceable running backs late in the draft, too.

JustAwesome wrote:I wonder if the Lions will view the running game as a priority over stockpiling more talent on defense.

Offense should be #1 priority in FA, and that #1 target should be Reggie Bush. This stat backs it up how bad they need a back like Bush. When you have Megatron at WR and no real threat in the backfield, of course defenses are going to load up on him and ignore your run game. Not if we have Bush in the backfield though. No defense is going to leave him uncovered. And in turn Megatron will get more single coverage. Bush is the key to unlock the Lions whole offense.

Then they can go all defense in the draft. They could go Milliner at #5, and before they even finish the draft they'll have their 2 biggest needs - RB and CB filled with 2 top talents. Then go BPA on defense the rest of the draft.

Getting Bush first though is the key. If they can do that, this could be a huge off-season for the Lions.

Also, I've been reading/hearing ppl say 5-6 mil/yr would be too much to spend on Bush. Then the same ppl want the Lions to pay Cliff freaking Avril 10 mil/yr. I'm not a big cap guy when it comes to the NFL, so maybe Im not aware of all the info, but I know for a fact Bush is a better player than Avril, and fills a HUGE need. Whereas in my opinion, you could put Elmer Fudd next to Suh and he'd rack up sacks because of all the double and triple teams Suh draws. Avril is fools gold and if all it took was not resigning him to be able to afford Bush, adios Avril.

There doesn't appear to be a lot of competition for Bush, especially since teams have found success finding running backs late in the draft, so the Lions can have them if they can get their salary cap situation resolved.

With the signing of Bush defenses are going to pay for dropping their safeties. Play calling last year had a lot to do with the digression as well as the fact Stafford struggled at being accurate.

Lions still should find a "between the tackles" type in order to force safeties to move closer to the line. That would be a complement for Bush.

anybody else have the feeling that Johnson will demand a trade to the Falcons in a year or two if things don't turn around for Detroit....

I guess if they'll take Julio or Roddy straight up in return, but Atl really doesn't need to do anything - they have the best duo in the game.