Sllim Pickens

Again, he wasn't begging for respect, at least for himself. He was pointing out that while the Lions were getting ready to play in the NFC championship game, the Detroit media disrespected our players. Which they did. Its an imposter syndrome for the Lions media discussing the talent gap like we aren't talented. But we are. So why is the Detroit media feeding those ideas that we lack talent when we had more All-Pros and Pro Bowlers than we have had combined the last 15 years.

Just to confirm then, you don't think any team in the league deserves media respect other than KC with Mahomes and the Rams with Stafford? Because they are the only QBs that have won a Super Bowl on their current team. And then the only QBs that have any respect in the league aside from those 2 would be Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers and Flacco? Because they are the only other active QBs to win a Super Bowl still playing in the league. Your argument is ridiculous and unsupported. You are holding your own player to a ridiculous standard that the rest of the league is not held to which is sort of what Goff is saying about the Detroit media. So maybe you feel attacked, and thats why you are angry at him for it, but he isn't wrong.

Yup, they still don't have a true star player and not enough depth to withstand losing a top player. Plus they need some improved goal keeping but better defenders in front of him would help too. Sad to see Stevie Y failing in this rebuild. So many promising young players but none truly breaking out into that elite level player like he had in Tampa.

I mean, the response he gave wasn't whining about respect. He was clarifying his response to the question he was asked before the NFC championship game about the talent gap between the 49ers and the Lions where he responded with the accolades of our players like ARSB, Sewell, and Laporta. He wasn't wrong in saying the Lions have really talented guys too, even if the media and Madden don't perceive them that way. Sewell was graded the best OT in the league last year and was better than Trent Williams, so why does he not get respect. ARSB has had three straight better years than Deebo or Ayuik so why is he not getting respect? Laporta has only played 1 year but set every rookie TE record and was the most productive TE in the league as a rookie. Sure the youth of the team doesn't have a ton of years to hang their hats on but they have produced every year they were in the league. And having local media ask that question furthers the narrative that we are the same old lions with no talent that lucked our way into the NFC championship game. He wasn't whining about respect, he correctly called out an ignorant statement. And yeah, you don't need to win a trophy to get respect. Being a team at the top of the standings and one that has improved every year while Goff put up good numbers is enough to earn respect in a league when it is hard to make the playoffs in back to back years. Josh Allen, Burrow and Herbert all have respect and haven't won anything.

DPJ has very similar numbers to what Reynolds had when he arrived here. He has a better single season by nearly 15 catches and a couple hundred yards compared to Reynolds before coming here. So while I agree that we could use a WR, it is not a dire need and we aren't really any worse off than last year, actually likely better as Jamo will have more time to grow. And I strongly disagree with Jamo not being ready to be a #2. His first few games back sure, but he was solid down the stretch and made plenty of big plays. He has earned an increase in usage which would be as a #2.

I'm ready to blow it all up again as long as the whole organization goes. I am assuming we get the 5th pick again this year as is our luck or we likely will win the lotto this year and not have anyone worth taking there instead of last year when we could have had Wemby. Just more wasted free agent dollars spent on guys who not only don't help but actively hurt the development of our youth. Can't say there is any excitement for next year at this point without significant cultural changes.

So given we decided to end the season the way we started it, we will have the worst record in Pistons history. How on earth do Weaver and Monty still have jobs? I hate you Tom Gores. Sad that they take a bad team, add Cade the top pick from two years prior back, add a top 5 pick this year, and supposedly upgrade our coach and we somehow get significantly worse.

To be fair, the same thing could have been said last year with just Josh Reynolds also in the mix. Jamo has questions but top end talent. DPJ has had solid production in the past and even though we didn't use him much, I am guessing it was mostly due to understanding the playbook and his timing with Goff which is easier to work on in the offseason. I think WR is definitely a need, but with ARSB, Jamo, Raymond, DPJ, and Green, we have a WR core that can play especially when you add in Gibbs and Laporta as pass catchers.

So will Caleb and Maye. But still, the landing spot matters. Two years ago people expected Willis and Levis to go top 5 and were likely going to be top picks in fantasy until they fell. Similarly if Harrison goes to New England I would consider Odunze or Nabers in LAC over him. But also the major point was later in drafts. There will be RBs and WR that move up or drop based on where they land because of depth chart and coach. Especially RB wise since I don't see any as first rounders right now just on talent but in the right situation a couple of them will be in contention in the mid 1st.

Do you have any hopes that certain guys land somewhere specific? Like either good fits or will improve other players on your team? Or situations you will bump up whoever goes there? I think having Brooks or Wright land with Dallas, Giants, or Chargers would boost their fantasy stock. Any RB that lands in one of those spots will be bumped up but having a top RB prospect land there would make them even more valuable. Similarly the WR situation in Buffalo. If they land a guy like Brian Thomas, Ladd McConkey Keon Coleman or Troy Franklin I think those guys have insane draft stock. Obviously any WR who goes there will have a boosted fantasy ADP but those guys could be instant top 15-20 WRs with Josh Allen and plenty of targets to go around. Obviously at the top of the draft any WR going to the Chargers or Cardinals should have a boost since they have good QBs and little competition for targets so even guys who would be drafted by them later could have bumps in value. If Harrison/Nabers/Odunze end up on teams with questionable QBs like New England, NY Giants etc they could fall behind some of the later picks who end up in better situations.

I was debating on keeping him but the trade for Dionte Johnson made the decision easier to not keep him. He will be the 3rd/4th or lower in targets most likely and getting some value for him made sense if not keeping him or targeting him in the draft. I actually have more faith in Bryce Young but not confident in their system or Mingo's production.

I just did one on NFL Mock Draft Simulator and although I hate their trades since most are unrealistic. However I did make two trades that were semi realistic. Trade Pick 29 to Carolina for Picks 33, 101, 141, and 142. This is an overpay of about 40 points on the updated TVC but given they got into the first for that extra year of control, I figured it was close enough. Even if you take away one of those 2nds, its a solid deal and my draft would be good. Pick 33 - Zach Frazier - OC/OG WVU - I think the need along with the player are a good combination. There were not any CBs available I liked (Lassiter was close) so I moved down a few spots adding much needed mid round picks. Preparing for the departure of Ragnow/Zeitler but also solid depth and could potentially beat out Glasgow for LG as a rookie. Pick 61 - Marshawn Kneeland - DE WMU - Again a need with a great fit line up. Added someone to learn behind Davenport and play opposite Hutch longer term. Pick 73 - Malachi Corley - WR WKU - The third straight player from a school with West in the name (unintentional) but a great fit to take over for Reynolds. Has the ability to go up and make tough catches and runs solid routes and is hard to tackle in the open field. Pick 101 - Traded for Pick 102 and pick 179. Again a not overly even trade TVC wise but they wanted someone and gave up a mid 6th to get him, seems fair IMO. Pick 102 - Kyhree Jackson, CB Oregon - We need some young CBs and I hate waiting this long to get one but Jackson is one of my favorites and is versatile enough he could play that CJGJ role in a S/CB split. Pick 141 - Theo Johnson - TE PSU - Not a huge need with us bringing back Brock Wright but Mitchell is injury prone and unreliable and Johnson has insane upside. Obviously given we had Dan Skipper running at TE against the 49ers we need some depth here. Pick 142 - Mason McCormick - OG SDSU - Another interior OL for depth. Like Sorsdal he has lower competition but hopefully can grow and improve enough to compete in year 2 for a starting job. Pick 164 - Isaac Guerendo - RB Louisville - I like Craig Reynolds but don't love him so improving the depth at RB would be helpful. He has the speed to be more of a Gibbs type back but also the strength and size to fill in for Monty. Pick 179 - Sione Vaki - S Utah - As stated above he is a tough S that can play in the box or in space. Need depth at S for sure. Pick 201 - Kitan Oladapo - S Oregon - We have 2 S's on the roster so adding two for depth is eeded. Let them battle it out in camp to see who gets the most reps in game. Pick 205 - Dwight McGlothern - CB Arkansas - He has been my mid/late round CB target for a while. Allowing passer ratings of 45.8 4 INTs and 51.2 with 3 INTs the last two years with strong grades in man and zone make him ideal for us. Solid run defender but not great, one of the top CB's IMO in this draft and would not be shocked if he goes round 3. Pick 249 - Jalen Coker - WR Holy Cross - Another WR for depth/PS. This is mainly due to the fact Steve Smith loves him so much and said he would be the steal of the draft. With Smith saying the same things last year about Tank Dell and Puka, and previously with Kupp, I trust his judgement on WR's, especially this late.

Thats pretty common for CB's. When you show you have a knack for creating turnovers, people stop throwing at you. Or at least stop forcing it towards you which means you have fewer good chances to get an INT. In the NFL, Sauce Gardner had 2 INTs as a rookie and 0 as a sophomore. Revis had 8, 0, 4, 1 in a four season stretch. Devon Witherspoon went 0, 2, 0, 3 in his four years at Illinois. Jalen Ramsey had 1, 2, 0 in his three years at FSU. Judging CBs by their INT production is a bad way to grade/rank them. three years ago Trevon Diggs had 11 INTs but gave up over 1,000 yards and 5 TDs. in his career he has given up over 90 passer ratings when thrown at all but one year and that year was a 70. I'd take Sauce any day over the guy who gets TO's but also gives up a tone of ground.

I love his story. And its wild how many good college kickers can't make it in the pros and then you wee some random guy like this get a chance and he delivers. The nerves would have to be different in the NFL vs the UFL with full stands and more money on the line but still would be great to see him get a chance in the NFL.

Steve Smith said the same thing. Said he is just a big body but can't walk and chew gum at the same time. Definitely will be a bust in the NFL.