Predicting New Lions' Jersey Numbers (Updated from team website)

[Karnage84]

Because there's pretty much nothing else going on, I decided to see if we could predict the jersey numbers for our FA's and draft picks. 

I based the numbers on: 1) available numbers; b) prior experience on other pro rosters c) prior experience as a college and/or high school player

• Chase Daniel #4: Has previously worn this with the Bears
• Desmond Trufant #28: He has worn #21 with the Falcons for a long time. That number is occupied by Tracy Walker. Trufant wore #8 at Washington. I don't expect we'll see him buy out Walker but Mike Jackson is on the roster bubble and #28 could be up for grabs
• Duron Harmon #23: Harmon has worn #30 and #21 with the Patriots. #30 is available and could be an option . However, I feel like someone will want to take on #23 to move past Slay. Harmon feels like a candidate to take this over. He'll step in as a defensive leader and won't struggle with the expectations of this number
• Jamie Collins #58: Collins has worn #51 and #58 with the Pats. I fully expect him to don #58
• Danny Shelton #71: He's worn this with the Browns and the Pats
• Quintez Cephus #87: He has worn this with the Badgers
• Jeff Okudah #31: This has been the most difficult to guess. #21 is off the table. He wore #1 in hs and in college which is a no no. He did wear #29 at some point with Ohio State and there don't seem to be a lot of better options. *Credit goes to Sllim - potential buy out of Ty Johnson
• Hala Vaitai #72: He wore this with the Eagles
• Geronimo Allison #18: Allison wore #81 with the Packers. I don't know if he wants the pressure of wearing Calvin's number, so here's a switch
• D'Andre Swift #34: Swift wore #7 in high school and in college. #27 is already taken. #34 is a pretty great RB number and 3+4 = 7. Apparently he is a big McCaffrey fan so we can't rule out #22 either. 
• Julian Okwara #42: This really depends on how the Lions list him on the roster. With Okwara likely taking over Kennard's role as a Jack LB, he can wear the same number he wore at Notre Dame

Edited September 9, 2020 by Karnage84
Updated Trufant and Okudah number options

[Sllim Pickens]

I think Okudah will be 31. He can buy it from Ty Johnson (or if he gets cut).  The 3 for third pick and 1 for his HS and college number.  

 

[NFL_Fan]

I think Okudah should be 23. but hes talked to slay thorugh his draft process so who knows. He might not want to throw disrespect out there right away. maybe he doesnt care

[Karnage84]

13 minutes ago, Sllim Pickens said:

I think Okudah will be 31. He can buy it from Ty Johnson (or if he gets cut).  The 3 for third pick and 1 for his HS and college number.  

 

Ahh.. that's a good suggestion. Ty Johnson wore 24 at Maryland which is occupied by Amani. 

[detroitroar]

34 minutes ago, Sllim Pickens said:

I think Okudah will be 31. He can buy it from Ty Johnson (or if he gets cut).  The 3 for third pick and 1 for his HS and college number.  

 

I didnt put nearly as much thought into this 😅 but I just wish Swift could keep 7 cause it looks cool

[Karnage84]

11 minutes ago, detroitroar said:

I didnt put nearly as much thought into this 😅 but I just wish Swift could keep 7 cause it looks cool

I wish some of the guys could do that too. I'd like to learn why the numbering system is so rigid*

*Apparently it is to help the refs with infractions

[Sllim Pickens]

43 minutes ago, Karnage84 said:

I wish some of the guys could do that too. I'd like to learn why the numbering system is so rigid*

*Apparently it is to help the refs with infractions

I think offensively that makes sense, anyone in the 50-70s shouldn't be downfield on passing downs. But as far as RBs and WRs and LBs etc it doesnt seem like it would make that much of a difference. Especially because they make it work in college, so seems like better officials should be able to make it work in the NFL. 

[Karnage84]

27 minutes ago, Sllim Pickens said:

I think offensively that makes sense, anyone in the 50-70s shouldn't be downfield on passing downs. But as far as RBs and WRs and LBs etc it doesnt seem like it would make that much of a difference. Especially because they make it work in college, so seems like better officials should be able to make it work in the NFL. 

Yeah, exactly. #7 wouldn't even be an option for Swift as it is retired (which is why Stafford wears #9) but I don't see why Ceedee Lamb couldn't wear #2 or Okudah wear #1. If they can manage it at the college ranks then a NFL level ref should be able to do it too. 

[Superduperman]

#22 is retired.

[Karnage84]

1 hour ago, Superduperman said:

#22 is retired.

Didn't know that... should have though. Good eye, as no one else has mentioned it yet. 

[Karnage84]

5 hours ago, NFL_Fan said:

I think Okudah should be 23. but hes talked to slay thorugh his draft process so who knows. He might not want to throw disrespect out there right away. maybe he doesnt care

Okudah is a confident player but I don't think he's the cocky type to make that kind of move. 

[NFL_Fan]

7 hours ago, Karnage84 said:

Okudah is a confident player but I don't think he's the cocky type to make that kind of move. 

agree

[Millenhater]

I hope Swift doesn’t wear 34.  Isn’t that like the opposite of #20 for the Lions?  Like every player that wears 20 is awesome and 34 is bustville?

[Superduperman]

If the Lions had any guts they'd give Okudah #20. Give Lem Barney a DB partner to balance out Billy Sims and Barry.

[theuntouchable]

23 hours ago, Millenhater said:

I hope Swift doesn’t wear 34.  Isn’t that like the opposite of #20 for the Lions?  Like every player that wears 20 is awesome and 34 is bustville?

James Stewart was a pretty good FA pickup for a few years