Lions CB Jeff Okudah ruptures Achilles

[Sllim Pickens]

2 hours ago, Karnage84 said:

In the mock machine,

1) NYJ - Thibodeaux

2) JAC - Evan Neal, OT

3) HOU - Aidan Hutchinson

 

Give me Kyle Hamilton in that scenario

[Karnage84]

Just now, Sllim Pickens said:

Give me Kyle Hamilton in that scenario

That is who I took but I was curious about Stingley. 

[diehardlionfan]

I wouldn’t have a problem with it. Very talented player at a position of need. 

[Uncle Buck]

What might have made an interesting trade would have been a deal with the Jaguars of Okudah for Henderson.  Both of them have had their struggles, and a change of coaching/scenery may have been just what the doctor ordered.  They both had the talent to get drafted where they did.  It's a shame to think they could both end up being busts.

[Millenhater]

Seriously though what do we do with this guy?  

I know we will have to wait and see how he does but if you are rebuilding your team I don't think you can count on him.  At all.  

Do you have the plan to already make the position switch when he comes back?  Do you let me try out a CB again and waste the season/time/roster spot if it fails?  I hate to say it but I think we have to consider him a lost cause at this point.  If you are doing a mock draft how does Okudah impact your roster moves?

[Karnage84]

37 minutes ago, Millenhater said:

Seriously though what do we do with this guy?  

I know we will have to wait and see how he does but if you are rebuilding your team I don't think you can count on him.  At all.  

Do you have the plan to already make the position switch when he comes back?  Do you let me try out a CB again and waste the season/time/roster spot if it fails?  I hate to say it but I think we have to consider him a lost cause at this point.  If you are doing a mock draft how does Okudah impact your roster moves?

It does come down to how he's progressing medically, which is inside info that we won't get. However, I do think that you need to plan for a scenario where he isn't going to be relied upon and if he comes back, it's a bonus. 

I don't know if we would need/want to take someone with a top 5 pick. We definitely could add someone with our second 1st or other higher end picks. I'd rather assume he'll be a contributor at CB instead of at other positions. It'd be great if he contributed at whatever position, but I would put less faith into him being successful with the switch than at coming back at CB.

[LionArkie]

53 minutes ago, Millenhater said:

Seriously though what do we do with this guy?  

I know we will have to wait and see how he does but if you are rebuilding your team I don't think you can count on him.  At all.  

Do you have the plan to already make the position switch when he comes back?  Do you let me try out a CB again and waste the season/time/roster spot if it fails?  I hate to say it but I think we have to consider him a lost cause at this point.  If you are doing a mock draft how does Okudah impact your roster moves?

If BPA is a DB, then you take him regardless if he is healthy or not imo, unless you have studs at every position in the defensive backfield.  I don't think his injury should play a part in it.

[Lions017]

You don't count on him for anything. You see what he brings in camp next year, maybe you consider moving him to safety, but you don't assume that he has a starting job next year. You bring in as much talent as you can and if Okudah wins out, great. If he doesn't then maybe you think about moving on. 

[Millenhater]

9 minutes ago, Lions017 said:

You don't count on him for anything. You see what he brings in camp next year, maybe you consider moving him to safety, but you don't assume that he has a starting job next year. You bring in as much talent as you can and if Okudah wins out, great. If he doesn't then maybe you think about moving on. 

Would you spend FA resources on a CB?  Like if we sign JC Jackson to a big deal or do you think Draft capital only?  I'm just curious everyone's thoughts.

[Lions017]

Just now, Millenhater said:

Would you spend FA resources on a CB?  Like if we sign JC Jackson to a big deal or do you think Draft capital only?  I'm just curious everyone's thoughts.

Absolutely, yes. That's one of the positions that we have a clear need at and it's hard to find that immediate impact in the draft. It's a hard position to learn. Oruwariye seems like he could be a capable #2 corner, but we definitely could use someone else there - and someone at safety to stick next to Tracy Walker. 

Honestly, there are very few positions on defense where I think it would be a bad idea to try to add a starter. That whole side of the ball needs to get much better. 

D-Line: Lots of young talent with potential there, but in need of one more impact player, especially on the edge. 

LB: Barnes has been OK and has lots of potential. Anzalone has been decent but isn't great. No real stud here yet. 

CB: Oruwariye is a solid #2, I think. A couple of the young guys have flashed but none have looked like a lockdown #1 corner. 

S: Walker is really good, I think. We need someone to go next to him. Maybe you consider moving Okudah or Melifonwu back there, but even that wouldn't be a sure thing. 

[Millenhater]

5 minutes ago, Lions017 said:

Absolutely, yes. That's one of the positions that we have a clear need at and it's hard to find that immediate impact in the draft. It's a hard position to learn. Oruwariye seems like he could be a capable #2 corner, but we definitely could use someone else there - and someone at safety to stick next to Tracy Walker. 

Honestly, there are very few positions on defense where I think it would be a bad idea to try to add a starter. That whole side of the ball needs to get much better. 

D-Line: Lots of young talent with potential there, but in need of one more impact player, especially on the edge. 

LB: Barnes has been OK and has lots of potential. Anzalone has been decent but isn't great. No real stud here yet. 

CB: Oruwariye is a solid #2, I think. A couple of the young guys have flashed but none have looked like a lockdown #1 corner. 

S: Walker is really good, I think. We need someone to go next to him. Maybe you consider moving Okudah or Melifonwu back there, but even that wouldn't be a sure thing. 

I really hope Melifonwu can get healthy.  I would be nice to see what we have in him.  Plus it would be good for him to get the reps/experience 

[Sllim Pickens]

42 minutes ago, Lions017 said:

Absolutely, yes. That's one of the positions that we have a clear need at and it's hard to find that immediate impact in the draft. It's a hard position to learn. Oruwariye seems like he could be a capable #2 corner, but we definitely could use someone else there - and someone at safety to stick next to Tracy Walker. 

Honestly, there are very few positions on defense where I think it would be a bad idea to try to add a starter. That whole side of the ball needs to get much better. 

D-Line: Lots of young talent with potential there, but in need of one more impact player, especially on the edge. 

LB: Barnes has been OK and has lots of potential. Anzalone has been decent but isn't great. No real stud here yet. 

CB: Oruwariye is a solid #2, I think. A couple of the young guys have flashed but none have looked like a lockdown #1 corner. 

S: Walker is really good, I think. We need someone to go next to him. Maybe you consider moving Okudah or Melifonwu back there, but even that wouldn't be a sure thing. 

I would like to add Marcus Williams at S next to Walker.  He has history with our staff and no way New Orleans can pay everyone.  

I don't love many CBs available.  They are either old or underwhelming.  I think Jackson would be an upgrade but like a Justin Coleman type upgrade, not a lock down CB1 upgrade.  

I'm sure some guys would get cut but as of now the free agent market is underwhelming other than a couple older guys that would be good on short deals but likely have no interest in coming here.  I like the WR market better than the defense market so would prefer to spend there and not spend much on D in free agency other than Williams. 

Would love to see a draft of Thibodeaux, Trent McDuffie, Nakobe Dean with our first three picks.  I think that would be a lot of talent and athleticism added to our D.  Add in Williams and a WR like Gallup or Godwin and we actually have a decent team on paper. 

[diehardlionfan]

4 hours ago, Sllim Pickens said:

I would like to add Marcus Williams at S next to Walker.  He has history with our staff and no way New Orleans can pay everyone.  

I don't love many CBs available.  They are either old or underwhelming.  I think Jackson would be an upgrade but like a Justin Coleman type upgrade, not a lock down CB1 upgrade.  

I'm sure some guys would get cut but as of now the free agent market is underwhelming other than a couple older guys that would be good on short deals but likely have no interest in coming here.  I like the WR market better than the defense market so would prefer to spend there and not spend much on D in free agency other than Williams. 

Would love to see a draft of Thibodeaux, Trent McDuffie, Nakobe Dean with our first three picks.  I think that would be a lot of talent and athleticism added to our D.  Add in Williams and a WR like Gallup or Godwin and we actually have a decent team on paper. 

A draft like that would be a darned good start.

[Karnage84]

Just now, Millenhater said:

I really hope Melifonwu can get healthy.  I would be nice to see what we have in him.  Plus it would be good for him to get the reps/experience 

We have a few young pieces that could develop into something. Which would be great and especially helpful if we hit on most of them including Okudah coming back. What we need is someone that is a proven commodity. We need to fill that gap and then hope that some combination of Oruwariye, Melifonwu, etc. coming in as the #2/#3 CB's. 

Tracy Walker seems to be settling in, so I would be inclined to re-sign him, sign a vet FA CB and then maybe draft Kyle Hamilton plus add someone at CB in round 2 or 3. We're a team that is devoid of talent and we have seen that defenses running back to front seem to be the better option through analytics. Balance is key and we need a strong front but I would feel confident in that secondary under Pleasant's tutelage. 

[LionArkie]

3 minutes ago, Karnage84 said:

We have a few young pieces that could develop into something. Which would be great and especially helpful if we hit on most of them including Okudah coming back. What we need is someone that is a proven commodity. We need to fill that gap and then hope that some combination of Oruwariye, Melifonwu, etc. coming in as the #2/#3 CB's. 

Tracy Walker seems to be settling in, so I would be inclined to re-sign him, sign a vet FA CB and then maybe draft Kyle Hamilton plus add someone at CB in round 2 or 3. We're a team that is devoid of talent and we have seen that defenses running back to front seem to be the better option through analytics. Balance is key and we need a strong front but I would feel confident in that secondary under Pleasant's tutelage. 

Since we are currently set at picking at 1,  would you take Hamilton at 1 or are you thinking if we fall to pick at a lower spot?