Karnage84 Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 (edited) COACHING STAFF Ben Johnson returns as OC Glover Quin joins as DB Coach RE-SIGN Jamaal Williams, RB 3 year x $4.67M ($3.5M 2023 Cap Hit) < Emotional leader and a key cog in the rush offense Deshon Elliott, S 2 year x $6M ($2.5M 2023 Cap Hit) < Team leader that provides stability in the back end (Joseph is developing, Walker coming back from injury). He'll be 28 and possibly look to get a bigger deal showing he can play well and stay healthy Alex Anzalone, LB 1 year $2.4M John Cominsky, DE 2 Year $6.5M ($2.75M 2023 Cap Hit) < Wants to be here and is an important piece of a strong DL rotation Mike Hughes, CB 1 year $2.25M < Key veteran back up Isaiah Buggs, NT 2 year $4M ($1.5M 2023 Cap Hit) < Played well enough to be brought back on a new deal Josh Woods, LB/ST 1 Year $1.75M < Core ST player CJ Moore, S/ST 1 Year $750k < Core ST player Brock Wright, TE $940K ERFA Shane Zylstra, TE $940K ERFA Benito Jones, DT $940K ERFA Tommy Kraemer, OG $940K ERFA Anthony Pittman, Edge $940K ERFA The Lions opt to bring back a number of their free agents. Brad Holmes continues to work with short term contracts allowing flexibility in restructuring the roster. CUT Michael Brockers - Save $10M Cap Romeo Okwara - Save $7.5M Cap - It was between Romeo and Harris. The bigger cap savings won it over for now. Julian Okwara - Save $1.28M Cap MOVES ON Will Harris, CB - Harris has carved out a nickel CB role after a couple down years in Detroit. He's offered more money than Detroit would prefer to offer and both sides are ok Evan Brown, OC - Brown gets a starting OC gig elsewhere DJ Chark, WR - In a weak WR class, he's offered a contract that's too rich for the Lions as they want to give Jamo more opportunities DON'T RE-SIGN Austin Bryant Bobby Price Amani Oruwariye FREE AGENT MOVES Jamel Dean, CB 5 year $45M deal ($9M APY with $5.5M 2023 cap hit) - The Lions look to solidify the secondary with Brad Holmes' first big ticket FA in three years. At 26 years old and with a team full of uncertainty (Brady likely leaving, Bowles on the hot seat), Dean decides to become a part of the Brand New Lions and the culture Holmes/Campbell are creating Darius Slayton, WR 1 year $3.5M: Slayton saw what happened with DJ Chark and opts to join an offense led by Jared Goff and Ben Johnson to improve his chances at a bigger contract in 2024. TRADE Jeff Okudah to Cincinnati for a 2023 conditional 5th (Saves $5.2M; $5.4M Dead Cap): With the addition of Dean, the writing is on the wall for Okudah in Detroit. He wants a change of scenery and the Lions honour his request for a trade. He joins a young Bengals team that is currently in a playoff run. They're in need of a young CB and he's a scheme fit as they play the 5th most man (via PFF chart). Edited January 19, 2023 by Karnage84 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karnage84 Posted January 19, 2023 Author Share Posted January 19, 2023 DRAFT 1 (6) - Tyree Wilson, DE, Texas Tech: Big, long and athletic. Wilson has a nearly 20% pressure rate at Texas Tech. Aidan Hutchinson was the most double teamed edge player in the NFL last year. Wilson is now going to take off some of that pressure or make teams pay for doing it. Brad Holmes and the Lions continue to build through the trenches. 1 (18) - Joey Porter Jr, CB, Penn State: Porter is a guy that has been mocked to us at #6 overall. I think his stock is sliding a little bit and this corner class is looking to be deeper than initially expected. Pairing up Porter with Deans and Jacobs, the Lions now have good starting depth at outside CB 2 (48) - Jack Campbell, ILB, Iowa: Anzalone is signed for another one year deal. This is his successor. Campbell is the epitome of what the Brand New Lions are - tough and physical. 2 (55) - John Michael Schmitz, OC/OG: The Lions opt to bring back Vaitai as they were unable to re-sign Evan Brown. Schmitz is Vaitai's successor in 2024 at RG but he offers the skills to play OC to back up Ragnow 3 (81) - Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, SCB, TCU: Our future slot CB that has versatility to play outside in a pinch. 5 (153) - Ivan Pace Jr, LB, Cincinnati: Value pick as he's a really good player and we need help building out the depth at LB 5 (163) from Bengals - Mekhi Garner, CB/S, LSU: At 6'2, 217 lbs and a stout run defender, Garner is a candidate to be moved to SS. He'll be a ST guy that hopefully can develop into a capable back up or even a starter 6 (181) - Bryce Ford-Wheaton, WR, West Virginia: Offers good size and depth at the position 6 (192) - Tyler Steen, OT, Alabama: A developmental tackle/depth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karnage84 Posted January 19, 2023 Author Share Posted January 19, 2023 OFFENSE QB: Goff, TBD RB: Williams, Swift, Reynolds FB: Cabinda LT: Decker LG: Jackson, Kraemer OC: Ragnow RG: Vaitai, Schmitz RT: Sewell TE: Wright, Zylstra, Mitchell WR: Williams SWR: St. Brown, Raymond WR: Slayton, Reynolds, Cephus DEFENSE DE: Wilson, Cominsky, Paschal NT: Buggs, Jones DT: McNeill, Onwuzurike DE: Hutchinson WLB: Rodriguez, Pace SLB: Anzalone, Campbell, Barnes DPR: Houston, Pittman LCB: Porter Jr, Jacobs RCB: Dean, Hughes SS: Elliott, Garner, Melifonwu FS: Walker, Joseph, Moore SCB: Hodges-Tomlinson, Lucas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karnage84 Posted January 19, 2023 Author Share Posted January 19, 2023 THE MONEY Start: $15,050,618 Cuts: + $18,782,456 ($33,833,074) Re-sign: - $17,660,000 ($16,173,074) Restructure: + $4,167,500 ($20,340,574) Trade: + $5,182,072 ($25,522,646) Free Agency: - $9,000,000 ($16,522,646) Draft: - $10,000,000 ($6,522,646) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob_shadows Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 I don't see the point in trading Okudah this year since it doesn't save money. I mean if he throws a tantrum and begs for it then I guess but other than that no reason for it. I'd be fine with Wilson assuming Murphy is gone, Murphy would be my top choice (of the guys that could still be there). I'd rather have Branch or Johnson than one of the outside CBs for their versatility in being able to help against both the run and pass but if both were gone by 18 (very possible) then I'd be fine with one of the outside guys...DB definitely needs to be taken in the 1st. I'd probably prefer To'oTo'o over Campbell for us but again who knows if he'd still be there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karnage84 Posted January 20, 2023 Author Share Posted January 20, 2023 50 minutes ago, rob_shadows said: I don't see the point in trading Okudah this year since it doesn't save money. I mean if he throws a tantrum and begs for it then I guess but other than that no reason for it. I'd be fine with Wilson assuming Murphy is gone, Murphy would be my top choice (of the guys that could still be there). I'd rather have Branch or Johnson than one of the outside CBs for their versatility in being able to help against both the run and pass but if both were gone by 18 (very possible) then I'd be fine with one of the outside guys...DB definitely needs to be taken in the 1st. I'd probably prefer To'oTo'o over Campbell for us but again who knows if he'd still be there. We'd be saving $5M as the Bengals would take it on. It would be a mutual parting. The team isn't going to pick up his option and he wants a fresh start. With a healthy Walker, Elliott would be playing SS and a fair amount of SCB and/or nickel LB alongside Joseph. So adding someone like Branch or Johnson wouldn't make a ton of sense. Murphy is gone in this scenario Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob_shadows Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 3 minutes ago, Karnage84 said: We'd be saving $5M as the Bengals would take it on. It would be a mutual parting. The team isn't going to pick up his option and he wants a fresh start. With a healthy Walker, Elliott would be playing SS and a fair amount of SCB and/or nickel LB alongside Joseph. So adding someone like Branch or Johnson wouldn't make a ton of sense. Murphy is gone in this scenario What i mean is it's not really "saving" because of the dead cap hit. I wouldn't consider Elliott good enough to pass up on guys like Branch or Johnson. There isn't a single spot in the secondary that doesn't need to be upgraded so you take the best player, if the best player is a nickel so be it. And Branch or Johnson would both definitely be upgrades at that spot against both the pass and the run. And yeah with Murphy gone I'd be all for Wilson. Would definitely like to see DL at 6 and then DB at 18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superduperman Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 (edited) I think they fought all year to try to get Okudah to reliably perform his assignment instead of going off script. I heard several hints of "hero ball" from beat writer radio appearances and other sources, not naming Okudah, but the Carolina game was an instance of this, and Okudah was obviously benched in that game and afterward. I think the Lions would take any pick for him. Edited January 20, 2023 by Superduperman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karnage84 Posted January 20, 2023 Author Share Posted January 20, 2023 1 hour ago, rob_shadows said: What i mean is it's not really "saving" because of the dead cap hit. I wouldn't consider Elliott good enough to pass up on guys like Branch or Johnson. There isn't a single spot in the secondary that doesn't need to be upgraded so you take the best player, if the best player is a nickel so be it. And Branch or Johnson would both definitely be upgrades at that spot against both the pass and the run. And yeah with Murphy gone I'd be all for Wilson. Would definitely like to see DL at 6 and then DB at 18 Sure but you're tying up a roster spot and an extra $5M for a guy that you've already decided isn't part of your future. The trade gives you $5M to add to the roster (most of Dean's year 1), opens up a roster position and gives us some draft capital for a guy we would've let walk anyway. Alternatively you keep him on the roster and hope for a comp pick 2 years from now. Branch was long gone (he was under consideration at 6) and I opted for the outside guy vs nickel as I liked the overall compilation better. We're going to be rolling with 3 S's quite a bit. Hodges-Tomlinson is best suited inside but can also play out. We'd have two high end starters on the outside along with some depth. Elliott: It's impractical to re-sign a guy to a new multi-year contract and then draft a player to immediately replace him even though he has played really well for you. Competition is one thing but I don't think it'd jive with the message in the locker room. It's not the same as a 6th rounder outworking you and earning a spot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karnage84 Posted January 20, 2023 Author Share Posted January 20, 2023 (edited) 31 minutes ago, Superduperman said: I think they fought all year to try to get Okudah to reliably perform his assignment instead of going off script. I heard several hints of "hero ball" from beat writer radio appearances and other sources, not naming Okudah, but the Carolina game was an instance of this, and Okudah was obviously benched in that game and afterward. I think the Lions would take any pick for him. He'd be back in Ohio, [Bengals] are a good team, he fits scheme wise, they have the cap room and he can earn himself the opportunity for a 5th year option or a new contract. I know he was battling injury and illness as well, so it's possible that a team takes a flier on a guy with his pedigree at a lower cost. ***CJ Henderson was traded for TE Dan Arnold and a 5th rounder. So I don't think my value is too far off. Edited January 20, 2023 by Karnage84 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lions017 Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 I like most of this. I also don't like the Okudah trade - he was decent last year. We probably aren't picking up his option, but let him play out this year and see what he does. I just can't see the team letting Oruwariye and Harris walk and then trading Okudah. You don't want to go into the draft absolutely 100% needing to draft multiple corners and expecting them to step in and play right away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superduperman Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 16 minutes ago, Lions017 said: I like most of this. I also don't like the Okudah trade - he was decent last year. We probably aren't picking up his option, but let him play out this year and see what he does. I just can't see the team letting Oruwariye and Harris walk and then trading Okudah. You don't want to go into the draft absolutely 100% needing to draft multiple corners and expecting them to step in and play right away. They could always sign or trade for a veteran CB or two. I expect they will sign at least one. I think Okudah was decent for a short stretch in the middle of the season. He was bad in the first few games and terrible in the last few. I would be mildly surprised if he's still on the team for 23 and very surprised if he's penciled in for a starting spot. I'd take rookies or FA/trade additions or anything over Oruwariye and Harris. Those guys are more or less the last mistake pieces from the previous regime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karnage84 Posted January 20, 2023 Author Share Posted January 20, 2023 33 minutes ago, Lions017 said: I like most of this. I also don't like the Okudah trade - he was decent last year. We probably aren't picking up his option, but let him play out this year and see what he does. I just can't see the team letting Oruwariye and Harris walk and then trading Okudah. You don't want to go into the draft absolutely 100% needing to draft multiple corners and expecting them to step in and play right away. In this scenario, they aren't. They have Jerry Jacobs. They bring back Mike Hughes. They sign Dean. Then they draft Porter and Hodges-Tomlinson. This is also starting to turn out to be a deep CB class, so I expect that we're going to actually try and attack the position with multiple picks to build it up for the next few years. Jacobs is a RFA next year and we've struggled for talent at the position for years and depth is really important here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karnage84 Posted January 20, 2023 Author Share Posted January 20, 2023 12 minutes ago, Superduperman said: They could always sign or trade for a veteran CB or two. I expect they will sign at least one. I think Okudah was decent for a short stretch in the middle of the season. He was bad in the first few games and terrible in the last few. I would be mildly surprised if he's still on the team for 23 and very surprised if he's penciled in for a starting spot. I'd take rookies or FA/trade additions or anything over Oruwariye and Harris. Those guys are more or less the last mistake pieces from the previous regime. I don't see a scenario at this point where Okudah has a starting gig with us. He had to battle and win it last year. He played well in spots but he's had a long stretch over the last several weeks of the season where he's been on limited snaps and/or benched while also playing poorly when he's been on the field. As the defense is starting to turn things around, he's going the other way around. That's not a good sign. They might keep him on the roster just for the depth and hope the good things we saw can finally stick but I can very much see a scenario where he is no longer a Lion before the season begins. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Want A Title Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 (edited) 3 hours ago, Karnage84 said: I don't see a scenario at this point where Okudah has a starting gig with us. He had to battle and win it last year. He played well in spots but he's had a long stretch over the last several weeks of the season where he's been on limited snaps and/or benched while also playing poorly when he's been on the field. As the defense is starting to turn things around, he's going the other way around. That's not a good sign. They might keep him on the roster just for the depth and hope the good things we saw can finally stick but I can very much see a scenario where he is no longer a Lion before the season begins. I agree with you on Jeff Okudah not being a starter next year. I hate to say this but he has been a starter thus far because we have been completely devoid of talent at CB. Yes, this was essentially his rookie year but his play really fell off at the end of the year. He had injuries his first two years but did that prevent him from studying film? Honestly, when I watch him play I see a player who is still trying to get by on his physical and athletic talent. On a semi-related side-note, Daniel Jerimiah mocked CB Devon Witherspoon to the Lions at #6 in his first mock. It will be interesting to see who the first CB taken will be and where. Edited January 20, 2023 by Just Want A Title Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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