2024 Prospects List (Google Sheets)

[Louis Friend]

7 hours ago, Karnage84 said:

I've been pretty busy and haven't had a chance to dig into this as much. There's some intriguing names at DT but I think we need to see how McNeill and Brodric Martin fare this year before figuring out if DT is a higher priority for the Lions or if they're going to keep dipping into the 3rd round or less to address the position. 

Even if both take that next step, DT is a huge need. Arguably our biggest need. Benito Jones and Levi Onwuzurike cannot be factored in. Isaiah Buggs is good but coaching staff said they want to reduce his snaps and he’s only signed short term. I have no doubt if Carter didn't have legal issues, he would have been #1 on the Lions draft board. Even with the legal issues, reportedly the FO did alot of digging into him. This staff knows games are win and lost in the trenches. I expect them to continually plug in players there. 

[detfan782004]

On 5/5/2023 at 12:37 PM, Karnage84 said:

2024 WR HOT LIST

I'm targeting X WRs as I believe ARSB and Jamo will be WR1/WR2. Marvin is a 1-year signee while Joshua Reynolds is also not a long-term option. I'm highlighting guys who are late 1st to 3rd round guys. We have zero chance in drafting Marvin Harrison Jr and if we somehow get him, nobody needs to be convinced he's a good player. 

1. Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State - 6'1, 205, 66/97 (68.0%), 1,039 yards, 9 TD's, 5 Drops (5.15%), 9/17 CTT (52.9%), 17.5% CT Tgt/Tgt
2. Keon Coleman, Michigan State (Maybe) - 6'4, 210, 56/88 (65.9%), 798 yards, 7 TD's, 3 Drops (3.41%), 10/16 CTT (62.5%), 18.2% CT Tgt/Tgt
3. Orande Gadsden, Syracuse -6'5, 216, 54/80 (67.5%),888 yards, 6 TD's, 2 Drops (2.5%), 10/18 CTT (55.6%), 22.5% CT Targets/Tgt

Coleman is going to cost more than I would be willing to see them waste given how well he is playing this year

[Karnage84]

8 minutes ago, detfan782004 said:

Coleman is going to cost more than I would be willing to see them waste given how well he is playing this year

Yeah - he's going to be a 1st round guy. 

Gadsen and Coleman's FSU teammate, Johnny Wilson, feel like TE converts to me. I also just saw that [Gadsen]'s out for the year with a lisfranc injury. 

[detfan782004]

1 minute ago, Karnage84 said:

Yeah - he's going to be a 1st round guy. 

Gadsen and Coleman's FSU teammate, Johnny Wilson, feel like TE converts to me. I also just saw that [Gadsen]'s out for the year with a lisfranc injury. 

Not to be a homer but I would not mind seeing Roman Wilson- UM and what he projects at.  I just love his work ethic

[LionArkie]

On 7/4/2023 at 4:29 PM, Louis Friend said:

Even if both take that next step, DT is a huge need. Arguably our biggest need. Benito Jones and Levi Onwuzurike cannot be factored in. Isaiah Buggs is good but coaching staff said they want to reduce his snaps and he’s only signed short term. I have no doubt if Carter didn't have legal issues, he would have been #1 on the Lions draft board. Even with the legal issues, reportedly the FO did alot of digging into him. This staff knows games are win and lost in the trenches. I expect them to continually plug in players there. 

I might be wrong, but I'm wondering if this staff values the DT position that highly in the draft. There have been two solid DT candidates in back to back years and in both years we've passed on them. I wonder if they treat the position like a G where you can pick up great value in the 2nd. This is just something that has been rolling around in my head lately.

[Karnage84]

1 hour ago, LionArkie said:

I might be wrong, but I'm wondering if this staff values the DT position that highly in the draft. There have been two solid DT candidates in back to back years and in both years we've passed on them. I wonder if they treat the position like a G where you can pick up great value in the 2nd. This is just something that has been rolling around in my head lately.

We can only really go by based on what we've seen - either with Brad's time in LA (where he didn't have player selection power) and here in Detroit (which could be team building philosophy, immediate team needs, draft strength, individual prospect traits/character or some combination of two, more or even all of these things) where he does have that power. 

[Louis Friend]

4 hours ago, LionArkie said:

I might be wrong, but I'm wondering if this staff values the DT position that highly in the draft. There have been two solid DT candidates in back to back years and in both years we've passed on them. I wonder if they treat the position like a G where you can pick up great value in the 2nd. This is just something that has been rolling around in my head lately.

I hope they don’t think that way because Onwuzurike and Martin both didn’t play last game. I know it’s a long season and Brodric is a rookie, but just because Alim worked out doesn’t justify passing on top talent (especially if Holmes truly doesn’t believe in positional value as he claims).

[Sllim Pickens]

1 hour ago, Louis Friend said:

I hope they don’t think that way because Onwuzurike and Martin both didn’t play last game. I know it’s a long season and Brodric is a rookie, but just because Alim worked out doesn’t justify passing on top talent (especially if Holmes truly doesn’t believe in positional value as he claims).

My thoughts are that they didn't love something about those prospects.  Carter obviously it was the off field stuff, and disrupting the locker room when we are not fully established, is risky so I still can accept passing on him.  The Eagles coming off a SB run and having vet presence and former teammates made sense for him.  Davis had lackluster production, and was a mid second round prospect until he blew away the combine so I am guessing there had to be some mental or personality (taking plays off/being lazy) issues that caused them to pass on him.  And I am guessing we had a high grade on Jamo and with all of the other WRs flying off the board, we had to make a move if we wanted him.  I think very little had to do with positional value given we drafted a RB and LB in the first this year.  We have spent a 2nd and two 3rds on DT in the three drafts that Holmes has been here so he obviously is trying to fill the position.  

 

[LionArkie]

27 minutes ago, Sllim Pickens said:

My thoughts are that they didn't love something about those prospects.  Carter obviously it was the off field stuff, and disrupting the locker room when we are not fully established, is risky so I still can accept passing on him.  The Eagles coming off a SB run and having vet presence and former teammates made sense for him.  Davis had lackluster production, and was a mid second round prospect until he blew away the combine so I am guessing there had to be some mental or personality (taking plays off/being lazy) issues that caused them to pass on him.  And I am guessing we had a high grade on Jamo and with all of the other WRs flying off the board, we had to make a move if we wanted him.  I think very little had to do with positional value given we drafted a RB and LB in the first this year.  We have spent a 2nd and two 3rds on DT in the three drafts that Holmes has been here so he obviously is trying to fill the position.  

 

I agree he values it for the reasons you state. I also agree he is trying to fill the position for those same reasons. I'm just curious if he values it in the first round.

[Just Want A Title]

Some of what he does will be dictated by how he handles free agency and extending some of our own players.  He hasn't spent big in free agency and that probably won't change.  What will be interesting to see is how he handles the extensions of our best players.  Jonah Jackson, Jared Goff, Penei Sewell and ARSB are headed for sizeable contracts.  Hutch will follow after that.  That said, I think Brad Holmes will lean into the overall strength of the draft.  The strength of the 2023 draft was in rounds 1-3.  He had no problem giving up picks in the later rounds make the selections he wanted before the talent level dropped off. 

I don't know about the strength of the draft as a whole but the 2024 draft is going to be different than any draft that I can recall.  There seems to be a much higher number of high-level prospects at QB and OT than most drafts.  OG has some high-level prospects also (already man-crushing on Cooper Beebe) and seems to have decent depth.  The WR class has some good prospects but seems top heavy.  It is still early but the DT class seems to have a fair number of solid DT prospects but only one or two top-shelf prospects.  EDGE seems top-heavy also.  There are some good CB prospects this year but none that are on the level of Devon Witherspoon or Anthony Gonzalez.  There is a decent group of safeties but most of them seem to be graded as 2d round picks as this point.  LB seems to be kind of weak.

All of that being said, there Lions have definite needs at LT/Swing tackle and CB.  Right now, there seems to be significant number or CBs with a 2d round grade.  The depth of the OT class will give the Lions a shot at a pretty good OT prospect in either late Rd 1 or Rd 2.  If the Lions end up drafting later in Round 1, their best bet might be trade back to accumulate picks in Rounds 2, 3 and 4.  This will let them lean into the depth at OT and give them a shot at the significant number of CBs with a 2d round grade.  Round 2 and Round 3 will give them a shot some good WR and G prospects also.  I can't tell you what Brad Holmes is going to do but that is how things look to me at this point.  It is still early in the draft evaluation process though.  

Edited October 14, 2023 by Just Want A Title

[Sllim Pickens]

35 minutes ago, Just Want A Title said:

Some of what he does will be dictated by how he handles free agency and extending some of our own players.  He hasn't spent big in free agency and that probably won't change.  What will be interesting to see is how he handles the extensions of our best players.  Jonah Jackson, Jared Goff, Penei Sewell and ARSB are headed for sizeable contracts.  Hutch will follow after that.  That said, I think Brad Holmes will lean into the overall strength of the draft.  The strength of the 2023 draft was in rounds 1-3.  He had no problem giving up picks in the later rounds make the selections he wanted before the talent level dropped off. 

 

The contract situation for guys Holmes and Co have drafted will be interesting for sure. Sewell still has two more years under contract where ARSB only has one. Hutch has three more years so he is probably 2 years away from extension talks.  I would guess we extend ARSB this offseason but not Sewell as typically it’s only 1st round QBs that sign their long term extensions after their third season. We also may extend McNeil, Barnes and Iffy given how they have played and to avoid them hitting free agency. Obviously depending on what they will ask for. 
 

As far as guys who will be free agents for us, we have a lot of guys who are due new contracts this year and a bunch that are here on one year deals.  
 

Guys I think we should sign:

Jonah Jackson
Jerry Jacobs
Emanual Mosley (if another cheap short deal)
Josh Reynolds
CJGJ
Brock Wright
James Houston (ERFA)
 

Guys I wouldn’t be mad that we resign:

Graham Glasgow
Hal Vaitai
Chase Lucas (special teams)
Shane Zylstra
Kahlil Dorsey
Riley Patterson

The rest can move on no matter the price (the Okwaras, Harris, Benito Jones, other depth guys).

We need to take advantage of the next couple of years with good players on cheap contracts. I wouldn’t hate extending some early if we can spread out their cap hit.  Unfortunately that doesn’t happen much in football which is why it’s hard to consistently win without an elite QB. 



 

[Just Want A Title]

1 hour ago, Sllim Pickens said:

The contract situation for guys Holmes and Co have drafted will be interesting for sure. Sewell still has two more years under contract where ARSB only has one. Hutch has three more years so he is probably 2 years away from extension talks.  I would guess we extend ARSB this offseason but not Sewell as typically it’s only 1st round QBs that sign their long term extensions after their third season. We also may extend McNeil, Barnes and Iffy given how they have played and to avoid them hitting free agency. Obviously depending on what they will ask for. 
 

As far as guys who will be free agents for us, we have a lot of guys who are due new contracts this year and a bunch that are here on one year deals.  
 

Guys I think we should sign:

Jonah Jackson
Jerry Jacobs
Emanual Mosley (if another cheap short deal)
Josh Reynolds
CJGJ
Brock Wright
James Houston (ERFA)
 

Guys I wouldn’t be mad that we resign:

Graham Glasgow
Hal Vaitai
Chase Lucas (special teams)
Shane Zylstra
Kahlil Dorsey
Riley Patterson

The rest can move on no matter the price (the Okwaras, Harris, Benito Jones, other depth guys).

We need to take advantage of the next couple of years with good players on cheap contracts. I wouldn’t hate extending some early if we can spread out their cap hit.  Unfortunately that doesn’t happen much in football which is why it’s hard to consistently win without an elite QB. 



 

If I had to pick one player big-name that would not be re-signed it would be Jonah Jackson.  Graham Glasgow has played really well so I suspect they will hold onto him for another year.  I have heard a couple of comments about the improving play of Kayode Awosika.  If they feel strongly enough about his improved play and pick up another prospect in the draft, they might be willing to let him test free agency.  It would be a bummer to see Jonah Jackson not get re-signed due but the worst case scenario for the Lions is that they draft his replacement.  Interestingly enough, Cooper Beebe also plays LG.

[General Tso]

I'm also okay with letting Jonah go. You can't keep everyone, especially if we're resigning Goff. Keep the All Pro caliber talent and let the "tier 2" talent go. 

[Just Want A Title]

32 minutes ago, General Tso said:

I'm also okay with letting Jonah go. You can't keep everyone, especially if we're resigning Goff. Keep the All Pro caliber talent and let the "tier 2" talent go. 

That is probably what would make letting him go such a difficult decision.  He made the Pro Bowl last year and is playing at a really high level this year.  Personally, I hope they find a way to keep him but if he becomes a free agent he will get a big contract offer from another team.  I think the Lions are sitting in about $18-19 million in cap space most of which will be rolled over to 2024.  We also have a significant number of one year contracts that are expiring (Mosley, CJGJ, Charles Harris, Romeo Okwara) along with some dead cap charges from Jeff Okudah and DJ Chark coming off the books also.  The Lions seem to be in a really situation with respect to the salary cap.  Brad Holmes and company have done a good job cleaning things up.  The article below has a really interesting article on the Lions and their salary cap coming into the season.

https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/reviewing-lions-2023-salary-cap-situation#:~:text=Additionally%2C once you factor in,%24226%2C690%2C962 for the upcoming season.

Edited October 14, 2023 by Just Want A Title