Front Office Football Central - View Single Post - FOFC GroupThink 2023: We take over the Detroit Lions

albionmoonlight · 03-02-2023, 06:51 AM

The Athletic Football show is doing a thing where Robert Mays is at the combine interviewing beat reporters for various teams. He talked to the guy for the Lions (50:00 minute mark of whichever podcast is was--2 or 3 day ago).

Our thoughts in this thread match up to what the local guy thought--the biggest needs are CB and DL. Though WR (or playmaking TE) is kind of a sneaky need b/c you need someone to be the 3rd receiving threat on offense.

Mays also made the best argument I heard in favor of drafting a QB early. Basically, you start with the assumption that Goff is good but not great. The sort of guy you can win with but not win because of. And he's good enough to make the playoffs with a good team, but isn't going to get you over the hump. OK, I can buy that.

Then you think that in a few years, the Lions may look around after a couple of short playoff trips and think they need an upgrade.

And if you can see that coming--why not try to head it off and draft a guy while you have the #6 pick and the ability to draft there or even trade up from there to get the guy you want? If things go according to plan, you will be picking in the mid-20s going forward, so you won't have the opportunity to grab the QB when it is apparent you need him. You need to do it now.

He was high on Anthony Richardson for the Lions because he is so raw, but with Goff entrenched, he won't be expected to start for a year or two. And considering his upside, he could turn into a special player.

Personally, I am still more in favor of picking a guy mid-round and hoping you hit a lottery ticket there. This is not a situation where the Lions have the #1 pick and Andrew Luck is out there. The #6 pick gets you maybe the 3rd or 4th QB off the board in a QB class that isn't a disaster like last year, but that certainly does not have people super excited. I don't know that the guy you pick at #6 is much more likely to hit than the guy you pick in the 3rd round.

But it was a pretty good argument, and I would completely understand if the Lions decided that one of these QBs was special, and if he's there at #6, don't overthink it. Just draft him and let Goff leave in a year or two.

03-02-2023, 06:51 AM	#55
albionmoonlight Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: North Carolina	The Athletic Football show is doing a thing where Robert Mays is at the combine interviewing beat reporters for various teams. He talked to the guy for the Lions (50:00 minute mark of whichever podcast is was--2 or 3 day ago). Our thoughts in this thread match up to what the local guy thought--the biggest needs are CB and DL. Though WR (or playmaking TE) is kind of a sneaky need b/c you need someone to be the 3rd receiving threat on offense. Mays also made the best argument I heard in favor of drafting a QB early. Basically, you start with the assumption that Goff is good but not great. The sort of guy you can win with but not win because of. And he's good enough to make the playoffs with a good team, but isn't going to get you over the hump. OK, I can buy that. Then you think that in a few years, the Lions may look around after a couple of short playoff trips and think they need an upgrade. And if you can see that coming--why not try to head it off and draft a guy while you have the #6 pick and the ability to draft there or even trade up from there to get the guy you want? If things go according to plan, you will be picking in the mid-20s going forward, so you won't have the opportunity to grab the QB when it is apparent you need him. You need to do it now. He was high on Anthony Richardson for the Lions because he is so raw, but with Goff entrenched, he won't be expected to start for a year or two. And considering his upside, he could turn into a special player. Personally, I am still more in favor of picking a guy mid-round and hoping you hit a lottery ticket there. This is not a situation where the Lions have the #1 pick and Andrew Luck is out there. The #6 pick gets you maybe the 3rd or 4th QB off the board in a QB class that isn't a disaster like last year, but that certainly does not have people super excited. I don't know that the guy you pick at #6 is much more likely to hit than the guy you pick in the 3rd round. But it was a pretty good argument, and I would completely understand if the Lions decided that one of these QBs was special, and if he's there at #6, don't overthink it. Just draft him and let Goff leave in a year or two.