PX1 VIP Lions Season 13 Off-season Recap

firedup24

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"One Step at a Time"

That was the first statement new owner firedup24 made when he took over the team exactly one year ago. He took over a team that could barely assemble a roster and was coming off of a 4 win season. There was a plan immediately put into place but this plan was going to require patience. The Lions didn't rush out and sign any one player to a big money contract, instead filling the many needs with solid core guys and finishing up the roster with several rookies that made impacts right away and continued throughout the season. Players like Garrett, Hooker, Conley, Kupp and Leggett played in every game other than games missed due to injury and improved every step of the way. This team was able to improve in all aspects of the game and finished a respectable 8-8 in arguably the toughest division in football as the NFC North was the only division with all four teams finishing at .500 or better.

"Step 2"

The biggest decision facing the Lions at the end of the 2017 season was the future of Matt Stafford. He has been the leader of the offense for the last 9 years and still had plenty left in the tank. With that being said, there were still several gaps in the roster that needed to be filled. If the team chose to resign Stafford, these holes would be much more difficult to fill. After letting Stafford go, the Lions were able to resign their star TE Eric Ebron to a 4 year deal. This is when the real wheeling and dealing began. The team signed veteran center John Sullivan to shore up a young and talented offensive line. They signed defensive stars MLB Alec Ogletree and DT Sharif Floyd, both 26 years old and in the prime of their career. They wrapped up the defense with veteran FS Marcus Gilchrist. Back to the hole left by Stafford -- enter Jimmy Garoppolo. Jimmy will come in and compete for the starting job.

"Draft Day Drama"

With about an hour left prior to the start of the 2018 draft, the league approved one of the biggest blockbuster deals of the past several years. Jaguars WR Allen Hurns was traded for 2018 draft picks. Hurns joins a really talented receiving core and looks to take the group to the next level. The team may end up regretting the release of Stafford but one thing is certain--With Stafford, there would be no Hurns, Floyd, Ogletree and others mentioned above, so only time will tell if this was the right way to go.

"Draft Time"

The Lions entered the draft with most of their obvious holes filled by re-signings and free agency. This left them in a good spot to take a chance on a player or two unlike last year where they knew they needed impact players right away.

1st Round - With there only being one QB on the roster at the start of the draft it didn't take an expert to predict that the Lions would look QB at this spot. They did exactly that with strong-armed QB Josh Rosen out of UCLA. Josh (6-4 220lbs) is known for his strong arm and extremely accurate deep ball. All signs point to him competing with Garroppolo for the starting job for the 2018 season. Certainly will make for an exciting pre-season.
2nd Round - Traded to the Jaguars in the Hurns trade.
3rd Round - Stanford CB Quenton Meeks. Meeks is not the fastest corner in the draft but at 6-2, 200 lbs he has good size and has a knack for being at the right place at the right time and has a high football IQ.
4th Round - Ole Miss OG Jordan Sims. At 6-4, 334 lbs, Sims is a strong, mammoth of a man. With Dahl struggling at the left guard position last year, there is a chance that Sims could battle for that spot sooner than later.
5th Round - Traded to Jaguars in the Hurns trade.
6th Round - Florida DE Jordan Sherrit. At 6-4, 247 lbs, Jordan is a little raw due to injuries in his first two years at Florida. Once he was healthy, the coaching staff immediately realized that there aren't many that work harder to always improve. He has a high motor and works through the whistle every play. With the luxury of having Ansah and Garrett at the end positions, this pick makes perfect sense. While it may not happen year one, I look for Jordan to catch on quickly and make an impact sooner than many would expect.
7th Round - Tennessee WR Josh Malone. At 6-3, 200 lbs, Josh is a sure-handed athletic receiver. He has flown under the radar due to the run-first spread offense scheme at UT but certainly shined when given the opportunity. In his final season at UT, he averaged 19 yards per reception and had 10 TDs on only 45 receptions. That's almost a TD every four receptions. It's this potential that led the Lions to take him with their last pick.
 
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