Lions & Rams Draft Update
As far as the NFL Draft is concerned, the Chiefs know only a few things for sure. Right now, they have the third pick in the first round.
Ahead of them at this moment are Detroit and St. Louis. Whether those are facts still in evidence come Saturday afternoon, April 25th remains to be seen.
Until, something is different, we will update you every few days on the chatter in Motown and the ‘Loo on the status of where they are with their preparations for the draft and their teams.
DETROIT
The Detroit Free Press writes that the fact that Jay Cutler is now off the market, solidifies Matt Stafford’s spot as the Lions choice at the first pick.
“At the end of the day, it probably comes down to how much they like Matt Stafford or don’t because they need a quarterback, that’s the most important position,” said former Texans and Redskins general manager Charley Casserly. “And if they are sold on him, that’s probably where they’ll turn first.
“I think Stafford’s a talented player. … But maybe he shouldn’t play right away,” Casserly added. “Carson Palmer didn’t play his rookie year. Daunte Culpepper didn’t play his rookie year. Donovan McNabb didn’t play until late into his rookie year. So I’m not so sure it isn’t better to bring the guy in, let him sit for a year, and then have him ready to go the second year.”
The Ann-Arbor News reporter Tom Kowalski is writing about what would happen if the Lions passed on taking the No. 1 pick. Why would they do that? Well Kowalski talks about the cost of taking a quarterback with the No. 1 pick who isn’t considered a sure-fire, top-notch starter.
Kowalski wrote: The Lions would prefer to trade out of that No. 1 pick but, so far, there aren’t any takers and probably won’t be. I had been under the assumption that the league would frown on a team passing its pick - basically thumbing its nose at the draft process - and that penalties might be possible from the Commissioner’s office. That’s not the case. “If a club passes during the draft, it gives up its pick at that point and can re-enter at any point to make its selection,” said NFL spokesman Greg Aiello.
So far, the Lions have had visits to Detroit by Stafford, tackles Jason Smith and Eugene Monroe, defensive tackle B.J. Raji and linebacker Aaron Curry. They will bring Mark Sanchez to Detroit next week.
The team has begun contract negotiations with some of those players, trying to set up parameters of a deal. The Lions plan to have their pick signed before they officially select him.
“From our standpoint, it’s about making the right decision, not when you make it,” said team president Tom Lewand said. “So whether that decision gets made a week from now or shortly before the draft, it’s less important than getting the decision right.”
ST. LOUIS
New Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo had his first mini-camp this past weekend and he and his coaching staff were happy with what he saw in five practices over three days.
“I’m so impressed with the eagerness the players (showed),” offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “They’re really kind of buying in to what we’re trying to teach. Their effort and their enthusiasm and their competitive spirit was great this camp.”
The players were impressed as well.
“They’re very detail oriented, very team oriented,” said DT Clifton Ryan. “I’m glad to be a part of it. I’m going to put my best foot forward and show ‘em I’ve bought in.”
Spagnuolo wanted his staff to focus on what players can do rather than what they can’t. Conversely, quarterback Marc Bulger said Spagnuolo’s message to the players was to act like they’re rookies again, that is, eager, energetic, with a totally clean slate and something to prove.
Southern Cal quarterback Mark Sanchez will visit the Rams in St. Louis next week. He is scheduled to arrive April 14, and conclude his visit the following day. From St. Louis, Sanchez will go directly to Detroit. At the NFL owners’ meetings in southern California, Sanchez met with Rams GM Billy Devaney.
The Post-Dispatch also confirmed two other visits to the Rams in mid April: Fresno State QB Thomas Brandstater and Richmond DE-LB Lawrence Sidbury.
Others that will visit the ‘Loo before the NFL Draft are: WR Jeremy Maclin, WR Michael Crabtree, WR Hakeem Nick, OT Jason Smith, LB Rey Maualuga, DE-DT Tyson Jackson and LB-DE Connor Barwin.
I guess I live a sheltered life BUT I’ve never hear St. Louis referred to as “The Loo”. Kind of reaching if you ask me…..
Thanks for the updates, Bob. We should start hearing more definitive information coming to the fore the closer we get to April 25th. Although my projection is not exclusive by any means, I think Detroit goes with Stafford, the Loo goes with OT Jason Smith and the Chiefs, unable to trade out, take Eugene Monroe and call it a day, or a first day of the draft.
yeah that was alot better than that bottom of the bird cage crap it was actually informative
Lol, agree about the bird crap.
Sad but true….
As for the update, Ive seen Stafford all along at 1, and I dont see how the Rams can go anything other than OT…Its just the more I look at this team the more I think they need to trade back….or somehow find someone to give a 3rd for LJ…(dont ask me how)
Findthedr and Aggrivated a-hole, get real. There is simply not enough content coming out of Arrowhead or anywhere else to fill the pages here. Bottom of the bird cage at least gives insight to what other teams and future opponents are doing. Your expectations are out of whack on this and, as you noted, when the info does come out Bob posts it anyway.
Many people affectionately refer to STL as the Loo, FYI.
So teams can pass thier draft pick on and then re-insert themselves at any point in the first round of the draft? So really the Chiefs or any other team for that matter doesn’t need to trade down, they would just pass their pick and then jump back in a couple of picks later… If the team does that do they still have to pay monetarily for the pick they had #3 or would it be at the pick they jumped back in at??
arrowhead1978 -
That’s one of the problems with teams passing on their picks - it’s likely to cause a lot of confusion.
This is why I think it would be irresponsible for the Lions to pass on the #1 pick. The team with the #1 is in a unique position to bargain with a group of players before the draft to get the most reasonable deal possible and to (hopefully) establish a compensation ceiling for all other draft picks in the process. If the #1 team passes, the #2 team is stuck drafting a player and dealing with them after the fact. And, since this player in effect becomes the #1, all other teams will be waiting to see what compensation they get, which slows down the whole signing process for 2009 draft picks.
The issue of outrageous rookie salaries won’t be addressed by sabotaging the draft process.
Bob, thanks for the draft updates on the Lions and the Rams.
Reportedly, the Rams are trying out Alex Barron at LT during their minicamps. So, it’ll be interesting to see how he does. I think the Rams know they are wishful thinking on that one, but would be great if it actually worked out.
Truth is, the Lions, Rams and ‘Hawks all need QBs and LTs. I don’t see how they let Stafford, JSmith, Monroe and even Sanchez slip by them. All this talk about a costly mistake is overblown. Yes, it happens, but it happens at pick #7, pick #14, pick #22, etc. only with diminishing returns.
Alex Barron was the 19th overall pick in 2005, there’s no reason to believe he couldn’t be a LT. He was merely blocked by all-pro Orlando Pace.
As far as being ‘allowed’ to not make a pick, anybody remember when the vikings did that a few years ago? I think there’s was an accident b/c they were discussing a trade down to the wire that fell though. I think they slipped 1 or 2 spots before getting their pick in. I think their pick tried to argue that he deserved money in-line with their original draft position. What wonderful chaos it would be if everyone just sat on their hands refusing to take the first overall pick! The money these completely unproven players get is outrageous and spits in the face of all the veterans who have essentially ‘earned’ that money for them.
Well that would be the point though, is to drop down give someone else the first pick, but you know who you want and you sorta know what the other teams behind you want. The lions if they want stafford could drop back to the #3 pick, then take stafford without the #1 price tag, since the rams and chiefs aren’t really looking QB…
ArrowheadHawk,
“the ‘Loo” was made famous by the rapper Nelly. Yes, it’s dumb, but a lot of people say it. haha