2014 off season releases/re-signings updates

[themuzzer]

Everyone isn't going to agree on just whether or not those aspects are positive. That is actually what should lead to a good discussion. But it doesn't on here.

That's because dissenting opinions are immediately lambasted, and not with an intelligent rebuttal but with insults. This board is fractioned very much into differing groups where a non-conforming opinion isn't welcomed or respected.

Look at your own post where you refer to the "haters". Those are actually just people who don't see things the same way. If you think "haters" invade conversations where guys want to talk about a positive aspect lets not even try and pretend that the "homer optimists" (that's pretty much how the board has divided and there isn't another more polite name to identify them) don't invade conversations where a negative aspect is trying to be discussed with the same ridicule.

I don't know if it started when TrustMe was unrelentingly (and unjustifiably) bashed for his opinions last summer or at some other time, but it's turned to a bag of shit discussion board when every thread is filled with a moronic e-fight.

A heartfelt apology from me to TrustMe since I was part of that garbage last summer.

 

[Old Lion]

He did OK last year. He deserves another year. Unfortunately, we will have to pay him a little more because of these meaningless stats everyone keeps track of. He will hit the wall soon. Interior linesman tend to have a longer shelf life than QB and kickers/punters.

 

[jdwills126]

Please, Please, Please draft his replacement this year!

No more raises to a O lineman that has that many miles on him. Even the Whiskey marching band agrees!

 

[themuzzer]

Payton: Signing Graham will mean tough decisions for Saints' roster - CBSSports.com

This is what's wrong with the Lions......Cap Space and declaring who's eligible for position. There talking about Graham taking a smaller hit (cap space) because he's TE.....He says and (agent) I lined up at the WR posistion for this many snaps so therefore I should be compensated.....

With that logic Russell Wilsons Cap should be lower because the team can claim he ran the ball on designed plays like a RB......Hahahaha.......NFL is turning into a joke.

 

[gvsulaker82]

Not a bad signing. Im always on board for one year contracts, its a great way to avoid a later financial disaster.

 

[gvsulaker82]

I don't love Ravioli at all, but during our argument over whether the Lions had possibly the best o-line in the NFL last year I used PFF's ranking of Dom as the 2nd best center in the league last year in support of my stance, and now it's evolved into what you posted above.

It's hard to infer tone on these boards, so I'm probably being overly sensitive, but it bothers me a lot when there are some positive aspects of this team to discuss, but those of us that want to do that are ridiculed by the haters who don't care to dig any deeper than our team's overall record...

Hey, Im all for the positives as well. I thought the offensive line and defensive line played tremendously last year, levy was ridiculous, CJ was CJ per usual and everywhere else needs improvement. I dont know why everyone is a hater because they think a team that consistently does poorly is a hater or a negative nancy. Its mindboggling really.

 

[RobBase]

Pettigrew to re-sign

Per roto: The Lions are expected to turn their attention to re-signing free agent Brandon Pettigrew.
Detroit locked up C Dominic Raiola to a new one-year deal this week and will now shift its focus to Pettigrew. The burly tight end is an above-average blocker and can play all three downs, but the Lions need to not overpay here. If the Lions do re-up Pettigrew, they need to find a pass-catcher to pair with him at tight end.

Guess I'm not surprised. Here's another guy who the new staff should be able to get more out of than the last one.

 

[Quackerjacked]

I've got to say that I hated him for about 2 years, but he improved a lot last year. His overall numbers were down, but he seemed to drop and fumble at lot less than the year before. This improvement came at a time when the team as a whole got worse at it. I don't want to see him get big money, but if they are planning on having some sort of ability to run the ball we're going to be picking up a tight end some where any way. After him we have Fauria and a 7th round pick that people think will come in and be better than Pettigrew some how.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

Last yrs. 7th round draft pick, TE Michael Williams, was an exceptional blocker/very good hands with the ability to be a red-zone threat. He was slow in his 40 yd. times but he was huge for Bama in their Pro-style offense for (3) yrs. Do not discount him as an extra blocker.

 

[Quackerjacked]

The guy never had 25 catches or 200 yards in a season. And people call me a slappy? Yeah he could become a Will Heller for us, but I think that is absolutely his ceiling. So if we don't resign Pettigrew we have one guy that might be able to turn into a pretty good receiving tight end, but sucks at blocking. Then we have one guy that might be a good blocker (he was in college) and we can hope that someone forgets to cover his so he will be open.

 

[Microwahevo]

TE Michael Williams, was an exceptional blocker/very good hands with the ability to be a red-zone threat.

He may have been an exceptional blocker, but he was hardly a "red zone threat". In his career, he had 4 TDs, never caught more than 5 balls, and never topped 38 yds receiving.

As for these "very good hands", unless scouting reports said something(which i didn't read any), I'd say either his hands weren't very good(coulda been average) or they were in fact very good, but never utilized.

In any case, I'd say resigning Pettigrew is more important than some realize. When not hurt, he's a pretty reliable catcher for Stafford. It's the aftermath of him running with the ball where he's been a liability at times.

If we don't, then we better damn well draft one worth a damn that actually proved some worth(other than blocking) in college.

 

[Old Lion]

Guess I'm not surprised. Here's another guy who the new staff should be able to get more out of than the last one.

At the very least they can show him the proper way to catch and hold a football.

We should be able to get him at a hometown discount. I doubt there will be a big market for him. Plus many teams are now plucking college basketball players that don't make the NBA and turning them into TEs. Combine that with 2 good TEs in the draft already and there probably will not be much need for any team to pay a lot of money to a TE that is not elite.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

Bama didn't throw to their TE's all that often, as you can obviously see. Heller was a cap casualty but he did what was asked of him for that role. I'm not a Pettigrew fan by any stretch of the imagination as he was known for having slippery hands/great blocker coming out of Okie St. It is what it is, should they re-sign him. We only have 6 picks in this years draft and it's a known fact that this years draft prospects Ebron/Amaro are limited in their blocking. Any rookie draft prospect is suspect, until proven otherwise.


Gotta have a TE that blocks/catches/drops balls/fumbles, so it might as well be Pettidrops... I guess

 

[Quackerjacked]

I'm not trying to say he's great or a must have, but we don't have anyone that looks like they have the ability to step up and be an every down tight end. So if we don't resign him, we need to address our number one tight end somewhere else in FA or the draft. I certainly don't want to pay him top 10 tight end money. If we do that I say go get Jimmy Graham. Someone that is a difference maker. I don't think a tight end has to have freakish athletic to be a difference maker. Witten has been one of the most consistent game impacting tight ends for a long time, but he's not a freak. He is just an all around guy that can run some great routes and catch the ball when he needs to. I see Pettigrew as a poor man's Witten. If we pay him that way, I'm happy to have him and then to go for long shots at the bottom of the roster that if they don't pan out we have a solid if unspectacular starter.

 

[jdwills126]

If Pettigrew can't hold onto the damn ball it would not matter what staff was helping him.

The signing pretty much takes Ebron and Amaro off the draft board. I sure hope it's a manageable contract and they are not paying him for potential.

 

[Quackerjacked]

I don't think that it takes a round 1 tight end off the board any more than having Calvin Johnson takes a WR off the board. If the Lions get a good tight end in the draft and resign Pettigrew then we just have a strong 2 tight end set. Fauria is good in the red zone, but he has a lot of improvement before he really warrants being on the field in most situations.

 

[Dr. Evil-er]

Unless it's an exceptionally good contract I don't like it, and any description that says the Lions "will turn their attention" to anything doesn't sound good when we have the Wonder Twins running the show.

"Wonder Twin powers activate.....shape of a brown eye", "form of noxious ass gas". I put the odds of overpaying at 90/10 in favor of them doing it.

"Substantial" increase for Raiola and resign of Pettigrew, there is going to be very little left for free agency. Oh wait, maybe we can jam a boat load more dead money backwards by restructuring some more deals. That way we can grow our NFL lead in that area.

FYI, Delanie Walker, the #2 TE on the 49ers would be a guy I might look to gauge a new Pettigrew contract against. He signed for 4 yrs/$17.5m. No way is Pettigrew worth that much. I can't wait to see this contract.

 

[broncosmitty]

This was something that needed to happen. One less hole to fill moving towards the draft.

 

[broncosmitty]

Unless it's an exceptionally good contract I don't like it, and any description that says the Lions "will turn their attention" to anything doesn't sound good when we have the Wonder Twins running the show.

"Wonder Twin powers activate.....shape of a brown eye", "form of noxious ass gas". I put the odds of overpaying at 90/10 in favor of them doing it.

"Substantial" increase for Raiola and resign of Pettigrew, there is going to be very little left for free agency. Oh wait, maybe we can jam a boat load more dead money backwards by restructuring some more deals. That way we can grow our NFL lead in that area.

FYI, Delanie Walker, the #2 TE on the 49ers would be a guy I might look to gauge a new Pettigrew contract against. He signed for 4 yrs/$17.5m. No way is Pettigrew worth that much. I can't wait to see this contract.

. Walker is not on par with BP. Not the blocker and significantly smaller.

 

[jdwills126]

I don't think that it takes a round 1 tight end off the board any more than having Calvin Johnson takes a WR off the board. If the Lions get a good tight end in the draft and resign Pettigrew then we just have a strong 2 tight end set. Fauria is good in the red zone, but he has a lot of improvement before he really warrants being on the field in most situations.

Not with a #2 WR, OLB, CB, Safety all needing to be upgraded no way will Detroit take a TE in the first if they resign Pettigrew.

Even without signing Pettigrew I doubted the Lions would have drafted a TE. But it would have remained an option. Williams and Fauria along with Pettigrew does not leave many roster spots available for another TE.