2014 WR (only) FA's

[lionstop1]

For the fans that favor drafting a WR, here's a couple quotes from Mayhew and the Lions at the combine.

There are a lot of different ways to go about it," Mayhew said. "One way to look at it is we have a big receiver in Calvin, lets get a smaller guy who can run routes and get open and slide into the slot on third downs. Another way to look at is what Chicago did with two big guys. So it really can go either way. It's kind of who you can get."

We want guys that, if, for whatever reason Calvin is getting doubled or he's not playing in a particular game, that he can go out and make plays by himself," Mayhew said. "That was one of our things last year, when Calvin was injured, we struggled offensively a lot of times to get off or other players to get off.


Players they interviewed:
LSU's Odell Beckham, Colorado's Paul Richardson, Oregon State's Brandin Cooks, BYU's Cody Hoffman, Ole Miss' Donte Moncrief and Saginaw Valley State's Jeff Janis all said they had or will interview with Detroit

 

[tpaulus_2]

Jason Avant

Word is the Eagles are cutting Jason Avant for salary cap reasons.

With our dire need at the position, I think Avant would be the perfect kind of guy to bring in to bridge the gap for a couple of years while we develop a (hopefully) couple of rookies from this deep WR draft (or possibly Fuller, as well).

He's got moderate size (6'0"), fair, but not great, speed (4.51), good hands, and is a good route runner. He's also reportedly a locker room leader and all-around "good guy," plus he went to school at U of M, so he'd be familiar to Lions fans.

It certainly wouldn't be a flashy move, but he's a dependable veteran who can play in the slot or outside, and I think he'd be a good role player for us as a #3 WR and would be a great mentor for some of our younger guys. Basically a cheaper Burleson with a little less tread on the tires...

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

I could get on board with that FA pick-up. But I'm a born and bread UofM so that's biased on my part. He has had some knee injuries but also has been fairly consistent in his career. I would take him before most of the others in FA, mostly because he's dependable and should come cheap

 

[RobBase]

Mayhew has a better chance to find a productive WR in FA than he does scouting and drafting a rookie. A guy can only swing and miss so many times before admitting he sucks at drafting WR's. At least a FA will be a little better than Burelson.

Avant
Riley Cooper
James Jones
Nicks
Maclin
Baldwin
Ginn
Roberts

plenty of guys who can fill the no.2 role here will be available at bargain prices.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

Mayhew has a better chance to find a productive WR in FA than he does scouting and drafting a rookie. A guy can only swing and miss so many times before admitting he sucks at drafting WR's. At least a FA will be a little better than Burelson.

Avant
Riley Cooper
James Jones
Nicks
Maclin
Baldwin
Ginn
Roberts

plenty of guys who can fill the no.2 role here will be available at bargain prices.

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Please, just say NO to Nicks.. He was over-hyped coming out of UNC. He is oft-injured which limits his on-field potential. IMO, he has NEVER lived up to his expectations and cheaply he won't come by, IMO. No on Baldwin too.

 

[RobBase]

I kind of agree about Nicks cause of those injuries but I like Baldwin. He's not flashy but he gets the job done. We only need a guy who can catch 5-6 balls a game, tops imo. Calvin and Reggie are gonna see the most targets. In fact, I bet the TE sees more than the WR2 also in this offense.

Jacoby Jones is another guy they might look at if the Ravens let him test the market. He can return punts and kicks too.

 

[gvsulaker82]

Dont usually agree with any of your free agent ideas but Im down for avant coupled with drafting a wideout in the third rd or later.

 

[gvsulaker82]

Ginn would be perfect depending on price, he would really open the field up.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

I kind of agree about Nicks cause of those injuries but I like Baldwin. He's not flashy but he gets the job done. We only need a guy who can catch 5-6 balls a game, tops imo. Calvin and Reggie are gonna see the most targets. In fact, I bet the TE sees more than the WR2 also in this offense.

Jacoby Jones is another guy they might look at if the Ravens let him test the market. He can return punts and kicks too.

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Jacoby Jones has the speed to take the top off of defenses but damn that kid drops some balls that are easy catchable, then you have to consider Staff throwing his 94 m.p.h. split-fingered fastball. I can see you thought process on Jones though. I think Fauria with be split outside or in the slot a lot more this coming year than last year. He's had his first year to become acclimated to the pro's, he's not a burner by any stretch of the imagination, he is a huge target though.

Jones in the slot provides speed down the seam or in the deep outs.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

Dont usually agree with any of your free agent ideas but Im down for avant coupled with drafting a wideout in the third rd or later.

THIS


I still like Ole Miss WR Donte Moncreif. He should be there in the 3rd... 6' 2" 221 lbs. He ran a much much faster 40 than I had anticipated. I expected a 4.49


http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/donte-moncrief?id=2543614

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

THIS


I still like Ole Miss WR Donte Moncreif. He should be there in the 3rd... 6' 2" 221 lbs. He ran a much much faster 40 than I had anticipated. I expected a 4.49


NFL Events: Combine Player Profiles - Donte Moncrief

Donte Moncrief, Mississippi (6’2, 221) - Another big , productive receiver with questions about whether he was fast enough to be anything more than a possession receiver. Moncrief ran even faster than Matthews and solidified a 2nd-3rd round draft slot with the 3rd fastest 40 time from the receiver group (4.40).

 

[tpaulus_2]

I'd be happy with Ginn as well. He'd be ideal as a #3/#4 WR with the speed he has...

 

[jayfan]

I don't mind Avant, but he's not a #2.

 

[broncosmitty]

Jason Avant, has got, great hands...... he's a wonderful person.

 

[broncosmitty]

[ame]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XagvsSXSxnY[/ame]. Yeyeyeyeah.

 

[Old Lion]

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Please, just say NO to Nicks.. He was over-hyped coming out of UNC. He is oft-injured which limits his on-field potential. IMO, he has NEVER lived up to his expectations and cheaply he won't come by, IMO. No on Baldwin too.

Ditto for James Jones. Incredibly over-rated.

 

[tpaulus_2]

I don't mind Avant, but he's not a #2.

Good to know.

Not sure anyone suggested he was, but thanks for the update just the same...

 

[RobBase]

Oh man

GM Martin Mayhew said WR Corey Fuller needs "to get stronger in the weight room."

Fuller, a sixth-round pick in 2013, is listed as 6'2/204. The speedy developmental prospect spent his entire rookie season on the practice squad even though the Lions were absolutely desperate for wideout help in the wake of injuries to Nate Burleson and Ryan Broyles. Mayhew is expected to add at least two receivers to the roster via the draft and free agency, so we wouldn't expect a second-year breakout from Fuller.

 

[tpaulus_2]

I don't think anyone was expecting a second year break-out from Fuller, considering how raw he was when we drafted him. Schwartz flat-out said last year that Fuller was a developmental pick and we shouldn't expect him to contribute in year one. So he's not going from practice squad to break-out player.


He does have a good shot at making the 53 man roster this year, though. Mayhew praised his weight room work, and he's already got the frame and speed and athletic ability. The key for him will be how much he learned in the way of route running in the last year. If he runs good routes he'll be hard to cut. If not, then it's another year on the practice squad.


I'm encouraged about his odds, though, given how well New Orleans put to use WRs of his type. There's a place in that offense for guys who are primarily deep threats, and Fuller can provide that as-is.


We'll see how it all shakes out, but I'd like to see a WR corps of CJ, two rookies, Fuller, Durham, and Ross. Lots of fresh blood behind CJ plus Durham as a #4/#5 security option...

 

[tpaulus_2]

And although nobody will want to hear it, expect Patrick Edwards to get another look with the new staff.