Ashlee Palmer wins OLB job

[RobBase]

from roto:

Ashlee Palmer has essentially won the Lions' left outside linebacker job.

The Lions haven't made it official yet, but Palmer has exclusively worked with the first-team defense in practice and has started each preseason game. Tahir Whitehead and Travis Lewis have settled into backup roles. Palmer, a veteran special teamer, is now only on the punt coverage team. He's going to line up next to MLB Stephen Tulloch and WLB DeAndre Levy come Week 1.

 

[Old Lion]

He was not half bad in the last preseason game. Like to see tomorrow. He is definitely better than Lewis and Whitehead.

I would still like to see 1 more player brought in besides McIntosh. I want T Lewis gone. To be honest I would keep R Lewis first and move him to OLB before him. R Lewis may not be fast enough for the 4-3. I always thought he was more of a 3-4 OLB.

 

[Old Lion]

How do you post a video?

 

[RobBase]

it's a gif. You post it the same way you would post a pic. Just search Lions gifs and you'll be able to figure it out.

As for Palmer, that's really depressing. They drafted all those LB's and none of them could beat out a fucking special teams player. Pathetic!

 

[jdwills126]

I am sure the Bears, Packers, and Vikings are all ready to concede the division to Detroit.

 

[Microwahevo]

I'm not thrilled about it, but I'm more thrilled than having Tahir starting. Dude looks trrrble, Charles Barkley trrrble

 

[tpaulus_2]

I'm not thrilled about it, but I'm more thrilled than having Tahir starting. Dude looks trrrble, Charles Barkley trrrble

Really?!

We must not be seeing the same stuff. He looks lost at times still, but he's only in year two as a 4-3 OLB. He played as a rush OLB/DE at Temple. While he clearly still needs development he's made more splash plays (or "almost" splash plays) than any of our LBs this spring. He's big and athletic, and he's been where he's supposed to be in coverage, but he's struggling to finish the play. He's look much better than our other LBs, imo, at running with TEs and RBs.

I agree that he's not ready to start yet, but I definitely don't see a terrible player, either. I see a raw athlete trying to figure out the position. In that regard I think Palmer is more of a stop-gap guy. The coaches like Whitehead and with neither of our OLBs being untouchable (to say the least) I think it makes a lot of sense to roll the dice on a high-ceiling guy like Whitehead. If he develops into a starter by next season and we draft another LB early our defense will really thrive, imo...

 

[tpaulus_2]

To be honest I would keep R Lewis first and move him to OLB before him. R Lewis may not be fast enough for the 4-3. I always thought he was more of a 3-4 OLB.

That makes sense to me. Ronnell Lewis is miss-cast as a 4-3 DE. He's got prototype MLB size and speed. I don't get why we don't make him a back-up to Tully?

 

[Microwahevo]

From what I saw from him last week, I wasn't impressed. Maybe "trrrble" was too harsh. Lets just say I'm not comfortable with him being the starter. But I'm not comfortable with Palmer being the starter either. So the question remains, which LB would you wanna yell at every Sunday for missing assignments and tackles?

 

[jayfan]

R Lewis may not be fast enough for the 4-3. I always thought he was more of a 3-4 OLB.

but [Whitehead's] only in year two as a 4-3 OLB. He played as a rush OLB/DE at Temple.

I see a raw athlete trying to figure out the position.

This has been killing the Lions for 12+ years now. Millen/Mayhew ignoring position/scheme while trying to ram square pegs into round holes.

 

[Rollingthndr]

it's a gif. You post it the same way you would post a pic. Just search Lions gifs and you'll be able to figure it out.

As for Palmer, that's really depressing. They drafted all those LB's and none of them could beat out a fucking special teams player. Pathetic!

Is he #52? He didn't even put up a fight in that play. Just got scooted right out of the way

 

[gvsulaker82]

Damn there goes my prediction of palmer coming off the bench and averaging 13 tackles a game. The lions defense is going to get lit up with palmer and levy starting.

 

[Rollingthndr]

Dissapointing that Whitehead can't crack the starting lineup after a red shirt year.

Warford not being able to beat out career journeyman Dylan Gandy is pretty sad too.

Lack of talent or Schwartz being stubborn, playing crappy veterans?

 

[Dr. Evil-er]

Warford not being able to beat out career journeyman Dylan Gandy is pretty sad too.

Is that official, it's Gandy as the starter? Please tell me you are kidding. If he's the starter there damn sure better be some new visitors in for a tryout or I'm going full on back to referring to that assclown GM of ours as Millenhew again. Gandy is a pure NFL backup, and not even a good one at that.

 

[RobBase]

It's only fitting that Dallas resigns Sean Lee today for 6 years. That was the year the Lions traded up into the 1st round for Jahvid Best and all his concussion issues, and set us back at RB for 3 years . Then guys like Rob Gronkowski and Sean Lee went in the 2nd round.

 

[broncosmitty]

I've always been a big fan of Ashley Palmers butt dance. OL knows what I'm talking about. I also think he's the most unimportant starter we have. Or his position is, either way you want to look at it.

 

[LPinSLC]

I'll have to check my notes.

 

[Old Lion]

Is that official, it's Gandy as the starter? Please tell me you are kidding. If he's the starter there damn sure better be some new visitors in for a tryout or I'm going full on back to referring to that assclown GM of ours as Millenhew again. Gandy is a pure NFL backup, and not even a good one at that.

No I doubt that. Jake Scott is now the starter on most peoples depth chart and played with the starters in the last game. Gandy is in danger of not making the team as we are not going to cut Warford or chance sending him to the practice squad. It will come down to Gandy, Harris or Austin and we cant keep all 3.

 

[Thruthefog]

I was sitting here trying to think of a good OLB the Lions have had. Off the top of my head, I can't think of one. They've had Lucci and Spielman in the middle, but have they ever had a top talent on the outside?

 

[tpaulus_2]

Chris Claiborne had a nice stretch there at the turn of the Millennium. That's probably as close as we've had to a top OLB in my memory, but if you don't remember any then it's reaaaaly been awhile...