What makes people think the Lions are a Free Agent Destination ?

[RobBase]

It's not always about money for most players. It is usually the most important, but it's not the only factor. The Lions are a playoff team with a stable QB, a coach that players like to play for, and has a track record of trying to pay their guys. We may not be a top destination, but we aren't the damned Jags or Raiders.

So we'll be picking 3rd in next years draft?

 

[RobBase]

True, the Dolphins have been a garbage franchise over the years at signing FA's that they think would put them over the edge(Culpepper was my favorite). But, consider them lucky on this one. Their defense will be stout. Maybe not number 2 like ours last year, but top 10 for sure. They have Cameron Wake and Brent Grimes as All-Pro talent, added to solid guys like Vernon at DE(24 years old, 18 sacks last 2 seasons), Reshad Jones an underrated Saftey, and a breakout LB from last year Jelani Jenkins. That combo at 2DE/LB/S is better than what we had last year. And Suh will make them better.

On offense, they have Tannehill(outproduced Stafford last year by a good margin) and an OC who appears to know what the hell he's doing despite not having weapon on top of weapon on offense. They need a couple guys on offense, but they still have shown more promise than our shitfest of an offense of last year.

Not to dick ride the Dolphins, but I felt I had to dispute this notion that they are a "dumpster fire" and we are significantly better. We are not.

Not everyone truly follows the whole league. Clearly you do.

 

[tpaulus_2]

I think we're significantly better top-to-bottom than the Dolphins are.

 

[RobBase]

I think we're significantly better top-to-bottom than the Dolphins are.

Break down?

Fish have the better QB, RB, and Dline now. The rest is debatable.

 

[TwoCents22]

I think we're significantly better top-to-bottom than the Dolphins are.

C'mon, no you don't. "Significantly better" would be designated by what? 5 or 6 win difference? At least. No one in their right mind, and I highly doubt you either, would take the Lions in a W/L bet with the Dolphins starting at a 5 game lead.

 

[tpaulus_2]

We won over 10 games and made the playoffs. The Dolphins won 8 games and did not make the playoffs. They've been a middling, underachieving team for a while. I'm not saying that we've been lighting the world on fire, but we've been trending upwards, they've been staying in mediocrity for quite a while.

I think you're over-rating their players all of a sudden because they have Suh. Wake is pretty good. Ziggy is better. Vernon is alright. Jason Jones is alright. They don't have any LBs as good as Levy or Tulloch. Grimes is a good CB. Slay is a better CB. Mathis is a lot better that their #2 CB. Our safety pairing is quite a bit better- Quin is right up there with the best 3 or 4 safeties in the league right now.

I get that people are pissed that Suh is leaving (can't replace his production from a single player, just won't happen), but that doesn't mean that everyone on our defense is suddenly worse and everyone on the Dolphins defense is suddenly better. Just my opinion, but I feel that we have a lot more talent than they do overall, therefore I think we're significantly better.

 

[Old Lion]

Dolphins also had a cake schedule last year and still did not have a winning record. Both teams will need some FA help in order to get their Offenses going. Miami will also need help on defense in the back 7, Ours is much better than theirs. Their D-line will be better than ours now. Our offense is better at WR/TE, and the rest is even.

No guarantee we win more games. Our schedule this year is brutal. Miami's is not as easy as last year, but still easier than ours. I dont think Miami's record ends up any better than last year. Ours will drop a little most likely unless we make an unexpected splash in FA now that we have a few bucks.

 

[Rollingthndr]

And that is exactly what a crappy Dolphins team did in this case. Suh will be lucky to see another playoff game from anywhere but his couch.

Yeah right.... That defense was a beast last year.... Wait till they get Suh in the fold. Miami will be going to plenty of playoff games.

There are plenty of WR's in this draft to replace scrubs like Hartline and Mike Wallace.

 

[Rollingthndr]

We won over 10 games and made the playoffs. The Dolphins won 8 games and did not make the playoffs. They've been a middling, underachieving team for a while. I'm not saying that we've been lighting the world on fire, but we've been trending upwards, they've been staying in mediocrity for quite a while.

I think you're over-rating their players all of a sudden because they have Suh. Wake is pretty good. Ziggy is better. Vernon is alright. Jason Jones is alright. They don't have any LBs as good as Levy or Tulloch. Grimes is a good CB. Slay is a better CB. Mathis is a lot better that their #2 CB. Our safety pairing is quite a bit better- Quin is right up there with the best 3 or 4 safeties in the league right now.

I get that people are pissed that Suh is leaving (can't replace his production from a single player, just won't happen), but that doesn't mean that everyone on our defense is suddenly worse and everyone on the Dolphins defense is suddenly better. Just my opinion, but I feel that we have a lot more talent than they do overall, therefore I think we're significantly better.

Yeah but now they have Suh vs Reid? Bit of a mismatch lol

I'm not picking a fight but I will say they aren't as bad as you lead on.
Tanny is probably just as good as Stafford. Our WR's are light years better. Clay is better than Ebron. Miller and Joquie are a wash. Their O-line is equal.

 

[tpaulus_2]

Yep, Reid is our starting DT now because the rosters, for some reason, are now locked before free agency has even started, let alone the draft.

I get that people's estrogen levels are all screwed up over this Suh stuff, but c'mon! A little common sense still applies, I would think.

And Clay is better than Ebron right now. He's also not a Miami Dolphin unless and until they re-sign him, and it doesn't sound like that's going to happen, so...

 

[Dr. Evil-er]

Yeah right.... That defense was a beast last year.... Wait till they get Suh in the fold. Miami will be going to plenty of playoff games.

Where did they buy their tickets at? That seems a bit premature so they probably got pretty good seats to watch from.

 

[TwoCents22]

Yep, Reid is our starting DT now because the rosters, for some reason, are now locked before free agency has even started, let alone the draft.

I get that people's estrogen levels are all screwed up over this Suh stuff, but c'mon! A little common sense still applies, I would think.

And Clay is better than Ebron right now. He's also not a Miami Dolphin unless and until they re-sign him, and it doesn't sound like that's going to happen, so...

You are the one who said the Phins are "significantly better" right now. Even if you were projecting free agency and the draft, you can't honestly believe that. If so, how much would you like to wager? We clearly have the ability to pay each other as we've had monetary transactions between us. So I'll take the Dolphins against the Lions and you only have to spot me 2.5 wins since we can agree that that would be defined as significantly better.

 

[Old Lion]

Lets get 1 thing clarified. Miami's run defense will be improved, but they flat out sucked at it last year. Is Suh that big of an improvement over Odrick?

Not to mention that Sanford is beatable at the other CB spot.

They wont be as good as some of you think, but yes they will be a top 10 or so.

The other thing noone is mentioning is ST. I will take ours over theirs any day. Especially with Prater on board now.

 

[Microwahevo]

Yeah right.... That defense was a beast last year.... Wait till they get Suh in the fold. Miami will be going to plenty of playoff games.

There are plenty of WR's in this draft to replace scrubs like Hartline and Mike Wallace.

Miami's D was "beast" last year? They have up 9yards less a game passing than us, gave up 50yards more rushing, and 7 more pts a game. That D was about middle of the road last year. Suh will definitely help that D, but to call them beastly last year is a bit of a stretch imo.

 

[tpaulus_2]

By the numbers the Dolphins D was 21st last year.

 

[RobBase]

It's not always about money for most players. It is usually the most important, but it's not the only factor. The Lions are a playoff team with a stable QB, a coach that players like to play for, and has a track record of trying to pay their guys. We may not be a top destination, but we aren't the damned Jags or Raiders.

DT Jared Odrick signs w the Jaguars.

 

[TwoCents22]

By the numbers the Dolphins D was 21st last year.

And by the numbers their offense was a lot better. More than far enough to erase any defensive gap after gaining our best defensive player.

 

[Dr. Evil-er]

That defense was a beast last year

That beastly defense played half its games against the bottom 1/3 of offenses in the league and exactly one game against a top 10 offense (Denver), who lit them up for 39 pts.

 

[tpaulus_2]

And by the numbers their offense was a lot better. More than far enough to erase any defensive gap after gaining our best defensive player.

Well that's your opinion, and one that's clearly being influenced by losing Suh.

The guy is good, he's not the difference between an 11 win team and an 8 win team. The Dolphins simply weren't/aren't as good as you're giving them credit for, imo.

 

[TwoCents22]

That beastly defense played half its games against the bottom 1/3 of offenses in the league.

You mean offenses lead by guys like Jay Cutler, Clausen, Bridgewater, Stanton, and McCown?