Wednesday, September 17, 2008

The Detroit Lions look to make personnel moves...that make no sense whatsoever!

The Lions continue to stumble along like a drunk on a weekend bender. The latest news to come out of Allen Park is a total head scratcher...

Former Pro Bowler Shaun Alexander was one of several running backs to meet with the Lions on Tuesday. Alexander, a former Seattle Seahawks star, worked out for the coaching staff at the team's practice facility.

Former Chicago Bears runner Cedric Benson, a first-round draft pick in 2005, and free-agent Vernand Morency, who previously played for the Packers, were also in town to meet with coaches and front office personnel.

I have a one word question: WHY?

The interest in signing a running back makes absolutely NO SENSE. None whatsoever. Even so, odd as this may be, let's look at the candidates:

Benson: Almost as big a 1st round draft bust as Mike Williams. Chicago couldn't unload him fast enough. Benson's out of football for a reason...He SUCKS! (Listen! Do you hear that? It's the sound of laughter coming out of Chi-town)

Alexander: Rudi Johnson redux. Like Rudi, Alexander is a once great back who is just as washed up. Overuse and injury left has the former Seahawk a shadow of the All-Pro he once was. Alexander's out of football for a reason...He's old and busted!

Morency: Who the fuck is this? Honestly, I have no idea. After looking Morency up, his stats SCREAM "journeyman!" If the Lions need a career backup so badly, then why not bring back Artose Pinner? At least he's a journeyman who already knows the offense. Morency is out of football for a reason...His type of player is dime a dozen.

Even stranger, the article states there's word out of Texas the Lions are on the verge of signing one of those backs. Which one?

According to Austin, Texas, city council member Mike Martinez, Benson is about to sign with the Lions.

Another one word question: WHY?

Out of the 3 backs brought in, why on earth would the Lions want, of all people, BENSON? In Chicago, "BENSON" is considered a 4 letter word. Signing a running back would be bad enough. But signing Cedric Benson? That's one of the seven signs of the fast oncoming apocalypse, Detroit Lions style.

Rather than sign another skill position player, I have a couple suggestions for the Lions.

First off, cut a few of the 35 defensive linemen you kept on the roster, to give you a little more roster flexibility. Then look for help at more than one position, not just running back...which isn't in all that bad of shape! Why not look at offensive linemen? Maybe at a run stopping linebacker? How about a proven QB, say Daunte Culpepper? All of these are positions of much greater need.

But the Lions are instead working out running backs, despite drafting Kevin Smith in the 3rd round, who's shown a fair amount of potential. What does this say to him? It says the Lions think they can do better, and wasted a 3rd round pick, while Smith must be thinking he did something wrong. (Actually, the kid did do something wrong. Terribly wrong. He agreed to a contract with the Lions)

Here's the Lions' thinking in a nutshell: "We have some gaping roster holes, we could really use a linebacker and an offensive lineman. I know, let's sign another running back! That will fix EVERYTHING!"

This is Lions' logic at it's most clueless and frustrating. I gave up trying to figure out the Lions' thought processes a long time ago, as it's impossible to figure out a front office that should be considered clinically insane.

4 comments:

  1. according to our 'lions insider' the lions are just doing their due diligence in seeing what's out there in case one of our rbs goes down. there is no contract signing imminent and they haven't even begun discussions with any of the rbs they brought in. i'd like to see them bring in daunte culpepper and see what he can do with this godforsaken team.

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  2. I just heard as much thru Stoney & Wojo, but need I remind you that the same was said when Rudi Johnson first came to town. It's probably, as you say, the front office doing their due diligence. But with the Lions, you just never, ever know. When Detroit is given a choice between doing the smart thing, and doing the worst thing possible...Well, I don't need to go on.

    I still don't know why someone didn't give Culpepper a shot. The knee injury may have finished him, but you aren't going to know if you don;t bring him in. For all we know, Culpepper is fully recovered. You'd think some team would take a flier on him.

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  3. I think Johnson has something left in the tank, so I'm cool with that signing. But Alexander is *done.*

    And Benson?! A member of the Ryan Leaf All-Time Bust Team. If I want to watch a RB run into a pile and fall down, I'll go to a pee wee game. That's not "due diligence," that's just Millenstupid.

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  4. How about getting some guys to block for the run before expecting any one player to just bust through the opposing defense and save the team?

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