Martin Mayhew:Lions Will Be Players in Free Ageny

PFT is reporting (via mlive, I believe) that Mayhew says the Lions are going to make some changes and will be players in free agency this year.

Here's the link:

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co
m/2013/02/07/martin-mayhew-lions-wi
ll-be-players-in-free-agency-unlike
-last-year/

But you'll have to copy and paste it because CBS's software doesn't work right, still, after all these months... 

I just ain't buying it.....Players for who? We won't have the money.....If he means paying for other teams practice squad players then I agree, But I'm not seeing  the Lions as threat to pick up anything significant in FA.

This year, Lions General Manager Martin Mayhew says, the Lions expect to bolster their roster with some free agent signings.

Here's the quote I took away from the article......That's fancy talk for signing more 2nd string guys cheap in hopes someone pans out....Signing second string guys to start isn't bolstering anything, That's just fielding a team.

he isn't lying -- Mayhew has already made a huge splash signing dominique johnson.  that should take care of the secondary for 2013 and the Lions can concentrate on spending all their top draft picks on the offense.  specifically guys with dread locks.

Im sure they will still draft a CB or 2 around the 6th round. You know, some more projects. Nothing like having a bunch of DB's nobody else wants.

Mike makes a strong point. Cutting Peterman should free up enough money to bring in some hair, er, some solid athletic, reserves. And...... I'd like to think Dominique Dawes is still on the Lions radar. (she's on mine, if you know what I'm sayin).

If he means signing scrubs then that doesn't count.

he isn't lying -- Mayhew has already made a huge splash signing dominique johnson.  that should take care of the secondary for 2013 and the Lions can concentrate on spending all their top draft picks on the offense.  specifically guys with dread locks.

Unless you use the sarcasm font, this post is null and void.

Unless you use the sarcasm font, this post is null and void.

sarcasm font?!?  we call that "italics" where i'm from.  LOL.

and i'm dead serious.  until the Lions coaching staff legitimately try to upgrade the secondary, instead of bringing in guys off the street or guys cut from other teams -- the lions will continue to be the same team we see year in and year out.

at least if they bring in some dread locks -- the team will look cool while they chasing after WR after they catch the ball. 

sarcasm font?!?  we call that "italics" where i'm from.  LOL.

I just dont get you kids and your fancy street lingo

After I listened to the interview and read the article on the Lions official site, the way that I interpreted it is that Domonic Raiola is going to be let loose, its just a matter of time before we hear about it. They have Bill Nagy that they can slide in at G or C. I believe that they will take a guard in the draft and then make Nagy there starting C. 

With the release of Raiola the Lions would gain another 4 million in cap space and according to Chris McCosky they are at 5 million in cap room right now so that would increase to 9 million with the added 4 million.  

After I listened to the interview and read the article on the Lions official site, the way that I interpreted it is that Domonic Raiola is going to be let loose, its just a matter of time before we hear about it. They have Bill Nagy that they can slide in at G or C. I believe that they will take a guard in the draft and then make Nagy there starting C. 

With the release of Raiola the Lions would gain another 4 million in cap space and according to Chris McCosky they are at 5 million in cap room right now so that would increase to 9 million with the added 4 million.  

i'm telling you -- i said before they released Peterman, they would be releasing Peterman, Raiola and Backus.  I still think this will happen.  

i think they will hold Raiola until the draft and if they are able to get Barrett Jones in the 2nd round, Raiola is good as gone.  I think you will see Reiff move over to LT, they will re-sign Cherilous, put Nagy in the other G spot, opposite Rob Sims.

cutting those three loose would save the Lions around 12 million on the cap, I believe.  i think Nagy, Barrett Jones and Sims would give the Lions a better interior line and the Tackle position should be about the same and could be better if Reiff lives up to his draft spot. 

he isn't lying -- Mayhew has already made a huge splash signing dominique johnson.  that should take care of the secondary for 2013 and the Lions can concentrate on spending all their top draft picks on the offense.  specifically guys with dread locks.

LMAO. Nice one, obviously we are done addressing the secondary with Dominique Johnson. He fixed the LBer core by resigning Ashlee Palmer. Now he is looking to resign Corey Hilliard to fix the Oline problems and is going to re-up Willie Young on the Dline.

I'm looking at a 13-3 season coming up, you guys better be too.

All humor aside I think MikeD has a handle on the oline.....

i think they will hold Raiola until the draft and if they are able to get Barrett Jones in the 2nd round, Raiola is good as gone.  I think you will see Reiff move over to LT, they will re-sign Cherilous, put Nagy in the other G spot, opposite Rob Sims.

This is a likely scenario.
But not the only scenario. IMO the Lions are setting themselves in position to make a post draft move as MikeD has projected.

Peterman is gone because we have multiple options all ready to go plus the chance to trade back and draft someone like Warmack.

They are holding onto Dom currently with Nagy ready to go either C or G. If Jones is available in the draft at the right spot and taken Dom is going to be released. Even if Jones isnt ready on opening day, Nagy would be until Jones is ready.

If Joeckel falls to #5 he is always a possibility to draft..... or trade out because IMO IF Joeckel fell to Detroit the phones would light up and put us in a position to move into a spot where we can still get a great interior lineman or DE and pick up an extra pick or two.

Only thing I see differently is that Backus will not be released. Unless Jeff asks for it and his agent has a spot for him to go all set up. I think its likely he restructures, ads one more year and cuts his cap hit.

And I am all for drafting defense..... I just see the players where the Lions are drafting and where they could move to via trade back to have some top Olinemen sitting there waiting.

I think the Lions have only told Dom if he wants to be back he will have to renegotiate his deal. IMO no other offers have been made. Where MikeD and Pride believe it is dependant on Barrett Jones i think it depends on who the Lions resign from Backus and Cherilous. If both come back in 2013, and I am thinking not, then Reiff slides to gurd and Nagy gets the center position. Dom is then cut.

If Cherilous signs elsewher as I think will happen, then Backus or Reiff slides to the right side, Nagy takes Peterman's spot and then Dom waits out the draft and sees if the Lions find a replacement. Plus the Lions will have to see what type of deal he is wiling to restructure.

As much as I think Jones a stud I would rather see a guy like Elam, Ogletree, or Minter slide to the second round. History as shown team can get good centers in the middle of the draft.

Which leads me to my hope for Detroit.....

The Bills trade up a few spots for a QB, will be tough as the tems that need a QB are few this year, the Lions pick up a couple of picks and still get a quality DE. They do the same in round two depending on who is going to be available. With a tight slary cap picks will be premiums for Detroit. 

Which leads me to my hope for Detroit.....

The Bills trade up a few spots for a QB, will be tough as the tems that need a QB are few this year,

More importantly, there aren't any QB's good enough to move up for this year.  Not that high, anyway.

There's plenty of QBs in the top 10 talk already. Geno Smith, Mike Glennon, Ryan Nassib, Matt Barkley and Tyler Wilson have all been in the top ten of various mock drafts out there. Are they among the best ten players in the draft? No, but QB trumps everything else come draft day if you don't have a franchise passer.

Guys like Ryan Tannehil, Blaine Gabbert and Christian Ponder fly up the boards every year. We're in a great position at #5 if a team decides to trade up to grab a guy that slips past KC, Oakland and Philly, or they want to get above Buffalo, Arizona or NYJ.

If we could trade down and still land a guy like Milliner, Warmack or Fisher, that would be ideal. It's unlikely just based on the percentages, but don't rule it out based on the QBs available...

There's plenty of QBs in the top 10 talk already. Geno Smith, Mike Glennon, Ryan Nassib, Matt Barkleyand Tyler Wilson

If not in the first I could also see at the top of the second alot of teams cold hope for a Colin Copernick

I just dont think Barrett Jones will be there when we pick in the 2nd. Everybody seen him play in the NC game. I see a good team, drafting at the end of the 1st round grabbing him. He has too much versatilty. I seen where mel kiper said no more than 2 QB's will go in the first round, at most.....unless someone shoots his stock up in the coming months. I doubt nobody takes a QB in the top 10......i hope teams draft QB's often and early though since we dont need one. Wonder how much c gamble will cost, and can we shed enough to afford him or carey williams. Might end up with another top 5-8 pick next year if we dont shore up our back 7 with the schedule we will have.

I think it's highly unlikely that Barrett Jones will be around when The Lions pick in the second. Don't get me wrong, I want Big Dom gone, but I just don't see Jones being the guy that gets him outta here. What's the kids name from Cal? Maybe that's the solution? Idk, I'm not banking on any FA though. Unless he wants to play for the league minimum.

Brian Schwenke, thats his name. I'm gonna go watch tape of him snapping, right....... Now.