Daily DLP: Reacting to 1st day of Lions free agency

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hey everyone Jeffers in here with the daily DLP it is Tuesday March 10th we are

one day into the NFL free agencies legal tampering period and some things have

happened for the Detroit Lions not a lot on the incoming side we'll get to that

but one to give a little my reactions to the first day of free agency although

it's all like nothing's official yet other than Taylor Decker was in fact

released that one is he's no longer a Detroit line and that's we knew that was

common it's disappointing that it ended the way that it did but you know he's

out there's a free agent now let's talk about the guys who are leaving because I

had four lions who signed elsewhere in free agency or agreed to sign get

be careful on that because it's technically they're not signed until Wednesday

when the new league year starts so get it keep that in mind these are all

agreed to terms maybe sketchy they might be wrong because just y'all

know how this works if you don't give the little crib notes here the agents

give the information to the information information people like Enrapeport

Tom Bellicero Adam Schaefter various other people and they report it

basically written by the agent and you know read right off the terms don't

always wind up being exactly what it is so keep that in mind as we go through

these and as you watch the next few days play out until the actual contract is

signed it's all like yeah this is going to happen but we might not have the

details 100% right it's the way this whole thing works unfortunately Alex

Anzaloni's gone and we knew this was coming we knew when he was trying to get a

contract extension last year and the lions wouldn't budge on it that he was

going to leave didn't go to the jets though which is a little bit of a

surprise and that is something that the New York media I'm sure was taking it

back by because they were counting on him based on conversations that I had

with people from the jets media throng down in Indianapolis he has gone to

Tampa Bay Buccaneers which is a it's a going home for him he's from Florida

he's proud Gator boy very very enthusiastic Florida Gator loves loves the

beaches you know he does you know there's my calls my cleats thing is always

something to do with you know the beach and the environment in Florida so good

for him two years 17 million dollars reported it's a lot of money for Alex

Anzaloni is not necessarily an overpay but it is for a 32-year-old guy who

has had injury problems although he's been pretty durable and Detroit other

than the broken forearm that he got don't help them good signing for Tampa Bay

and it's unfortunate that you know the lions and this is this is where

decisions have consequences the lions opted to pay Derek Barnes three years

that was 24 million dollars you can't afford that many linebackers there's

a recurring theme here that when you have so many guys at the top of your

salary pyramid with Jared Goff with Penaisule I'm on Ross St.

Brown James and Williams Aiden Hutchinson Kirby Joseph like those those giant

contracts they squeeze out your middle-class veterans Anzaloni is a good

example that David Montgomery is another good example of that it's difficult to

have your slightly above average to you know starter quality you know good

starter quality players it's harder to afford those guys because the market for

them you know the two-year 17 million for Anzaloni are 8.5 million dollars a

year for a guy who would be your number three linebacker can't do that when

you've got all those big contracts at the top you've got to have economic hits

and and look paying a third linebacker on a team where look they've ran three

linebackers more than any other team which is a common complaint I'm hopeful

hopeful see and with I love to swim with the David Montgomery departure because I

think they're related the way that they operated the team in 2025 the

departures of Anzaloni and Montgomery give them an opportunity to do

something different at those positions in 2026 you can run 425 you can have

instead of having three linebackers on the field for it more than any other

team you can play I don't know five defensive linemen and two linebackers you

can play a 425 where you have a safety or corner in the slot playing more full

time roll the way most teams do and adapt your scheme to that way you can get

somebody that's big a bigger guy whether it's in the draft like a guy like

hybrid linebacker safety you find those guys that they haven't signed any yet

obviously it's still very young it's we're not even 24 hours in yet I'm not

going to get upset that they haven't signed anybody on defense yet there's a lot

of time it's one day it's one day not even one day but the net loss it shows

that there was a demand for these lines players to and running back just to

go back to that thought the eight to 12 carries a game that Dave

among or touches a game that Dave Montgomery was getting at the end of the

season what's being came will took over the offense which was down from what

he got under John Morton at the beginning of the season that should be the

status quo going forward you don't need to emphasize your second running back

as much when you've got a scar like junior Gibbs you're taking junior

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you're not going to read the number two running back is not going to be the

reason you win many games and that it's different now without David Montgomery

who was a legit number one and he will be the number one in Houston but you

can't pay for that that's that's the economics of having a top heavy roster the

width of lions do and this is where the team has changed and it's new and

unfamiliar territory for us and for the team that's uh they're not there I used

to be this good and having this many players worthy of keeping internally that

long Roy Lopez is another example and this one I wanted Roy back and it's

frustrating that he's gone very quality defensive defensive line rotational

piece so I for two years eleven million dollars back with the Arizona Cardinals

from whence he came got seven point five million guaranteed look he wasn't

going to be a starter in Detroit that's not quite starter money for defensive

tackle but it dictates that he's going to play some and Arizona missed him they

need him he goes back there he look he was beloved by the Cardinals community

by fans did a great job in Detroit would have been nice to have him back but

this is another one you're gonna pay five and a half million a year for your

number three slash number four defensive lineman it's not really economically

viable he would have had to have taken less to stay now that doesn't mean that

the lions didn't offer doesn't mean the lions didn't offer anzaloni although I

think we saw what their best software was going to be in the he wanted nothing to

do with that I mean Grobertson starting slot corner can also play outside two

years sixteen million dollars nine point three million guaranteed he jumps to

the Washington commanders it's a little bit more money than I was expecting him to

get that some more money than was project then he was projected to get on the

open market for a good player good guy yeah I wish him nothing nothing but the

best but eight million a year for your number three cornerback it's a lot of

money that's that's where the the extensions to guys like Barnes and even

honestly Jamo who I think is worth it and the certainly worth keeping but

signing them to what they did at the early juncture that they did and a lean

fits into this too a lean McNeil that's taking away the funds that you can

use to buy players like like a meek let's say the lions wanted to keep them and

offered him six a year which is what he was projected to get we got eighty

year difference matters man when when you're a when you're a player especially

getting up into his age range where this might be his last big contract his last

to non one year not his last one year non one year contract with any guarantee

money on it go go get it to me go get yours you have to it

stakes from a lion's standpoint but that's where we are and then the one that

would really support like genuinely surprised me that he was leaving was Kyle

Allen the backup quarterback he got six point one million dollars for two

years to go back to Buffalo to be Josh Allen's backup because apparently they

want to save money on Jersey plates and it's easier to just have Allen on two

different quarterback things I don't know he was fine as a backup quarterback

the fact that we never had to see him is probably a good indication that he's

fine look he he was he was better than I thought he'd be last summer would

have been perfectly happy having him back as the number two and this is a

hole that has to get filled now in a god awful quarterback draft or you're

gonna have to find a veteran that you might have to pay more money to whether

it's Jacobi Brasette who would be my preferential choice he's very Jared

got like they do a lot of the same things and he's that experience what you're

petting from the time in Arizona he would be ideal there's other guys out

there but not you know now they're coming in they're gonna have to learn some

the new system you're gonna have to lure them in understanding that Jared

Goff is gonna play every snap of every game at least that's the hope he does

that pretty much all the time he hasn't missed a game for injury in four years

let's hope that continues if it's they just got worse a backup quarterback and

that's that was not a hole that I was anticipating and to be straight I don't

think it was a whole they were anticipating I think they thought Kyle Allen was

coming back and that's that's well so let's get to the additions one of the

additions that came out on Monday was that the Lions were awarded a compensatory

draft pick which is based on the formula of you are a net loser in free

agency these Lions don't get many of these because most years the Lions are

spending more on incoming free agents than they are then the players who are

leaving as free agents get from their new teams wasn't true last year Lions

got a pick of the fifth round now and maybe they have to flip that for a

quarterback prospect like Cole Peyton out of got to go to state or

feeling green of argon I'm just not excited these guys I can't make it either I'm

sorry it's just not a good year and a need a quarterback and now the Lions do

at least it's just a backup

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out the good

I hate I hate when there are more more more needs than what you need

it's disappointing that hand in hooker didn't work out I thought it would it

didn't

my bad on that one lines bad on that one I was with them on that one

didn't work

but we I think he's still available I don't think there'll be any interest in

having him come back

that ship has sailed

maybe teddy bridge water who knows

I don't know but it's

he shouldn't be stressed out about a backup quarterback at the same time

it's another small piece of the pie that takes away from the ability to sign

it's the difference between signing and I'm just throwing out hypotheticals here

signing the fourth best available tight end and the tenth best available tight end

we're signing

well with the money that jail in Thompson got it safety

wow first off eleven million a year

that was more than the lines could pay him

more than the market value it was expected to be he was expected to get eight to ten

first day first day free agency tends to produce a lot of really awful contracts

in retrospect

the rarest deal for Tyler Lindervom

good lord

twenty seven million dollars a year

for a center

whose past blocking grade isn't any better than the guy that the lines just brought in

big addition for the first day for the Detroit Alliance was

offensive lineman cave maids from the

Carolina Panthers

three years twenty five million dollars fourteen million guaranteed

that's according to sources

I like it

it moves my needle a little not a lot

but this is your new starting center

that's important

because this sets the tone for the rest of the offensive line

this offseason

I like that they got him

I had heard before the company the combine

I was down there early

had dinner with the

a colleague

who told me

uh... this is the sun is in the sunday or monday night before

the combine started

that the lines had interest in cave maids and so

like he's

and this goes back and I posted the clip

on social media I had taken a live video while I was at the seawall in twenty twenty two

the lines were coaching and hang freely was coaching the offensive lineman

and he was instructing cave maids and my comments on the thing was cave maids

is really helping himself this week he's doing very well

well that that is reunited

he is a

he's a wash with grand last out in past protection

as much crap as I've given grand last out over the last two years

he's he's a capable past protector and maids can be that too

good at keeping a quarterback clean

good at giving Jared golf a spot to step up in the pocket

I like that he doesn't get pushed backwards he'll be anchors well

has decent vision

for blitzers and crosses and things like that stunts coming in twist these good at

that

he has not been much of a run blocker

but I'm going to give him a little bit of a defense here

in four years in carolina

three different offensive coordinators three different offensive line coaches

and they changed their blocking scheme

all three times

I like the idea of him going to a stable

offensive line

coach

and hang freely

I like the idea that he's going to come to a team that suit that fits his

particular style

he's sort of a street fighting

phone booth brother

that's where he's at his best in the run game

so the lines do power gap

get some duo when they can run these things we've seen him do those things

in college when he was at Tennessee Georgia before that

with the year that the panthers did run that scheme

he

a little bit better you saw some things that you liked

but he's your new starting center what does that mean that means that

take relatives staying as you're starting right guard

he was good there

had they not filled the center hole I would have been very

very fine with

relic moving the center but now that you've got the center

you also the backup center juice grugs

or something often

they don't need any more resources at center

and that is a nice place to be you've solved that need

I know I hear you I hear you skeptics I hear you

well that's great one

well the other roles well they got time to do that but they they need to

they they have worked to do

no doubt about that

now you need

one more interior offensive lineman and it could be

would be

miles phrasier

he is the great man of mystery we don't know what the lions

want to do with him

is he gonna play guard is he gonna play tackle

I still insist he's a better tackle than guard prospect

didn't relate to see much of him at all as a rookie because he was injured in

preseason

didn't play hardly at all in the regular season

finding where he fits if he is the competitor slash

usurper of christian mahogany at left guard

or if he is

competing to be a starting left tackle or competing

to be the number three tackle the swing tackle with

Giovanni Manu and the other guy that the lion signed yesterday

we don't know that yet but he fits in there somewhere

but they still need one more body

as a guy who can play guard and if that guy can also play either center or tackle

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they need that that that's not a that's not even a day two pick that's a day three

draft pick or a low end free agent now if they want to

address it prominently and get a proven starter

as long as the as long as the economics are right that's fine but I think

they're probably pretty much done other than a day three pick

at interior now they also added Larry Boram from Detroit Brother Rice

formerly of the Chicago Bears for four years and the Miami Dolphins for one

one year two point five million dollars

okay this is not even your Dan Skipper replacement this is your Jamarco

Jones replacement let's flashback the last summer a little bit

Jamarco Jones actually beat out Dan Skipper and Giovanni Manu to be the number

three tackle on this team they cut Skipper

because Jamarco Jones was legitimately better than him

and then Jamarco and I believe it was the first practice

after the 53 rock man roster was set uh a Saturday season ending in

and lost because of the story of his career unfortunately

Lions right injuries there you go

so my in-person experience with Larry Boram is not a positive one because last

summer when the Miami Dolphins came up and did two days of joint practices with

the Lions in Allen Park he was the primary guy who was responsible for the

Hutch Rule which was he gets caught like Hutch was beating Larry Boram so

frequently and it wasn't just Larry it was other people too but

primarily Larry Boram that they instituted the Hutch Rule which was like

as soon as he gets past you like we're blowing the plate dead

we don't we don't want to uh to get killed by the way to uh going to

getting cut eating Dolphins eating 99 million dollars to get rid of him

wow even Bob Quinn could never do that

whoo he's in Atlanta where the only two left-handed quarterbacks in the league

until Cole Peyton gets into the league um exist

funny how that works so I am not keen on Boram look he's got he's got

starts I know he's got experience his in-game stats will tell you that he's

lower end of bottom feeding average tackle guard

if you want to watch him and not feel good about the team

go back and watch the second Lions Bears game in 2024

where Hutchinson beat him for two sacks and a couple other pressures in a

very short amount of time

he's a body honestly I hope he doesn't make the team

because that because I think he and Giovanni

were fighting for the same roster spot and

I would love to see geo rise up and show something there

2.5 million is it's fine is what you pay a veteran

that's effectively a veteran minimum contract that's

doesn't guarantee that he's going to make the team at all but

that's your addition that's certainly not anything to get excited about

see what happens on Tuesday and Wednesday here

I'm not expecting anything big uh I am expecting them to look at some defensive

players specifically off-ball linebacker and that could include keeping one

or two of their own whether it's grand stewards at Cunningham

Rodrigo we'll see

be nice to have Rodrigo back

I'm just thinking I'm recording this it's about eight in the morning right now

um and I haven't looked at social media yesterday so he very well couldn't have

signed it for anything no probably should have checked that up first

if so my bad but love Rodrigo but this is a great draft to need off-ball linebackers and

your one of your two fourth round picks or both of your two fourth round picks could

go there or to the hybrid safety rule as well so I'm not

super stressed about that the draft is still coming they do have picks

but the first day in freedom so you say net loss for the lions

other than they did shore up the interior offensive line

and pretty much eliminate that from the need list which

I take some comfort in that but there are holes on this team now

balls in your court Brad let's let's see something

something that says you are trying to do something else before the draft

and it doesn't have to be dramatic don't have to be an overpaid

go get me a safety for three million dollars who can play

at least on special teams and contend with Dan Jackson

to be your number three safety only that's asking a lot

I don't see what happens with it

uh as I've seen it a couple times I am the huge show for the next three days tune in

across the mitten state on your favorite Michigan sports network affiliate

uh we'll be talking a lot of lions i'm gonna have some pistons talking and

some college basketball talk in there as well uh but uh the focus is

Detroit well it's got bitch off on today think Jeremy Reisman joining me

today too which would be great we'll talk into those guys

until then this is today's daily DLP tune in for tomorrow when we're

hopefully reacting to another signing and not another loss

roster attrition although pretty much everybody who we knew was going to be gone

is gone that band-aid's ripped off so it couldn't

leak it better right right right right

checklist and signing out enjoy your day and uh be good to one another