Brett Favre: Here We Go Again

As a Packer fan, I am supposed to be furious. I’m supposed to rather die than see Brett Favre in Vikings purple. I’m supposed to think of the glory years, when Favre was leading the Packers to the Super Bowl and winning MVPs.

Vikings fans are getting excited. The player that they loved to hate for so many years, the man they said over and over was the most overrated interception-prone piece of you-know-what, may be their next quarterback.

There is one problem—none of us should care.

In the last four years, Favre has thrown more touchdowns than interceptions only once. In those same four years, he has 88 touchdowns and 85 interceptions. Only one of those four seasons could you say that he played better than very mediocre.

But, there is a reason for Favre going to the Vikings. In four home games last year, local TV stations had to buy up thousands of tickets to ensure that the Vikings game wouldn’t be a blackout in order to get their advertising money. The NFL had to give Minnesota two extensions to sell out their first home playoff game in many years, which they were able to do. (Thank you Eagles fans.)

Brett Favre would certainly alleviate those problems. By drafting Percy Harvin instead of Micheal Oher, the Vikings made it clear that excitement was more important than improving the team. Harvin is a major weapon, but with a lengthy injury history, small frame, and no set position.

If excitement is what you want, Favre can bring it. If a team atmosphere is what you want, turn the other way.

The last few years in Green Bay were tough for Favre. After being treated like royalty by Mike Sherman, he was treated like an NFL player by Mike Mccarthy and Ted Thompson.

After getting traded to the Jets, they burst on the scene to an 8-3 record, behind Thomas Jones and short-quick passing by Favre. After their win at Tennessee, Favre went to head coach Eric Mangini, and said they had to be more aggressive. He was happy they were winning, but not the way they were winning.

If you put aggressive and Favre in the same sentence, two touch downs, nine interceptions, and a 1-4 finish is what you get.

The Minnesota Vikings have two very average quarterbacks on their team. Why not a third? In his Star Tribune column, Partick Reusse said it best: “We’re [vikings fans] big enough suckers who would fall for a washed-up legend.”

Bucs Trade Alex Smith To Patriots

Patriots obtain Tight End Smith from Buccaneers

 

Personally I wonder about Dave Thomas. 

Alex Smith for an undisclosed draft pick in 2010.  Smith was a third rounder. 

I’d tag it for Alex Smith, but I think that is the 49ers quarterback.

The Desert Wasteland of the NFL

Chaco Canyon is an ancient and deeply spiritual place located in northwestern New Mexico.

It contains the most impressive collection of ancient ruins north of the Rio Grande and is the ancestral home of the Pueblo Indians.

It is said nothing grows there.

While that’s a bit extreme, it is easy to see why folks say such a thing. It is a desert without a major source of water, so the only time it blooms is after a rain.

For those poor souls thirsting for news about their favorite team, one could say the same thing about the period of time between the NFL draft and the opening of training camps.

We have entered that twilight zone of time, where every crumb is eagerly pounced upon by the talking heads tasked to provide us with something, anything, even the most mundane thing…like Brett Favre is not going to unretire. Gads! What nonsense.

The dearth of information available is so bad we are reduced to the inane prattling or worse, ill-advised and under-informed speculation presented as “analysis.”

Gimme a break!

The truth of Chaco Canyon is visible in the photo above. Some things actually do grow there, and often they are beautiful when they bloom.

The same is true of the NFL…even during these doldrum days of the off-season. Soon my friends…hopes will rise and hearts will swell with the opening of training camps and the nattering of coach-speak.

Wide-eyed rookies will arrive driving their `84 Sentra with a hatchback full of clothes, boom box, video games and CD’s, having no idea how little time they will have over the next five weeks for Madden `09.

In the meantime, you fans will have to make do with the video games and the occaisional wire report of a trade or player release to soothe the festering sore in your soul we all know as the off-season.

Could the Dolphins Change the Game?

With the 44th pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins select Pat White, quarterback, West Virginia.

For the third time in as many years, the Dolphins drafted a quarterback with a second-round pick, but this year’s pick is a little different. This is Pat White.

The fleet-footed winner from Daphne, Ala. While many embrace the move, others begin to question the move and along with it is the talk of, “What happens with Henne?”

However, I propose a question to everyone. Is this the beginning of an offensive revolution in the National Football League? This could very well be the era of a two-headed quarterback and it could start in Miami.

Chad Henne is the poised, pocket passer more suited for a traditional pro set. He’s had a year to develop behind one of the most accurate passers in NFL history in Chad Pennington.

When you combine that with his incredible arm strength, Henne has the tools to lead the Dolphins to the playoffs and beyond in the future.

Pat White is the running, passing, do-it-all quarterback. The “WildCat” himself, or shall I say “WildPat”?

He’s no slouch when it comes to throwing the ball and is a proven winner as he did what nobody else has ever done in college football, starting and winning four bowl games over the course of his career.

For the team that brought the WildCat to the NFL last season, White can strive in the formation. The one thing that lacked in last season’s version of the WildCat was the threat of a solid passer.

Ronnie Brown handled the snaps, but it almost became predictable near the end of the season. With White on the field, you add that extra dimension to the formation.

He has the awareness to either hand off, run the ball himself, or throw the ball and that’s something that is needed to make the formation that much more successful.

So, where does these two quarterbacks fit in on the same team? With Chad Henne being the prototypical pocket passer and Pat White being the essential key of the WildCat, or spread offense at times, could we possibly be on the verge of seeing the two-quarterback system in the NFL?

This season expects Chad Pennington to start for the Dolphins, so we may have to wait till 2010 to see the potential that this tandem can have.

One thing is for certain, White could see the field a lot this season and be an instant game breaker whether at quarterback, running back, wide receiver or returning kicks.

This could get interesting.

Join in the discussion on this and other topics in the NEW Sports Jabber Forums!

2009 AFC North Fantasy Football Running Back Forecast

With the 2009 NFL Draft having come and gone, it is now time to start focusing more on the most important draft of all in football: your fantasy football draft.

And the Bruno Boys can’t think of a better way to get in the mood than to start focusing some attention on the running backs. Instead of saying that the running back position is make or break, we firmly believe that the best way to ensure success is to, not only have an extremely well rounded team, but a deep team as well.

But as Bruno Boys Nation already knows, part of my (Bruno Boys Ziza) responsibilities at the Bruno Boys is critiquing the running back position on a weekly basis throughout the season. So, today I am bringing you a rundown of what is happening in the NFL.

That way you are not left scratching your head when August rolls around and you are wondering why Edgerrin James is not an Arizona Cardinal anymore.

During the weeks leading up to the season Bruno Boys Greg and I will be bringing you periodic updates that will guarantee you stay one, no…thirty two steps ahead of your competition.

Today we will be focusing on the teams in the AFC North. Keep on checking back with the Bruno Boys for other divisional running back updates that will help you stomp your way into your league’s fantasy football playoffs.

BALTIMORE RAVENS

 

Bruno Boys Ziza’s Take:

The Ravens have a trio of fantasy quality backs in Willis McGahee, Ray Rice and Le’Ron McClain. Of the three, if McGahee is still on the roster come training camp, he will be the expected lead back for the Baltimore organization.

All three have proved to be worthwhile additions, particularly in deeper leagues. But as was proved in 2008, the players’ values were best when they were the featured back that week. Unfortunately, there were way too many weeks in which you did not know who was going to be the one running the rock. With McGahee expected to be healthier this year, predictability will come even scarcer this year.

But…

If McGahee is traded or released then you will probably see more of a 50/50 work load for Rice and McClain, with their defensive opponent determining the type of game plan that the Ravens will use. McClain did prove that he has skills in getting the pigskin into the end zone, so he gets the slight edge at this moment.

This is a running back situation that you definitely want to keep an eye on though as all three have the talent to be a solid fantasy RB2 if any of them win the job outright.

 

Bruno Boys Greg’s Take:

Baltimore selected one running back in this year’s draft, but it wasn’t until the sixth round (Cedric Peerman of Virginia). It will be tough for Peerman to crack into the Ravens backfield though, with Willis McGahee, Ray Rice, and Le’Ron McClain all sitting there. 

All three guys split time pretty evenly last year, with Rice getting the least amount of the work. Expect that trend to continue.

The Ravens will run the ball a lot, which makes the committee approach frustrating to fantasy owners because they can never tell who may have a big game. Consider McGahee and McClain RB3s and Rice an RB4.

FANTASY DEPTH CHART: Willis McGahee, Le’Ron McClain, Ray Rice

2009 SCHEDULE:KC (1) , @ SD (2) , CLE (3), @ NE (4), CIN (5), @ MIN (6), BYE (7), DEN (8), @ CIN (9), @ CLE (10), IND (11), PIT (12), @ GB (13), DET (14), CHI (15), @ PIT (16), @ OAK (17)

 

CINCINNATI BENGALS

 

Bruno Boys Ziza’s Take:

In what is looking as one of the weaker running back groups in the NFL, the Bengals will be relying on Chicago Bears cast-off Cedric Benson to be their go-to guy. He will be backed up by long-time Bengal Kenny Watson.

Let’s be brutally honest here. Benson is really the only back that the Bengals have on their roster who deserves any type of fantasy roster spot at this point. But don’t despair. There is some hope to grasp onto.

The Bengals used their first round pick (sixth overall) on offensive tackle Andre Smith out of Alabama. Once projected as a possibility to be the first overall player chosen in the 2009 NFL Draft, he came to the combine overweight and out of shape. To make matters worse he had a horrible workout during his Pro Day as well.

But one thing is clear.

He does possess the skills and talent that can help him become a very dominant player in the NFL. If and when he does take his job seriously and plays up to his potential, he will add a force to the Bengals’ offensive line that will bring their running game to a whole new level.

The question is whether that comes in 2009? My instincts tell me that if you do grab Benson, do it only as a RB3 and no higher. That is probably all you can expect from this set of backs for the up and coming fantasy football season.

 

Bruno Boys Greg’s Take:

The Bengals selected two running backs over draft weekend, Bernard Scott of Abilene Christian and Taufui Vakapuna of BYU. Their hope is one will work out to help out the running game. 

Cincinnati brings back the same runners from a year ago in Cedric Benson, Kenny Watson, and Chris Perry. Benson will again be the starter and may have some upside. He finished the year strong last season with 462 total yards his last three games. 

The Bengals strengthened their offensive line and bring back Carson Palmer. Believe it or not, Benson should be targeted as a low—end RB2 or RB3. He will get the touches and won’t be splitting too much time. Watson and Perry will only see the field to spell Benson or on third downs. 

Both would be considered RB4s or RB5s as we head into 2009.

FANTASY DEPTH CHART: Cedric Benson, Kenny Watson, Chris Perry

2009 SCHEDULE: DEN (1), @ GB (2), PIT (3), @ CLE (4), @ BAL (5),HOU (6), CHI (7), BYE (8), BAL (9), @ PIT (10), @ OAK (11), CLE (12), DET (13), @ MIN (14), @ SD (15), KC (16), @ NYJ (17)

 

CLEVELAND BROWNS

 

Bruno Boys Ziza’s Take:

The 2009 NFL Draft did not add any significant players to the Browns running game except for the possibility of first round draft choice, center Alex Mack out of California.

That is pretty much a nice way of saying that you can expect what you saw in 2008 without much significant improvement whatsoever.

The Browns are led by running back Jamal Lewis. He had a somewhat successful season last year as he surpassed the 1,000 rushing mark. He had 1,002, but his touchdowns slipped to its lowest level since 2005 with four. He has had only one double-digit touchdown season in his career and other than his amazing 2003 campaign in which he accumulated 2,066 yards, he has never been much of a yardage eater either.

A lot of so-called fantasy football geeks like Lewis as a RB2. I just am not one of them. Draft him as no more than a low-end RB2 in deeper leagues, but remember he is coming off of ankle surgery. His backups are nothing special although Jerome Harrison did have solid yardage and two touchdowns in very limited duty last year.

 

Bruno Boys Greg’s Take:

The running back situation for Cleveland is bleak. They surprisingly waited until the seventh round to try to find a complement for Jamal Lewis, selecting James Davis out of Clemson, who may be able to nab the backup role considering the competition he is up against. 

Jamal Lewis is the only Brown running back worth owning in fantasy football and should be considered a RB2. The reason is he has no other competition and is running behind a good offensive line. 

If their quarterback, whether it be Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn can keep some of the pressure off the running game, look for Lewis to go over 1,000 yards rushing with roughly 8 touchdowns. He will have a good year and is worth starting on a weekly basis.

FANTASY DEPTH CHART: Jamal Lewis, Jerome Harrison

2009 SCHEDULE: MIN (1), @ DEN (2), @ BAL (3), CIN (4), @ BUF (5), @ PIT (6), GB (7), @ CHI (8), BYE (9), BAL (10), @ DET (11), @ CIN (12), SD (13), PIT (14), @ KC (15), OAK (16), JAC (17)

 

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

 

Bruno Boys Ziza’s Take:

Already possessing a very solid running game, it should come as no surprise to anyone that the Steelers did not draft anyone of significance to help out the running attack this year.

 

 

They will be going into 2009 with speedster Willie Parker and second-year back Rashard Mendenhall who’s rookie campaign was cut way too short due to injury.

Both are very talented, but don’t expect Parker to be unseated anytime soon.

Mendenhall should see more touches this year than last, but as long as Parker is healthy and producing it really is his gig to lose. Draft Parker with no reservations as your high-end RB2, but Mendenhall remains nothing more than a solid handcuff who’s value will only be worthy of fantasy play if Parker gets hurt. Allow Mewelde Moore to ride the waiver wire pine.

Bruno Boys Greg’s Take:

One thing you know about the Steelers is that they love to run the ball. Willie Parker has been a commodity on fantasy teams and should be again this season. Although there is a lot of depth behind him (Rashard Mendenhall, Mewelde Moore), Parker will still be the starter and get a good amount of yards. 

Pittsburgh did draft Frank Summers of UNLV in this year’s draft—a goal line-type back who has a nose for the end zone. Mendenhall was drafted a year ago though to help in the red zone, therefore making Summers irrelevant. 

The guys to watch on this team are Parker and Mendenhall (who should take on a bigger role than he did in 2008), with Moore getting touches here and there or filling in for an injury. Consider Parker a low end RB2 because of his injury history and Mendenhall a low end RB3. Moore should be considered RB4 at best.

FANTASY DEPTH CHART: Willie Parker, Rashard Mendenhall, Mewelde Moore

2009 SCHEDULE: TEN (1), @ CHI (2), @ CIN (3), SD (4), @ DET (5), CLE (6), MIN (7), BYE (8), @ DEN (9), CIN (10), @ KC (11), @ BAL (12), OAK (13), @ CLE (14), GB (15), BAL (16), @ MIA (17)

 

 

For more fantasy football insight and advice, click the link below…

Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

 

 

New York Giants 2009 WRs

After a successful draft and a busy and eventful offseason it seems the Giants have finally settled in with a receiving core. No doubt these receivers are young and fast and a big change from last year.

They are missing star wideout Plaxico Burress as we have all watched his legal problems be the focus point of the offseason. And then there is a loss that has not gotten nearly as much attention.

Twelve-year Giants receiver Amani Toomer is no longer with the team after his release. Like I said this will be the first time in 12 years without Toomer and his experience could have helped out this young team.

So after losing their two biggest guys here is the 2009 New York Giants wide outs.

 

Steve Smith

I believe that Steve Smith will step up this year and become Eli’s go-to guy. Smith has stepped up in past years and has been a good receiver for Eli, but that was while having Plaxico double covered.

This will be Smith’s third year. Last year he put up 57 receptions, 574 yards, and one touchdown. Of course, these stats come with Plaxico and Amani so they are sure to go up this year.

 

Domenik Hixon

Hixon showed up in the spotlight last year as Burress’ replacement and he played well for the most part.

The one thing that does worry me about Hixon is his dropping. I watched him last year as he had very inconsistent hands. Hixon had 43 receptions, 596 yards and two touchdowns.

 

Hakeem Nicks

The first of two rookie receivers this year. He will be a threat this year with great size and strength. He also has very good hands.

There will be a great deal of pressure on Nicks this year to perform but I think he will live up and put up stats similar to Steve Smith last year.

 

Mario Manningham

Mario will make a good deep threat when he gets on the field more this season. He has great speed and is able to break away from defenders with ease.

 

David Tyree

The receiver with the most experience on this team at six years. Tyree had trouble making the starting roster last year. The back end of the Super Bowl catch, Tyree will get the opportunity that he has never gotten this season.

 

Ramses Barden

The other of the two receivers the Giants drafted, resembles the first. He’s a big strong physical guy which is exactly the kind of receiver that works with the Giants. He has more speed than Nicks, though.

 

This season will truly be an interesting one for the Giants and their offense. The offense and Eli will have to work with younger guys who aren’t big name guys like they have had in the past. No Jeremy Shockey, no Plaxico Burress, and no self centered receiver.

These guys are a good team, and they should have a good season.

The NFL Draft for RBs Over the Last 10 Years

I was not able to get this article done before the draft so I will keep comments to as much of a minimum as possible. It’s kinda hard though because there are a lot of stories with the RB’s drafted since 1998.

Since The 2009 draft has already taken place, I will comment of a few of the RB’s that were selected. As this draft summery has proven, it is impossible to rate someone until they strap on the equipment…But I’ll do my best.

Please remember, my grades will be for that particular athlete’s overall effect on the league. So let’s get started…

Chicago Bears Vs 3-4 Defenses

A lot of teams are transitioning over to a 3-4 defense.  What is so special about this?  The one thing that everyone automatically says is that you can’t tell where the blitz is coming from.  Well, that’s not entirely true.

The 3-4 has two defensive ends and a nose tackle on the line.  The nose tackle can shoot either the strong A gap or the weak A gap.  The defensive ends can be put pretty much anywhere.  They can sit in front of the guard, be put on the B gap, lined up in front of the tackle, or on the C gap.  That goes for strong and weak sides. 

The idea is that you cannot just automatically assign two offensive lineman to double team a certain guy.  It is exactly like sending in a stunt every single play.  We have an idea on where they’re coming from, but not certain. 

How do we get this idea?  Well, the first thing is that our formation will affect their formation. 

Cover 1

The Cover 1 defense is made for one man deep or free to play however the coach wants.  The rest are playing man to man.  Think of it this way: you normally rush 4.  That leaves 7.  There are two running backs, two wide-outs, and one tight end that you cover.  That is 5 people you have to cover when you’re doing man to man.  So you have 7 people with 1 person being deep. 

What do you think that final player is going to do?  Well, he’s not going to play deep or it’d be cover 2.  However, he doesn’t necessarily have to blitz either, but more than likely that is what he’ll be doing.

So you have four down lineman that are definitely rushing the quarterback and we have to pick one more.  Well, one of the safeties is playing center field.  We know it’s not him.  The two corners aren’t rushing unless a linebacker or the other safety is edging closer to them.  The whole point is that someone is blitzing.  Who the person blitzing will determine on the location of the defenders to their man. 

If you are unsure, but you suspect someone is blitzing, then move that person in motion.  They can move in motion and then go right back to the same spot they were.  They just need to move enough so we can see what the defense plans on doing.

The Cover 1 is probably the hardest for offenses to pick apart because you know they are blitzing.  They’re coming at you with 3 defensive lineman and 2 linebackers.  However, there are four linebackers so we have some eliminating to do. 

When we go against the 3-4 like in Green Bay we like to move Forte and Olsen around quite a bit.  We’re trying to determine what they are doing.  Once we know what they’re doing we will know for sure what we are going to do.

I also want to let you know that you can also do zone defense in cover 1 and that you’re not just forced into doing man to man.  You can tell when they decide to do this as well.  Bring a couple guys close together and their formation will not move.  They will stay fanned out so they can get to their zone.  Of course, this isn’t always very obvious in the NFL as I make it sound.

Cover 2

Cover 2 is a little more tricky.  We know this because we see this as Bear fans.  In fact, this is what I run 90% of the time in Madden because speed is everything and I swear every time Terrell Owens just gets faster and blows by everyone and that’s with both my defenders on him!  Sorry about that.  I hate Madden, but I’ll get back on subject now.

Anyway, Cover 2 can be 2 man deep and man under.  Again, they have four linebackers and two corner backs for pass protection.  That makes six and they only have to cover 5.  So we know at least one linebacker is coming in with the three defensive lineman.  With the cover 2 you can also do a zone defense. 

You can blitz people too, but in this situation you will normally leave an area or a man open.  This area and or man can be determined immediately if not done appropriately.  However, a lot of people will see a cover 2 blitz, but what is really happening is that the offense will leave a running back or two back to block.  Well, what does the cover person do? 

In Chicago we play containment.  We normally don’t blitz in, but I have seen it done before.  The key thing is when you do blitz in, you want to run through the running back or whoever you were supposed to cover so they can’t sneak out and catch a make shift screen pass.

Cover 3

If they decide to go cover 3 then you can tell that the one of the safeties will cheat to the side and the other safety will cheat to the middle of the field to get his 1/3.  The other two 1/3’s is covered by the corners. 

The other safety that is moving to the side is going to cover the flats.  The other side, where the safety is not on will tell us who is not blitzing.  They will be covering the other flats.  This leaves three lineman and three linebackers left.  One of the three linebackers is blitzing.  The other two will be falling into their respective zones covering the hooks. 

When you watch the game you can start to tell when they do this. 

Now when we run with three wide receivers then that is the same thing as taking a linebacker out.  We still have to deal with a guess of which one of the three linebackers is coming. 

There is also the case when they blitz two linebackers.  This will leave a man or a zone open.  The question is can we detect it before they can get to the quarterback.

Cover 4

The cover 4 is really simple, but they can change it to be a little more complex in the NFL.  Normally the corners will take the deep outside zones and the safeties will take the deep inside zones.  This eliminates man under, unless the defense wants to leave one loose or they only use three rushing.  This is what you normally see at the end of the game.  For instance when Pittsburgh was ahead they did Cover 4 with a three man rush so they could do man under.

How does this refer to Chicago?  Wouldn’t it be nice to know our quarterback can pick these things up easily?  The 4-3 and the 3-4 are similar in many ways.  The offensive lineman and the quarterback have to be on top of their game.  For many of the teams that play with a 3-4, Jay Cutler has usually a 90 or higher QB rating.  So this won’t affect him. 

It’s now up to our offensive line and how well they can gel.  We get a practice a couple practice 3-4 games against Denver and Cleveland before we do our test against Green Bay.  I can’t wait for the football season to begin!

Rey Maualuga: Armed and Dangerous

When linebacker Rey Maualuga fell to the Bengals, fans in Cincinnati forgot about the first-round pick and his problems. They looked at the Bengals and smiled, because they have made one of the smartest decisions they’ve made in a while.

Maualuga may of been happy to have been picked, but admitted this has put a chip on his shoulder.

Pro scouts claimed he didn’t workout well enough to be a first rounder. My question is for them, have they seen this guy play?

Maualuga is what you have come to expect out of players out of Southern California, hard hitting and loves football.

 

He plays with an intensity that other players around him feed on, and in turn it sets the entire team on fire.

This works out even better for the Bengals and is much of what they needed on defense.

For the longest time now it seems like the Bengals defense received punishment instead of giving it.

A player Maualuga isn’t going to get hit, he’s going to hit you.

What i’ve seen in him he reminds me of a Troy Polamalu. He loves the game of football and doesn’t like to fail at his job.

The Bengals have made sure to keep Chris Crocker, who was their hardest hitter last season, and they’ve added another intensified hitting machine.

With Mike Zimmer going into his second season as the Bengals defensive coordinator, I look for them to keep improving and maybe crack the top 10 in the league.

I do think that Maualuga can make that much of a difference in this team, and he is a game-changing player.

I can’t wait to see this guy and camp, and I have a feeling it’s going to be something special to watch.

The Detroit Lions Draft Grade

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It was no secret leading up to the 2009 NFL Draft that the Detroit Lions had more holes to fill than draft picks. In 2008, the Detroit Lions defense was the worst defense in the NFL and the offense wasn’t far behind. The Lions let go of Millen (the architect of this farce), fired Marinelli and brought in a defensive minded rookie Head Coach in Jim Schwartz.

Common sense is that the Lions with a defensive minded Head Coach, the Lions would draft defensively with their first draft. Well, of their ten draft choices the Lions drafted 6 offensive players and 4 defensive players.

Including, two offensive players in the first round. On all accounts making this an “even draft.”

The Lions spent their first over all draft choice and a guaranteed 41.7 Million dollars on University of Georgia Quarterback, Mathew Stafford. Stafford was arguably the best Quarterback on the board.

Stafford brings a big arm and will be able to throw the deep ball to Calvin Johnson. However, the downside on this choice is that he was inconsistent and performed poorly against high caliber teams (like Florida).

Expect Stafford to start around week 8 – 10. Depending on the durability of Culpepper and Stafford’s learning curve.  My draft grade on Stafford is B+.

The Lions spend their second first round pick (the 20^th overall) on Oklahoma State Tight End, Brandon Pettigrew. Pettigrew was the highest ranked TE in the draft.

The six foot six inch TE will complement and provide rookie QB Stafford with a security blanket and add to the run blocking game. In 2008, Pettigrew scored zero touchdowns and lacks an explosive element to his game. 

Expect Pettigrew to start. My draft grade on Pettigrew is B+.

With the thirty-third pick over all—the first choice of the second round—the Lions drafted Western Michigan Safety, Louis Delmas. By drafting Delmas the Lions have added the top ranked Safety available in the draft to a defensive backfield that was beyond lackluster in 2008.

Delmas also adds a power packed tackler to a defense that was seemingly unable to wrap up in 2008. Expect him to start.

The only downside to Delmas’ game is that he played in the MAC. My draft grade for Delmas is A+.

After trading the first pick in the third round to the New York Jets. The Lions drafted Wisconsin Linebacker DeAndre Levy.

Levy is added to a Linebacking corp that consists of Ernie Sims, Julian Peterson and Jordan Dizon. Levy will add the ability to run sideline to sideline.

Was he the best player available with that pick in the third round? Or was he the LB that best fits into Schwartz’ defensive scheme?

Only time will tell. Expect him not to start.

Especially if the Lions do sign Foote. My draft grade for Levy is B.

Six picks later, the Lions selected Penn State Wide Receiver, Derrick Williams. At the beginning of the 2008-09 season Williams was projected to be a first round draft choice.

Unfortunately the very skilled receiver and kick returner under achieved during his time at PSU. At best Williams would be a fourth or fifth receiver.

However, it is likely that he will be the Lions Kick and Punt Returner of the future adding a much needed element to the Lions overall game. My draft grade for Williams is C+.

With the 15^th pick in the fourth round, the Lions selected Stilliam Defensive Lineman Sammie Lee Hill. To suggest that Hill will be a solid replacement for Corey Redding’s departure would be foolish.

While, at Stillman, Hill dominated his competition. However, that is also the downside with Hill. His acclimation to the NFL game will be the key to his NFL development.

I am not sold on this pick. This is one of those instances, where, I hope he’s the diamond in the rough. My draft grade for Hill is a C.

The Lions first pick in the sixth round came at number 19 (192) and with that pick the Lions chose Texas Christian Running Back, Aaron Brown. His best season came in 2006.

There, he combined for more than 1200 yards rushing and receiving. Brown comes into an offensive backfield that includes second year runner Kevin Smith.

Brown will add the element of a receiving RB to the fold. The downside on Brown is his massive drop off of production since 2006. My draft grade for Brown is a C+.

The Lions first selection in the seventh round came at pick 19 (228). They chose Nebraska Offensive Lineman Lydon Murtha.

The Lions added the six foot seven inch 315 pounder to bulk up their terrible Offensive Line. Why the Lions waited to invest a draft choice on their offensive line is beyond me.

They just invested at least 41.7 Million dollars into a Quarterback and not one first day or early second day pick. Nebraska is known for the strength of their offensive line.

Hopefully, Murtha’s transition to the NFL is successful. My draft grade for Murtha is a B.

The Lions second choice of the seventh round came at 26 (235) and it came in the form of University of California Linebacker Zach Follett. Follett an all PAC Ten Linebacker had 78 tackles, 8.5 sacks and 4 forced fumbles.

Follett could have been the steal of the draft. The most salient complaint about Follett is that he relies on his football instincts “too much.”  My draft grade for Follett is A.

The Lions final pick in the 2009 NFL Draft was Maryland Tight End Dan Gronkowski. In 2008, he had his “break out year.”

He had 29 receptions for 287 yards and 3 touchdowns. Gronkowski could be a hidden gem.

He is a very solid TE that can receive and block. He will be a solid number TE behind the Lions first round pick Pettigrew.

The only downside on Gronkowski is that he had one “solid season.”  My draft grade for Gronkowski a B.

The Lions added five defensive players, two offensive players and one place kicker in the form of undrafted free agents. Defensively they added LB Holtzclaw (Eastern Michigan), DT John Gill (Northwestern), LB Downey (Maine), S Wiley (Michigan State) and DB Parson (Ohio).

Offensively the Lions added C Gerberry (Ball State) and WR Boldin (Wakeforest). The Place Kicker is Walters from University of Arkansas Birmingham.

My grade for the undrafted free agent signings is a C. They didn’t add anyone “spectacular.” They just tried to fill some voids.

The Lions went into the draft with more holes than draft choices. They addressed nearly every position.

However, there will still be holes on both sides of the ball. The Lions added 18 players.

Eight of which went undrafted. Though, it is not fair to say that the undrafted players will not pan out.

It is fair to say the likelihood of them amounting to anything more than a roster filler is very much in doubt. My over all grade for the Lions 2009 NFL Draft is B.

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