Last season despite the Detroit Lions going 10-6 in the 2011 season to clinch a wild card playoff spot, they were ranked 23rd in the league for points allowed with 24.2 per game. Their defense was also ranked 22nd against the pass with 239.4 yards allowed per game, not to mention ranked last in the postseason with 459 yards allowed per game (even though they only played one game obviously, that number is insane). Excuses have been made saying the defensive line didn't play as well as they should have and that anyone would lose to the Saints the way the Lions did in the Wild Card round. Now all of that may be true however you could make an argument that perhaps building a solid secondary would make things easier for the defensive line, good coverage giving them more time to find the trenches and attack the QB. The secondary could definitely use a boost especially when a backup QB (i.e. Matt Flynn) puts up 480 yards, 6 TDs on your team's defense....
Despite being Mossed by Devery Henderson in that Sunday Night game vs the Saints last season, Eric Wright numberwise was a solid corner (67 tackles, 7 assists, 16 pass deflections, 4 interceptions and one forced fumble) and now has left the Lions for the Bucs a move that possible might make the Lions secondary worse than it was last season. From the position where the Lions are drafting a couple corners come to mind that might be available at the 23rd spot. With Alabama CB Dre Kirkpatrick to South Carolina CB Stephen Gilmore though either falling to the Lions could be unlikely as well, leaving them in a tough position. Lions GM Martin Mayhew has lately been using the "take the best player available scenario" (for example, taking DT Nick Fairley over CB Prince Amukamara last season to pair up with DT Ndamukong Suh). With that being said if Kirkpatrick or Gilmore are both off the board at 23 it would make it harder to find a corner they could use since Janoris Jenkins CB out of Northern Alabama would be considered a "reach" at that point since he's expected to be a high 2nd round pick at least (Todd McShay has him going to the Panthers with their 40th overall pick in his latest mock draft). Sure the Lions could make a trade for Eagles CB Asante Samuel for a 3rd round pick to help address that secondary, there is only one problem....the limited amount of cap room they have available this season.
In other words the Lions could make an acquisition for him but still would have to pay him...so with that limited cap room the Lions have, the probability of this move happening is pretty much impossible. Sure at the 23rd overall pick the Lions don't necessarily have to address the secondary if the right player isn't available, the Lions could address the offensive line instead, either or. However last season Detroit's offensive line only allowed 36 sacks last season good for 17th in the league, only allowing 8 and 4 more than last season's Super Bowl finalists, the Giants and the Patriots. So with that being said their offensive line wasn't that bad, at least not as bad as the numbers the secondary allowed, just like Jay-Z once said "Men lie, women lie, numbers don't." But despite the recent resigning of offensive tackle Jeff Backus, the thing to consider is he is 34 and isn't getting any younger so the Lions might want to start setting up our future to reboost the offensive line. Then again with that being said the Lions could address that in the 1st or 2nd round depending what player is available in either round whether it's offensive guard Mike Adams out of Ohio State or Jeff Allen offensive guard out of Illinois.
The Lions could start rebuilding the offensive line this season or next season or both, for example in the 2nd round this season and the 1st round next season. With teams within the division making moves, particularly the hated Chicago Bears with the acquisations of WR Brandon Marshall, RB Michael Bush and QB Jason Campbell to backup Jay Cutler (to keep their playoff hopes alive, something Caleb Hanie couldn't do when the impossible happened to Cutler for the Bears to collapse and the Lions to make the playoffs, sad but true), there are no more excuses for GM Martin Mayhew to not make a move(s) to fill up holes that their franchise may (desperately) need. With that being said Chicago now has something they didn't have last season a top notch WR and a backup QB, so nothing is guaranteed that the Lions can win as many games as they won or even win as many as last season unless impact move(s) are made. Now with WR Calvin Johnson extended through 2019 and LB Stephen Tulloch resigned for 5 years, the only player left to resign for a long term deal is DE Cliff Avril. However if Avril is asking for too much money, a possible solution may be to have him agree to a sign and trade that brings the Lions either a solid young CB or pick(s) (depending if a 1st rounder or high 2nd rounder is included in the deal). So in conclusion either the offensive line or secondary could be addressed with their 1st round pick, depending on best player available, yet if a deal is made (Avril example) for a CB or high pick(s) perhaps their needs of CB, OG and LB could all be addressed, surprise the fans Mayhew.
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