Bill Radford and John Drennan recap key Detroit Lions offseason headlines: Taylor Decker’s decision to return, early contract-extension chatter around core young stars (including Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, Brian Branch, and Jack Campbell), and how Detroit can keep building a Super Bowl roster while managing the cap. The guys revisit classic Lions history and heartbreak, then shift to 2026 roster-building: their top needs (center, edge, safety, OL depth, corner) plus draft/free agency strategy and what the NFL Combine reveals—especially interviews and team evaluations.
Transcripts
::
Bill: Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Secondhand Lions Podcast. My name is Bill Radford. I'm here with my longtime great friend, John Drennan.
2
::
Bill: And…
3
::
John Drennan: We have been following the Lions.
4
::
Bill: Since the beginning of the preseason, in hopes that this would be the year that they would go to the Super Bowl. Obviously, that didn't happen.
5
::
Bill: But we're still hopeful that it'll happen soon.
6
::
Bill: So if you'd like to check out any of our podcasts, you can go to our website, theschlpodcast.com. SHL stands for Secondhand Lions.
7
::
Bill: And some news that's encouraging
8
::
Bill: this week is… Taylor Decker has decided to return, and as we were talking beforehand.
9
::
Bill: John, you brought up that you don't think he would do that if he wasn't sure that he could still play the position and play it well.
10
::
Bill: So, I'm hopeful that that's the case. It sure would be good to have him back at full strength.
11
::
Bill: And I also noticed that Brad Holmes is renegogo… or not re, but negotiating extensions
12
::
Bill: with some very important players, among whom are Jameer Gibbs, Sam Laporta, Brian Branch, And,
13
::
Bill: One other one that I can't think of right at the moment.
14
::
Bill: I love to get it.
15
::
John Drennan: Campbell.
16
::
Bill: Yeah, Jack Campbell.
17
::
Bill: All of them very important to the Lions' future success.
18
::
Bill: And I also saw that Jameer Gibbs When compared to Saquon Barkley.
19
::
Bill: Since 2024 has more yards from scrimmage and more touchdowns.
20
::
Bill: So he is, considered a very…
21
::
Bill: Hot commodity, expected to be highly paid.
22
::
Bill: maybe… Breaking the bank with, highest…
23
::
Bill: Running back contract in the league, which, of course, causes concern.
24
::
Bill: as to… How the Lions are gonna sign all these good players.
25
::
John Drennan: Yeah, for sure, it's a double-edged sword. You bring in studs. I mean, the reason they're being extended, Bill, is I believe the rookie contracts last 4 years, so those guys all came in 4 years ago, now they're ready for their next contracts, and…
26
::
John Drennan: The idea of the rookie contracts, I believe, is to
27
::
John Drennan: you know, they're not paying that much in the first year for players, and that first contract, but a player can really establish themselves. Well, all four of those guys have, big time, established themselves, and they all gotta be rewarded for it. So, that will be a challenge for the Lions going forward.
28
::
John Drennan: Hey, you opened by saying, we've been following the lions, since…
29
::
John Drennan: And then before you kept going, what immediately popped into my head was the beginning of time.
30
::
John Drennan: But what you said was since the summer, so if you're a new listener, we've been following them since the late 50s and 60s, but we've been doing this podcast to make the journey with them to the Super Bowl. We started that.
31
::
John Drennan: In the week before the Hall of Fame game.
32
::
Bill: That's right.
33
::
John Drennan: And that's what I was referring to.
34
::
Bill: I, I can remember… Alex Karas and,
35
::
Bill: Wayne Walker, and Dick LeBeau, and Lynn Barney, and…
36
::
Bill: Nick Petrasani was the running back, and then
37
::
Bill: Steve Owens became the first one to rush for 1,000 yards. I… I remember sitting by the radio, and
38
::
Bill: writing down every time Steve Owens carried the ball, I would write down how many yards he got.
39
::
Bill: And, yeah, it was, it's been a long time.
40
::
John Drennan: Yeah, and part of a… I'm sure a lot of our listeners have never heard of Steve Owens, or Billy Sims, or Mel Farr. These are guys to go maybe to YouTube and look at some of their highlights. Those guys are all stud running backs.
41
::
John Drennan: And both Owens and Billy Sims got bad injuries that basically took him out of the game, but those guys were electric.
42
::
Bill: I ran across something… something in one of the… Football sites, This week.
43
::
Bill: I saw a recap of the Lions, I think it was 1971.
44
::
John Drennan: playoff game.
45
::
Bill: Against the Dallas Cowboys, I think I sent that to you.
46
::
John Drennan: 5-0, right?
47
::
Bill: They lost 5-0, that's right.
48
::
Bill: dallas kicked a field goal early.
49
::
Bill: And then got a safety in the… in the… Fourth quarter, which basically
50
::
Bill: kept the Lions from being able to tie the game.
51
::
John Drennan: Was that 91?
52
::
Bill: 71.
53
::
John Drennan: 71, okay, because they played the Cowboys in the early 90s.
54
::
Bill: Yeah, kicked their butt, 34-6.
55
::
John Drennan: Wait… The lion's dead?
56
::
Bill: Yeah, that was the… Yeah, that was the year they were 12-4, and…
57
::
John Drennan: Okay.
58
::
Bill: They crushed the Cowboys at home.
59
::
Bill: And then went to, Washington and got spanked.
60
::
John Drennan: Yeah, okay. I was thinking of the year that they really got screwed against the Cowboys with the Phantom touchdown callback.
61
::
Bill: effort.
62
::
Bill: was a quarterback then. Anyway, this 5-0 game, Greg Landry was the…
63
::
Bill: quarterback, he was very young, I don't know if he was a rookie, but he was…
64
::
Bill: He was very young, and they finally took him out.
65
::
Bill: And I can remember my whole family watching the game, and we were all sitting there, woefully…
66
::
Bill: Watching the Lions… completely inept on offense. They put in Bill Munson.
67
::
Bill: And he threw about a 60… yard pass to Mel Farr.
68
::
Bill: Who's a running back, And he caught the ball, I'm gonna guess, about the 20-25 yard line.
69
::
Bill: And all of a sudden, We thought we had a chance to win, and what…
70
::
Bill: You know, if, if, if not for that safety, they'd at least had a field goal.
71
::
Bill: They couldn't do anything after that, but 5-0, what a way to lose.
72
::
John Drennan: So what happened after the long pass? No touchdown?
73
::
Bill: No touchdown, I don't even think they got a first down after that.
74
::
John Drennan: Hmm.
75
::
John Drennan: Well, they've sure lost some over the years that…
76
::
John Drennan: you know, during this year, you and I
77
::
John Drennan: had our segment, same old Lions, or Lions Got Screwed. There's so many games that fall in those two buckets.
78
::
John Drennan: So… but hey!
79
::
John Drennan: This last season ended disappointing, but I think that has put a B in everybody's pants around the Lions, and I'm very excited. You know, they just finalized the coaching staff this week, Bill, and
80
::
John Drennan: I continue, as you do, we keep hearing about how high people are on Petzing, the offensive coordinator. You commented to me earlier, Ben Johnson.
81
::
John Drennan: just said he's a great fit for Detroit. He's good friends with Petzing, and…
82
::
John Drennan: And he's good friends with Dan Campbell, so he wouldn't just say those things.
83
::
John Drennan: And Mike Kafka has been named as the pass coordinator.
84
::
John Drennan: So… and I think I said it last week, Bill, that Petzing said, we really have 4 offensive coordinators, myself, Kafka, who was OC at the Giants, Dan Campbell, who's called plays for a couple years, and…
85
::
John Drennan: Jared Goff, and again, I love that he referenced Jared Goff as an offensive coordinator on the field, so…
86
::
John Drennan: But the coaching staff looks good, and I know they're all excited in Allen Park about their staff.
87
::
Bill: Yeah, it's, it's exciting to be a…
88
::
Bill: sports fan in Michigan these days,
89
::
Bill: I mean, I don't know how long it's been since…
90
::
Bill: The Tigers, the Red Wings, the Pistons, and the Lions were all good.
91
::
Bill: But… That's the case now, and the Wolverines.
92
::
John Drennan: In basketball, and new enthusiasm in football, for sure.
93
::
Bill: Right.
94
::
John Drennan: Yeah, in fact, I recently saw the Pistons beat,
95
::
John Drennan: the New York Knicks handling, I think we mentioned that last week, and then the other night, I saw them lose to the, San Antonio Spurs.
96
::
John Drennan: which has a really strong roster. They're number 2 in the East.
97
::
John Drennan: Record-wise, so…
98
::
Bill: And Detroit's… in both of those games, are still without two very important players.
99
::
John Drennan: Right.
100
::
Bill: Duran and Stewart.
101
::
John Drennan: Right. Suspended for their.
102
::
Bill: earlier misdemeanors.
103
::
John Drennan: Well, Bill, you mentioned the news of Taylor Decker announcing he's coming back, and you're right, my thoughts on that is.
104
::
John Drennan: he must feel like his body can handle it. You know, this'll be his 11th season.
105
::
John Drennan: And, you know, he's talked about wanting to be with family, and not having a destroyed body the rest of his life, and so on, but he must really feel that he's healing, he's ready, he can do it another year, and…
106
::
John Drennan: To me, that's all good news. You know, even a…
107
::
John Drennan: a veteran, Taylor Decker, will be solid at left tackle if he's not dealing with injuries all the time.
108
::
Bill: And he also… he also has to believe they have a chance to win.
109
::
John Drennan: And that, I, you know, these players want to play in Super Bowls, so I'm sure that's a big part of it.
110
::
Bill: you know, I can remember back when Barry Sanders decided to retire, and
111
::
Bill: Essentially, it was… he didn't think they could win.
112
::
John Drennan: Yeah.
113
::
Bill: It wasn't that he lost the ability For sure.
114
::
Bill: He just couldn't… Couldn't take… come back for another year of losing, and so…
115
::
Bill: I'm sure Taylor Decker has no need for the money.
116
::
Bill: I mean, I…
117
::
Bill: Maybe he does, but he just seems like a guy that would have been smart with it.
118
::
Bill: So…
119
::
Bill: being paid as well as he has been for the last 10 years. There's gotta be a different motivation than money for him to come back.
120
::
John Drennan: And Bill, I've wondered if Calvin Johnson, same thing, if he'd have seen a potential Super Bowl, would he have kept playing?
121
::
Bill: You might have.
122
::
Bill: He might have. These guys, they want to win.
123
::
Bill: And… I heard an interview with Tom Brady not too long ago.
124
::
Bill: That he played as long as he did because he was told
125
::
Bill: By somebody, somewhere along the line.
126
::
Bill: Play till the wheels fall off.
127
::
Bill: Because… Once it's over, you can't go back, so…
128
::
Bill: And a lot of these guys
129
::
Bill: They long for the game years after they're done.
130
::
John Drennan: Well, speaking of play as long as you can, and veteran players.
131
::
John Drennan: I just want to bring up a couple of them. Today, I saw that the Atlanta Falcons are releasing Kirk Cousins on the first day of the season. I think it's March 11th, so…
132
::
John Drennan: Everyone in the NFL knows Kirk Cousins will be available. You know, he's a good quarterback.
133
::
John Drennan: He's a starter, and there's so many teams that seem like they have quarterback woes, and they're not gonna solve them in the draft. For example, the Cleveland Browns, every year, have their quarterback issues. The New York Jets…
134
::
John Drennan: The Cardinals… Potentially the Vikings, the Raiders, they'll get their quarterback in the draft.
135
::
John Drennan: And I know I'm leaving out a few.
136
::
John Drennan: The Dolphins, I mean, it sounds like they're still high on Tua, but… I don't know.
137
::
John Drennan: Anyhow…
138
::
Bill: No, I don't… I don't understand that.
139
::
John Drennan: Also, Aaron Rodgers apparently is, gonna be a free agent again.
140
::
John Drennan: I don't know if… You know, some team's gonna…
141
::
John Drennan: maybe… maybe draft a rookie and let him learn for a year behind Rodgers, or…
142
::
John Drennan: You know, his… you're talking about the wheels falling off.
143
::
John Drennan: He's getting there.
144
::
Bill: Yeah. Initially, I had thought that Pittsburgh was interested in bringing him back, but
145
::
Bill: I have to think that if you have a choice between Rogers and Cousins, You're gonna pick Cousins.
146
::
John Drennan: Yeah, if you can get them, and I don't understand the deal with Cousins. He was… his deal was, like, $100 million going to Atlanta.
147
::
John Drennan: And I don't understand how What it means when they let him go.
148
::
John Drennan: Cause I think they gotta keep paying them, but… I don't know.
149
::
Bill: Well, he had guaranteed money, so they gotta pay him the guaranteed money, but…
150
::
Bill: Whatever the rest of the contract is, Oh.
151
::
Bill: They won't have to pay.
152
::
John Drennan: The NFL is the only sports league that you sign a contract.
153
::
Bill: And if they cut you, they don't have to pay you.
154
::
Bill: I mean, basketball, hockey, baseball…
155
::
Bill: You sign a contract for 5 years, they have to pay you for 5 years.
156
::
John Drennan: But, if you've got guaranteed money, they have to pay it, right?
157
::
Bill: They have to pay the guaranteed money, so a lot of times you'll see
158
::
Bill: somebody will sign, let's say, cousins, and I don't know what the stats are, I'm just using this as a for instance.
159
::
Bill: So he signed for 3 years, let's say, for $100 million, and 40 was guaranteed, or 60 was guaranteed.
160
::
Bill: They have to pay him the guaranteed money.
161
::
Bill: But whatever… Was left on the contract not guaranteed, they don't have to pay that.
162
::
John Drennan: So he might then, as a player, decide to go pretty cheap somewhere where he sees a great opportunity for himself.
163
::
Bill: That's right.
164
::
Bill: That's right. So, so, a team that…
165
::
Bill: Picks him up, does not have to pay his… Current contract with, Atlanta.
166
::
John Drennan: Right, they can do a new contract.
167
::
John Drennan: Exactly. So, at that point, he's being paid by two teams.
168
::
Bill: And I don't understand all the cap hit stuff.
169
::
Bill: how that affects Atlanta, but… It's going to…
170
::
Bill: Be onerous for them for at least a year.
171
::
John Drennan: Well, with all the coaching carousel and changes, we're starting to see some housecleaning and some new energy being injected into teams. I'll give you the example. You know, the Miami Dolphins, Tyreek Hill is gone.
172
::
John Drennan: I believe two other of their players that were core players released. I think they're doing that to clear up the cap, but not sure about that, but,
173
::
John Drennan: I've been paying attention to the Ravens, with Jesse Minner coming in, and the direction they want to go, and the Giants, you know, John Harbaugh, and…
174
::
John Drennan: the, Browns, you know, all these teams, new coaches, and…
175
::
John Drennan: looking at, okay, is this a complete rebuild, or are we filling holes? What are we doing?
176
::
John Drennan: Hey, Bill!
177
::
John Drennan: You want to go to Germany next year and watch the Lions?
178
::
Bill: Well, John, I guess I'd rather go to… Detroit and watch the line.
179
::
John Drennan: One thing at a time.
180
::
Bill: Right.
181
::
Bill: I've never been to Ford Field.
182
::
Bill: I've seen it, because I've been to Comerica Park, and it's right next door, so…
183
::
John Drennan: Right.
184
::
John Drennan: Yeah, I walked to it during the draft in Detroit two years ago. There were big draft events going on inside, but you needed a ticket. I just walked over there to sniff it out, see what was going on, but I didn't go in.
185
::
John Drennan: I swore I…
186
::
John Drennan: stocked it a little bit, like, I might try and get in. Like, years ago in Ann Arbor, when
187
::
John Drennan: My friend and I… talked our way into a Ray Charles concert.
188
::
Bill: Well, I've been to, America, I've been to, Little Caesars.
189
::
Bill: I haven't been to Ford Field, but I'd like to.
190
::
John Drennan: Well, and I've never been to Germany, and, you know, I just think it's…
191
::
John Drennan: I think the NFL's been pretty amazing at expanding into international markets.
192
::
John Drennan: At times, I wondered, why are they doing this? I think they're very future-oriented and see a global market for the NFL.
193
::
John Drennan: And, The crowds certainly seem enthused, whether they're in Mexico City, or London, or wherever they are, so…
194
::
John Drennan: I agree with you, I'd love to see a game in Ford Field, but I'm also asking myself, well, what has to happen for me to be there in Munich?
195
::
John Drennan: But, that's not the theme of this show, so… Hey, Bill, the Combine's coming up?
196
::
John Drennan: The free agency's gonna start in Feb… in March, the draft's gonna be in April.
197
::
John Drennan: Teams are really getting into roster building.
198
::
John Drennan: I'm curious, you know, last week, I kind of off the cuff asked.
199
::
John Drennan: What do you think the five position needs are? But let me ask it again and differently. Between the draft, free agency, and trades.
200
::
John Drennan: What do you think our top 7 needs are?
201
::
John Drennan: Because we got 7 and potentially 8 draft picks. We could pick some players up in free agency, so what are the 7 needs we need to fill?
202
::
Bill: Well, John, you're asking me this question.
203
::
Bill: And I know you've thought about it for a while.
204
::
Bill: I didn't know it was coming, so… .
205
::
John Drennan: Want me to go first?
206
::
Bill: I will… I'll give a few. I think a center, is, very high, and edge…
207
::
Bill: And we need, a cornerback.
208
::
Bill: We need a backup quarterback if Allen doesn't… Fit the bill.
209
::
Bill: If Ann Zaloney's leaving, we might need another linebacker.
210
::
Bill: And we'll need a safety if, Kirby Joseph Is unable to play.
211
::
Bill: So that's 6.
212
::
Bill: What do you got?
213
::
John Drennan: You wanna add a seventh?
214
::
Bill: Yeah, I'd say another, offensive lineman, interior.
215
::
John Drennan: So, a guard center?
216
::
Bill: Well, we have… I have center.
217
::
Bill: So, yeah, guard.
218
::
John Drennan: Okay, interior usually means guard center.
219
::
Bill: Yeah, but I had already said center, so…
220
::
John Drennan: Okay.
221
::
John Drennan: So…
222
::
Bill: Oh, I got… I have, 1, 2…
223
::
Bill: 3 on offense and 4 on defense.
224
::
John Drennan: Alright, well, my options are similar. I don't remember exactly the order I said last week, except I know I said center first. I just so think they need to anchor that position, and…
225
::
John Drennan: everything I see that Tyler Lindenbaum from the Ravens, who's considered a top-five center, is gonna be a free agent.
226
::
John Drennan: Ravens want to keep them, but probably won't…
227
::
John Drennan: Match the amount of money he's looking for, which is possibly 22, 23, 24 million, which is very rich for a center.
228
::
John Drennan: I don't think the Lions will spend that amount on a center for the reasons we talked about earlier.
229
::
John Drennan: So then I got thinking, okay, they really need to anchor this, so… Can they trade?
230
::
John Drennan: You know, could they trade their 50th pick?
231
::
John Drennan: And get a really good center.
232
::
John Drennan: That'd be worth it, in my mind.
233
::
John Drennan: Then I thought about, okay, no team's gonna draft a center, In the first… 16 picks. At 17,
234
::
John Drennan: Do they want the very best center there is coming out of college?
235
::
John Drennan: Or can they get that guy at number 50?
236
::
John Drennan: But you're still dealing with a rookie, and that, to me, is a bit concerning.
237
::
John Drennan: Then there's still talk that they're thinking about moving Tate Radledge
238
::
John Drennan: to center. He's played a year, they know his strengths, he's got time.
239
::
John Drennan: He could… if I recall, Frank Ragno didn't come in as a center, and got converted, and ended up being all-world.
240
::
John Drennan: Could that be the case for Ratlage? So, one of those scenarios is gonna play out.
241
::
John Drennan: That's my long-winded comment on my first… First player.
242
::
Bill: I was reading this article today that, The headline is.
243
::
Bill: Lions free agency plans might have just been dealt a big blow.
244
::
Bill: Because the Ravens have offered Lyons top option at center, Tyler Linderbaum, a market-setting contract.
245
::
John Drennan: Huh. Does it give the amount?
246
::
Bill: It doesn't, but it says that,
247
::
Bill: Chief Center, Green Humphrey signed a $72 million deal.
248
::
Bill: With an average annual value of $18 million.
249
::
Bill: So you can believe that Linda Baum is going to hit $20 million a year, and probably $80 million total.
250
::
Bill: Yeah. It says the Lions could theoretically afford that if they were able to do some cap-clearing ideas they're able to do.
251
::
Bill: If they were to do some of the cap clearing ideas.
252
::
Bill: But the reality is they probably won't get the chance, so…
253
::
John Drennan: Yeah, so you got him, and also, I hear John Harbaugh really wants him in New York, and you know, Harbaugh and he have a relationship, that could be a factor, so it could be a bidding war that the Lions aren't gonna wanna play.
254
::
John Drennan: But that still leaves potential other centers available, either in free agency or trades.
255
::
John Drennan: And I've heard a few talked about Carolina, Buffalo, Arizona… Miami…
256
::
Bill: Well, this article mentions, Free agents Cade Mays, or Connor McGovern.
257
::
Bill: And honestly, I don't know where they're coming from.
258
::
Bill: And trade options, like, Alti Froholt, I hope I'm saying that right, or Joe Tippmann.
259
::
Bill: So… And I… and I was listening to,
260
::
Bill: interview with Brian Branch, and he seemed to think that Tate Ratlage could still move to center and be good, so…
261
::
John Drennan: Yup, and you mentioned, a minute ago.
262
::
John Drennan: two names, potential centers, Kate… Cade, rather, is, carolina's Center.
263
::
John Drennan: I'm reading here, it says, the Panthers don't have much available cash to spend in free agency.
264
::
John Drennan: I just want to see what they're saying here real quick.
265
::
John Drennan: So, Cade Mays would be high on the priority list.
266
::
John Drennan: Of a player they want to try and keep.
267
::
John Drennan: Because it looks like he's a free agent, and I'm…
268
::
John Drennan: Hear really good things about him.
269
::
John Drennan: So, back to my choices, by far a center. I'm not gonna stop preaching that, but gotta anchor that in.
270
::
John Drennan: And then, number two, for me as an edge. I don't think Davenport's gonna be back.
271
::
John Drennan: Hasani, or, muhammad might be, but he's more of a third down edge.
272
::
John Drennan: I think they'll get an edge in the draft, but my third, and close to number two, is the safety, and here's why.
273
::
John Drennan: And I know by draft time, they may have a much better idea on Kirby Joseph, but I just think Joseph's questionable. Branch, I don't think, will be ready at the start of the year. It may be November before he's the player he can be.
274
::
John Drennan: And I just think, A, the need they may have for a strong starting safety or a backup is huge.
275
::
John Drennan: And safeties tend to not go high in drafts. You can tend to get, safeties, linebackers, running backs, all… and guards, interior line, all in the later rounds.
276
::
John Drennan: But there's a couple stud safeties I'm learning about, and honestly, Bill, if they took one with their 17th pick, it wouldn't bother me at all.
277
::
Bill: Who are they?
278
::
John Drennan: One's out of Toledo.
279
::
John Drennan: You know, that's the program that put Quinton Mitchell with the Eagles 2 years ago, and that guy's like a pro bowler.
280
::
John Drennan: And the other one is,
281
::
John Drennan: I forget where he's out of.
282
::
Bill: Do you remember their names?
283
::
John Drennan: Nope.
284
::
John Drennan: Nope.
285
::
Bill: Right.
286
::
John Drennan: Okay, so…
287
::
John Drennan: Center, edge, safety, then I think tackle. Even though, Decker's coming back, we've seen how injured he's been the last couple years, and how difficult it was for the Lions if he or Sewell went out. Sewell did go out a few times during the season.
288
::
John Drennan: And, you know, Dan Skipper was typically the guy to fill in, but he's now on the coaching staff.
289
::
John Drennan: We don't know that Giovanni Manu is gonna, you know, make the grade.
290
::
John Drennan: So I think they need to really shore up their depth at tackle.
291
::
John Drennan: Next, I've got cornerback.
292
::
John Drennan: You know, our hope is that Terryon Arnold comes back healthy and has a great year. Our hope is that Ennis Rickstraw
293
::
John Drennan: is able to play this year. Our hope is they keep Amik Robertson, but all those are question marks. I think they need a safe cornerback, and I could see them drafting one in the fourth, fifth, or sixth rounds.
294
::
John Drennan: My last, two… A tight end?
295
::
John Drennan: You know, we'll have Laporta back, we should have Brock Wright back, but I think with the new offensive coordinator.
296
::
John Drennan: a third tight end, and you can get one in the late rounds that could be a stud. In fact, I heard one expert talking about the tight end for Stanford, who's a great blocker. That's what he's known for.
297
::
John Drennan: And I think in the Petzing offense, that could be huge, to have 3 tight ends.
298
::
John Drennan: And they can all block.
299
::
John Drennan: And then lastly would be a linebacker, for the reasons you said.
300
::
John Drennan: I feel like every week we can get a little smarter on all of this, as news comes out on…
301
::
John Drennan: Everything.
302
::
Bill: Well, one of these, draft experts, and I use that word lightly, thinks that Caleb Downs
303
::
Bill: Is the 5th best player In the draft. He's a safety out of Ohio State.
304
::
John Drennan: Right, right, right.
305
::
Bill: but… the first safety drafted last year was pretty low in the draft. I mean, went, like.
306
::
Bill: In the 20s, or something.
307
::
John Drennan: And Brian Branch went in the second round.
308
::
Bill: Right, so it's possible… If Caleb Downs has not been chosen by 17, the Lions could go with him.
309
::
John Drennan: And I think they would, if he was available, frankly.
310
::
Bill: Yeah, the… we talked last week about the…
311
::
Bill: about draft strategy, and I mentioned Bill Walsh, the famous,
312
::
Bill: offensive genius that was coach for the 49ers when they were so good with Montana and Rice and…
313
::
Bill: Of course, They might have been so good because they had Montana and rice.
314
::
Bill: But, his philosophy was you pick the best player available when it's your turn.
315
::
Bill: Or you trade down.
316
::
John Drennan: Great.
317
::
Bill: So you don't reach, in other words.
318
::
Bill: And I'd be fine with them picking downs.
319
::
Bill: The guy you were thinking of from Toledo is Emmanuel McNeil Warren?
320
::
John Drennan: Yep, that's him.
321
::
Bill: There's another guy, Dylan… Atheneman out of Oregon.
322
::
Bill: It's highly…
323
::
Bill: thought of.
324
::
John Drennan: Yep, those are all three names, and in fact, on a lot of the draft boards, I see Downs and Warren both going in the first round, which, as you just stated, that's… that'd be unusual for safeties.
325
::
Bill: Yeah, it seems like, certain positions
326
::
Bill: Come and go in terms of importance?
327
::
Bill: You know, when we first started watching football, and maybe even 15, 20 years ago.
328
::
Bill: It wasn't unusual for running backs to go In… in the top 10.
329
::
Bill: Sometimes, number one.
330
::
Bill: Now they're just not as highly valued.
331
::
John Drennan: Not at all.
332
::
Bill: I think it has something to do with the fact that running backs
333
::
Bill: Seemed to be, more than any other position on offense, prone to injury.
334
::
John Drennan: That, and you know, the other thing, Bill, I heard this recently, got me thinking, if you got a really good offensive line.
335
::
John Drennan: 7th round running back draft picks can gain yards.
336
::
John Drennan: I mean, they're not Jameer Gibbs, they're not Barkley.
337
::
John Drennan: But…
338
::
John Drennan: they're guys that… I'm oftentimes amazed watching NFL games and seeing running backs, where it's like, oh my god, did you see that run?
339
::
John Drennan: And it's a no-name guy.
340
::
Bill: Yeah, and I think we need to remember that anybody on any NFL team is in the top 100%.
341
::
Bill: of athletes.
342
::
John Drennan: Right.
343
::
Bill: Especially running backs. So, just because you're drafted in the later rounds, Doesn't mean you're not uber-talented.
344
::
John Drennan: That's right.
345
::
John Drennan: And speaking of running backs, so I was looking at the top, there's different lists of the top 100 free agents. One of the top ones is Kenneth Walker.
346
::
John Drennan: From, Seattle. He's a free agent.
347
::
John Drennan: one that's getting a lot of attention is Malik Willis. One guy had him listed as his number one free agent, and I think that's nuts talking there. Nuts talk, but…
348
::
John Drennan: It's because a lot of teams want quarterback help.
349
::
John Drennan: But some of the bigger names are Travion, Not Travion. Trey Henderson?
350
::
John Drennan: The Edge from Cincinnati.
351
::
Bill: Yeah.
352
::
John Drennan: And, you know, the Lions might make a play for him. I think he's, like, 31, and…
353
::
John Drennan: not gonna get the huge contract, but they may say, let's bring him in for a year opposite Hutch, and that would do some damage.
354
::
John Drennan: against offenses. The wide receiver picker, from Cowboys, What's his name?
355
::
John Drennan: pickard?
356
::
Bill: Yeah.
357
::
John Drennan: Pritchard?
358
::
Bill: Pickens.
359
::
John Drennan: Pickens, thank you.
360
::
John Drennan: You know, I think he's a great talent, but maybe a head case, so no way the Lions… they're not gonna be looking at a receiver anyhow.
361
::
Bill: Guys, I was watching this,
362
::
Bill: I don't know if they show them here, but as we've mentioned before, I live in Canada, and there's a
363
::
Bill: The sports station is called TSN.
364
::
Bill: And…
365
::
Bill: you know, right now, over the last couple of days, there hasn't been Olympics, there hasn't been hockey, there hasn't…
366
::
Bill: Been much in the way of sports, and so they show these, You know, top…
367
::
Bill: Top 10 goals so far this year in hockey, the top 10
368
::
Bill: Well, they were showing, top 10 catches in the NFL last year.
369
::
Bill: And Tesla was two of them.
370
::
John Drennan: Oh, yeah.
371
::
John Drennan: Yeah, he was a highlight reel at the beginning there.
372
::
Bill: Yeah, he… he… I don't know how many he caught.
373
::
Bill: Couldn't have been much more than 20, if that.
374
::
Bill: But 2 of them made the top 10 Catches for the season.
375
::
John Drennan: Well, they were both the one-handed ones?
376
::
Bill: Right.
377
::
John Drennan: Yeah, first game against Green Bay, and then the next game, I think, was along the sideline.
378
::
Bill: Right.
379
::
John Drennan: Speaking of receivers, Bill, last year, we were both having a little trouble thinking who was the receiver the, Rams picked up the year they won the Super Bowl when Cooper Cupp was the MVP of the
380
::
John Drennan: of the league, I believe.
381
::
Bill: No, Super Bowl.
382
::
John Drennan: Of the Super Bowl, okay. It was Odell Beckham Jr.
383
::
Bill: Oh, that's right, he played the first half and he got hurt.
384
::
John Drennan: Right. But he definitely contributed to their run.
385
::
Bill: Absolutely.
386
::
John Drennan: All right, well, what we have coming up, folks, this one… next week, the Combine, I believe, will have been over. That helps define players, and I think a big part of that, Bill, is the interviews that they have, because these guys are trying to learn a lot by how these
387
::
John Drennan: Players present themselves and answer questions.
388
::
Bill: Yeah, it's… somebody called it the skills competition.
389
::
Bill: But, and then they, they all have to take the Wonderlick test.
390
::
John Drennan: That's drug test.
391
::
Bill: No, that's a… answering questions, and then they get scored on it. It's basically…
392
::
Bill: I don't know if it's an intelligent test, or a knowledge test, or what it is, but…
393
::
John Drennan: It's called the Wonderlick.
394
::
John Drennan: I've never heard of it.
395
::
Bill: I remember it right here, let me look it up real quick.
396
::
Bill: Yeah, I think it's.
397
::
John Drennan: Hey, while you're looking that up, I was listening to some Detroit podcasters I like, and they were talking about one player.
398
::
John Drennan: that is 6'7", or 360. He's a tackle for Alabama.
399
::
John Drennan: That could be the Lions' first pick.
400
::
John Drennan: But they were saying in regard to the Combine, we don't need his score twice.
401
::
John Drennan: So if he does great at the Combine, he's big, he's strong, he's fast, he can jump, we already know that, so…
402
::
John Drennan: I thought that was clever.
403
::
Bill: So, the Wonderlic test is, something of an IQ test.
404
::
Bill: They don't take that, but say that, but
405
::
Bill: Pat McNally, a former punter for the Bengals, is the only player to have ever gotten a perfect score at 50.
406
::
John Drennan: So, yeah, that's the kind of thing, and I was listening, Bill, they have two different sets of interviews. One.
407
::
John Drennan: is they have runners. So, in Indianapolis, which is a great place to host something like the Combine.
408
::
John Drennan: At the primary hotel, they've got all these rooms, or a big room, and the teams are represented, like, with tables, and they got runners that go look to find players that you can meet with for, like, 4 or 5 minutes.
409
::
John Drennan: But then they have preset meetings with players they really want to be able to spend some time with.
410
::
Bill: I have never heard of that one.
411
::
John Drennan: No, I hadn't either.
412
::
Bill: That's like speed dating.
413
::
John Drennan: That's what I thought of.
414
::
John Drennan: I've been to different events that…
415
::
John Drennan: In business and stuff, where you got all the different tables, except you didn't necessarily have runners going to find certain people, but…
416
::
Bill: So if you look this Wonderlick test up, you can actually take it.
417
::
Bill: The average quarterback score is 26.
418
::
John Drennan: Huh.
419
::
Bill: Most teams won at least a 21.
420
::
Bill: For a quarterback.
421
::
Bill: Average score… For offensive tackles is 26.
422
::
John Drennan: Does it say, is it a football-based question, or…
423
::
Bill: I, it says…
424
::
Bill: Vince Young, remember him, he got a 6.
425
::
John Drennan: Okay.
426
::
Bill: That did not bode well.
427
::
John Drennan: No, he still got drafted high.
428
::
Bill: I just wonder, you know, what are they looking for there? Because if it's kind of like a general IQ test.
429
::
John Drennan: You know, those have their limitations, and… They differ from football knowledge, Is…
430
::
Bill: I don't know. The lowest average score by position is running back.
431
::
Bill: It's 16.
432
::
Bill: Maybe I'll take the test this week, and I'll report back next week.
433
::
John Drennan: Well, and based on how you do, maybe you should show up at the combine.
434
::
John Drennan: All right, well, I think we've, run its course today. We'll be back next week with, you know, information from the Combine, and just more… by the way, I've mentioned in the past, Bill, the Detroit Lions app, and on there, the… both Brad Holmes and
435
::
John Drennan: Dan Campbell did interviews, and so those are there, or you can go to YouTube and find them if you want to hear the latest from those two guys, so…
436
::
John Drennan: With that, It's been fun, we appreciate our listeners here on the Secondhand Lions.
437
::
John Drennan: podcast, and our website's SHL… the SHL.
438
::
John Drennan: Podcast.com.
439
::
Bill: That's right. It's good to be with you again, John. Look forward to next week, and
