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Detroit Lions
Posted: Sun April 19, 1998 at 9:53 p.m.
* compensatory pick
QB - Scott Mitchell will return for another stint as this teams starter. Time is definitely running out on Mitchell, and this may be his last year in Detroit if he can't at least make them look like a possible contender. Mitchell has dec. tools, but he looked real jittery last season. He loses his mechanics under pressure... ie. side arming the ball, throwing off his back foot. He looked like a guy that didn't want to take a hit late in the season. There isn't much help in sight... Frank Reich is strictly a #2, and FA Jim Miller was added as a #3. If the team feels Miller can handle the #2 spot, they may add a QB in the draft. They need to start developing a young QB if Mitchell isn't the answer.
RB - Not an area of concern in the draft. With Barry Sanders, depth is never a real concern. Sanders has done a good job of staying healthy throughout his career, and looks ready for another run at a 2,000 yd. season. Backups Ron Rivers and Terry Battle will see spot duty. Battle is the intriguing guy here. Sanders will eventually retire, and they need to start grooming a young guy. He was hurt for much of last season, so he will be a guy to watch in the preseason.
WR - By re-signing WR Johnnie Morton, they still have a solid 1-2 punch with Herman Moore. The biggest area of concern is at the #3 spot. Tommy Boyd filled that role last season, and was somewhat inconsistent. #4 WR Kez McCorvey has not developed in his 3 seasons, and it may be time to find another young guy in the draft. Glyn Milburn is strictly a RS, and will have little impact on this unit. With QB Scott Mitchell's erraticness, they need to get him as many targets on the field as possible. Look for them to add a WR in the upcoming draft.
TE - Surprisingly the TE has not been a very big part of the offense. Bobby Ross coached teams are known for using the TE on a regular basis. The biggest problem is they don't have a reliable guy right now. David Sloan may become that guy in 1998. He wasn't fully recovered from his knee injury in 1997, and suffered through a mediocre season. Backups Pete Chryplewica and Eric Stocz are not very athletic, so they could add a young athlete to this group in the upcoming draft.
OL - Solid unit took a big hit with the loss of FA OC Kevin Glover to Seattle. Glover was aging, but he has been a mainstay on their OL for some time, and his leadership will be greatly missed. With a shortage of quality FA OC's, the Lions have picked up FA OG Jim Pyne from Tampa Bay. Pyne is a short/squatty OG who is fairly solid in a limited area. Pyne will likely be tried at the OC spot. The Lions could also draft an OC somewhere in the draft. RT is the other area of concern. Chris Harrison, Larry Tharpe, and rookie Juan Roque are all adq. backups at best. Roque looked slow when he got his chance last season. With a left handed QB in Mitchell, it is very important they find a quality RT to protect his blindside.
DL - An already solid front got better with the addition of FA DT Dan Owens from Atlanta. Owens had 9 sacks last season with the Falcons. He and Luther Elliss will be a relentless pass rush dou on the inside. The only problem may be at RDE, where the lack of consistency has been a problem. DE's Tracy Scroggins and Kerwin Waldroup are too up and down. They also may look to add a run stuffing DT. Owens and Elliss have good inside quicks, but neither is a real dominant force vs. the run.
LB - The biggest loss was Reggie Brown who will be missed as a person and a player. They alos released OLB Antonio London, leaving big holes to fill on the outside. MLB Allen Aldridge was signed away from Denver, and will likely plug a hole at SLB. Aldridge is very versatile, and should be able to cover the TE coming off the LOS. Look for them to grab an athletic OLB early in the draft to plug in at WLB. Even with Aldridge, Stephen Boyd (MLB), and an early rd. selection, depth will be a major concern.
DB - Have two of the better up and coming DC's in the NFL in Bryant Westbrook and Kevin Abrams. Both started and contributed last season. The only weakness at DC is their lack of a quality #3... especially if Corey Raymond doesn't return, or FA Robert Bailey isn't re-signed. They are set at DS with Ron Rice (SS) and Mark Carrier (FS). Rice really stepped up last season, after being primarily at ST standout early in his career. Look for them to grab another young DC in the draft.
ST - The return game could be better. RS Glyn Milburn doesn't fill a role as a position player, and only has to concentrate on returning kicks and punts... his production should be much better. PT John Jett and PK Jason Hanson are solid. Hanson is coming off a Pro Bowl season in 1997.
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