top of page
Search
Writer's pictureMark Hogan

Time for Lions to give Darius Slay help in defensive backs

Prior to this month's draft, 1SBD's Mark Hogan takes an in-depth look into each team's current projected starters and identifies strengths and lingering team needs after the first waves of free agency.


Player stats collected from Pro Football Reference. Salary information per Over The Cap.


TAKEAWAYS


PROS


- Detroit's defense ranked Top 10 in pass and rush yardage last year thanks largely to its front seven. While the team could certainly add a linebacker or defensive lineman with the 8th overall pick, their relative health at those two positions and quarterback means the team doesn't need to get caught up in the high-stake sweepstakes of the Top 10 picks. Dan Quinn's team could get a haul of picks to move back and try on a number of talents later in the draft, or take the top player available from any other position group.


CONS


- Detroit added a strong pass-catching tight end - Jesse James - in free agency but still lacks a wide receiver who will fill the hole left by Golden Tate. The current crop - Kenny Golloday, Marvin Jones and newly-signed Danny Amendola - are a good group that lacks elite talent. The Lions need to spend on the position; potentially as early as this Friday /Day 2 of the draft.


- The Lions finally moved on from cornerback Nevin Lawson and look like they have a viable starter at the position with the recently-signed Justin Coleman. (We wrote about the Lions biggest struggles in February and addressing cornerback was one of them.) With so many elite quarterbacks in the division however, the Lions would be wise to add another cornerback in the draft. The problem becomes the perceived lack-of-depth at the position, and whether Detroit will get one in the first round or take a shot on someone later in the draft. Either way, Darius Slay has had to do all the work for too long.


Projected Starters


NOTE:


NAME, Draft Round.Overall Pick (TEAM, year). Starts/Games Played. Age. Cap Hit 2019


QB has an additional 'total yards, number of attempts (yards per attempt)' figure.

RB, WR and TE have an additional ‘total yards / number of touches (yards per touch)’ statistic

Age as of Sunday September 8, 2019 (Week 1)


QUARTERBACK

MATTHEW STAFFORD, 1.01 (DET, 2009). 141/141. 38,526 yards/ 5,405 attempts. (7.1 y/a). 31-years-old. $29,500,000


RUNNING BACK

KERRYON JOHNSON, 2.43 (DET, 2018). 7/10. 854 yards/ 150 touches (5.7). 22-years-old. $1,478,113


WIDE RECEIVER

KENNY GOLLADAY, 3.96 (DET, 2017). 18/26. 1,557 yards/ 100 touches (15.6). 25-years-old. $855,706

MARVIN JONES, 5.166 (CIN, 2012). 61/83. 4,416 yards/ 302 touches (14.6). 29-years-old. $9,195,882

DANNY AMENDOLA, undrafted (DAL, 2008). 61/126. 4,781 yards/ 501 touches (9.5). 33-years-old. $4,484,375

Average: 173rd overall pick. 140 starts/ 235 games played (59.8%). 10,754 yards/ 903 touches (11.9). 29-years-old. Total cap hit: $14.5M


TIGHT END

JESSE JAMES, 5.160 (PIT, 2015). 36/56. 1,189 yards/ 120 touches (9.9). 25-years-old. $2,284,000


OFFENSIVE LINE

TAYLOR DECKER, 1.16 (DET, 2016). 40/40. 26-years-old. $3,489,493

FRANK RAGNOW, 1.20 (DET, 2018). 16/16. 23-years-old. $2,677,304

GRAHAM GLASGOW, 3.95 (DET, 2016). 43/47. 27-years-old. $2,186,355

KENNY WIGGINS, undrafted (BAL, 2011). 35/61. 31-years-old. $3,125,000

RICKY WAGNER, 5.168 (BAL, 2013). 75/90. 29-years-old. $11,900,000

Average: 111th overall pick. 209 starts/ 254 games played (82.3%). 27.2-years-old. Total cap hit: $23.4M


DEFENSIVE LINE

ROMEO OKWARA, undrafted (NYG, 2016). 18/37. 24-years-old. $1,788,853

A'SHAWN ROBINSON, 2.46 (DET, 2016). 28/45. 24-years-old. $1,665,249

DAMON HARRISON, undrafted (NYJ, 2012). 95/102. 30-years-old. $7,000,000

TREY FLOWERS, 4.101 (NE, 2015). 37/46. 26-years-old. $6,419,000

Average: 165th overall pick. 178 starts/ 230 games played (77.4%). 26-years-old. Total cap hit: $16.9M


LINEBACKERS

DEVON KENNARD, 5.174 (NYG, 2014). 50/67. 28-years-old. $5,951,563

JARRAD DAVIS, 1.21 (DET, 2017). 30/30. 23-years-old. $2,991,660

CHRISTIAN JONES, undrafted (CHI, 2014). 47/79. 28-years-old. $4,175,000

Average: 150th overall pick. 127 starts/ 176 games played (72.2%). 26.3-years-old. Total cap hit: $13.1M


CORNERBACK

DARIUS SLAY, 2.36 (DET, 2013). 80/89. 28-years-old. $15,934,375

JUSTIN COLEMAN, undrafted (MIN, 2015). 13/52. 26-years-old. $2,884,000

Average: 146th overall pick. 93 starts/ 141 games played (66.0%). 27-years-old. Total cap hit: $18.8M


SAFETY

QUANDRE DIGGS, 6.200 (DET, 2015). 35/60. 26-years-old. $5,982,000

TAVON WILSON, 2.48 (NE, 2012). 30/94. 29-years-old. $2,065,625

Average: 124th overall pick. 65 starts/ 154 games played (42.2%). 27.5-years-old. Total cap hit: $8.0M

Kommentare


bottom of page