Detroit Lions mailbag: Can Mathieu Betts be a big part of the team and would the Lions make a trade for an edge rusher at the deadline?
Welcome back to another Detroit Lions mailbag here at A to Z Detroit. We've got a lot of good questions today, so let's jump right into it. It's not easy to make the switch from the CFL to the NFL. The competition is so much stronger in the NFL. Betts has already tried to make it […]
Welcome back to another Detroit Lions mailbag here at A to Z Detroit. We've got a lot of good questions today, so let's jump right into it.
It's not easy to make the switch from the CFL to the NFL. The competition is so much stronger in the NFL. Betts has already tried to make it in the league once with the Bears in 2019 and it didn't work out.
That was a different player though. Betts has changed his body and his athleticism and he became a force in the CFL. He has a shot to make the Lions roster and be a part of the rotation.
I would temper expectations that he could be big part of that rotation though. It's certainly possible, but the likelihood is that he's a guy that helps out and isn't someone that can start. We'll see.
The big thing with is that he's so behind where everyone else is from his draft class. He's missed so much time. The other thing is that he was healthy all year last year and the Lions removed him for their rotation during the season and made him a healthy scratch a few times. It just wasn't working out.
Maybe he comes into camp this year and blows everyone away, but he most likely finds himself on the practice squad to start the 2024 season. That doesn't mean they're done with him, it just means he needs to show he can still grow.
What an overhaul right? It's nearly a completely different room with only a could guys coming back. Here's what things look like so far.
Cornerbacks
- Carlton Davis
- Terrion Arnold
- Ennis Rakestraw
- Amik Robertson
- Steven Gilmore
- Emmanuel Moseley
Safeties
- Brian Branch
- Kerby Joseph
- Ifeatu Melifonwu
- C.J. Moore
- Loren Strickland
At least that's the way I see it so far. We'll see how things change during OTAs and minicamp.
They will not. Teams are awarded compensatory picks if another team hires away a minority candidate for a high front office role. The rule was developed to help promote diversity in front office and head coaching roles.
I've really gone back and forth on this one with a few different players. Right now it feels like safety Loren Strickland has the best chance to make it. The big reason is that he plays with such violence out there and Dan Campbell and Aaron Glenn praise that type of play a lot. The other reason being that the Lions safety group is pretty undefined at the moment.
I think the Lions will continue to stay away from the big expiring deals at the trade deadline. It's kind of a trap at this point. With the exception of Montez Sweat, none of the big players that got traded at the deadline last year are with the teams that traded for them. They just didn't work out.
They're also probably going to get burnt on the compensatory pick side of things. For example, the 49ers traded a third-round pick for Chase Young last season and didn't re-sign him. They were slated to get a fifth-round compensatory pick for him before they signed Leonard Floyd and wiped that out. Now they get nothing.
It's just not worth it for the rental and it's not worth it to then have to potentially pay that player to stay if it works out. Especially when the Lions have a formula that works right now. There will come a time when they spend that money, it's just not going to be soon.
At this point it seems like Alim McNeill is due up next for an extension. He's a much younger player than Decker and the Lions are looking to hold on to those younger players. Decker will probably get a new deal with the Lions at some point, but it's probably not as high priority as McNeil's new deal is.
A jacket. It's probably going to be cold outside that day. It's February in Michigan. Bundle up.
I've only seen him tear five in half in one sitting. He did not get emotional afterwards, but if he did, he'd probably fashion one of those logs into many pieces of tissue to wipe his tears.
Mehki Wingo is one to watch for sure. He has some real pass rushing juice and the Lions will likely look to use him early and often and part of their rotation. He was such a steal for this team in the sixth-round.
ESPN analyst thinks the Lions should give a chance to controversial receiver
The Detroit Lions need receiver help. It's just a fact at this point. The team has some depth issues outside of Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. ESPN analyst, and DVOA creator, Aaron Schatz agrees with that sentiment. That's why he suggested in his latest article that the Lions sign former Saints receiver Michael Thomas. […]
