NFL insider shuts down one rumored draft scenario for the Detroit Lions
There's been a lot of optimism surrounding the Detroit Lions this offseason. After finishing 9-8 and narrowly missing the playoffs in Dan Campbell's second season as the franchise's head coach, the feeling has been that Detroit is a serious threat to win the NFC North in 2023. Unfortunately for the Lions, the good vibes surrounding […]
There's been a lot of optimism surrounding the Detroit Lions this offseason.
After finishing 9-8 and narrowly missing the playoffs in Dan Campbell's second season as the franchise's head coach, the feeling has been that Detroit is a serious threat to win the NFC North in 2023.
Unfortunately for the Lions, the good vibes surrounding the team were interrupted last week with the news that several Detroit players, including 2022 first-round draft pick Jameson Williams, have been suspended by the NFL for violating the league's gambling policy.
Williams, along with Lions wide receiver Stanley Berryhill, were each suspended six games for betting on college football games while at the team facility. Two other Detriot players, wide receiver Quintez Cephus and safety C.J. Moore, were each suspended a year. They were subsequently released by the Lions.
The news about Williams, who played in just six games last season after returning from the torn ACL he suffered at Alabama, has led to some rumblings that Detroit could take a wide receiver with the No. 18 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Longtime NFL insider Peter King, however, said on Monday that fans shouldn't buy into those rumblings. King reported that Detroit doesn't plan to alter their first-round draft plans because of the Williams suspension.
From NBC Sports: Storyline I would urge you NOT to buy: With the gambling suspension of Jameson Williams, look for the Lions to consider seriously a dive into the receiver market here. Nope. Once the Lions found out the ban would be for six weeks, they figured they wouldn’t upset their draft plans and take a wideout early. After jettisoning Jeff Okudah to Atlanta pre-draft, the rising Banks is a strong candidate here.
The Banks that King is referring to is Maryland cornerback Deonte Banks. King thinks that could be the Lions' pick in the first round.
There's a lot of misinformation put out there by NFL teams ahead of the draft. So it's always possible that Detroit is floating this information out there to throw other teams off. But I'd bet King is correct. It wouldn't be wise for the Lions to take a wide receiver in the first round just because Williams will miss the first six games of the season.
