Seattle cut Carlos Dunlap, it begins

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A new broom always sweeps clean.

BUCS to tag WR Chris Godwin

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20...is-godwin/

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Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

Looks like the Lions won't tag Kenny Golladay. He would be a great addition and Bevell coached him so it wouldn't surprise me if he is one of the Jaguars first targets. He and Hunter Henry or Jonnu Smith would complete the receiving corps and give Trevor a lot of options.

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We have to get Marcus Williams or Johnson III.

They look like the best 2 options now so I expect one to sign with the Jaguars very early in free agency. With Cam being franchised, I'd be happy with a free agent group of:

1. Johnson III. or Marcus Williams

2. Kenny Galladay

3. Hunter Henry or Jonnu Smith

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We have to get Marcus Williams or Johnson III.

They look like the best 2 options now so I expect one to sign with the Jaguars very early in free agency. With Cam being franchised, I'd be happy with a free agent group of:

1. Johnson III. or Marcus Williams

2. Kenny Galladay

3. Hunter Henry or Jonnu Smith

Keanu Neal as well and then we could go and draft one of the players in the draft Moehrig.

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https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/...55360?s=19

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Bucs tagging Godwin is good news, breaking the bank for Barrett wouldn't be a bad idea.

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Bears tag WR Allen Robinson.

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Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

The Vikings came to mind as a team that probably will have plenty of interest in signing Carlos Dunlap. Much like with Dunlap having a connection to Urban Meyer, the Bengals DC under Marvin Lewis in Dunlap's first 4 seasons with Cincinnati was Mike Zimmer. In Zimmer's 7 combined seasons as Vikings HC, Rick Spielman has brought a number of former Bengals Defensive Players to Minnesota. Even if the Vikings decide not to trade Danielle Hunter, they have a need for a starting caliber DE.

What do you think your Lions will do in the draft?

I would think WR and LB would be priorities, though the more I think about it, this would be the best year to take a QB in round one.  One of the top 5 guys will be there.

With the multiple reports that the Lions won't be using the Franchise Tag on Kenny Golladay, I agree that WR and LB are at the top of the list of priorities. DE, DT, and S are also positions the Lions need at least one starter.  Depth at every position needs to be addressed as part of the long building process ahead for GM Brad Holmes and HC Dan Campbell.  Right now, the Lions look like the favorites over the Eagles and Bengals to get pick # 1 in the 2022 Draft. 

If the Lions keep pick # 7, WR is probably the most likely position Holmes will address.  I'm certainly not ruling out QB.  My gut feeling though is the COVID-19 parameters of the 2020 College Football season and the 2021 pre-Draft period led to Holmes concluding that this isn't the year to draft a QB in the 1st Round.  

Two reasons why I believe the Lions chose the LA Rams trade package for Matthew Stafford over the Carolina Panthers trade package ( which reportedly included pick # 8 ) are:

1.  Jared Goff being included in the trade. Holmes headed the Rams College Scouting Dep't. before becoming Lions GM. ( Even dating back to when they were still in St .Louis.). Holmes' opinion of Goff still seems high. 
 
2.  The uncertainties associated with the 2021 Draft Crop because of the COVID-19 parameters.

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What do you think your Lions will do in the draft?

I would think WR and LB would be priorities, though the more I think about it, this would be the best year to take a QB in round one.  One of the top 5 guys will be there.

I know you were asking this of D6, but I also think it's intriguing that if you are confident in Goff (stop laughing) at least in the short term, this is a great year not to be forced into taking one of the QBs in the first. Trading back to a more desperate team may net some extra early picks this year or next and still afford you some very talented players to build a solid team.

Mikey, though I'm intrigued by QB Trey Lance, what you mentioned will probably end up being my preferred strategy.  Now that the Lions reportedly won't use the Franchise Tag on Kenny Golladay, the challenge for Brad Holmes to execute this trade down strategy is convincing teams interested in a specific QB that the position is still in play by the Lions with pick # 7. Holmes praised the 2021 QB draft class at his press conference last week.  That is just the beginning of the sales job that Holmes, Dan Campbell,  OC Anthony Lynn, and maybe even QB Coach Mark Brunell, have ahead.

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I would like to have Carlos Dunlap for a season. I’m not a Hunter Henry fan.

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Damn. The Saints have tagged Marcus Williams...this one stings.

Hopefully we throw good money at Josh Johnson at this point.

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Looks like the Lions won't tag Kenny Golladay. He would be a great addition and Bevell coached him so it wouldn't surprise me if he is one of the Jaguars first targets. He and Hunter Henry or Jonnu Smith would complete the receiving corps and give Trevor a lot of options.

If Darrell Bevell's public comments back in December reflect his behind the scenes opinion of Kenny Golladay, the Jaguars probably will have serious interest in signing Golladay:

Darrell Bevell Thinks Kenny Golladay Not Making Business Decision - Sports Illustrated Detroit Lions News, Analysis and More

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Damn. The Saints have tagged Marcus Williams...this one stings.

Hopefully we throw good money at Josh Johnson at this point.

Neal is available too

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Damn. The Saints have tagged Marcus Williams...this one stings.

Hopefully we throw good money at Josh Johnson at this point.

Including the Marcus Williams Franchise Tag: 

Even with the near $13.5 million salary cap savings with the restructuring of the contracts of Cameron Jordan and Demario Davis,  the Saints are still around $56 million over the salary cap.  The tagging of Williams is certainly a reflection of the high risk style of Sean Payton.

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Damn. The Saints have tagged Marcus Williams...this one stings.

Hopefully we throw good money at Josh Johnson at this point.

Yea, John Johnson needs to be a target on day 1. He should be making more money now that Simmons, Williams and Maye have been franchised. If he demands too much, however, I could see Urban calling Malik Hooker due to their prior relationship. No doubt Hooker is risky since he gets hurt so much, but it wouldn't shock me if this happens. I hope the Jags also draft a safety; it is a pretty deep class with guys like Grant, Ford, Holland and Molden likely available in round.

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Damn. The Saints have tagged Marcus Williams...this one stings.

Hopefully we throw good money at Josh Johnson at this point.

How can they afford to tag him? They are still $49 million over the cap. Maybe this will lead to them cutting one of their starting OT's. 

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I would take Neal on a 3 year deal.

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I know you were asking this of D6, but I also think it's intriguing that if you are confident in Goff (stop laughing) at least in the short term, this is a great year not to be forced into taking one of the QBs in the first. Trading back to a more desperate team may net some extra early picks this year or next and still afford you some very talented players to build a solid team.

Mikey, though I'm intrigued by QB Trey Lance, what you mentioned will probably end up being my preferred  strategy.  Now that the Lions reportedly won't use the Franchise Tag on Kenny Golladay, the challenge for Brad Holmes to execute this trade down strategy is convincing teams interested in a specific QB that the position is still in play by the Lions with pick # 7. Holmes praised the 2021 QB draft class at his press conference last week.  That is just the beginning of the sales job that Holmes, Dan Campbell,  OC Anthony Lynn, and maybe even QB Coach Mark Brunell, have ahead.

Best thing for them would be Carolina standing pat at 8 (and not landing Watson). Having a QB hungry team immediately following you is perfect placement for teams in the teens to jump ahead and get the guy they covet. If Carolina makes a trade with ATL, MIA or HOU, Holmes is going to have to be quite a convincing salesman.

I love this time of year!

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I think we're gonna hear some surprising names being cut in the coming days, especially in New Orleans. They have restructured the contracts of a ton of players and yet they are still $49 million over the cap. Now, they've franchised Marcus Williams. That even makes it worse. I'm praying they release one of their OT's. It may be a long shot, but $49 million is a lot of money and they've already re-structured most of the contracts that they could. Anything is possible at this point.

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Damn. The Saints have tagged Marcus Williams...this one stings.

Hopefully we throw good money at Josh Johnson at this point.

Including the Marcus Williams Franchise Tag: 

Even with the near $13.5 million salary cap savings with the restructuring of the contracts of Cameron Jordan and Demario Davis,  the Saints are still around $56 million over the salary cap.  The tagging of Williams is certainly a reflection of the high risk style of Sean Payton.

not nececessarily asking this of you in particular, D6. Just keeping the relevant detail in the conversation

...they have until March 17 to get under the cap. If Williams signs right away, they would be able to trade him, and the trading team takes on the whole deal, correct? I wonder if that is their mindset, or if trading some of their bigger cap responsibilities is part of this strategy?

If he hasn't signed the tender by 3/17, I don't recall if they have to keep funds in reserve to account for it, or start moving things when the tender is signed. When they finally shut this window, they are gonna end up looking like a pop warner team out there.

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