Winslow, Udeze, Jackson and the Lions
NFL Draft Mailbag
March 28, 2004
Lou Pickney, DraftKing.com
Reader feedback is always welcomed here at DraftKing.com. Send your thoughts to me at LouPickney@gmail.com.
From: Chris Pennington
Sent: Sunday, March 28, 2004 2:20 AM
To: Lou Pickney
Subject: Udeze to Detroit
With the signing of Brock Marion which you already mentioned. Taylor seems like less of a possibility but do you really think the Lions would take Winslow. He seems to be another TO type personality that Mooch might not want on his team. I would have them leaning toward Udeze. Porcher is now on a one year contract Edwards hasn't been healthy and they need the D-Line help before they need a TE with a mouth. I belive your second idea of trading down hopefully for Jackson since I still belive him to be the most complete back. Then again they might go for another WR since Streets only signed a 1 year deal and say Roy Williams and Charles Rogers would give them two great WR for a very long time.
Lou: One thing that has amused me in the press is the way that some reporters have treated the Lions' re-signing of RB Shawn Bryson as the team filling its RB void. Bryson will make a good backup, but Detroit still has a glaring need at the RB position.
As for Winslow's mouth, I'd hope for Detroit's sake that the team wouldn't pass on a guy because of his arrogance. While Steve Mariucci might've been relieved to be free from the headaches that Terrell Owens' antics and behavior brought on a weekly basis, I'm sure he was smarting far more from losing on a weekly basis than he did from the T.O. drama.
Winslow is a difference maker, a powerful tight end with great hands, good blocking skills and exceptional speed for the position. Drafting him gives Detroit a very nice weapon.
Your point about Udeze is well taken, though he may not end up being on the board by the time Detroit picks if you believe some of the whispers out of DC.
Steven Jackson would be a very nice fit for that Lions team, and he could be the sort of guy that Detroit could look for in a trading down situation (especially if teams get very hungry for some of that high end WR talent that may be on the board at that spot). I think Detroit will trade down if they can get the deal they like, take Jackson, and start him on opening day at RB. If not, they'll stand pat and get Winslow (a great pickup) or maybe Udeze (who would be helpful as well, though not the immediate impact player perhaps that Winslow would be). Then it'd be a matter of rolling the dice (or trading up) and hoping that Chris Perry is there with the team's second round pick.
As for taking a WR at the spot... I think that would be a questionable move. Having two Top 10 WR contracts tied up like that is hell on a team's salary cap. With Rogers and Streets on board (even if it's only one year for Streets), Detroit would be best served in this case to address immediate needs: and an elite, potential perennial All-Pro tight end or the cream of the RB crop in a nice choice to have to make (with the best defensive end in the draft as a third option looking not too shabby, either).
One thing's for sure: based on the e-mails I've received from Lions fans, if Detroit doesn't trade down and takes Jackson at #6, there will be some ANGRY Lions fans come draft day. We'll see how the franchise manages to wheel and deal between now and then...
