Saturday, April 29, 2023

Morning Lions Links for Saturday 4-29-23

Articles:

Lions get full return for Stafford trade 2 years later:  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2023-nfl-draft-lions-finally-get-full-return-for-matthew-stafford-trade-two-years-after-making-deal/

Day 2 steals of 2023 NFL Draft: Lions get QB Hooker (Lions draft QB Hendon Hooker - Maybe the best potential value of the entire crop here, Hooker was graded by plenty as a first-round talent with second-round circumstances, coming off an ACL tear and entering as an older rookie at 25. And yet he lasted all the way until No. 68 overall in the third, when the Lions stopped his slide by moving up to get a potential Jared Goff successor. It's a low-risk, high-reward bet for a team ready to compete now; Hooker doesn't have to rush to be ready, but he's got the solid, if unspectacular, skill set to give Detroit an upgraded short- and long-term insurance plan under center.  Lions draft S Brian Branch - Speaking of Steelers defensive backs, Branch had drawn some Minkah Fitzpatrick comparisons for his range and versatility coming out of Alabama. But he slid all the way to No. 45 overall, where the Lions made up for a bizarre first round by adding even more fuel to an increasingly spicy secondary. He won't be pressured to make an instant impact with C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Cameron Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley all aboard, but talk about solid long-term insurance.):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2023-nfl-drafts-biggest-day-2-steals-lions-get-hendon-hooker-steelers-add-joey-porter-jr-in-rounds-2-3/

Winners and losers from Day 2 of 2023 NFL Draft (WINNERS - 1. Brad Holmes, general manager, Detroit Lions: Holmes started the draft with five picks in the first three rounds, and he used them masterfully, spinning them via a series of trades into six players by the end of Friday night, including a QB to develop for the future. He showed some strong convictions on the first day, trading back to select Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs and landing Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell with the 18th overall spot -- jumping at two prospects who, in his words, "are ready to go right now," even if many draft graders balked at the picks after the fact. In Round 2, Holmes narrowed in on more needs. Iowa tight end Sam LaPorta should make up for the departure of T.J. Hockenson in a midseason trade with Minnesota last year. Alabama safety Brian Branch is smart and versatile and one more asset in a secondary that was in need of a major overhaul. And in Round 3, Holmes nabbed Tennessee signal-caller Hendon Hooker, who could be prepped as Jared Goff's eventual replacement, then cashed in a trio of Day 3 picks in a trade that allowed him to take Western Kentucky defensive tackle Brodric Martin at No. 96.  Holmes has talked about the importance of this offseason in terms of how the Lions continue the momentum they created in the second half of last season. Everything he's done so far indicates he's more than up to the challenge.  LOSERS - 2. Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions: Though it helped Brad Holmes jump into the "winners" tier above, the decision to draft Hendon Hooker creates an intriguing situation for Goff moving forward. Hooker became a trendy prospect as the pre-draft evaluations gained steam, and he even scheduled a visit to the Lions. Now that he's officially going to be on the roster, the question of what Holmes sees in Hooker becomes a lot more critical. Holmes made it clear earlier this offseason that he's not afraid to take a young quarterback, sit him behind an established starter and then see what happens down the road. That apparently is exactly what he's about to do.  Hooker has his issues -- he's 25 years old, recovering from ACL surgery and in need of serious development -- but Goff, who was traded to Detroit in 2021, has just two years left on the deal he signed with the Rams in 2019. That's enough time for Goff to either continue playing at a high enough level that he secures another big extension or to give Holmes ample reason to see if Hooker can be a cheaper solution to running this team in the future. Whatever happens, the potential for this situation to get complicated is high.):  https://www.nfl.com/news/the-first-read-winners-and-losers-from-day-2-of-the-2023-nfl-draft

NFL draft winners, losers 2023: Lions rebound on Day 2 as 49ers puzzle (Tight ends - After only one tight end made the cut for Round 1 (Utah's Dalton Kincaid), Day 2 served as a reminder of why this was called the deepest and best collection of talent at any position in this class. In all, nine tight ends were selected Friday, including six in the second round. The Las Vegas Raiders' Michael Mayer and Detroit Lions' Sam LaPorta were among several who could be in line for significant roles as rookies.  Detroit Lions - Credit where credit is due: Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell seemed to get back on track in finding value after a bewildering pair of Day 1 decisions. Alabama safety Brian Branch is the perfect piece in the secondary for Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, as his versatility, intelligence and sure tackling should set him up for early success. It was surprising to see LaPorta come off the board earlier in the second before Mayer, but he should be a good fit in Ben Johnson's offense. And though Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker is already 25 and coming off a torn ACL, allowing him to sit behind Jared Goff for at least a season could provide him with a favorable setting for his development.):  https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/draft/2023/04/28/nfl-draft-winners-losers-lions-49-ers-dolphins-seahawks/11764571002/

2023 NFL Draft: Day 2 More Bizarre Than We Could Expect (The Detroit Lions Are Bizarre - It’s easy to root for Dan Campbell, his brand of football, and the clear emotion he has for his players. And on the first day, their unique approach to football was in full effect, reaching well down the board for players that they felt perfectly fit what they do.  But on Day 2, it was a mix of that and finding extraordinary value. They were apparently correct to wait on both quarterback and safety as they were able to secure both Hendon Hooker — the 56th overall consensus player occasionally mocked into the first round — and Brian Branch — the 16th overall consensus player who rarely fell out of first-round mocks.  To do that, they spent the 68th overall pick and the 45th overall pick. Well, alright then. If we stacked up those two picks with their two first-round picks against those four selections, it would be hard to argue with their overall draft class. But the Lions had even more picks than that, and it became increasingly difficult to parse.  The Lions also spent the 34th overall pick on 51st-ranked Sam LaPorta and the 96th overall pick on 260th-ranked Brodric Martin. Tight end was certainly a need for the Lions, and one could argue that they wanted to invest even more in defensive tackle, but they likely could have traded down fairly substantially and still ended up with those players or similarly talented ones at the same position.  If they end up with their quarterback of the future, it probably won’t be remembered as a bad draft, regardless of whether those other players pan out.):  https://www.profootballnetwork.com/2023-nfl-draft-day-2-more-bizarre-than-we-could-expect/

Hendon Hooker:

5 things to know about Detroit Lions third-round pick Hendon Hooker:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2023/04/5-things-to-know-about-detroit-lions-third-round-pick-hendon-hooker.html

Lions Brad Holmes Explained What Stood Out About Hendon Hooker:  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/lions-share-why-hooker-drafted



2023 NFL Draft: Five most surprising moves from Day 2 (5. Lions trade up for Hendon Hooker - If you told a Lions fan a week ago that they'd be coming out of the NFL Draft with a quarterback, they probably wouldn't even bat an eye. However, if you said that they'd be able to get Tennessee's Hendon Hooker not just on Day 2, but at the beginning of the third round, they'd probably have some questions. Hooker was garnering some first-round buzz heading into the draft, but, similar to Will Levis, saw his stock drop out of Day 1 and deep into Day 2. The SEC Offensive Player of the Year fell out of the second round and that's when the Lions decided to strike, selecting him with the No. 68 overall pick. Detroit doesn't necessarily need a quarterback with Jared Goff at the helm, but Hooker, who is recovering from a torn ACL, could be a developmental piece behind him that could be an heir apparent in the years to come and it only came at the cost of a third-round pick.):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/nfl-draft-2023-will-levis-landing-with-titans-lions-taking-hendon-hooker-among-five-surprising-day-2-moves/

2023 NFL Draft: The best third-round picks (Detroit Lions: Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee (68th overall pick):  https://touchdownwire.usatoday.com/lists/2023-nfl-draft-best-third-round-picks-hendon-hooker/

Sam LaPorta:


Brian Branch:

5 things to know about Detroit Lions second-round pick Brian Branch:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2023/04/5-things-to-know-about-detroit-lions-second-round-pick-brian-branch.html

2023 NFL Draft: 5 biggest steals of Day 2R2 ((45) DETROIT LIONS: S BRIAN BRANCH, ALABAMA - PFF Big Board rank: 15.  The Lions have made several big “reaches” already in this draft based on PFF and consensus big boards, but they get one of the better values here with Branch. He’s the best nickel prospect in this draft class and one of the best tackling defensive backs since PFF began tracking college football in 2014 (2% missed tackle rate).):  https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2023-nfl-draft-5-biggest-steals-of-day-2

2023 NFL Draft: Biggest Day 2 Steals and Snubs Include Brian Branch, Josh Downs, and John Michael Schmitz (Steal: Brian Branch, DB, Detroit Lions - The Detroit Lions have had a tale of two drafts. After being universally panned for selecting running back Jahmyr Gibbs 12th overall and linebacker Jack Campbell 18th overall in Round 1, the Lions quickly got back into good graces in Round 2. They addressed massive needs with tight end Sam LaPorta, defensive back Brian Branch, and quarterback Hendon Hooker.  I could argue that Hooker was a steal, but because of Hooker’s learning curve and age, Branch is the most notable addition until we see Hooker on the field. The Lions desperately needed to add secondary help and seemed devastated after missing out on cornerback Devon Witherspoon in the first round. They could still use a talented body at outside corner, but the safety position is massively improved.  Set to play alongside Tracy Walker, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and Kerby Joseph, Branch should prove to be a valuable Swiss Army knife. He was announced as a cornerback on the broadcast, and he’s capable of playing in the slot full-time if the Lions require it.  Getting a player ranked 16th overall on the industry big board at pick No. 45 is the definition of hitting a draft steal.):  https://www.profootballnetwork.com/2023-nfl-draft-steals-snubs-day-2/

5 best Day 2 values: Lions nail 2 picks; Pats hit again (1. Brian Branch (Round 2 · No. 45 overall, Production Score: 96, Athleticism Score: 58, OVERALL DRAFT SCORE: 85):  The Lions strategically moved up three spots (from No. 48 to No. 45, ahead of the Patriots at No. 46) to secure the 31st-ranked player on NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah's big board. Branch, a favorite of Alabama coach Nick Saban, is one of the most productive prospects in this year's class, entering the draft with the fifth-highest NGS production score, regardless of position. However, despite his impressive tape, Branch slid to the second round, potentially due to a less-than-stellar combine performance (4.58-second 40-yard dash at 190 pounds). The Bama corner is poised to fill the role of nickel corner in the Lions' revamped secondary.):  https://www.nfl.com/news/2023-nfl-draft-day-2-s-top-value-picks

Brodric Martin:


Lions trade up, draft defensive tackle Brodric Martin:  https://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-trade-up-draft-defensive-tackle-brodric-martin

Draft analyst: Detroit Lions grab a ‘clogger’ in DT Brodric Martin:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2023/04/draft-analyst-detroit-lions-grab-a-clogger-in-dt-brodric-martin.html

2023 NFL draft: Lions pick Western Kentucky DT Brodric Martin after another trade:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2023/04/2023-nfl-draft-lions-pick-western-kentucky-dt-brodric-martin-after-another-trade.html



Lions trade back into the 3rd round and select Western Kentucky DT Brodric Martin:  https://lionswire.usatoday.com/2023/04/28/lions-draft-trade-brodric-martin-western-kentucky-prospect/

Lions Trade Up, Select DT Brodric Martin with Pick No. 96:  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/lions-trade-up-select-brodric-martin





2023 NFL Draft:



2023 NFL draft: Top prospects available on Day 3:  https://draftwire.usatoday.com/lists/2023-nfl-draft-prospects-day-three/

Best prospects still available in the 2023 NFL Draft:  https://www.nfl.com/news/best-prospects-available-in-the-2023-nfl-draft

Video:





Posted by LionsFan at 4:34 AM

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