Couple thoughts... on 2007 and 2008

First, the Lions are not winning or losing the games I expected them to, and at this point in time I had them at 7-4, losing the next 3, and winning only one more. Instead, they are 6-5, and can potentially win more then 2 more and make the playoffs. It won't be easy, but they have lost some games this year they could have won with better play from various members of the team.

Having said that, my first thoughts of the coming off season are like this:

In free agency look to retain some of the current depth who will hit free agency without new contracts, and also look around the league for a starting cornerback, a starting linebacker, and a starting right tackle. It is unlikely they will be able to do this all in one year, but it sure would take care of some "holes".

After that, go into the draft trading and targeting players to take the job of starting DE (bye-bye Kalimba Edwards), potentially (as in eventually) starting linebackers, O-Tackle (bye-bye Backus), Center (bye-bye Raoila), and cornerback.

That'll leave a few picks to locate an honest to goodness speedy, dependable, return man.

Now, this is all going to change as things progress of course, but this is my preliminary line of thinking on the 1st of December 2007.

Oh, and why am I thinking that the only two reliable players on the O-Line need to be replaced? Because the O-Line has stunk for all 7 Millen years and there are only two constants ... Backus and Raoila. Mulitalo is doing very well, so neither can use the excuse that the LG needed help.

Forgot to post my Win / Loss Prediction online (game by game)

Sunday, September 9 at Oakland Raiders FOX 4:15 p.m. Win

Sunday, September 16 MINNESOTA VIKINGS FOX 4:05 p.m. Win

Sunday, September 23 at Philadelphia Eagles FOX 1:00 p.m. Lose

Sunday, September 30 CHICAGO BEARS FOX 1:00 p.m. Lose

Sunday, October 7 at Washington Redskins FOX 1:00 p.m. Win

Sunday, October 14 *** BYE WEEK ***

Sunday, October 21 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS FOX 1:00 p.m Win.

Sunday, October 28 at Chicago Bears FOX 1:00 p.m. Lose

Sunday, November 4 DENVER BRONCOS CBS 1:00 p.m. Lose

Sunday, November 11 at Arizona Cardinals FOX 4:15 p.m. Win

Sunday, November 18 NEW YORK GIANTS FOX 4:15 p.m.* Win

Thursday, November 22 GREEN BAY PACKERS FOX # 12:30 p.m. Win

Sunday, December 2 at Minnesota Vikings FOX 1:00 p.m.* Lose

Sunday, December 9 DALLAS COWBOYS FOX 1:00 p.m.* Lose

Sunday, December 16 at San Diego Chargers FOX 4:15 p.m.* Lose

Sunday, December 23 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS CBS 1:00 p.m.* Win

Sunday, December 30 at Green Bay Packers FOX 1:00 p.m.* Lose

Total = 8-8

(hopefully I'm being conservative)

Updated Estimated Roster and 2007 Cap Charts are Online

Since Eric Beverly decided to retire, and then Robinson ended up on IR and lost for the season, then Bryson and Swancut got cut... well... I had to make some changes.

Go to http://www.theNetRat.com for more information.

In addition to the updated 2007 Salary Cap Chart, I've added two new links in the salary cap section, one is a link directly to the actual xls file that I use to make the Salary Cap Web Page... and the other is to another excel spreadsheet that contains Salary Cap History, everything from 2000 to 2006. The figures were obtained from USA Today, then sorted by myself into it's current format, I then added things like percentage of total cap per player, dead cap hits, available cap, year the most recent contract was signed, how many years the most contract is for, how the player was originally acquired, and some other notes and items.

My updated estimated 53 man roster also contains salary cap information, and if my roster were correct, the Lions would have $10 million in cap available at the beginning of the season. I am curious to find out what they plan to do with it, sign someone new or maybe extend a contract or two. Perhaps they plan to rewrite a contract or two with Likely to be Earned Bonuses (that really aren't all that likely), allowing the greater share of that amount to be carried into next year should the player not actually earn the bonuses.

One final note: CJ is the only draft pick that hasn't signed. He seems to be content allowing his agent to handle the negotiations regardless of how long it takes. That may be a mistake, an agent will wait a long time for every nickle he can get, at some point CJ will need to simply tell his agent to get the deal done, now.

Fantasy Football League (paid league).

I think I'll take the plunge this year and compete in a paid league. I've added a link to the site that I want to use, now I just need some competition. Go to my web page http://www.thenetrat.com/ and look about a third of the way down for the Fantasy Football League paragraph... and if you are interested let me know, I'll keep a list of people to contact at the appropriate time... the link will be on my site as well.

One change on May 20th to the estimated roster

Now that Eric Beverly has been signed I had to make a correction to my estimated roster for 2007. I also added a column of alternate choices... these are players that "could" make the team IF they outplay the player I have figured as being on the roster to their immediate left. That'll make more sense if you visit the roster page.

http://www.thenetrat.com/lionsroster2007.html

My May 4th estimate of the 2007 Lions roster.

Please visit this site to view it, the blog won't hold the columnar format.

http://www.thenetrat.com/lionsroster2007.html

Good Cap News

I received new information today concerning all the draft picks contracts from last year (2006 draft). It contained detailed info on signing bonuses, workout bonuses and salaries. Most of my information was fairly close except for one item I was unaware of. Earnie Sims apparently met some kind of escalator clause and received his 2nd signing bonus payment ($8 million) and that lowered his annual salaries for the duration of the contract. Based on this new information, I recalculated the cap hit for Sims (and the rest of the draft class of 2005) and it increased available cap space in 2007 by $2 million.

See my web page for more information http://www.theNetRat.com