ESPN.com - Offseason Overview: Detroit Lions

ESPN.com: NFL

Monday, June 3, 2002
Updated: June 4, 6:46 PM ET
Offseason Overview: Detroit Lions

By Roger Rotter
ESPN.com

Monday, June 3
Who will end up winning the starting quarterback job in Detroit? Eventually, it will be Joey Harrington, but the question is when? Here's the problem for the Lions. Harrington is clearly better than Mike McMahon. It showed in every offseason practice this year. But the Lions are totally revamping their skill positions. Az-Zahir Hakim and Bill Schroeder are two new receivers. The Lions have to break in a new tight end. To ask a rookie quarterback to come into the situation such as that and succeed is tough.

What teams don't want to do is start a first-round pick and have him fail. So don't be surprised if McMahon starts but gives way to Harrington a month or two into the season. It would require a heroic effort by Harrington to win the starting job from the start and succeed. Why rush it?

Ridiculed by comedians and sports media alike, the Detroit Lions were the laughingstock of the 2001 season. They lost 12 in a row before winning two of their last four games, but that was small consolation. In half of their 14 losses, the Lions fell behind by 15 or more points in the first half. Detroit rallied in many of them but couldn't finish the comebacks, setting an NFL record for losing nine straight games by eight points or less.

The blame could be put on both sides of the ball. The defense was atrocious, allowing the league's second-most points at 26.5 per game, behind only Indianapolis. On offense, the Lions scored the NFL's sixth fewest at 16.9. Although GM Matt Millen was known for his stellar linebacking play that helped him win four Super Bowls with three different teams, he has signed few quality defensive players so far.

Millen fired defensive coordinator Vince Tobin and replaced him with Kurt Schottenheimer, who plans to simplify the schemes and be more aggressive. While six new starters are expected on the defense, they don't appear to upgrade the unit.

The pair of cornerbacks will likely be one of the NFL's worst as free agent Bryant Westbrook departed and Terry Fair is still battling a right foot injury. That leaves over-the-hill veteran Todd Lyght, unproven youngsters and rookies to battle for starting spots. Free safety Kurt Schulz and strong safety Ron Rice had their careers cut short by injury, so the Lions signed Brian Walker and Corey Harris to add more speed.

The linebacking corps has questions, too. Former first-round pick Chris Claiborne moved to the middle to replace Stephen Boyd last season and will remain in that spot. Unproven Barrett Green will man the weakside, and recently signed Brian Williams is hoping to rejuvenate his once-promising future before a 1999 knee injury derailed his Packers career.

The defensive line remains the team's strength. Detroit's only Pro Bowler, Robert Porcher, had 11 sacks last season, and the Lions hope 2002 second-round pick Kalimba Edwards will seize the right end spot. The middle will be strong again with Luther Elliss expected to return to full strength after last season's elbow injury. Shaun Rogers, a second-round pick in 2001, emerged as one of the top defensive rookies last season and demands double teams.

Head coach Marty Mornhinweg was hired for his grasp of the West Coast offense, completing stellar quarterback work with Green Bay's Brett Favre and directing the record-setting 49ers offense from 1997 through 2000. Still, Mornhinweg couldn't transform Charlie Batch into a serviceable quarterback. Rookie Mike McMahon showed promise, but 2002 first-round pick Joey Harrington is expected to be the franchise quarterback.

	LIONS AT A GLANCE

	Marty Mornhinweg is in his second year in Detroit.
	2001 record: 2-14 Team rank: Defense (26th); offense (16th) Lions team news

Losing their best receiver, Germane Crowell, for much of the 2001 season to knee injuries left Johnnie Morton as the only quality wideout on the squad. But Morton has departed and Millen made his most bold offseason moves by signing Bill Schroeder and Az-Zahir Hakim to add experience and speed. The Lions tried to upgrade at running back but were outbid by Atlanta for Warrick Dunn. Detroit is still renegotiating James Stewart's contract but is not keen on his lack of breakaway ability. The offensive line was porous last season, giving up the NFL's most sacks (66). Those results are disappointing since the Lions drafted an offensive lineman in the first round in each of the previous three years (Aaron Gibson, Stocker McDougle and Jeff Backus). But Gibson was released last season, McDougle is a backup and Backus is looking to establish himself at left tackle.

For a complete list of all the players Detroit has signed and lost so far this offseason, click here.

How they drafted
The Lions had many holes to fill, including cornerback, linebacker and defensive end. And they needed to increase team speed. They reportedly wanted to trade down and select cornerback Quentin Jammer, but talks fell through. Instead, they chose Harrington, hoping he becomes the star quarterback they've lacked since Bobby Layne in the 1950s. Harrington had 10 fourth-quarter comebacks in his Oregon career, and the Lions could have used that kind of poise last season. Edwards has promise at defensive end but will need to bulk up to play the position full time. Third-round pick Andre Goodman, a cornerback from South Carolina, has great potential but suffered a severe knee injury in college. This gamble is reminiscent of Rogers, whose stock dropped in the draft last year because of a knee injury. Talented runner Luke Staley is an intriguing seventh-round pick, but he battled numerous injuries at Brigham Young.

For a complete list of Detroit's draft picks, click here.

Fantasy Focus

The Lions brass would prefer to line up a running back with game-breaking speed, and current back James Stewart fails to qualify in that regard. However, keep an eye on seventh-round pick Luke Staley, who averaged 8.1 yards per carry and led the NCAA with 28 touchdowns for BYU last season. Staley fits the West Coast offense better because of his all-around skills. But he hasn't shown he can stay injury-free, undergoing eight operations already. Monitor training camp, and if he sparkles, draft him as a sleeper in the late rounds. Click here for more fantasy football news.
-- Roger Rotter, Fantasy editor

Unfinished business
The defensive line looks solid, but the linebackers and secondary remain weak spots, especially at cornerback. Westbrook departed and Fair might not be able to play with a foot injury. Free agency won't likely yield any promising veterans, so the Lions might have to resort to starting two rookies, third-rounder Goodman and sixth-rounder Chris Cash, at the critical cornerback spots.

Outlook for 2002
The Lions will play in the new Ford Field in downtown Detroit. Incidentally, Ford Field is hosting Super Bowl XL in 2006, and after last season's embarrassment, cynics would say it might take until then for Detroit to rebuild. The Lions improved their speed at receiver, but the defense lacks playmakers at linebacker and in the secondary. Detroit's best bet is to play Harrington this season and let him grow in the quarterback position. They'll have their hands full with Chicago and Green Bay in the NFC North, but half of their games are against teams with losing records last season. Still, Detroit is a few parts short on defense and will likely stall in Motor City again. Unfortunately, the Lions won't receive needed player assistance until at least 2003.

Roger Rotter is a fantasy games editor for ESPN.com.