The Lions' Pride

I agree with everything you said and will take one point even further - Paul Jones should be named the starter now. He should get the first team reps from now until September, and he should enter the season as the starter. I came away really impressed with his raw ability and I think he just needs to be refined. He's very close.

Yeah he still needs to get into a little bit better shape I think. His feet are good but he got beat here and there. Nothing that I am too worried about tbh, just needs more reps.

Gress btw impressed me considering where he has come from.

I only watched the first half and I wasn't very impressed with the QB play. Unless Paul Jones played great in the second half I wasn't very impressed, he missed a lot of wide open throws in the first half...

I think the main reason that PJ made a couple of overthrows was because the lack of time playing with the same group of guys. I really do believe that if he was starting, he would be pretty dang good for us. It is all about him getting the 1st team reps though. As Sean said, he needs to work on his medium range passes and how much loft he puts on passes. A lot of his passes that he tried to put some touch on, he actually could have put something on it and it probably would have been a completion. That all comes with more reps with the 1st team offense.

Smith might be our best lineman that we have right now, and he is only a freshman. I watched multiple times where he would get his hands on a guy, and the rusher went literally not one more step. If he can contain those speed rushers, I think he has the chance to be an AA, maybe a 2 timer. He is that good imo.

The only thing that i am really worried about is our lack of a top WR. We don't have anyone that can go out there and make plays for us (hopefully Robinson and Kenney can do this for us).

What did you guys think of the TEs?

I had no idea Lehman was so tall. Both he and James looked interesting as pass catching TEs.
Gilliam looked like a good traditional TE.

I like Brown.

Honestly it may just be me, but i am not 100% sold on Brown. I think that he would be a good #2, but im not sold on him as our #1 WR.

As for the question about Drake, I thought at times he looked pretty decent and then other times he looked a little lost. Robinson beat him deep the one time that Jones overshot him. Drake also missed the one tackle which led to Robinson's 41 yard gain. Then on the screen to Kersey, he missed the open field tackle which led to about an 8 yard gain. Overall though, for only having roughly 15 practices, I think that he could be a decent corner whenever he gets his tackling form down.

I thought McGloin was ok. He was fine with the simple, quick timing throws. But anytime he had to wait a little longer and make a decision, he seemed to force it a few times and wasn't as accurate.

Jones just has all the tools. i hope he can pull out the job. Just seems so comfortable moving around the pocket. Accuracy will get there, IMO, with PT.

Bolden was up and down again. But I was actually impressed that he seemed to improve in a few areas. A few times he stepped up in the pocket away from pressure (improvement from last year) and he seemed to also talk more at the line pre-snap. Was a little more accurate too I felt overall. Those few bad throws obviously hurt (INTs)...but he did his typical bad throw followed by the "wow" throw. But I thought he did look better......but obviously not enough to say he's the guy now.

Honestly it depends on the person of how hard it is to switch from side to side. Ive known guys who swing from side to side during gaames, no issue. And others who played right their whole lives and just couldn't conquer a left side stance at all.

As for our OTs, Smith is better. But I said I was impressed with Gress, considering what he's come from. And the short answer would be: from nothing. We hadn't heard a thing on him all career and boom, what up, starting LT. That said I know he got beat, but so did Smith. I remember Smith more vividly than Gress tbh, especially once by Barnes. Gress I know got bull rushed once, and he still seemed a little rigid out there as well in his technique.

That said, I see Smith's future at RT. He could switch over while here, but long term (NFL) I see him as a RT. Also, putting him next to Urschel this year is a good idea. We heard early on he was having trouble picking up some little things and having him near an experienced guy really helps.

I think it would be easier to switch from side to side after you have played and learned both positions after a period of months or even years. I give the kid credit for looking as good as he did after only playing the position for 30 hours since March 26, he can only get more comfortable from here. Cadogan concerns me because after Gress and Farrell the pickins are slim. The ends with by him with ease. Diffenbach is a little smaller than I pictured also. Hopefully Craig Fitzgerald puts another 10 - 15lbs on him by August. Thanks again for your incite.

None of the QB looked great.

Jones is different than RB because he is 3 years older than when we first saw RB. Can't really compare. I saw more presence from PJ than I have RB in 2 years.

I trust PJ more than RB but not as much as MM, who I think is just keeping the seat warm for PJ if he stays eligible.

PJ has, or at least showed some skills that could make him very special.

Right now we need consistency and at this point none of the 3 have that.

How do you develop consistency? Splitting reps 3 ways? 2 ways? BOB needs to make a decision as soon as possible and stick with it and not let it drag on like Joe did last year.