how does this make any sense? over $40,000,000 guaranteed with the 1rst pick. how in the world did this come about with the collective bargaining agreement, its the most screwed up system i know of. except for 1, the credit card companies allowed to jack you interest rate up to 30% when they feel like it.

And being a Georgia Tech guy, may Matthew Stafford flop. Sorry Detroit. After seeing Stafford for three years he never really had "that game" in college that was his signature win. Big arm, not that "it" that the greats have.


On the other hand...any SoCal guys have an opinion on Brian Cushing? Looks like Atlanta could take him.

Somehow I suspect if Matt Cassel can be a successful NFL QB, Stafford can as well (as for QBs with great pedigrees, how is Matt Leinhart doing thus far?).
All that being said, if I were the Lion's GM I wouldn't want the first pick in this year's draft and have to pay all that guaranteed money to an unproven QB.

Jeff-

Please don't start "up-talking" a UGA player and likewise I won't start on any UNC guys.

I never understand complaints about players getting paid too much. If the choice is players getting it or owners keeping it, should we side with the owners? Nobody puts a gun to the owners heads. Detroit had their pick of anyone they wanted. If the market says Stafford is worth $40 million and that's who they want, so be it.

Jeff, I agree about not wanting the top picks, especially in football where one or two guys can not turn around a team. If you'll notice, in recent NFL history, the good teams usually trade down in the draft, giving up early round picks to get multiple, later round picks.

If I were a Lions fan, I'm not so worried about who the #1 pick is or how much they pay him, but I'm very worried about the likelihood that they will screw up the other 4 picks they have in the top 75-80. That's their track record.

Jim-

The big problem is your paying unproven rookies the same thing your paying a Larry Fitzgerald or a Tom Brady. The first round is so hit and miss (big emphasis on the top 10) that it gets crazy thinking about how many NFL busts there are making huge money (and we have our own in a DE in Atlanta that can't play but was a high pick and a big salary cap hit).


I do think the players union should get a new deal done where there is a cap on rookies and leave the big money for the proven players in the league.

Can you imagine in baseball having a couple "hot prospects" come up when the rosters are exanded in September and both those guys make what Albert Pujols makes?

Dave, you've got a deal.

And while QBs are tough to project (remember the hand wringing over whether to choose Ryan Leaf or Peyton Manning?), RBs are not immune from the same problem. After seeing Reggie Bush play in college, who would have thought he'd be such an average runner in the NFL?

This is how the system works, next year the #1 will be guaranteed $45 - $50 million.
Joe

Ty Cobb, Spikes flying!

Jeff-

All the combines, tests, measurements...I don't know that the percantage of who's gonna make it and who's not would change much if all of the GM's grandmothers had to make the calls.


Although I do feel like Thomas Dimitroff did just fine "guessing" at Matt Ryan last year. Maybe he will get "lucky" again picking in the bottom of the round this time.

Joe-

Are you a Lions fan? Something is wrong when Joey Harrington put his name on the dotted line in 2002 and got $36+ million for six years. And yes..this is how the system works...which is why so many consider it broke.

"the players union should get a new deal done where there is a cap on rookies and leave the big money for the proven players in the league."


Well, I agree, but that's not the system they have now. Besides, shouldn't a good organization, with a good owner, be doing this already? That's why the good teams want to trade down.


Also Dave, the guys who always complain about how much a player makes don't confine themselves to the top 5 picks in the NFL. They also complain about ARod, CC, and Manny. And if Albert Pujols ever decided to become a free agent, they'll complain about him too.

The money is there. I'd rather see the players get it than the owners. The good teams and the good owners will spend it wisely. The bad ones will always be close to going 0-16 again.

Dave, yes I am a Lion's fan and I don't like the system either. I think after next year it is suppose to change. I do like Stafford though, I know we need defensive linemen and offensive linemen, just don't like the 1st pick for those players. I don't think they can make the impact of a QB. Not sure what happened to Harrington, his 1st 2-3 games were pretty good and he degressed from there. I am hoping our new coach can make a difference.

Joe

Ty Cobb, Spikes flying!

Joe-

So I take it you were for Stafford over the LB'er Curry? I'm not real familiar with Detroit's roster..but obviously if the defense is as bad as it seems like I remember last year things won't matter much. And do the Lions have a decent O-line to even keep Stafford off his back?


By the way...I am a huge Calvin Johnson fan and would gladly take him back in Atlanta.

To be as profoundly pathetic as the Lions have been for as long as they have, it has to have a lot more to do with the folks running the place and making the decisions than it does the players, right? But there is always hope. Take it from a 40+ year Cardinal football fan, eventually you may succeed in spite of yourself.

The Panthers just gave Jake Delhomme a 42 million dollar contract, so I guess the Lions got a better deal. Yes, I'm a Jake hater.

You know the present system is a bit off regarding rewarding 1st round picks in the NFL.

Can anybody explain to me why Kellen Winslow Jr. has consistently made more money since he came into the league then Tony Gonzalez has over the same time span?

i was not complaining about the salary. what my problem is with who it is going to. how in the hell did it come to fruition that college drafted players are to earn that kind of dough without playing the game at the professional level? proven players should get the money, not guys that are drafted, unproven. the league and salary cap would be much better if the rookies had a sliding set scale of pay and years. like the nba. it is not free agency, the draft has an order and it is what it is. the system is all wrong.

At least he isn't Alex Smith. Yet.

There's a reason why the Lions have been horrible for a long time. They have a history of making bad and dumb personnel choices. If one thinks the Stafford contract is dumb, remember that we're talking about the Lions here.

This is a hail Mary from a team that is desperate. About 50 percent of quarterback #1 draft packs don't succeed, and about about 50 percent over quarterback overall #1 draft picks are washouts-- which explains why this is a hail Mary. The chance for success or failure remain the same with the #1 pick, but it's about the amount of money you put into the pick, in particular when the money culd be spent on multiple picks and/or known quantity veterans.

This is a good contract for the next Peyton Manning, but it might be a contract for the next Alex Smith.