Lions General Manager Martin Mayhew says the problem in Detroit last year was a simple matter of not having enough talent.
Specifically, Mayhew says, when he took over control of a teams that had been built by previous team President Matt Millen, he inherited a roster on which backup-quality players were forced into starting roles.
“We had a number of spots where a player would have been perfect as, say, a third defensive end or a nickel, or as a backup special teams player,” Mayhew told the Detroit News. “But they were forced onto the field and were a little overmatched, overwhelmed at times.”
Mayhew said he hopes players like recent acquisitions Kyle Vanden Bosch, Corey Williams, and Nate Burleson will move into starting roles, allowing some players who were starters last year to move down the depth chart where they belong.
“That’s definitely something that we took a long look at after the season,” Mayhew said. “We feel like a lot of guys on our team are quality players and they belong in the league, but they need somebody ahead of them and they need to be in a rotation or in the right role.”
Matt Millen is a backup himself now.
Backup sportscaster.
And he sucks at it.
He just plain sucks at everything doesn’t he?
ouch! 3 starters will enable the lions to win!
“Lions General Manager Martin Mayhew says the problem in Detroit last year was a simple matter of not having enough talent.”
Always looking for excuses, your team is just bad and always will be, get over it.
Wasn’t Mayhew part of the problem too? I mean he was the Assistant GM, no?
finally, hes saying that he didnt agree with millen, for those who thot he was a millen man
Specifically, Mayhew says, when he took over control of a teams that had been built by previous team President Matt Millen, he inherited a roster on which backup-quality players were forced into starting roles.
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Like who? I want names Mayhew. (Note sarcasm)
Okay, MDS. Your headline was a little strong. Mayhew still put the situation in a good light, but the way you “quoted” him made it sound like he was bashing the entire team.
He inherited? He was a Senior VP on that team.
Dude is spot on, for real.
You mean Matt Millen wasn’t good at his job…really?
Well, it’s your show now, Marty. Let’s see if you can do any better than Matt. I’m guessing only slightly.
I understand the reason for optimism in Detroit… they really do stand a reasonable chance of only being slightly below average in 2010.
This is a big step in the right direction for the Lions.
Now that’s how you win friends and influence people.
Whata stupid thing to say. No need to rip your own “backups” in public, even if they shouldnt be starting.
Who does this make feel better ? The new players coming in, no
The fans, not really. I sure they dont bleleive shit at this point. I wouldnt.
Martin Mayhew was in the Lions front office when all of these guys were being acquired under Millen. Martin might want to look at himself in the mirror.
Whoa…logic in Detroit!
maybe they should move the team to a state that manufactors Toyota’s, that way the Lions would be stuck on go. In Detroit its F.O.R.D. = FixOrRepairDaily
Of course it’s the other guy’s fault!
But what happens when Mahew runs out of people to throw under the bus?
After all, Mahew’s only been with the Lions for nine years.
Larry Foote was a starter on a Superbowl winner. Calvin Johnson is the next Randy Moss.
Wow. I bet the Lions players feel good about themselves right now.
You can’t say stuff like that. He is trying to make himself look good. We all knew what he had last year. Throwing Millen under the bus? Everyone has done that.
He is a backup making dumb comments like that. There will be players on the team trying to compete for starting jobs–did he just label them? Yes.
what a joke, he is almost as bad as millen.
trading all ur picks away for chris houston another bum. he learned from millen and u think he is going to be good. ha he blows. who cuts larry foote and keeps will james. Lions dont go after marlin jackson or any good corners. who the hell is jonathan wade……
Bottom line Det wont be good until they get a new GM and managment in the top offices. U could of got cromartie but they dont want to give up maurice morris? Like wtf ….. really Mayhew and now u r going to blame it on millen. Good Gms turn teams around and dont make excuses like this clown. Look at the dolphins 2 years ago , 1-15 to winning the AFC EASt. Watch Him trade out and not get Suh or mcCoy….bums bums
What a crock. Mayhew u suck just like millen after all u learned from the worst
This sounds like the Bills Roster!
Calvin Johnson is the next Randy Moss.
False.
He might be the next Andre Johnson (although he’s certainly not done playing), but he’s a very different kind of player from Moss.
I’m pretty sure Matt Millen won four Super Bowl rings…that is hardly “sucking”
I think MayhewSux, is Matt Millen.
Yes we traded all of our picks away for Chris Houston (6th round pick)
Your a clown, go talk about some other team somewhere else
Nate burleson will move into a starting role? I thought he just said he didn’t want back-ups in starter spots. Not a good start, buddy.
Wow… really Mayhewsux?
We gave up a 6th rounder and swapped 5ths. No big.
Larry Foote is a free agent, we never cut him.
Will James is a free agent, we haven’t offered him a contract.
We are coming off a stretch of 2-30. Do you believe we would sign any big name free agents? We had to overpay for Burleson, I would hate to see what we would have to give up to bring Marlin Jackson here.
You bring Mayhew down on “giving away” all our picks for Chris Houston. Yet, the New York Jets gave up more for Cromartie. He has done more to help this team in a year and a half than Millen had done in his tenure. You need to just relax.
Zing!
Oh come on Mayhew Millen left you a talent laden team. He was a genuis
@ MayhewSux
What are you talking about trading all our picks away for Chris Houston? We sent the falcons a 6th rounder and exchanged our 5th rounders. You classify that as “trading all our picks away”? Chris Houston is better than any corner that we’ve had in years! Also we did not keep Will James, and Marlin Jackson may be a decent player but he’s constantly hurt. Antonio Cromartie? Do you really want a piece of crap that has 7 kids with 6 different women in 5 different states on your team? Ya, hes really good for society….
You obviously have no clue about the NFL, Mayhew is making serious progress. Post something that makes a little bit of sense next time.
How can a team that has been so bad for so long not get better through the draft?
“Calvin Johnson is the next Randy Moss.
False.
He might be the next Andre Johnson (although he’s certainly not done playing), but he’s a very different kind of player from Moss.”
Yeah… he tries harder. He is not that much different than Moss. He is tall, he is fast, he can jump out of the stadium. He is a threat to take it to the house on every play and hasn’t had a QB or a receiver on the other side to open things up for him like Moss did. I stand by my statement.
Mayhews just being honest about the situation. Mayhewsux has no idea what the facts are as previously pointed out by 2 or 3 posters. Plus the Dolphins had a LOT more talent when they went 1-15 than the Lions do now.
Honestly I’ll trust Mayhew and Schwartz (who started out scouting talent before coaching) with the draft. They did well last year and also did well trading slewfooted Roy W to the Cowboys.
We have to give the guy some time before we judge him. It is known that Millen selected guys he wanted in the draft, regardless of what his scouts were telling him. Mayhew got a fortune for Roy Williams last year, and from every indication, had a pretty good draft last year. Signing Corey Williams, Nate Burelson, and Vanden Bosch are all huge upgrades from what we had. The Chris Houston signing isn’t earth shattering, but getting a young player with upside is what this team needs.
Why is this team cursed to fail? They’re like the LA Clippers of the NFL.
And they hired Shack Harris, who was well on his way to building the same kind of team in Jacksonville before they showed him the door.
This is completely ridiculous! I’m ashamed as a Lions fan. Mayhew has been part of the organization for at least 4 years and all of them have been spent in upper management. So he needs to take responsibility as well or at least throw Millen under the bus. Otherwise he’s pretty much saying, I didn’t do anything until last year when I got promoted. What a jerk, and it’s on him for the people they brought in last year, like Philip Bucannon, Grady Jackson, Bryant Johnson. Hey one of them is still on the team. I think he’s overmatched and overwhelmed at all times.
@ houseo68: If he ‘tries harder’ then why was Randy near the top in yards and receiving last year? As a matter of fact, he was higher than CJ in both catagories… so by your logic, if RM can outperform CJ without even trying, then CJ isn’t as good as RM… and therefore isn’t the next RM.
Rick the Viking, its rlly pretty simple. All you have to do is look at Millen’s draft picks. The only 2nd Round pick we have on left on our team is DREW STANTON. And that idiot Millen actually traded UP to get him. That should tell you all you need to know.
@ BenRapistberger
Can you read? Like he said, Calvin had noone to take any defenses’ focus off of him. He was frequently triple covered. The Patriots have a solid O-line that gives brady time to throw and a guy named Wes Welker that catches over 100 balls a season. He actually had 123 last year while the Lions 2nd leading pass catcher was Kevin Smith with 41…..When its all said and done Megatron will have a better legacy than Moss.
This statement is a bit old for one, it was made before free agency even started.
Secondly, Mayhew doesn’t say the bit about hoping the newly acquired players move into starting roles, that’s a quote from the author, Tim Twentymen.
Finally, you spin this like Mayhew is pointing fingers when it’s actually you drawing conclusions and making assumptions. All Mayhew said, and I think any Lions fan that has an IQ over 10 would agree, is that we were put into positions last year that weren’t allowing our players to be successful, but they can and will be successful when put in the right positions. It’s a complement, and he’s covering for the players if anything, not throwing them under the bus.
And I thought Florio was bad with his tampering charges and crazy assumptions.
Mayhewsux i have no clue who your sources are but they are all clearly wrong. Matt Millen never listend to anybody which means whatever Mayhew’s input on a situation was Millen refused to listen really sounds like Mayhew’s fault. Also a 6th round draft pick is not your entire draft, Chris Houston for a 6th is a steal, how many 6th round picks are going to be starters or even be a functional player in the NFL not many. Mayhew had the best draft in 2009 that i can remember in a long time, even before Millen i.e Terry Fair instead of Moss or Aaron Gibson.
Please do your research before you rip a guy the Lions have finally made some moves to get functional NFL starting talent something i can say i have not seen in a long time if we have another solid draft i could see the lions being competitive in the 2011 season for the division pending the lockout. The division is very weak considering the vikings are going no where if farve does not return, the Packers are hit or miss and the bears have the same coaching staff we had here in Detroit a couple of years ago Martz and Marinelli good luck with that Chicago.
Remember that Mahew didn’t just inherit a bad team. He inherited what is arguably the worst football team in history and certainly in the modern era. They were only ranked 32nd because there weren’t other teams.
For those of us die hard fans it was like watching the same game week after week. It reminded me of the harlem globtrotter games. Guys from the other team were eating hotdogs during the game and doing tricks. There was never a moment in any game where (except for the fantam pass interference call against the vikings) anyone thought “you know they might win this game”.
The fact that Meyhew and staff were able to win 2 games and actually have a shot to win most of their games is significant progress.
The jury is definitely still out on him and these comments dont really do anything to help the situation but I’m guessing there is a whole lot of context missing from before this statement by him. Also, he should be applauded for actually having the guts to state facts and set expectations.
As far as the Chris Houston goes both sides are right. Lions overpaid in terms of draft picks/swaps but they had to because they are extremely desperate at cornerback position.
I think this shirt says it all…
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120541589724&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120541600440&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT
im_not_lion…GO LIONS!
mayhew also built that roster full of backups.
idiot. and yes he hired idiot shack. and they will probly welcome pullpecker back and jam him in the lineup.
And, in other news…the grass is green.
Seriously, it is nice to hear the GM of the Lions say what us fans have been saying for the past 10 years.
@ Mayhewsux, just because someone is an assistant under the boss, doesn’t mean you learn anything from them. And judging by the last 2 drafts I’d say I’m right in that equation. We finally have a 1st round and 2nd round pick that’s actually CONTRIBUTING.
Everyone bashes Millen about all the 1st round busts, but the 2nd round was just as worse. I, too was a bit upset W.C. Ford didn’t go after a better (and experienced) GM like, maybe a Floyd Reese or a Ron Wolf, and instead hired from within. But, unlike Millen’s first 2 years, Mayhew has given me a reason to give him a chance.
All you guys are so crazy
Mayhew is terrible
Grady jackson sucks
buchanan sucks
anthony henry sucks all his free agents sucks
Northcutt for gerald alexander who starts now for the jags, Ko Simpson…. sucks.
Draft= Stafford the verdict is still out there
Pettigrew= tbd, could have gotten OHER who will be a tackle for the ravens the next 14 years…. besides tony gonzalez who has been a franchise TE drafted in the 1st round…..
Derrick williams=fumbles and cant catch=waste
Anthony Brown= Sucks
Bryant johnson= terrible
Jonathan wade=terrible
Eric King=terrible
William James= Garbage
People need to open their eyes….. The Lions get peoples trash who other teams just dump and they always have. Until we have no GMs nothing will change……
Im a die hard lion fan and want to win more than anyone but getting peoples leftovers wont help…
You understand Derrick Williams was a first year receiver right? Just wait until year three–he will probably be a decent #2.
Sure, they missed on Oher, but they did get the best player at 3 different positions last year. TE, QB, S.
DeAndre Levy was an amazing pick as well.
They hit more than they missed last year.
first year receiver whar r u talking about, he played wr and kr all his 4 years at penn state and he cant even catch the punts or kickoffs now..
Missed on OHER , all the Lions do is misss… Levy is okay, i wouldnt say he is amazing by no means
We a a TE who got hurt when no one even touched him….
Delmas is okay…. Could of had a way better draft..
Stafford, then Oher then Lauranitis or delmas
But he is a terrible GM just look at his trades and Free Agent signings geez
QVIST right on brother
MayhewSux-chicks dont dig siniscm.
Believe me I feel you on this. All Lions fans are desperate and have been spoonfed the same garbage since birth. You are right to be skeptical. However, you cant argue that Mayhew’s one draft is better than any Lions draft in recent memory.
The fact that he got 4 starters is a HUGE improvement. Stanton, Delmas, Pettigrew and Levy are all legitimate starters in this league. Granted Levy would not start for every team at linebacker but he is solid LB and a beast on special teams. You are dead on about Derrick Williams. However, that was a Schwartz pick more than Meyhew. But even Schwatz would agree with you that he was blinded by the fact that he is in love with kick returners that can’t catch.
I will live with 1 or 2 misses per draft. Huge improvement from 100% misses for 5 years.
It’s interesting that when Millen got here, he and Marty MorningWhig stated that they were surprised at the lack of talent on the team (even though we were a 9-7 team that was one or two players away from the playoffs).
Now we hear the same rhetoric from Millen’s very own protege!!!!!! Awesome…..
I am not optimistic. I have no fatih in a protege that throws his mentor under the bus, unless he has immediate and opposite results.
The coaching crew that Mayhem brought in was as follows: Another Rookie Head Coach (just like Millen brought in MM). An OC that ran the greatest show on turf INTO the turf. A DC who has never been successful and brings an outdated 4-3 defense to the team. A ST coach who should not have made it past day 2.
They did not draft last year to run the ball and stop the run as they should have. The players they drafted HAD to start because they didn’t add any depth during FA last year.
Aside from Delmas, I don’t feel ANY of the draft picks they got will have ANY longevity in this league. Including Matt “The Contract” Stafford. They could have had Oher, but they passed on OG’s for the entire draft which would have had more of an impact. Instead trading down in the draft and opting for an injured OT (Murtha) and another TE (Gronkowski) that never made the team. If they were going to draft a RB at all, then in the third round, we could have had Shonn Greene (since they later drafted Aaron Brown) or even Javon Ringer from MSU. The draft, in my opinion, was a complete debacle, that proved to me they had no strategy past round 2.
The message Mayhew is sending out in this article, is bad. He is basically saying, to the people HE brought in, that they suck and it’s someone else’s fault. He’s pointing the finger.
THAT is not leadership!
You can drink all of the KoolAid you want, but the fact is we’re going nowhere fast until a new GM and, more importantly, a new OWNER take over this franchise!
Thank you the Curse of Bobby Layne . My point exactly …