larry foote released -- yes, actually
>> 5.04.2009
Sam Farmer of the LA Times just Tweeted that Larry Foote has been really, truly, actually released. Kudos again to Martin Mayhew for standing strong and not giving up a fifth- or sixth-rounder, and also taking on a bad contract.
Clock's ticking, Mr. Mayhew.
PFT's got a story up, now.
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7 comments:
get him, get him, get him... plugs a hole at MLB and brings home a good kid from the D!
Not really sure why Mayhew deserves any credit yet at this point. Not offering a 5th or 6th rounder will be a huge mistake when Mr. Foote wakes up and realizes what a bad idea it would be to play for Detroit and ends up somewhere else. And as for the contract, what makes you think whatever he signs on for will be better (for the team) than what Pittsburgh was giving him? Methinks someone will overpay for him.
I never understood why fans were so worried about Stafford's contract and the Lions "overpaying". It isn't coming out of your pocket. Who cares!!!! Similarly, why do people care about Foote's contract. If they have cap space sign him to a one year deal and be done with it. At worst,Levy has someone to mentor him.
True, the money is not coming out of the fan's pocket...but that has nothing to do with it. There is a thing called a salary cap and you don't want too much salary tied to one or just a handful of players. If Stafford doesn't work out (or Foote), the team will still be taking a major salary hit for a guy that either isn't playing or isn't on the team in a few years. Or even worse, being forced to play them because of their salary when they have no business playing.
Calvin--
I really think there's a hole on this team in regards to the community--there's nobody left who has real ties to Detroit. The only true veterans are Hanson, Backus, and Devries, and of them only Backus had preexisting ties to the area. I really think that there has to be a major locker room influence that knows Detroit and knows how much the Lions mean to the city, and state.
Peace
Ty
Jimmerz--
I think Mayhew's proven that he understands the value of making a trade to forestall a player hitting the market. The JP trade, the Dockett trade that fell through when the Bills forgot to sign the paperwork, he's made that move when it's been justified.
Foote would be a huge upgrade over a rookie OLB they think they can convert to the middle, and an undrafted special teamer who can barely stay on an NFL roster (Cody Spencer). However, I don't think Foote would be a huge upgrade over most teams' starting MLBs, especially when you're talking about moving him into 4-3. He's a little small for a 4-3 run stuffer (6'-1", 239#), in fact he's not noticably bigger than Levy. The notion that there's going to be a gold rush for Foote, when he said even before he was released that "Detroit is always #1" . . . I don't see it.
I just hope the Lions are willing to pay enough to get him here.
Peace
Ty
NS57, Jimmerz--
I think the reason that fans are concerned with the contract is that money = investment = committment, and the guys who've been invested in have been committed to. Everybody wants Larry Foote, but nobody wants to see the team ink him to a five-year deal--because nobody wants to be on the hook for his decline, and nobody wants the team to pass up on the NEXT great linebacker (after Aaron Curry, Patrick Willis, Shawn Merriman, Demarcus Ware, etc.).
The good news is that the Lions are keenly aware of this; if you look at the deals that guys like Grady Jackson and Anthony Henry have been signed to, you'll see they could basically wash their hands of the entire roster again next year and not feel much cap pain. All of the signings we're seeing--with the possible exceptions of Peterson and Buchanon--are stopgaps. Effective stopgaps, but stopgaps. They really do want to build this team through the draft, which is why they didn't overpay for any of the midlevel guys that "filled a need", like Rocky Bernard--and why they won't overpay for Larry Foote.
Peace
Ty
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