Detroit needs to be on the phone with New Orleans, NOW
 

If I were the GM of the Detroit Lions, I would be on the phone with the New Orleans Saints immediately. There has been numerous reports saying GM Martin Mayhew is looking for a running back and is making phone calls. I would be offering a late round pick for one of the saints running backs. We can almost guarantee that the Saints are going to only keep 4 running backs. So with that being said, they have Darren Sproles and Mark Ingram who I believe are locks on the team. Then they have undrafted free agent Travaris Cadet who has outperformed many players on the Saints roster, and looks to be like a lock to make the roster. It seems like the odd men out are Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory, who both have carried the load in New Orleans before.

Detroit needs to be on the phone with New Orleans, NOW

Re: Detroit needs to be on the phone with New Orleans, NOW
 

PT isn't going anywhere. Neither is Sproles or Ingram. It's Ivory or Cadet and heck I'm pullin for both of 'em.

Re: Detroit needs to be on the phone with New Orleans, NOW
 

We keep both, unless Cadet's injury lands him on IR.

Re: Detroit needs to be on the phone with New Orleans, NOW
 

This story is ridiculous.

"We can almost guarantee that the Saints are going to only keep 4 running backs."

How can he say that? Does he have inside information?

"It seems like the odd men out are Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory"

What? Thomas is the odd man out? That's crazy. Has this guy watched the Saints since 2007?

"I would want Pierre Thomas, because he is a versatile back who can both run and catch the ball out the backfield. He is reliable and looks very good. If the Lions can offer up a 4th or higher round draft pick, why wouldn’t you make your team better?"

4th round pick for Thomas? This guy must not know anything about the Saints.

You'd think Yardbarker would want at least some kind of credibility but articles like this make it impossible to take them seriously.

Re: Detroit needs to be on the phone with New Orleans, NOW
 

Fourth round pick? This Damond Talbot is a prime example of the failure of our public education system or perhaps modern medicine as doctors should never drop babies on their heads at birth.

Re: Detroit needs to be on the phone with New Orleans, NOW
 

Question who's filling in for Loomis.

Re: Detroit needs to be on the phone with New Orleans, NOW
 

When you say that PT is the odd man out in New Orleans -I can't take anything you say as serious.

Re: Detroit needs to be on the phone with New Orleans, NOW
 

PT isn't going anywhere, he is too perfect of a back for what the Saints do. Dude is lights out on screen plays, and is very effective in all other areas. If you want to know the definition of a perfect all around back for the Saints system, that is PT.

Now I do agree that Ivory or Cadet could be trade bait, but I seriously don't think what they would bring in on a trade is worth it for the Saints. I mean why would the Saints want a draft pick for guys who already perfectly fit the committee system the Saints use? I say, unless someone hits IR, the Saints open the season with 5 RBs.

Re: Detroit needs to be on the phone with New Orleans, NOW
 

Loomis alluded to keeping both. What do we need that would be the same caliber as any of our back that Detroit has?... Dont need draft picks either.

Re: Detroit needs to be on the phone with New Orleans, NOW
 

Thomas is not the odd man out!

Re: Detroit needs to be on the phone with New Orleans, NOW
 

This is all hypothetical and it is kind of funny because it is something that has been suggested more then a few times, glad to see the media is finally catching up with B&G, seriously. :lol:.

When Lions DE Cliff Avril was hit with the franchise tag, this was the opportune moment to me ... New Orleans was looking for a DE, Detroit was looking for a RB ... both teams are heavy at those positions and could afford to make a trade without hurting their respective teams, it was a win-win ... didn't happen, Avril signed the tender, the window of opportunity has closed.

Fast forward to last nights preseason game of Buffalo vs Detroit ... Mikel Leshoure looked good and had carries throughout the entire game ... which is good as he'll be serving a suspension for the first two games & could use all the carries he can get ... but anyway, he looked good ... almost 'scary' good, like 'the Lions just might finally have a running game for a change' good ... let's not forget Joquie Bell, who Detroit signed off the Saints practice squad last season and looked to solidify his bid for a spot on the roster ... it looks like he might have an issue with holding on to the rock, but his propensity to always be moving forward for additional yards and the fact he's healthy makes him Detroit's third back behind Leshoure and Keiland Williams.

What's my point? Point is ... now I see why a Detroit/New Orleans trade was never made. It would seem as the Lions may have be resolving their 'running' issue in house with players they already have, ie Leshoure, Williams, Bell & the injured Kevin Smith/Stephan Logan, while the introduction of Spags has put a spark in the Saints defense and the previous season's defensive line woes do not seem so paramount ... stick with the plan, steady as she goes ... no reason to unnecessarily shake things up ... that's good leadership/decision-making by both Mickey Loomis & Matthew Mayhew, IMO. :mrgreen:

Re: Detroit needs to be on the phone with New Orleans, NOW
 

"Good" in the 4th preseason game for a starter against second and third string defenses = Mediocre in the regular season...

Throw Sproles into last nights game and see what "Good" really looks like.

Re: Detroit needs to be on the phone with New Orleans, NOW
 

How is PT even in the conversation? No way is he going anywhere.

Re: Detroit needs to be on the phone with New Orleans, NOW
 

Looks to me like the Lions are solving their running game by picking up Saints practice squad players. Whichever of Cadet and Ivory (likely Cadet) ends up on PS will get picked up by the Lions, no trade necessary.

Re: Detroit needs to be on the phone with New Orleans, NOW
 

... IDK if you're referring to Leshoure still playing late in the game or Bell playing later in the game, but yeah, of course neither one compares to Sproles. I do take into account that it is preseason and it is the Buffalo Bills, but I also take into account the dismal state of affairs in the Lions backfield the past few seasons. In that light, Leshoure looked good early on against the Bills starting defense and Bell looked good enough to be the third or fourth back in the system.

I don't think so anymore and with the emergence of Leshoure, I don't think the Lions are going to strongly pursue anymore running backs ... remember, their run philosophy is more or less just to have a couple serviceable running backs that can catch the ball out of the backfield, they're really not concerned with them actually 'running' that much. Leshoure/Williams/Bell/Smith or Logan ... if they can all stay reasonably healthy, they'll get the job done ... now, all's they need is someone in the defensive backfield that can cover a receiver and they're potentially NFC North champs! :mrgreen:

Re: Detroit needs to be on the phone with New Orleans, NOW
 

This guy is an idiot. We will go into the season with 5 running backs.