Love it or hate it. Kevin Jones was released due to his injury history and his expensive contract. Also Kalimba Edwards. Edwards contract made it impossible to trade him as well as KJ's condition.
I haven't been keeping up with Lion's current events and didn't read the prior posts in this thread,but did Millen pick up a big free agent back to take his place or has he targeted someone in the draft? I mean Tatum Bell and whomever is back there now was already weak so is there an Adrian Peterson out there??? Earlier in the week, an ESPN football analyst indicated the Jones should get more touches and the Lions should draft little Mike Hart for backup duty.
No RB of note has been added. Just means now that a RB is definitely top of the list in the draft. Mendenhall, Stewart, even McFadden is possible if he drops far enough to trade up and get him.
really can't get into tracking the daily moves of the lions, just to depressing for the most part.... but the Jones cut could be just a money move, that they might resign him shortly for less money. Sorta like Joey harrington did with atlanta.
Round, there is talk of that, but the real fact is from my source, the Lions will not re-sign him. His production also had a factor in letting him go. Also cut was Kenoy Kennedy today.
Isn't it hard to guage RB production in a Martz offence? I just don't see the direction or the logic behind these moves.
I agree with you Nemo. When KJ was healthy and actually getting the ball with any consistency, he was a 4-5 yard per carry back who combined speed and power. That's not bad with an O-line as bad. The fact that they had to cut a guy making just over $2 million for the season just shows how much of a joke this organization really is. They've screwed up the cap so bad that they have to nickel and dime everything. What's the harm in keeping him around for 1 more season? He's a FA after this year anyway. Worst case scenario is he gets injured again. Best case is that he has a breakout season - it's a contract year afterall. At the very least, it helps to disguise which way we're leaning with the 15th pick.
I always thought KJ was a low IQ player with bad hands and no lateral speed. Still, Millen has succeeded in rebuilding this team for the 3rd time since he got here, each time, managing to avoid a winning record. That in itself is amazing. When I think about the Lions, I get really angry. So I choose not to think about them a lot. It makes my blood boil.
Actually, it's closer to $3M. Truth is KJ is productive only nominally. You can't just keep a guy paying him like that when he keeps getting hurt. His best year was his rookie year. Even though it was Martz' offense, still KJ got hurt. As for a RB, it's deep enough to wear we could still get on in the 2nd easily.
From what I've read, it's $2.37 million. Like him or not, the fact is that Kevin Jones has been the most productive back we've had since Barry Sanders. Since I don't think Barry is coming back anytime soon, why not keep him for the last year of his contract? I'm not saying that KJ is the best thing since sliced bread, but he was more than serviceable and only 25 years old. It's not like the injuries he's had have been "girly" or anything. They've been legitimate, potentially career ending injuries that he has fought like a dog to come back from and has recovered well before the expectations each time. I'm not even saying that we shouldn't draft a back in the draft. I just don't agree with cutting our best RB for nothing when we already have a suspect group of backs and before the draft to even attempt to disguise the way they're leaning. I just think that this is another bone headed Millen mistake. Speaking of which, given Millen's track record with draft picks. Do you really trust him to even draft a RB that is now supposed to come in and start? At least KJ was a proven commodity. Man, I'm with you Roscoe. Every time I think about these darn Lions I get angry. But unlike you, I've been unable to force myself to stop thinking about them so far!
you coddle kj but run s rogers. we playing favs ? kj stank. all he could do is run straight ahead, and blast into guys for an extra 1/2 yard. draft Dline and oline. Kenoy K kinda grew on me as he got better over the years. Just couldn't make enough big plays.
KJ gave 100% effort every time I saw him play. He wasn't on the sideline every 3rd play catching his breath. He wasn't sitting on his fat butt on every crucial play. He wasn't taking plays off. Crazy as it sounds, he actually WANTED to be on the field for this team. He actually WANTED to run behind this sorry excuse for an O-line. Rogers wanted to collect his paycheck while eating a donut and fondling a stripper. I like KJ. Does that mean that I think he's the best back in the history of the NFL? No. But I do think that he was the best back on the Lions roster. It wouldn't have been the end of the world if we didn't re-sign him next season either. I just think that cutting him for nothing was a mistake (not that I think we would have received much for him at this point). Heck, I'm all for drafting O-line and D-line. I'd be overjoyed if the boneheaded GM would try and build this team from the trenches out rather than from the WR in. But guess what? Now we have to use one of our first day picks on a RB. Yet another top pick used on an offensive skill position. Hmmm, where have I seen that before? Keeping KJ on the roster would have given us more flexibility in the draft. But hey, if all that means that I'm playing favourites, so be it. Unlike Millen, I just want what's best for the team. I couldn't care less if it's KJ or OJ running the ball.
Was he worth 2 high # 2s to draft ? KJ had some moments, and was pretty good near the goal line. What's the longest run he ever broke 50yd ?
I guess that depends. Who's doing the drafting? If it's Millen, then I'd say absolutely. He's given us a heck of a lot more production than most of Millen's draft picks. But I'm not even arguing his draft status, just the fact that IMO, he shouldn't have been released when he was. Wait a second here..... Matt? Is that you? I get it now! TheeTFD = Matt Millen! Thee Totally Foolish Drafter! It all makes sense now!
I've seen Millen keep guys for a long time when they shoulda been cut or traded. Sadly enough, most of our roster fits into that caregory. Guys like Raiola, Kalimba, and Rogers have been kept for much too long. Now, suddenly KJ is cut at the drop of a hat. This leaves us in serious need of a RB. Another wasted draft looking for a quality Rb instead of a lineman. The message I'm getting from the organization is that Rogers and Kalimba were better at their positions than KJ was at his. I just don't see it that way. Rogers is nothing but a big tub of Gooo... his slacker attitude impacted the team in a very negative way.
I think getting rid of KJ is consistent with what the coach has in mind. He wants tough, nasty minded players who will hurt people. KJ had become contact adverse. He occasionally would bump heads with the opposition but would dance up to the line most of the time. KJ also had very poor peripheral vision and would often miss an opening just to the side of where he hit. Coach will settle for a bunch of tough nobodies in place of the pussies he had.
