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Speaker 4: Well, it's good. Hey, everyone. Jefferson here with your daily DLP. We are back on the guest track today. We're not gonna keep him waiting any longer. We'll bring him in. My esteemed colleague, old friend, Eric Edholm from nfl.com. I've known Eric for a very long time. Eric, thanks for joining the daily DLP. How are you doing, buddy?

Speaker 5: You could've maybe wait longer. I made you wait a whole day. So, you know, you coulda held me on a little I I I I bailed on you. So first of all, I apologize again, and thank you for having me on. Happy to be here.

Speaker 4: It's all good. Yeah. So, you've, we've known each other for a long time over the draft world. Before we get into everything else, let's just go over your basic thoughts on the Lions draft and what they do with, like, Blake Miller, Derek Moore, Jimmy Relder, your assessment of what they what they accomplished.

Speaker 5: Yeah. I mean, I I think a lot of us went into the the draft thinking offensive tackle was not only a realistic, but a likely outcome. You know, Miller was one of the guys. Morgan Freeland Freeling was one of the guys and probably Proctor. You know, those are the three that I would say maybe I'm forgetting somebody. But, you know, in a in a top heavy draft, at at tackle, it felt like there there were a decent number of options, and those were the most likely. And, yeah. So, obviously, Miller look. The the 50 plus starts, good lateral quickness for, you know, for for a big guy. I think there's there's still, you know, some question as to really how high his upside is. Could he be that that dominant force? I don't know. But I think at the at the very least, I think you're gonna get a a very respectable starter there. So, you know, Derek Moore was interesting. I I I he was one of those guys that I felt like I got differing opinions on when I talked to people about him, especially, you know, down at the Senior Bowl. And and I think that was where I may have gotten kind of the most feedback in in general. But, you know, I I love the motor. He cranks it up. He's he checks a lot of lion's boxes in in that regard. I think he's, you know, plays with power and uses his hands well and feel like pretty good finisher once he's, you know, kinda beaten this guy and stuff. But I I I I like I like his his rush potential a little bit more than I like his all around game, I would say. I don't know. It's it's I think he's a good player. And, again, I sort of felt like the the same with with really the the the the first pick. You know, those two picks, I I like it. I don't know that I'm in love with either guy, but I think I had no problem with it. Keith Abney was a guy that I that I thought should've gone

Speaker 4: in the Everybody has brought him up. You're, like, the fifth person I've interviewed who's brought up Keith Abney as, like, somebody that they thought would go earlier. So

Speaker 5: Yeah. Really. I I what did he end up going? Like, a 150, a 100 or something?

Speaker 4: 157, I think it was.

Speaker 5: 57. I mean, boy, that I don't know. Maybe I'm you know? Again, I I I always try to rely more on on NFL people's opinions because they're the ones who matter the most, but I always enjoyed watching him. I thought he was a pretty instinctive player and, you know, good enough size, I think. Not not a big guy, but but good, you know, capable and, feels like he has good sort of feel for coverage, really natural athlete. I mean, jeez. I I just sort of felt like you could We're

Speaker 4: we're all trying to figure out why he fell so long. I I know he's short. He's he's he's he's not small. He's short. Sure. And there's a difference. You know the difference between that, but I that's that's, like, the only knock you can really find on him.

Speaker 5: I heard one guy talking about he felt like he was a nickel. And we say that about so many DBs these days. Like, wow. He's a nickel. He's a nickel. He's a nickel. And You need

Speaker 4: those. And what's that? You need those.

Speaker 5: We it's your twelfth starter. Right? I mean, our, you know, your eleventh, whatever you wanna call it. I mean, it's it's it's it's an important position and, you know, especially with the lines, I think having, you know, some question about branches, health, and all that stuff and just quarter in general has been a a an injury plagued position. So, yeah, I love that pick. And Jimmy Rolder was obviously a really good football player in Michigan and just, you know, for really only, like, a one year starter. You know? I mean, he was he was somebody that that looked the part when he got got his opportunity or, you know, one plus, whatever. And, yeah, I mean, just a sort of an efficient, smart guy with a good GPS, you know, to find the football and, you know, lots to like about him. Give me some other names to the last guys they took. I kinda forget who they got after. I mean, they

Speaker 4: they took they took Kendrick Law, wide receiver from Kentucky Yeah. Over Alabama.

Speaker 5: Did. Right? Yeah. Who

Speaker 4: else do we take? Tyre West from Tennessee.

Speaker 5: A DTA. And Yep.

Speaker 4: Space oh, Skylar Gil Howard is an interesting one.

Speaker 5: Oh, yeah. The the, from Texas. I mean, Texas tech kid. Right? Yeah. Yeah. You're a tech test.

Speaker 4: Tech test tech test tech.

Speaker 5: Penetrator type. Right. Yeah. I mean, yeah. I think

Speaker 4: Which is your neck of the woods. So Yeah.

Speaker 5: Yeah. But, yeah, I would say law is interesting. I mean, I I I didn't know what to kinda make of him. You know? He was he was a sort of a fascinating study that I didn't have a great field for, I would say, but, you know, a lot of lot of catches behind the line and and good yak guy and all that stuff. And, I didn't always feel like he he maximized his gifts when I watched him, but, again, I didn't I didn't sit there and break him down. But I think he's got kind of a a, you know, enough special teams prowess to to certainly track roster or whatever. But, yeah, overall overall, you know, I mean, given what they had coming in, I think it was a it was a pretty solid respectable class. I mean, I give for me, Abney was the one that that had the most sort of bang for the buck, I guess. But I think you can project the first three players to to really, you know, find find roles.

Speaker 4: Yeah. So one of one of the reasons I asked you on was because you wrote an article a couple weeks ago about the 10 most complete rosters in the NFL.

Speaker 0: Yeah.

Speaker 4: It's on a it's up at nfl.com. You can check it out. And you had the lions at sixth.

Speaker 5: I was I was thinking for a second. I'm like, dude, I did not include them. No. Yeah. Go ahead.

Speaker 4: Eric, would I have you on? Like, we're friends, but I I I wouldn't have you on if you didn't have me.

Speaker 5: That's right. Hey. Real quick. I just went on a Vikings podcast yesterday, and they ripped me for putting them so low in the power rankings. So I do wait into unfriendly grounds every now and then. Yeah.

Speaker 4: Well, you should have the Vikings, though, because tell me tell me if you think I'm crazy on this. My insistence is that no team got less better this off season than the Minnesota Vikings.

Speaker 5: That was my point. I mean, I said, like, they were over an eight football team entering December. You know? Yes. There is the the the possibility that that Kyler Murray does well or whatever. But, man, I I'm having trouble seeing enough snaps at on the d line. I'm having enough I'm having trouble finding another safety. I'm having trouble seeing enough weapons all around. I mean, I just I don't know. Maybe I'm maybe I'm wrong. But

Speaker 4: I agree with you on that.

Speaker 5: I'm like, we're they look like a We're sure they're to me. So that's that's exactly where

Speaker 4: I have them, so I'm glad I'm not the only one to catch that. Let's get back to your your 10 most complete lusters. The lions are sixth. They're fourth in the NFC. Yeah. Just your thoughts in general on, like, where this team is so good and and what what what makes them sixth? What keeps them from being, like, tenth or or what keeps them from being third?

Speaker 5: Yeah. And, truthfully, I would say yeah. I don't know exactly where the cutoff is. I actually did use kind of a mathematical formula. This wasn't just all, like, vibes and and, you know, finger waving and stuff. I really did try to sit there and say, you know, I think one year I tried to do it, like, you know, out of thin air, and that wasn't gonna work. So what I did was, like, alright. Let's give grades to each position. Let's weigh each position, you know, to a to a a level commensurate of its value. Right? Quarterbacks highest, pass rushers, receivers, you know, tackles, corners next, and, and so on and so forth down to interior of offensive linemen and safety or punters, whatever. You know? So I really did try to at least give, like, a a a a an integer grade on each on each position group and then weigh it from there. You know, stability at quarterback is obviously a big one. Jared's been, you know, the the one of the steadier guys the last several years. The system, even though it's changed in name, I mean, has has been in place for a while, there's a level of trust there. That's that's as

Speaker 4: Definitely.

Speaker 5: As solid as it gets. Right? The weapons are very good. You know, they know how to use them. People know their roles. You can obviously see a guy like, you know, Laporta bounce back, Tesla, take a step forward. You know, Jamieson's always a threat to have his career here. Right? So, you know, with with with Avanrod, everybody, I mean, that's that's a good group. Offensive line with Miller there now, a little more steady, a little more firm together, solidified. You know, you could picture that group being good if they all play together. So, you know, offensively, not a ton of questions losing David. Makes you kinda wonder exactly how the running back reps will go and all that, but I've that doesn't I I don't look at that and and say this changes the the DNA of this team even with let's not overlook what what Montgomery did, but still.

Speaker 4: Right.

Speaker 5: Yeah. Defensively, I think is where the the big issues are, the big questions, I guess. But it's not like they can't be good on that side of the ball. I think they can, and they have been in the past. It's been these situational things with injuries, I think, and and, you know, kinda specific Achilles heels that that have held them back at times. So, yeah, I'd I'd I'd love them to identify a a rusher opposite Aiden, and I'd love them to get the secondary in in full work. Yeah. We always still have to kinda figure out linebacker totally, but it's in it's in good good relative shape, considering where they've been in the past.

Speaker 4: Yeah. I'm with you on that. And, you know, it's obviously, the injuries are such a big thing. But Yeah. I really do see a lot potential with the defense if they can stay even moderately healthy. I'm excited about that.

Speaker 5: I mean, I think just adding enough, you know, kinda more little competition in spots, and you have how many second, third, and fourth year guys on the roster who, you know, it's, like, either found a spot or, you know, are the the ones who haven't who I mean, I'm trying to think. Did they add any veterans? Do they have McCreary is the only

Speaker 4: Roger McCreary came in. Christian Isian is now here, which is

Speaker 5: Is he in Tampa?

Speaker 4: That's a very good addition. Avante Matthews. Tampa.

Speaker 5: Yeah. Yep.

Speaker 4: Yeah. Yeah. So they they have they've done some some things there. Yeah. Can I ask you a question about a guy that I know that you studied in Ennis Rakestra? Oh, yeah. Coming out of Missouri as a quarterback. Like, he's been injured for all but about six quarters of his NFL year.

Speaker 5: Crazy.

Speaker 4: What did you see from him in college that would give Lions fans any hope or or not?

Speaker 5: It's been it's been tough. Yeah. I mean, I you know, my first memory of Ennis was when he was a high school recruit. You know, I went to Mizzou and and, and, you know, keep one eye on what and I think it was drinks for Eli Drinkwitz, their coach's first year as coach. He had just left App State and was trying to, like, solidify Mizzou's recruiting class, and Rake Straw was the flip. He was going to Alabama, if I remember, and and, Drink got him to flip. And there's this video of him, you know, Eli wearing a a bright yellow, sweater and giving the fist pump and, you know, this Diet Coke in his hand and, you know, running around the offices and stuff. That became the most memeable drink, thing around. So that was my first, memory of NS Rake Straw. And, you know, it took him a minute, but but it was clear that he was a player with a high level of confidence and felt like somebody who was gonna gonna make it, and he did. And, I'm blanking on the kid Evans that they brought in from Tulsa as a transfer. So they had the kind of the long corner on one side. Rake Straw was usually marked up with the the ex receiver, whoever their best receiver was.

Speaker 4: Abrams Drain was was he was my guy. Love that guy.

Speaker 5: Who was it?

Speaker 4: Chris Abrams Drain.

Speaker 5: Yeah. Abrams Drain too was also the the other corner. Yeah. They had a guy booked the year before that, and I'm blanking on his name. I'd I think he had an Yeah.

Speaker 4: You got me on that one.

Speaker 5: UDFA. But, yeah, Abrams Drain was was the undersized guy who made plays on the ball, whereas Rake Straw, you know, wasn't as tested as much. They went after Abrams Drain more than they did Rake Straw. There was a level of respect there his final year that I was I was like he was kind of the he was the number one corner, and he really competed and did well. Feisty, tough, a little wiry, a little on the leaner side. But, yeah, I I remember too. Like, he he would miss a game or two here and there. The injury issues were not as big in college as they've been in the NFL. So, but, yeah, feisty, tough, competitive, good reactive skills, but, you know, playmaking wasn't his strength, I don't think. You know what? Like, it's so hard to know what he's get if if he could ever be anything at this point. You know, when you haven't seen a guy really play play for two years, essentially, it's hard not to have a little bit of doubt at this point. But I I hope he Yeah. I hope he makes it.

Speaker 4: We all have our fingers crossed, and, hopefully, he doesn't hurt his fingers while he's crossing them. That seems to be what what's going on with him here? But get back to you wrote another column, and I I enjoyed this one. And Oh, good. Lions fans Lions fans who dislike Chicago will like this one. Because you wrote about the winners and losers from the twenty six twenty twenty six NFL schedule release, and you listed Ben Johnson as one of the losers. Can you just walk through that because it's kind of a fun fun little ride for we we have we have a thought on this show, FTB, the people really dislike that Ben so people don't dislike Ben Johnson. They dislike the fact that he went to Chicago. Like, come on.

Speaker 5: Of course. But

Speaker 4: you know?

Speaker 5: Yeah. No. It is what it is. Ben has has obviously, I don't wanna say cast a spell on this city, but but, you know, I live outside just outside of Chicago. But he's he's captured their imaginations, and that's, you know, that's a that's a pretty big step. I will say Matt Nagy kinda did the same thing his first year here, and we know how that ended up now. I don't expect it to go that way because I

Speaker 4: don't either.

Speaker 5: Yeah. I think I think I think Ben's a little different. But, you know, there is always that that I I think Bears fans know it best that, you know, rug being pulled out from underneath them. They've had that happen a few years. The fool's gold. I mean, they thought Rex Grossman was a was a very good quarterback at one point. So, you know, you gotta feel bad for him a little bit. But the reason I listed Ben was twofold. Number one, I didn't wanna just make it a list of teams. Right? I wanted to have some I had Patrick Mahomes as a winner just because even though they play a tough first game, he gets the early bye, yada yada yada. I wanted there to be a little bit more of a, less team centric, more, you know, anybody can can apply here. But, boy, you know, in terms of putting together a plan of action and a schedule for this season, you know, they have, I believe, seven games where they're playing with six or fewer days to prepare. Now I've since seen that there's a pretty good stat out there where it says there's this disparity between the rest where the bears actually benefit in a way that most teams don't, meaning they have a net twenty plus days of rest compared to their their their opponents. It's a crazy stat. I didn't know that going in, but, you know, when you have so many short weeks and you're playing games on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays during the season, home, road, international, the whole bit. I mean, it's it's it's a lot. You know? And so I'm kinda after such a emotional high of a first season and a more difficult schedule looming, I wonder if there isn't a little bit of a letdown, especially in such a tough division, Jeff. You know, I mean, the the lines are gonna be back. I'd be shocked if they weren't. I think the Packers are probably maybe, you know, as as good as

Speaker 4: They're not bad. They're certainly not bad.

Speaker 5: That's right. Yeah. And they can beat some of these teams. So I I just sort of feel like, you know, even with the Caleb Williams factor, I could see them kinda leveling off a little bit.

Speaker 4: You know, the that playing on such odd times all the time. Dan Campbell talked about this, two years ago when they, you know, they made it and and, you know, you're playing, you know, Thursday night football, Monday night football, Sunday night football. So, like, that does throw off your scheduling. Like, you can't get into a routine at all, and I don't think that's been brought up enough for a potential obstacle for the Bears. Now they do get the net the rest net rest differential is something to say. Up that's quite advantageous, but it comes with that little asterisk to it.

Speaker 5: I agree. I think coaches are such you know, they would love nothing more than to look down on their schedule and see 17 games at 1PM eastern on a Sunday. Right?

Speaker 4: I

Speaker 5: mean, that's like Amen. Dream nirvana. It never happens, of course. You have West Coast games. You have different things. But, yeah, like, it's it's really the the the fewer pride they'll always say. Obviously, some teams view it. I think it, like, we wanna play on prime time, especially those teams that haven't been on those games as much. I think there are some that are that are willing to kinda put up with it. But I agree. I think most coaches look at it and say, if I can give you the same routine, the same schedule every single week, I would love to do that. So I I feel like that matters.

Speaker 4: Yeah. You listed both La Fleurs, by the way, and you're

Speaker 5: I know.

Speaker 4: You're losers too. That's that's fun. Hey.

Speaker 5: You know, sometimes it's better to, you know, like, target your your anger at one not your anger. Your your your, criticism at one family. Right? They they just keep it localized, I guess. Yeah.

Speaker 4: Can I ask you because I I don't have a feel for the Arizona Cardinals much? And, like like, they're sort of off my radar.

Speaker 5: Yeah. Right.

Speaker 4: Is there any chance that they're not the last place team in the NFC West this year?

Speaker 5: Oh, yeah. I I would that's gonna be a tough one for me. It would take, I think, one of the quarterbacks on those other three teams getting significantly injured. I really do. And, again, I I I've been saying that this week, this is like my like, it's okay to admit now. I had the Cardinals as a wild card team last year. Like, every year, I sort of pick, like, that one on the left.

Speaker 4: Eric, I saw how they could do it. Like, I I didn't have them that good, but I thought they could be an eight and nine team, seven and ten at worst. And, damn, it didn't work, man.

Speaker 5: I mean and and look. One of the guys that I I for some reason, you know, we when I was at I'm I'm still at NFL media, but when I first joined there or whatever, we do I we were doing the, like, the what we learned on on the, during the games on Sunday, and they're, like, quick hitting kinda little bullet points or whatever. I I for some reason, I always ended up getting Arizona Cardinals games, and it was Drew Petzik's first year. And I was watching him work with a less than full deck and pour some real creativity into that offense. The red zone schemes were really exciting. They had a a, you know, like a it felt like a new package every time they got down there. You know, they had at least one play that set up another play from the first, you know, 15. They would they would script stuff and then come back to it and give you a different look later or give you the same look and then a different play off of it. You know, whatever. It was just very creative for a guy who wasn't very experienced. Obviously, I'm I'm curious to see how that works with you guys. But, maybe the magic was gone a little bit last year, obviously, given everything they went through. But, yeah, they got the quarterback holding out. They've got, you know, Carson Beck, everybody's, like, least favorite potential starter in this year's draft class. You know? And then, a lot of redundant pieces on defense, and then Marvin Harrison junior hasn't really shown us a lot. So they're they're they they got a lot to figure out.

Speaker 4: They do. I'm with you on that. By the way, in your top 10 most complete rosters, number one, the Los Angeles Rams. Number two, the Seattle Seahawks, both in the NFC West.

Speaker 5: I I got a little pushback on that. You know? Like, how could you put the Seahawks too? And I'm like, I'm just telling you my here's my methodology as I explained earlier. You know? I try to be as it doesn't mean that, like, a less talented roster can't beat a better you know, like, I just feel like I have to explain this, like, we're you know, like, to some people. Like

Speaker 4: but yeah. We're always gonna be looking for the for the angle of the for the slight. You know? It hey. And I can I can see the Seahawks being like, we're the defending champs? We didn't lose a whole lot. And No. And you don't have us number one? Like, let's look at the scoreboard.

Speaker 5: I mean, the one team that that really kinda went toe to toe with them all year last year was the Rams, lest we forget. But, like, and and, you know, the Rams almost punted on the draft entirely, whereas the Seahawks at least made some, like, good targeted selections, running back, DBs, whatever. I mean, you know, and and even with that, I was willing to go against the grain. That that's just how I fly, Jeff. That's just, That

Speaker 4: Eric, that's why that's why we're friends. That's why you're on the show. Loved having you. Yes. Tell people where they can find your work and and anything that you might be working on for NFL.

Speaker 5: Yeah. Nfl.com. And if you're a x user, it's Eric with a c underscore Edholm, e d h o l m. And, Yeah. I just did a thing where I kinda looked at every team's next potential hall of famer. You know, we were looking at how Adrian Peterson was going into the Vikings, ring of honor and was probably gonna be a first ballot for hall of famer next year. Brief Lions career, obviously. Very brief

Speaker 4: Lions career. Just about to bring that up.

Speaker 5: Yeah. Right? But, yeah, I tried to sort of go through and and weigh the the the standard candidates, the seniors, the contributors, and everybody else and try to figure out who's the next major member of a of a franchise to go in. There's some that were very tough that was to you know, like, there could be a ten year drought for their franchises. So I was digging as deeply as I could. I hope you enjoy it.

Speaker 4: I I will look at spoiler, who's your lion?

Speaker 5: I gotta look here. Hold on. I can I can do it very quickly here as we've kinda talked? I I should know off the top of my head. I just kinda brushed through it this morning a little bit.

Speaker 4: I I am I am one of the big proponents for Herman Moore to get in, and I know he doesn't I love Herman. Jeopardy stats, but his three years of his peak is as good as any three years of any receiver ever, and I think that needs to get more attention.

Speaker 5: Here's what I wrote. I here's here's the second part

Speaker 4: of what I wrote.

Speaker 5: I said, and Dominic and Sue is a is a, you know, a a borderline case. The criminally underrated Herman Moore deserves mention, and JC Madison can't be ignored if more kickers start getting in. But the guy I ended up picking was Lomas Brown. Oh. Does that work?

Speaker 4: I love it.

Speaker 5: I love it. Alright. Eleven years in Detroit, eighteen in the NFL. People forget he got a ring too at the end. He was on the box there at the end in 2002. And he, he was a starting left tackle for the Giants in Super Bowl twenty or '35, I guess. Yeah. '35. Mhmm. And, not that that he helped very much in that game. But yeah. No. I just sorta had one of those really nice careers that, you know, it's easy to forget when he was gone because he he didn't attract a lot of attention nationally, I don't think. But, man, when you look back at the body of work, it's pretty darn strong. Buddy Parker too. I mentioned that they led the the title teams back in the, you know, pre war days. So I I put him on the times.

Speaker 4: Before our

Speaker 5: dance team. Forget about the old timers. Yeah.

Speaker 4: Yeah. I'm I'm glad you brought up Lomas. We look. We love Lomas. He's been on the show before. He's he's still very involved with Lions. One of the most gregarious fan friendly people in the entire NFL.

Speaker 5: That's awesome. I feel like the Lions have a lot of those types of guys too. I feel like they have a really good group of of alumni and, like, guys who are still connected with the team and the recent success has gotta, you know, shine a light on a light on a lot of those guys.

Speaker 4: Yeah. Definitely. Well, Eric, thanks so much for joining us on the daily DLP. I really appreciate it. We'll we'll get back with you before the season maybe.

Speaker 5: I love it. Sounds good. I'm looking forward to it.

Speaker 4: Thanks, man. And with that, we will call it a show. Jeff Riston signing up. Be good to one another, everybody.