Lions and League Free Agents?

[David]

Yikes! I don't get it. I really think keeping Paul hurts the team more than anything. He can't punt, he can't do kick offs, we need to shelter him on FG's. What's the point of keeping him around?

I hate it when people answer a question with a question, but I'm going to here. Paul was the West Division All-Star field goal kicker while making 90.5% of his field goals this year (longest 49 yards) and, until we know that Richie Leone is an accurate field goal kicker, why would you not pick up his option?


DH

[DanoT]

Yikes! I don't get it. I really think keeping Paul hurts the team more than anything. He can't punt, he can't do kick offs, we need to shelter him on FG's. What's the point of keeping him around?

I hate it when people answer a question with a question, but I'm going to here. Paul was the West Division All-Star field goal kicker while making 90.5% of his field goals this year (longest 49 yards) and, until we know that Richie Leone is an accurate field goal kicker, why would you not pick up his option?


DH

Yup, go with one kicker be it a Nat. or an Int. but let it be decided in TC by the new HC.

[B.C.FAN]

Yikes! I don't get it. I really think keeping Paul hurts the team more than anything. He can't punt, he can't do kick offs, we need to shelter him on FG's. What's the point of keeping him around?

I hate it when people answer a question with a question, but I'm going to here. Paul was the West Division All-Star field goal kicker while making 90.5% of his field goals this year (longest 49 yards) and, until we know that Richie Leone is an accurate field goal kicker, why would you not pick up his option?


DH

McCallum also has not lost any leg strength. He can still hit field goals from 53 yards. The coaches have been reluctant to let him kick outside the 45 yard line for fear of giving up big returns but that's not on McCallum.

I'd still like to see one kicker handle all chores, preferably a kicker with a Canadian passport in his pocket. That kicker won't be McCallum. Schmitt can outkick McCallum by an average five yards on kickoffs and punts, and he ranked just fifth in the league in punting average and second in kickoff average.

[TheLionKing]

I thought I read somewhere that the Lions picked up McCallum's option. Is this for real?

Yes, according to Mike Beamish.

Yikes! I don't get it. I really think keeping Paul hurts the team more than anything. He can't punt, he can't do kick offs, we need to shelter him on FG's. What's the point of keeping him around?

Makes you wonder why the Lions brought in the kicker to be on the practice roster.

[The_Pauser]

Wow, I guess I openly disagree with a lot of other Lionbackers on two major issues:

1) I do not want to see Kevin Glenn back here.

2) I do not want to see Paul McCallum back here.

IMO, roster-wise, I see these two positions as our biggest weaknesses right now. I don't get why others don't see it that way (wouldn't be the first time, people debated to no end that Jarious Jackson was a good QB..look how much better we got without him), but we will see what happens. I do know that carrying a separate punter to go with McCallum led to us having to scratch good players like Tim Brown who were contributing. And we also saw the train wreck that was McCallum's punting in the ESF.

Whether you think he can hit from 45+ or not, even the FG's he did hit looked quite weak and any speck of wind likely would have caused it to be a miss. I do feel that part of the reason the coaching staff had fears about kicking a FG from 45+ was because they don't have confidence in him to make it, thus potentially giving up a large return. There is no fear of giving up a large return if you have full confidence that your kicker can hit those.

[sj-roc]

Wow, I guess I openly disagree with a lot of other Lionbackers on two major issues:

1) I do not want to see Kevin Glenn back here.

2) I do not want to see Paul McCallum back here.

IMO, roster-wise, I see these two positions as our biggest weaknesses right now. I don't get why others don't see it that way (wouldn't be the first time, people debated to no end that Jarious Jackson was a good QB..look how much better we got without him), but we will see what happens. I do know that carrying a separate punter to go with McCallum led to us having to scratch good players like Tim Brown who were contributing. And we also saw the train wreck that was McCallum's punting in the ESF.

Whether you think he can hit from 45+ or not, even the FG's he did hit looked quite weak and any speck of wind likely would have caused it to be a miss. I do feel that part of the reason the coaching staff had fears about kicking a FG from 45+ was because they don't have confidence in him to make it, thus potentially giving up a large return. There is no fear of giving up a large return if you have full confidence that your kicker can hit those.

I'm with you on McCallum. His FG stats look good on paper but his attempts are generally shorter, he plays more indoor games than anyone else, and our open roof is barely a match for even typical outdoor conditions in the rest of the league.

Opposing kickers were purrfect @BCP this year, 28 for 28, not even *one* single MFG among the works of them for all of 2014. And a good chunk of those attempts were from outside the 40, not like they were all gimme chip shots. Our guy, for all he has contributed in the entirety of his time here, was inferior this year against those numbers and time will do nothing to close this gap.

[DanoT]

IMO the biggest problem with the 2 kicker system was that Scmidt's kickoffs and punts were only slightly longer than what McCallum can do and Scmidt's coffin corner kicking was sub par.

McCallum, not Scmidt should be at TC, along with a few others who hopefully are ready to beat McCallum out of a job.

I'm really not sure about Glenn for next year. If Lulay tries a comeback then a solid 2nd string QB is needed, so is that Glenn or Beck? Or do you think Partridge or Rodgers can step up and be the backup? For sure both or at least one of the young QBs needs to get fast track development by getting some playing time during the regular season.

[The_Pauser]

IMO the biggest problem with the 2 kicker system was that Scmidt's kickoffs and punts were only slightly longer than what McCallum can do and Scmidt's coffin corner kicking was sub par.

McCallum, not Scmidt should be at TC, along with a few others who hopefully are ready to beat McCallum out of a job.

I'm really not sure about Glenn for next year. If Lulay tries a comeback then a solid 2nd string QB is needed, so is that Glenn or Beck? Or do you think Partridge or Rodgers can step up and be the backup? For sure both or at least one of the young QBs needs to get fast track development by getting some playing time during the regular season.

I wouldn't bring either Schmitt or McCallum back.

And regardless of whether Lulay tries a comeback or not I'm looking for a new QB. Someone who can start. And let's not kid ourselves...if Lulay attempts a comeback and we settle on bringing Glenn back, we're basically saying we are OK with Glenn as a starter. That's something that I am not OK with.

[WestCoastJoe]

I don't have strong feelings one way or the other on McCallum, at this time in his career.

He has been money as a FG kicker in his remarkable career.

He has been a very effective placement punter.

I will say this: somebody will have to beat him out for next year.

And I will say this: at some point the Lions have to make a change.

We probably should have kept Shawn Whyte. Why not? Similar productivity.

We probably should have kept Hugh O'Neill. Why not? Similar productivity.

At what point do we keep the younger guy who gives pretty close to the same results as the older guy.

It seems like one more example of "play it safe" management.

[The_Pauser]

I don't have strong feelings one way or the other on McCallum, at this time in his career.

He has been money as a FG kicker in his remarkable career.

He has been a very effective placement punter.

I will say this: somebody will have to beat him out for next year.

And I will say this: at some point the Lions have to make a change.

We probably should have kept Shawn Whyte. Why not? Similar productivity.

We probably should have kept Hugh O'Neill. Why not? Similar productivity.

At what point do we keep the younger guy who gives pretty close to the same results as the older guy.

It seems like one more example of "play it safe" management.

What's weird to me is that Wally typically cuts a player loose when he reaches a certain age at every position, except kicker. McCallum will be 45 going into next season, yet he's still here. It's the opposite of what Wally does.

[pennw]

I agree with you Pauser . Macallum never leaves you feeling any confidence whether he is punting or kicking a field goal . He does pretty good when BC is in opposition territory punting for the corner , but I always cringe when he has to punt from deep inside our end . Usually I expect his punt to be less than 20 net yards if it is from our endzone . Seems like he shanks the majority of those .
I agree on Glenn too . I can't see how so many think none of the offensive woe isn't on him . Yes , he may have done well in Calgary , but that was then this now . Early on he locked onto his primary receiver and never seemed to even consider throwing to any secondary receiver . His throwing this year was anything but quick release nor accurate . The WSF game he consistently was missing receivers by a lot , either way too short or too high , those throws were on him (not his OC) , any of the top level QB's playing well would have made those .

[sj-roc]

I don't have strong feelings one way or the other on McCallum, at this time in his career.

He has been money as a FG kicker in his remarkable career.

He has been a very effective placement punter.

I will say this: somebody will have to beat him out for next year.

And I will say this: at some point the Lions have to make a change.

We probably should have kept Shawn Whyte. Why not? Similar productivity.

We probably should have kept Hugh O'Neill. Why not? Similar productivity.

At what point do we keep the younger guy who gives pretty close to the same results as the older guy.

It seems like one more example of "play it safe" management.

What's weird to me is that Wally typically cuts a player loose when he reaches a certain age at every position, except kicker. McCallum will be 45 going into next season, yet he's still here. It's the opposite of what Wally does.

Even at K/P this is somewhat unusual for Wally. Late in his Cgy tenure, he cut Tony Martino, who surfaced here in 2002. Then WB followed him here the year after and cut him again. And he also had no use for O'Mahony after 2005.

Re: Hugh O'Neill, IIRC his release midway through the 2013 season was triggered by his refusal to sign an extension, and uncertainty over his chances at succeeding the incumbent might have factored into this.

[notahomer]

IMO, Hugh O'Neill has really struggled. Maybe some time and practice and CFL seasoning will help him stabilize his career........

I really thought Sean Whyte was going to be McCallum's replacement but Paul's gone on for many more years.....

[Spud387]

I thought I read somewhere that the Lions picked up McCallum's option. Is this for real?

Yes, according to Mike Beamish.

Yikes! I don't get it. I really think keeping Paul hurts the team more than anything. He can't punt, he can't do kick offs, we need to shelter him on FG's. What's the point of keeping him around?

In case we don;t find anyone in training camp.

At this point we do not have a replacement for him. That could change between now and next season, but for now he's insurance.

[The_Pauser]

Lions re-sign Jabar Westerman, Kito Poblah, and Mike Benson.

The Westerman re-signing is huge IMO. Personally I had thought we would lose him to an Ontario team as I felt he wanted to go back and play in his own backyard. So happy to have him back! He really came into his own in the second half of the season and rebounded nicely after a bit of a slow start and some legal issues. Hopefully he continues his development and becomes a reliable every down starter going forward.