Who should be the Lions top priority to re-sign?

[Shi Zi Mi]

Going to say that Ottawa is a distinct possibility also....

Thelwell is 33 and seems to be going the Alfred Jackson route.......more and more time spent with injury......although he's still playing, his effectiveness has been noticeably limited.

I could see the Lions(Buono)signing him to a nice contract and then making him available in the Ottawa restocking draft.

Being from London, ON......he may want to finish his career close to home.

[Hambone]

Williams will be 34 next month and Thelwell will be 34 before next season starts. Floyd will turn 31 as the 2007 TC wraps up. Age will become a big factor. The players will be basing salary demands on past performance. Understandably under the SMS Buono will be having to think in terms of what can they bring to the table in the future as 34 turns into 35 going on 36. One thing for sure there won't be upside in retaining any of them. Floyd should be expected to continue at his current level of play for another few years. Williams & Thelwell though are at the point where you hope they can maintain their current level of play, but they could start to decline. For Wally it becomes a bit of an exercise in risk management. You can sign them based on current capabilities and level of play knowing you risk the possibility that their play will start to slowly decline.

Negotiations for these players will be largely one way. Buono will have a very specific target salary for players at the respective stages of their career these guys will find themselves at come the offseason. If they think it's fair they'll be back. If not they'll be elsewhere. If I was a betting man I'd bet there will be no raise in their futures. If Wally offers the same money as they're making now they'd better take it and run.

[Rammer]

Thelwell has missed practice today with a hamstring, and that is a sure sign of Alfred Jacksonitis....

I really enjoy Thelwell's play, I hope we can and do hang on to him ofr another couple of seasons....

[smphantom]

Finally, a sensible football related poll. 8)

[Lions4ever]

Finally, a sensible football related poll. 8)

What?!? So does this mean if another round of "The Bachelor is So Hot" shows up you're not in?? Me neither...

[Rammer]

T. Williams is the priority, guys that dominating are hard to find. O. Floyd is an excellent lb, but he would be easier to replace (J. Johnson, R. Foley, L. Pottinger).

R. Thelwell has been a good player and is one of the top non-import receivers in the league. But he might thrive as the go-to guy on another team (Ottawa or Ham, for instance). Here he will be fighting a losing battle with Simon and Clermont for catches, who are here for the longterm.

I would hate to see Ryan go, but it might be good move for his career and the Lions could replace him with P. Jackson, Josh Boden or others.

I agree, but we also have Paris who will be looking for fulltime employment, and Boden who is ready to step up for some game time in 07.

[stansz]

looking at there ages, i think it wouldnt be unreasonable to see them all not signed...
wr depth is fairly good for leos
we all know the depth we have in LB,
williams would be harder to fill, so porbably him

[Lionsbestinthewest]

It would be nice to see all three of those guys back in BC next year, But if i had to pick 2 of them to leave it would have to be otis and ryan not because they are ineffective but because they can be replaced we have a non import linebacker in Jason pottinger and an import in Jamall Johnson who i would feel just as confident about. At wide out we have lots of young talent also in Kendrick Jones ,TJ Acree and Gilles Colon.So Ryan and OTts are expandable, but tyrone williams is not he constantly takes double team witch frees up space for brant johnson aaron hunt and chris wilson. HE is the player we need back here next year 8)

[Blitz]

Part of the signings should also depend on who the Lions have waiting in the wings.

With Otis Floyd you have to look at guys like Jamal Johnson who could take his spot. But at the same time you have to figure where Carl Kidd will be next year as well. Then we also have Pottinger and possibly Foley (to a smaller degree) to fill holes. not to mention what other diamonds in the rough we can scout out. John Grace might be wanting to make a comeback.

On DT there picking might be a bit slimmer. We seem to have some depth at DE but not necessarily so at DT. As such I would think trying to find a replacement for Williams would be much more difficult. So this is where my priority would go.

Thelwell, a good CDN receiver. But realistically - what other team woudl employ him. I know he's Quesdad's fave and rightly so. I don't want to take anything away from what Thelwell brings but I just don't see him having much interest from other teams. He fits well with the Lions. The question now just becomes if he deserves a pay raise, a pay cut or stay the course. Depending on how the numbers crunch, I think Thelwell might be fine with staying the course and re-sign with the Lions. Also at receiver, the Lions have been trying out new players this year (mainly due to injury necessity) so there may be some young blood wanting to push for the position. So once again, is that a position of urgent need? I don't think so.

So of the 3 options, IMO Williams would be the priority to sign because it leaves us with the biggest hole to fill should he leave

Awesome post LFITQ!! I agree totally that Williams would be the priority. His age is not as much a factor at defensive tackle...because age effects speed the most while endurance increases. At the defensive tackle position Williams needs to be strong and quick and smart...we're not using him to chase down punt returners! Williams can be very effective for a few more years.

I agree that we have some potential outstanding linebackers in the wings including some with a Canadian pedigree. Jamal should also be ready to step in next season. However, I wouldn't underestimate what Otis Floyd has done this season. He's been much more important to our team than last year. His role has changed!! Glatt would not be having the season he's having without Floyd. Floyd is the guy who has stepped into the middle linebacker position on passing downs....spying quarterbacks, blitzing on occasion! That has allowed Glatt, on passing downs, to do what he does best, and that is cover. Glatt has made key interceptions and some big plays, in part, due to Otis's changing role. Prior to the Leos making this change in roles Glatt had struggled at times, early in the season. It's just that Otis is less noticed this year in that new role.
However we do have depth and it's possible we could even go with two Canadian linebackers next season.

I'd love us to sign McKay Loesher. You're all aware how high I was on his potential from training camp last season. A Canadian who could play defensive end regularly and very effectively, across from Johnson, is a catch and he's young as well. If we could get Foley also playing the defensive end position we could go with a defensive line rotation and drop an import, if we chose to. I could potentially see a defensive line of Hunt, Williams, Johnson, McKay, and Foley. Kirk should also continue to improve.

I can't rationally talk about Ryan Thelwell...I'm too biased because he may not be our best offensive player but he's my favorite...along with Rob Murphy so I defer to all your expertise with regard to resigning Ryan!!

[SammyGreene]

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/ ... d7b88e91d5

I thought I saw Wally's name online when Otis Floyd received a vote. :lol:

Nonetheless....great and somewhat surprising news that #35 is on the verge of being locked up for another two seasons.

[Rammer]

I hope that Wally would put down Williams if he was surfing around here....since he would have a good idea that Otis is all but signed.

Great news on Otis Floyd though, as the article suggests, he is a force on getting into the backfield and being able to run down opponents. You have to love the stability that he gives our LB'ing crew.

[Blitz]

thought I saw Wally's name online when Otis Floyd received a vote.

Sure glad I stood up for Otis too!! :lol:

It's a good decision by the Leos!!!

[Shi Zi Mi]

age effects speed the most while endurance increases

Endurance increases?......What??? .......I GUARANTEE you, that is NOT true........for further proof........ask my wife!!

[maddeep73]

This signing is proof that we really have the stability we have always wanted through the late 80's through the 90's. Guys want to be here, the team is solid and the fans have something real to sink their teeth into.

All hail Wally, Bob and David!!