Report: Lions willing to listen to offers for Joe Smith

[RoarLionsRoar]

Report: Lions willing to listen to offers for Joe Smith
TSN.ca Staff
8/10/2008 2:44:55 PM

Lions' head coach Wally Buono has made it clear who his starting quarterback will be this week but the future does not appear so clear for running back Joe Smith.

According to the Vancouver Province, Jarious Jackson will start ahead of Buck Pierce but the play of rookie Stefan Logan has led to talk of putting Smith on the trading block.

"Am I going to make decisions on players this week? Yes. I always have to look at ways to improve the team," Buono told the Province when asked about Smith's situation. "As John Wooden said, 'You might be the best player, but with you this might not be the best team. If somebody picked up the phone I'd listen.'"

Logan is averaging over seven yards per carry since taking over the feature back duties when Smith suffered a shoulder injury in Week 2.

In his Week 3 debut, Logan rushed for 143 yards, leading the Lions to their first victory of the season. Meanwhile, Smith raised some eyebrows when he chose to stay home and tend to his garden instead of joining his teammates at B.C. Place. But Buono did not concern himself with Smith's decision at the time.

"He's not accountable to me when it comes to that," said Buono. "He's accountable to himself and his teammates. I don't focus on the players who aren't playing. I focus on the 42 that are."

Before the Lions can talk trade with Smith, the health of Logan and his sprained ankle will have to be assessed. Logan reinjured the ankle in Friday's loss to the Edmonton Eskimos but Buono is not worried about his running back's durability.

"If durability is an issue we use Lyle Green, Rolly Lumbala or Ian Smart on other things," Buono told the Province, making no mention of Smith.

Buono also mentioned that he has been in contact with former Denver Broncos' running back Mike Bell, who was released by the Houston Texans on the weekend. Bell is on the Lions' negotiation list.

[The_Pauser]

Would be nice if we could work out a Jarious Jackson (or even Buck Pierce if need be) and Joe Smith for Casey Printers type deal...doubt it happens, but with Lumsden being injury prone, who knows.

[Soundy]

Meanwhile, Smith raised some eyebrows when he chose to stay home and tend to his garden instead of joining his teammates at B.C. Place. But Buono did not concern himself with Smith's decision at the time.

"He's not accountable to me when it comes to that," said Buono. "He's accountable to himself and his teammates. I don't focus on the players who aren't playing. I focus on the 42 that are."

Pity so many of the media and the so-called "fans" aren't as capable as Wally of concentrating on what really matters...

[mightybuck]

Would be nice if we could work out a Jarious Jackson (or even Buck Pierce if need be) and Joe Smith for Casey Printers type deal...

[Hambone]

It's very difficult to pull off mid-season trades, particularly with the SMS in place. Any deal will have to take salaries into consideration. I don't recall any rumours as to Joe Smith's new deal but would assume he's around $150K. To take that on a trading partner would need to have some cap room unless they send similar salary back to BC or are prepared to carve some money.

If you want to swing a deal in mid-season you deal from strength. If Stefan Logan is the real deal then moving a running back to fill other holes is a move that can be made. What makes this potentially more plausible now is Rolly Lumbala, but that's assuming Lumbala can handle the power running game. So far he has looked good........on his only career carry to date. I wish by now they would've given him a few more reps to see what is there. From the other side of the coin the most logical trading partner would be a team with depth in positions the Lions may feel thin at. Right now I'm thinking they'd like to get a receiver and/or import linebacker. Receivers in particular have been dropping like flies across the league to serious injuries. Nobody is overly deep in those areas. Also when you look around the league there aren't a lot of teams who might be in the market for a tailback particularly considering the Lions would want to ship Smith to the East. Montreal seems quite happy with Coburne. Winnipeg has Roberts. The Ti-Cats look set with Lumsden if he can stay healthy. The Argos fit the bill for a team that could be interested in Smith, but they have not much to offer in terms of receivers. They too have been hit by the injury bug and had to activate their 4th string QB to play receiver last week. Of the West teams only Edmonton would be possibly in the market for a tailback and I just don't see us sending Smith to the Evil Empire what with a couple more games to play this season.

Moving Smith may only result in prospects and draft picks coming this way. Even then teams may just as soon see what they can pick up from NFL cuts without having to give up assets. Any such players would also come much cheaper than Smith's new contract would cost.

[Lions4ever]

Would be nice if we could work out a Jarious Jackson (or even Buck Pierce if need be) and Joe Smith for Casey Printers type deal...

Tell me about it.

[No Ka Oi]

I'd take Joe Smith over Rollie Lumbala or even an early-training camp NFL castoff who doesn't know our plays and who might forget to block the blindside blitz, etc. If we trade Joe, he could very well end up with the Esks or Riders and pound it down our throats on the frozen Western Final turf? We don't have to subject ourselves to that risk by trading last year's rushing leader. So what the guy likes to garden rather than watch football on TV? I think Wally may be blinded by all the smoke blown by the sports writers who have made "Quirky" Joe, "Economical" Joe and "Touchdown! Joe, their whipping boy. Who says the little squirt can stay healthy? And Joe never fumbles, let's not forget that...

[TheLionKing]

Would be nice if we could work out a Jarious Jackson (or even Buck Pierce if need be) and Joe Smith for Casey Printers type deal...

Ditto, as far as I'm concerned Casey has burned his bridges. Isn't going to happen

[The Pez]

Casey who? C'mon

[No Ordinary Joe]

I don't understand Wally's dislike for Joe at all.

[Canuck_4_Life]

I don't understand Wally's dislike for Joe at all.

Joe set the standard last year. Now, he has to meet or come close to it. So far, he is not.

Don't forget how Smith became the starter, at the expense of Antonio Warren. Having said that, if I'm Smith, I'm a little worried.

[cromartie]

There's no story here. Wally would listen to a deal for anyone on the roster. Operative word being "listen."

But good on TSN, I guess, for picking up a hypothetical and running with it. Someone had column inches to fill, I guess.

[RoarLionsRoar]

What have you done for me lately, Joe? Lately being this year, not last. As much as I like Joe as a big horse type of RB, he hasn't hit the hole like we've needed him to this year and given us that spark. It seems like the O Line gets a big spark seeing Logan reel off a 34 yard+ run like he did on Friday, making something big out of nothing.

I think Wally's sick of Joe's inability this season to hit the hole hard. And maybe his strange attitude was a little bit funny last year but the team might be growing old of it. Telling the papers you're gardening or going shopping instead of watching your team play isn't a way to get on the coaches OR players good sides. There are plenty of good running backs everywhere (as we can see with Stefan Logan). I'd rather us get something for Smith than nothing.

I'm really looking forward to seeing Logan a lot more this season.

[Hambone]

I don't understand Wally's dislike for Joe at all.

I don't think anybody ever said Wally had any sort of dislike for Joe. If he did he wouldn't have given him the new contract. The only dislike Wally has right now is for the lack of consistent production from the running game and he has what seems to be a viable alternative in Logan. They are totally different backs with different skillsets. Smith does some things very well that Logan cannot duplicate and vice versa.

Some numbers seem to back Wally up in this issue:

Smith 55 carries for 236 yards in 4 games. 4.3 yds per carry, 79 yds per game. The Lions are 1-3.
Logan 42 carries for 303 yards in 3 games. 7.2 yds per carry, 101 yds per game. The Lions are 3-0.

[nelson95]

How soon everyone forgets Joes last home game with the great 2nd half and springing Smart for the KR TD?

I'm not sold on Logan yet but it seems Wally feels the FBs will be OK on the goalline