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Detroit Lions fans hate offensive tackle Jeff Backus.
It is a deep-seeded hatred forged over years of inept line play and losing seasons—many of that falling squarely on the shoulders of one of Michigan’s one-time favorite sons.
In 2001, Jeff Backus and teammate Steve Hutchinson were part of an extremely deep offensive line class that produced Pro Bowlers like Hutchinson, Leonard Davis, and Matt Light along with other talented offensive linemen like Ryan Diem, Mike Gandy, and Floyd Womack.
Rumor has it that Matt Millen, in his first draft as Detroit’s general manager, was salivating at the prospect of drafting Hutchinson, a four-time All-Big Ten performer. When the Seattle Seahawks drafted Hutch, Matt Millen reached for Backus with the next pick.
At the time, the pick was received with lukewarm enthusiasm. In hindsight? The next 20 picks produced 10 Pro Bowl-caliber players like Drew Brees, Reggie Wayne, Chad Johnson, and Kyle Vanden Bosch.
Jeff Backus has never sniffed the Pro Bowl.
For Lions fans, that pick began and defines the Matt Millen era—barely missing out on top talent and reaching over Pro Bowlers for less talented players.
So those fans, who have endured so much in the past, oh…eternity, have plenty to be mad about. In 2009, that anger may have been greatly displaced.
According to Lions head coach, Jim Schwartz, Backus deserved to be in the discussion for the Pro Bowl last year. At least, unlike Bryant McKinnie, he would have shown up.
Now, when Schwartz made that proclamation, fans around the country wanted a large supply of the peyote that Schwartz and company had been partaking.
But, Schwartz isn’t alone. This year, some Lions fans saw a different Jeff Backus—not a great Jeff Backus, but a different one. In fact, amid disturbingly bad play by the Lions offensive line, Backus may have been the bright spot.
Seriously, stop laughing.
On the raw numbers, Backus allowed eight sacks in his 16 games—tied for seventh worst in the league. Fans point to that and immediately sign Schwartz and any of Backus’ supporters up for Alcoholics Anonymous.
Yet, Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus doesn’t think the supporters are that far off. Then again, Monson is from Ireland and they don’t have alcoholics over there—just lots of drunk people.
Recently, on my podcast, DraftCast , Sam Monson called 2009 a “very good year” for Backus. No, it wasn’t due to large amounts of Jameson—he also called it a very surprising year.
“Aside from one very bad day last year at Chicago (one sack, five QB pressures), he was extremely good in both run protection and pass protection.”
Sam explained that fans remember linemen in a unique way—creating a mental highlight reel of all the very good plays and very bad plays. Whereas his site (and coaching staffs) charts every play. So while Backus did allow eight sacks, he was very solid in the plays fans don’t remember.
About those eight sacks…sacks allowed is one of the hardest stats to account for. People watching don’t know if the quarterback was supposed to get rid of the ball quickly, if the running back missed his protection assignment, or if some other lineman forgot to pull—fans and stat geeks guess.
The coaching staff knows, and the staff knows Backus had a more-than-decent year. The coaching staff also knows that the power-run scheme is a nice fit for Backus.
So, it seems there may be light at the end of the 33-year-old left tackle. Talk has been thrown around about moving him to left guard if Russell Okung is selected No. 2 overall.
As it stands right now, if Jeff Backus plays 2010 like he played 2009, Okung might not be the wisest pick.
If Jeff Backus reverts back to 2008—not a good year by any standards—hindsight will be 20/20 once again, and Mayhew will be “Millenesque” or “little Millen”, while Jim Schwartz is just another failed coach.
In all seriousness, Jeff Backus could have played the 2009 season like the next coming of Anthony Munoz. In the end, most fans wouldn’t have believed it, even if they saw it.
He didn’t play like Munoz, but he may have been the best offensive tackle in the NFC North. Orlando Pace almost single-handedly ruined the Bears’ offense. Bryant McKinnie was one of the most overrated players in the league (that happens when you play next to Steve Hutchinson). The Packers? For their sake, the matter will be left silent.
Backus was above average. Believe it.
And believe that the Detroit Lions don’t feel the same sense of urgency to upgrade that position as many of their fans do.
The next DraftCast is Sunday night and our guests are Wes Bunting (head scout of the National Football Post ), Jamar Chaney (ILB Mississippi State) and Kyle Wilson (CB Boise State), who missed last week thanks to daylight savings time.
Michael Schottey is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report covering the Detroit Lions and the NFL Draft. He is also a team correspondent for DraftTek.com , as well as a guest writer for MLive.com . Check out his podcasts at BlogTalkRadio and follow him on Twitter .
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The first week of NFL free agency is already in the books.
Numerous teams have already made significant upgrades at positions of need.
Unfortunately, the San Francisco 49ers are not one of them.
Despite having multiple starting positions in need of an upgrade, the 49ers have made only one minor signing so far this season. By signing quarterback David Carr to backup Alex Smith, San Francisco’s lone free agent pickup thus far has come at a position that’s quite low on the needs list.
In fact, quarterback wasn’t really a need at all considering the direction the 49ers are heading in, with continuity being of the utmost importance.
Now fans and analysts may argue the order of the top four biggest needs for the 49ers, but there really is no arguing against what they are.
In any given order, the 49ers need to upgrade in the following areas:
1. pass rush
2. offensive line
3. secondary
4. return game
Granted, the 49ers have two first-round draft choices in the upcoming NFL draft, but by addressing some of their needs in free agency, the team would then be able to narrow the list of positional needs in the draft.
For example, there are various NFL “mock drafts” that have the 49ers taking two offensive linemen in the first round, as well as some that have them addressing the return game and pass rush with those picks.
With varying opinions from both fans and experts alike on how the 49ers should utilize their two first-round picks, it is clear that the 49ers need a handful of positional upgrades.
In order for the 49ers to become stronger come draft day, they should look to address some of the areas of need in free agency.
The pass rush, offensive line, and secondary should all be upgraded in one way or another through free agency.
First of all, the pass rush can be significantly upgraded on the cheap. Just recently, the incredibly flamboyant but immensely talented pass rushing outside linebacker, Joey Porter was released by the Miami Dolphins.
Soon to be 33, Porter’s age and brash style will probably prohibit the four-time Pro Bowler from getting a long-term deal.
By adding Porter to the mix, San Francisco would bolster a pass rush that has been incredibly mediocre over the last few seasons, and signing him isn’t likely to break the bank.
Upgrading the secondary can be done by going after veteran free agent safety, Darren Sharper, to fill in at free safety while then moving the up-and-coming Dashon Goldson over to strong safety.
Sharper may be turning 35 next season, but he still tied a career high with nine interceptions last year, helping the Saints to their first ever Super Bowl victory.
Clearly, a Sharper-Goldson combo would be a much better duo than a Goldson, and concussion prone, Michael Lewis tandem. Sharper would be a great veteran presence on an otherwise young 49er defense, and at his age, he won’t require a lengthy contract.
As for the offensive line, names such as Langston Walker, Levi Jones, Mike Gandy, and Damion McIntosh are all free agent tackles that could fill in the gap the 49ers currently have at right tackle.
Of course, the 49ers would need to proceed with caution before signing Jones if they also plan on signing Joey Porter at outside linebacker. These two have some severe issues with one another going back to the days when Porter played for the Steelers, and Jones was on the Bengals.
Either way, whether the 49ers want to go after Jones or another free agent tackle, there are a number of talented stop-gaps available to play opposite Joe Staley that shouldn’t require more than one-year deals.
If the 49ers were able to pickup a safety, pass rusher, and offensive tackle in free agency, that would give them much more flexibility with their first-round draft choices.
Taking Clemson running back C. J. Spiller at No. 13 overall would be a much wiser move if the 49ers were to have added an offensive tackle in free agency.
Spiller would be a great fit in the return game—an area where the 49ers desperately need to improve—and he could also suffice as an ideal change of pace back for Frank Gore.
Four picks later, the 49ers would then have the luxury of being able to go in many different directions.
Essentially, at pick No.17, the 49ers could take the best player available. They could still take the best tackle on the board to add depth to the offensive line, or they could also look to draft an offensive guard (perhaps Mike Iupati, if available). Even inside linebacker Rolando McClain (if he falls) could be an option at this point in the draft.
However, if the 49ers don’t add quality players at their positions of need via free agency, they will limit what they can do with their first-round draft choices.
San Francisco will almost assuredly have to take an offensive tackle with one of their first-round selections, and improving either the secondary or pass rush will end up being more critical than drafting a return specialist. Therefore, the 49ers would probably have to pass up on drafting the explosive C. J. Spiller.
But drafting Spiller would be a huge addition to this squad, and in order to make his selection at No. 13 an ideal move, the 49ers will need to have added some new talent through free agency.
Unfortunately, 49er management has been steadfast in not making a “splash” in free agency.
However, the good news is that with the amount of free agents available, “splashes” don’t necessarily have to be expensive long-term deals.
The 49ers can improve in free agency by signing a couple of proven veteran players to cheap, short-term deals.
If the management realizes this and picks up some of these veteran free agents, then the 49ers will be able to snatch up a play maker like Spiller come draft day.
This article was originally published at nfltouchdown.com and can be seen here.
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In the first edition of this article, I examined the pricey, dominant defense I would have signed if I had an unlimited budget with my expansion team, the Los Angeles Crusaders, in this uncapped year. It is assembled entirely of the best free agents, and the premise is all were signed immediately upon being available at whatever the cost.
In this edition, I name my offense…for a more realistic application of the free agent rankings, check out my articles on what the Green Bay Packers offseason moves should be at PackerChatters.com.
QB: Kyle Orton, Jason Campbell, A.J. Feeley
I do not care what the compensation would be to Denver, Orton is the best quarterback on this list. He can manage a game for you with very little surrounding talent, and Campbell could push him for the starting job—we can’t really know what he can do given what he has had to work with.
Feeley is a very solid back-up, and should the top two guys get hurt, I would feel this team could still win.
RB: Thomas Jones, Darren Sproles, Chester Taylor
Jones was last in the league in yards after contact, but is still a bona fide starting running back.
Sproles is small but a good change of pace, while Taylor is coming off an unimpressive year and has already hit the 1,000-carry and 30-year old milestones, but knows the third-down role well.
This would be arguably the best three-man rotation in the league.
FB: Tony Richardson, Justin Griffin
Richardson is one of the best fullbacks of the free agency era, and can lead the way for the team and the back following him into holes, even though he is well past his prime.
Griffin is a solid blocking fullback, but not especially impressive as a receiver or runner.
TE: Ben Watson, Randy McMichael, Brandon Manumaleuna
Watson is a genuine threat the opposition would have to game plan for, and McMichael is a solid target in the passing game.
Manumaleuna is little more than a blocking tight end, but he is a good one.
WR: Derrick Mason, Nate Burleson, Mushin Muhammed, Antonio Bryant, Torry Holt
Mason is a legitimate starting wide receiver, but a marginal top target.
Burleson, Muhammed, and Bryant are really more appropriate choices for a third receiver, but would at least give a team depth at the position.
While there is no doubt in my mind that Terrell Owens is better than all of them, between his drops and his destructive presence, no team without a top quarterback should sign him at his age.
Torry Holt has no such problems and would be a great fifth receiver.
OT: Mike Gandy, Mark Tauscher, Chad Clifton, Barry Sims
Gandy is good enough to protect his quarterback’s backside, and Tauscher can do on the right side if he can hold up.
If not, Clifton is capable of filling in on either side, and would be good enough if not forced to make it through an entire season.
Sims is not worthy of a starting role, but is a quality backup.
OG: Bobby Williams, Stephen Neal, Artis Hicks
I make no pretenses about knowing the top two players well, but they are ranked among the top 40 free agents available this year by Pat Kirwan of ESPN.com. Both also played for decent lines: Williams with the successful running Bengals and Neal with a line that protected an immobile QB reasonably well.
Hicks looked as good as the overrated starters he replaced when I saw him play with Minnesota, making him a very solid backup.
C: Kevin Mawae, Casey Rabach
Mawae is aging, but has been among the league’s best centers for most of his career. Rabach has been solid, and was an absolute beast with the Wisconsin Badgers—he can start somewhere, but on this all free agent team would be the first interior lineman off the bench.
K: Jay Feeley
Neil Rackers is probably a better kicker, but Feeley has been in more big games and has had success there, plus can punt in the event of an injury.
P: Hunter Smith
Smith is a good punter who has a good average per punt, net average, and can pin teams deep. He also can handle kickoff for the lesser-legged Feeley, as well as other duties in a pinch.
Overall, the Crusader’s offense would be incredibly deep but lack many Pro Bowl players; no matter with the defense giving them short fields and low scores to top. This makes a game manager the ideal quarterback, especially since the Crusaders would run the ball well, using that to set up play-action.
However, the receivers’ strength would come from spread sets that utilize the unit’s depth, and that does not play to the strength of the rest of the offense since quarterback is the weakest position. Protection would be very good but a bit fragile on the outside.
Special teams would be a question for a team made up of players not used to those roles, but the athletic ability would be there for success and the kicking game would be solid. However, the defense could carry both special teams and a mediocre-at-best passing attack.
In fact, I would expect to go 19-0 and shut Mercury Morris up once and for all!
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You don’t know Brandon Carter.
People think they know Brandon Carter. They see the tattoos, the face paint, the Mohawk, the general antics.
They peg Carter as a malcontent, a troublemaker. The Texas Tech guard has been labeled as “risky,” a “gamble,” and has “character issues.”
But the young man took to the Combine podium on day one and really only one word could describe him: “respectful.”
Honestly, that trait stuck out with many prospects today. Seniors who’ve spend years with college media types hovering over them or underclassmen with high powered agents, all of them have been trained to be polite at all times.
With Carter, his calm demeanor not only exceeded the others but also stuck out in sharp contrast from the Brandon Carter everyone thought they knew.
The media types are not the only ones with the misconception.
Carter told the group that each of the 32 teams has asked about his on-the-field persona.
“They think I have a questionable character from the image they receive from television,” he said. “I think once they get to know me they realize I’m not a headcase.”
Asked whether or not the face paint would make the trip to the next level with him, Carter was emphatic.
“Definitely not, that’s in the past,” he responded.
It was an answer that drew surprise and laughter. But what can be expected from a young man most of the crowd didn’t even recognize. His hair is grown out, covering the tattoos. He grew it out for his mom, because she likes it that way.
Although, if a team is going to draft Carter, it isn’t going to be about facepaint or lack thereof. It needs to be about talent.
That, Carter has in spades.
He is just another in a long line of Tech linemen including Manny Ramirez, Mike Gandy, Daniel Loper, and Louis Vasquez, all of whom have helped Carter in the draft process.
At Tech, Carter explains, the offense is so different, each linemen is three feet from one another. It makes every lineman like a tackle. No double teams. No help. Lots of space. Lots of footwork.
As for a transition, Carter claims to have been just fine at the East/West Shrine game. He was able to come out of a three point stance (which he prefers).
As for draft stock? Carter believes his will rise after his workout on day two of the NFL Combine. He is fighting with guards Mike Iupati, Jon Asamoah, and John Jerry to be among the top interior linemen selected.
If a team is looking to draft face paint and Mohawks, though, forget about Brandon Carter.
Maybe Adam Lambert is available.
Michael Schottey is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and Detroit Lions Team Correspondent for DraftTek.com. He is LIVE from Indianapolis this week with NFL Combine updates. Follow him at Twitter.
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This article immediately follows my free agent offensive tackles piece, which needless to say was a pretty pathetic list in terms of talent.
Unlike offensive tackle, however, interior linemen are much easier to find because they don’t require quite the same blend of size, strength, and athleticism.
That being the case, the guard market will typically feature more overall talent than the tackle market, and things are no different in 2010.
These are my top five free agent guards in 2010:
Note: This series of lists only includes unrestricted free agents, as those are the only type that can be signed without giving up compensation. Restricted free agents—especially the best ones—will cost valuable draft picks.)
Stephen Neal, New England Patriots
Neal has flown under the radar for much of his career in New England playing alongside some great talents and bigger names, but he’s held his own as a former college wrestler and undrafted free agent.
At 33, Neal won’t be a long-term starter, but he still plays at a high level and can certainly be an upgrade for a lot of teams inside.
Bobbie Williams, Cincinnati Bengals
A 10-year NFL veteran, Williams has started every game except three since the beginning of the 2004 season and is still highly productive.
Part of a surprisingly effective Bengals offensive line in 2009, Williams has plenty of experience and great bulk for the position, making him one of the best short-term starters on the market at age 33.
Chester Pitts, Houston Texans
One of the original Texans, Pitts started the first 114 games of his career until a knee injury ended his season two games into 2009.
Pitts hasn’t always been consistent and has been part of some pretty bad offensive lines during Houston’s early years, but he has lots of experience at guard and tackle and is still fairly young at 30.
Rex Hadnot, Cleveland Browns
A knee injury disrupted most of his 2009 season, but Hadnot has been an above-average interior lineman for most of his career since being drafted in the sixth round by the Miami Dolphins in 2004.
A versatile lineman who can start at both guard spots and center, Hadnot is still just 28 and could be a potential inexpensive find on the free agent market.
Tony Pashos, San Francisco 49ers
Pashos has actually seen starting time at tackle in recent years, but he’s over-matched at the position and really doesn’t have any business starting outside.
He does make for a strong backup lineman, however, with experience at guard and tackle and the ability to be a serviceable fill-in on the inside.
Beyond the Top Five
- Jeremy Bridges, Arizona Cardinals — Bridges held his own one-on-one against Jared Allen in 2009, but is overall a weak tackle and average guard. He’s best suited for a sixth lineman job as someone that can play all across the line.
- Kynan Forney, Jacksonville Jaguars — Forney has bounced around the league a bit after starting for many years in Atlanta, and he’ll probably continue to have a hard time keeping a job for as long as he continues to play.
- Mike Gandy, Arizona Cardinals — A recent starter at left tackle, Gandy is a mediocre talent who really projects better inside. He could serve as a versatile backup, but nothing more.
- Ben Hamilton, Denver Broncos — The product of a dying scheme, Hamilton is undersized and isn’t likely to attract much attention on the open market. The rest of his career is likely to be at center.
- Artis Hicks, Minnesota Vikings — A starter with the Eagles for two seasons and one with Minnesota, Hicks has taken a backup role the last two years. He has experience at guard and tackle, but shouldn’t be starting.
- Russ Hochstein, Denver Broncos — Hochstein provides value as a guard and center, but isn’t starting material.
- Damion McIntosh, Seattle Seahawks — Overpaid by both the Dolphins and Chiefs, the league has finally figured out that McIntosh is a below-average starter no matter where he plays. He has experience all across the line, but is only good enough to be a backup.
- Kendall Simmons, New England Patriots — Once a quality starter with the Steelers, injuries have derailed Simmons’ career and have sucked out most of his talent. The former mauler will likely continue to have trouble staying healthy, and thus, keeping a job.
- Barry Sims, San Francisco 49ers — A veteran at guard and tackle, Sims is best suited inside and can start in a pinch, although he’s better suited for a reserve role at this stage in his career.
- Keydrick Vincent, Carolina Panthers — After sub-par seasons in Baltimore and Arizona following some solid play with the Steelers, Vincent has maintained a starting job with the Panthers over the past two seasons. Despite the highly productive running game the team has had for much of that time, Vincent himself is pretty average, and shouldn’t be handed any starting job.
- Maurice Williams, Jacksonville Jaguars — Once a promising tackle for the Jaguars, Williams has moved inside due to lack of production and is overall a disappointment. He should come cheap and does have talent in there somewhere, but whether it will ever show itself is another story.
Who do you think are the best guards on the free agent market? Share your thoughts on the forum here !
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