Footblog Campfire #2: Lions, Peppers and Bears, Oh my!

A penny for your thoughts...warming up Campfire #2.

1. The always honest and spiritual Jon Kitna is spreading off-season Lions gospel to the tune of an upcoming 10-win season. Is Kitna's honesty writing checks his body and his talent can't cash?

"I really think we should not win any less than 10 games this year, to be honest," Kitna said. "Last year, the won-lost record (3-13), I didn't really necessarily look at that as much as I look at where did we start at and where did we get to. I'd say anything less than 10 wins would be a disappointment." - [detnews]

2. Culpepper. What to expect? Will he ever be the strong-armed mobile quarterback he once was, or is he fool's gold? I'll put my vote in for the latter. I think we've seen the best of Culpepper, and it's a slippery slope from here to the end of his career.

3. One to watch. Who's #1 on your fantasy radar this offseason? ie,
who are you tracking most?

4. Who is the next Marques Colston?

Well...you start me off with a question on the Lions. Right in my wheelhouse...

1. To that I answer with this retort...HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! Having grown up a Lions fan I've heard all this stuff before. Let me walk you through a typical Lions offseason. First you have a horrible year where you lose some games close, which gives the fans a (small) glimmer of hope. The team signs some free agents that sound good on paper, and then have a "home run" of a draft which leads to unbridled optimism and dreams of a 9 - 10 win season. Then the season starts and all the big free agents flame out and the Lions suck as usual. Rinse and repeat. I find it comical that Kitna would be saying this since he cost the Lions a couple of games with his bonehead interceptions this past season. Rumors around Detroit say they're trying to pry Trent Green loose from the Chiefs so maybe Jon won't even have a chance to back this up. Lions should be happy with a 7 win season next year, but I'm not getting my hopes up.

2. I have never really been a fan of Daunte Culpepper. I think that he was exposed a couple of years ago as a QB with a strong arm who was bailed out by having Randy Moss to catch his random heaves into the stratosphere. I loved how last year people drafted Culpepper in fantasy drafts like he was a steal, completely forgetting that he was TERRIBLE before he got injured in his last season for the Vikings. I honestly just don't think he was ever as good as people thought he was and that being said I think his time of usefulness may be over in the NFL.

3. Hmmm...this is a tough question. Fantasy-wise I would have to watch out for Edgerrin James. I know he had a terrible season last year but I really think that bringing in a new coach will help the Cardinals offense. Bringing in Russ Grimm to coach the O-line was a fantastic move and the evidence will be in a better year for James. He'll go much lower this year than in year's past and I think he could be a steal.

4. I don't really know if anyone can be the next Marques Colston. I mean was there anyone eles who was a 7th round pick (especially at a skill position) that made that kind of impact his rookie year? I'm going to cheat a little bit and not pick a guy in this year's draft and say that someone to watch out for is Jeremy Bloom on the Eagles. He had a season ending injury in the pre-season so he was out for last year, but with the Eagles problems at receiver (Kevin Curtis....as a NUMBER ONE?!?! ARE YOU KIDDING?!?!) Bloom could be a great slot guy who can run quick underneath routes and get some speed going out in the open. Could be one to watch for...

There you go James....look forward to hearing your thoughts....

1. Lions - Who am I to disagree with a Lions homer :-) Kitna's off his rocker, and as you say, he may be out of a job before week one rolls around with Trent Green in the offing. Green may very well end up in Detroit because Miami isn't coming close to giving K.C. what they want and they figured to be the strongest suitor for Green's services.

2. We agree on Culpepper. He's yesterday's news. It was a hard and fast fall from fantasy stardom to waiver wire fodder, but that's reality until C-Pepp proves otherwise and it's not a gamble I'm lining up to take.

3. On my fantasy radar: Cedric Benson. He needs to get his body recovered and ready, but few RBs have as much upside, fit and opportunity working in their favor as Benson does right now. He's never proven he can hold up to any punishment, but then again, nobody thought Chester Taylor could be the workhorse he has turned out to be, so maybe Benson can harden into a 300-carry RB1 in one offseason. Time will tell, but I'm watching this closely because the payoff could be big. It's a run-first team, the job is all his, and a lot of Bears brass have their egos tied-up in Benson bearing fruit.

4. If you can cheat, so can I. On the Marques Colston Award front, I'll put a vote in for Greg Jennings. He showed what he could do early on in '06 and then was hobbled for much of the season with recurring ankle problems. Donald Driver is another year older and the Packers will be playing from behind early and often. If Jennings can put in a healthy season, I think he could be the #1 GTP (garbage time production) candidate in fantasy at WR.

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Footblog Campfire #2: Lions, Peppers and Bears, Oh my!

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