Detroit Lions GM Martin Mayhew Needs to Go

I really feel bad for the Lions tight end Joseph Fauria. The guy had 30 catches last year and 7 touchdowns. He was quite a find, an undrafted rookie free agent from UCLA. He is a great compliment to Calvin Johnson and a great go-to guy in the red zone. So, what do the Lions do in the off season? Draft another tight end who can't catch.

General Manager Martin Mayhew pulled the trigger on tight end Brandon Pettigrew in the first round of the 2009 draft. Pettigrew has had issues catching the football and holding on to it IF he does manage to catch it. SO, for dropping passes and fumbling footballs Pettigrew was rewarded with a 4 year $16 million dollar deal in March. Then, the Lions wasted a draft pick on Eric Ebron and gave him a $7.2 million signing bonus. He came out early after his junior year. He's a raw tight end Mayhew compared to New Orleans hybrid tight end Jimmy Graham, an undrafted free agent. So far, Ebron has been more Brandon Pettigrew than Jimmy Graham. Fauria is the best tight end of the bunch, will make under $500,000 and can barely get on the field. He is a more favorable comparison to Graham than Ebron.

It has to be a special tight end to be taken with the 10th pick. Tight ends usually never go this high in the draft. They drafted a tight end after EVERY NFL expert pointed out their need for cornerback help. They passed up glaring, obvious needs for a position that was already pretty secure. 2 first round picks on tight ends in 5 years. Neither can catch. They tight end who did, the 6' 7 Joseph Fauria has 2 catches this year and NO AWESOME TOUCHDOWN DANCES. Eric Ebron has 3 catches. Worthy of the first round pick? Ebron may end up being a great tight end but we DID NOT NEED HIM this year.

Mayhew has had success in the first round but any idiot can stumble on to talent in the first round. Championships are won in the late rounds by addressing needs and cutting players who aren't performing regardless of where they are drafted.

To top off his irrational drafting strategy, Mayhew drafted kicker Nate Freese in the 7th round. Freese missed field goals and long extra points in the preseason and instead of admitting his mistake and cutting Freese, in favor of a more experienced kicker. Freese missed 2 field goals in Sundays 24-7 loss to Carolina.

It's not just that he drafts like an idiot, he clearly has problems detecting players with obvious attitude problems. Titus Young and Nick Fairly had first round talent but character issues had these players on teams DO NOT DRAFT list.

There was one cornerback off the board when the Lions looked past their needs and took a tight end. They passed on Kyle Fuller, the Bears took him 4 players after the Lions REACHED and drafted Ebron. Many experts had former Spartan Darqueze Dennard going 10th to the Lions. The Bengals drafted him with the 24 pick. The Lions are not drafting for need. They are not drafting for logic. They are not drafting with a plan and that is why Mayhew needs to go. See some of his picks here. You don't take a tight end in the first round and you NEVER draft a kicker. He broke both of these rules in one draft!

He is a Matt Millen guy and NOT a Detroit Lion. He played his career in Washington. The Lions hardly have a winning tradition but they need to embrace their past and put a Lion in charge. If not a Lion, someone who knows what they are doing. It's like Matt Millen never left.

Meanwhile, the Lions are looking for a cornerback, if you know anyone who can play.

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