A mere two years later, the 2011 draft is crumbling for most of the NFC North. At a time when it should be forming the nucleus of our respective teams, the class of '11 is instead causing some of our most gaping holes.
The Detroit Lions bottomed out and had desperate needs at nearly every position in 2009 when, with the draft's No. 20 overall pick, they selected ... a tight end. No one doubted the skills and potential of the Lions' choice, Oklahoma State's Brandon Pettigrew, but it seemed fair to question why they targeted a supplemental position while leaving presumably more important areas critically bare.
Chicago Bears The Bears and cornerback Kelvin Hayden have agreed to terms on a one-year deal. David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune says the Bears could do a lot worse than using their first-round draft pick on linebacker Manti Te'o.
The most obvious free-agent connection in recent memory -- the Detroit Lions and running back Reggie Bush -- came together as quickly as expected Wednesday. Bush was on a flight to Detroit shortly after the market opened Tuesday, visited the team's facility Wednesday morning and agreed to terms shortly after noon ET.
Welcome to Eight in the Box, an NFL Nation feature that will appear each Friday during the offseason. This week's topic: Who should be the primary target (including trades) for each team when free agency begins?
The NFL's cyclical intent is never more apparent than draft time, when the worst teams from the previous season line up to select the best players entering the league. It is a time of renewed hope and realistic dreams for a better tomorrow.
INDIANAPOLIS -- Based on your feedback, many of you want to use the occasion of the NFL scouting combine to discuss the Detroit Lions' offensive backfield. You want to know how, when and with what frequency the Lions will upgrade their running back position.
Recently we used Bill Polian's comprehensive free-agent ratings to discuss the (unlikely) match between the Green Bay Packers and free-agent running back Reggie Bush. But as long as we're at the height of silly season, we might as well acknowledge a better fit for the Packers and for Bush.
We're Black and Blue All Over: You can go ahead and put running back near the top of the Detroit Lions' offseason shopping list. Again. Lions general manager Martin Mayhew gave a candid interview Wednesday night to local reporters, admitting that "the biggest mistake I made last year" was counting on Jahvid Best to return from a concussion suffered in October 2011.
A few thoughts on Saturday night's events at Ford Field: What it means: We've already discussed receiver Calvin Johnson's history-making evening. For a moment, at least, it allowed the Detroit Lions to forget they were in the midst of losing their seventh-consecutive game.
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