With the first pick, the Detroit Lions select...

[Mr. Scot]

Tackle Jason Smith from Baylor, per KFFL.

KFFL has learned the Detroit Lions will take Baylor OT Jason Smith with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.

:confused:

Unlike most KFFL blurbs, this one does not come with a source. Makes me wonder if it's a mistake, a prank or a hack.

The Red Zone does have this, though...

Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com reports the talks are only preliminary and the real target has yet to be identified, but the Detroit Lions are already in the process of negotiating a contract with their first-round draft pick. Lions president Tom Lewand said the team could move very quickly in getting a deal done, adding that "By the rules, we could agree to terms with somebody tomorrow if we wanted to.''

Because the 2010 season is an uncapped year in terms of salary, the contract language for incoming rookies will be much different than it's been in the past. Lewand said it was important for him to get on the same page with the agents as soon as possible.

"We have to have robust dialogue with the agents of the players we're interested in. We've started that process and we've made it very clear to all of them that we have to have that as this month draws to a close,'' Lewand said.

[Delhommey]

For leverage purposes, I don't see why they'd settle on only one player without anything less than a signed contract.

[Kevin Greene]

For leverage purposes, I don't see why they'd settle on only one player without anything less than a signed contract.

That would be stupid, and in a subsequent post PFT acknowledges the KFFL article. But first this:

LIONS COMMENCE NEGOTIATIONS FOR NO. 1 PICK

Posted by Mike Florio on March 22, 2009, 7:30 p.m.

The Detroit Lions hold the first overall pick in the draft. And they have the ability, if they so choose, to sign the player to a contract in advance of the draft.

According to Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com, the Lions have commenced the process of negotiating a contract with “their first-round draft pick.”

The player has yet to be identified.

Though the early portions of the report from Kowalski imply that the Lions are talking to only one player, quotes in the story suggest that the Lions plan to expand the process.

“We have to have robust dialogue with the agents of the players we’re interested in,” Lions president Tom Lewand said. “We’ve started that process and we’ve made it very clear to all of them that we have to have that as this month draws to a close.”

Consequently, we must break from our recent habit of bashing the Lions and applaud them.

The Lions should be talking to multiple players, if for no reason other than to leverage their actual favorite into taking a lower deal. If, along the way, their second choice is willing to take a much lower contract, then the Lions might decide to take that guy, instead.

“We won’t put a timetable on it,” Lewand said. “From our standpoint, it’s whenever everything that needs to come together, comes together. There’s no timetable one way or the other. If we make the decision and [G.M.] Martin [Mayhew] and [coach] Jim [schwartz] and everybody else is comfortable with it and we can come to a contract with the guy, there’s no reason we can’t do that tomorrow. If we can’t — and any one of those pieces isn’t in place — and it doesn’t get done until the night before the draft, that’s fine, too.

“Whenever the muffin rises above the tin, it’s time to eat.”

OK, that last part was stupid. But we otherwise agree completely with everything Lewand is saying.

[scpanther22]

so if the lions dont take..a QB who does in the first round i dont think the jets need to take a QB in the first round.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Chicago Bears

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

San Francisco 49ers

[thefuzz]

Broncos?

[Darth Hater]

An extra bye week?

[thefuzz]

Aaron Curry.

Safest pick out there.

My pick, probably a LT.

[dexterpyro]

If the DLions take stafford or sanchez no.1 they are going to continue to suck for 10 years.....oh what they are probaly going to do that anyway

Go with the LT ....makes sense