Daddy too big for 2

By Os Davis  |   Monday, May 29, 2006  |  Comments( 0 )

Detroit Lions
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The town just wasn't big enough for the both of them. Heck, sometimes Detroit, metropolis though it is, wasn't even big enough for The Big Daddy alone, never mind the guy who's supposed to resurrect this team to fifty-year-old glory.

It's true: DT Dan Wilkinson is gone. With the release of Wilkinson, not only does the Motor City lose a guy nicknamed "Big Daddy," but also a former number 1 pick and the Detroit Lions' third-highest tackler in 2005. The gut reaction of silver-and-blue fans pinning their hopes on new coach Rod "Almighty" Marinelli started with confusion over the decision to cut a 6'4" 350-pounder who'd played in forty-eight straight contests. Seriously, wasn't Marinelli billed as a defensive specialist?

Of course, when sobriety kicks in, rational thinking ascribes the seemingly bizarre move to Marinelli's Tampa 2 defense. While the more traditional forms of Cover 2 favor speed over size, the Tampa 2 is even more extreme in this regard. Marinelli has already made it known that he'd much rather have a small guy who can adapt to play underneath that defend the middle with a huge one, and thus out went The Big Daddy. No decision regarding his future has been made by Wilkinson at this point.

Current wisdom has sophomore Shaun Cody filling Wilkinson's spot. The Lions' second-round pick, Cody amassed twenty-eight tackles in thirteen games while playing a limited role last season. Interestingly enough, Shaun Rodgers is clearly the guy who will be playing opposite Cody. Rodgers has essentially the same measurements as the departed Wilkinson, but Rodgers also has a six-year $45 million contract with Detroit. (Of course, Rodgers also has five years on Wilkinson...) This deal was signed less than three weeks before the Lions officially took on Marinelli, and one has to wonder what Rodgers' fate may have been if the DT's agent had held him out for another month.

Returning to the team, meanwhile, will be LB James Davis. The formerly restricted free agent was signed to a one-year deal after a nice 2005 season in which he accounted for fifty-nine tackles, thirty-five solo. And his vital stats? A quick 6'2" and 240 pounds, making the only thing eyebrow-raising about this renewed contract the short, short terms.

Once again, a week goes by and what little hard news on the Detroit Lions that is out there has the new coach's fingerprints all over it. Yes, it's a shame that a player with stats like Wilkinson's (twelve years, fifty-four sacks, 455 tackles) had to go, but Marinelli is just breaking a few eggs on the way to making a hungry Detroit that Cover 2-egg omelet.

Want more? The Detroit Lions never sleep at Realfootball365.com
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About Os Davis

Os Davis has taken a twisted route to get to RealFootball365.com in his nearly 17 years in professional writing, working in any number of capacities in the sportswriting, news reporting and film criticism worlds. In print media, Os has served as editor at a few publications, including Albuquerque's...
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