The waiver period has begun. The Calvin Johnson question still lingers. And the NFL combine is less than two weeks away. So the offseason for the Detroit Lions is about to pick up.
We touch on a little bit of everything in this week's Lions Mailbag, filled with your questions. To ask a question for a future Mailbag, use the hashtag #LionsMailbag on Twitter, email me at michael.rothstein@espn.com or drop me a note over on Facebook (and go like the page while you're at it).
Now, on to your questions.
@mikerothstein lets say CJ retires. Do the Lions sign Percy Harvin for cheap(er)? #LionsMailbag
— Mike Buchinger (@mbuching) February 12, 2016
@mikerothstein: The quick answer here is no. If Calvin Johnson retires, that would likely mean Golden Tate becomes the No. 1 receiver. Tate and Percy Harvin -- not a lot of love lost there, at least at the beginning of last season. Plus, Lions coach Jim Caldwell is really, really, really big on locker room culture and I'm not sure if Harvin fits that. And lastly, Harvin hasn't played a full season since 2011 and hasn't played in more than nine games since 2012. Detroit is going to want more durability. So for all of those reasons, no.
@mikerothstein did your expectation of the first draft pick the Lions would make change when they changed leadership + who? #lionsmailbag
— Alan (@AverageFather) February 12, 2016
@mikerothstein: Not really, mostly because Bob Quinn and his staff are so new it is tough to predict what they will do. Where they might head in the draft's first round will likely become clearer over the next month as Calvin Johnson's situation is resolved and free agency kicks off. The same positions are the issue: Offensive tackle, defensive tackle, linebacker, defensive back, wide receiver. Those are the position groups to watch when it comes to the first round and probably the first three rounds.
@mikerothstein What are the chances that Nick Fairley is back in a Lions uniform? Or RT Mitchell Schwartz? #Lionsmailbag
— Benjamin Pushka (@b7020) February 12, 2016
@mikerothstein: Have a tough time seeing the Lions going back to Nick Fairley even with the change in front office. Detroit didn't seem too keen on keeping him the first time around -- and that's likely a decision that was the coaching staff's as well as the front office -- and the same coaches are here. Now, if he were to come on the super cheap maybe that discussion happens, but I just don't see it. Mitchell Schwartz, on the other hand, could be a player the Lions would pursue. They have to improve on the offensive line, particularly at tackle. Schwartz is a good pass blocker and would help solidify the right side of the line. It could also give Detroit some more flexibility with Riley Reiff, especially if the Lions also draft a future left tackle.
@mikerothstein if he doesn't retire, do we cut CJ, then try to resign him for less? Or do you think he will go to 2016-2017 contender?
— Chad Stewart (@Chef_Chadley) February 8, 2016
@mikerothstein: Ahh, the weekly Calvin Johnson question. If Johnson elects to return for another year, then he and the Lions have to have a discussion about his contract. He's a cap hit of just over $24 million for 2016, and the Lions likely are not going to want to pay that much. How they handle that (pay cut or restructure) is something to be discussed. The first thing is Johnson figuring out whether he definitely wants to retire. So far, it seems like that's the way he's headed.
@mikerothstein random question but why has Kyle van not not been able to get on the field? Is the talent just not there? #lionsmailbag
— Tyler Lukey (@lukey_tyler) February 12, 2016
@mikerothstein: Not random at all. It's a completely legitimate question and there's a multitude of reasons. Kyle Van Noy's rookie season was thwarted by injury (he missed half the year and never really caught up the second half). Last season he should have been able to break through, especially considering the Lions were rotating linebackers like crazy at points, but he just didn't. He has talent and has shown flashes of being a disruptive player, but he hasn't been able to put it together for one reason or another. Here's all you really need to know: Van Noy played 75 defensive snaps. Brandon Copeland, another young linebacker, played 69. Copeland had eight tackles. Van Noy had seven. Phillip Hunt, a defensive end who played in two games for the Lions, had as many tackles as Van Noy did in far fewer snaps. Van Noy, at this point, is just not a productive player. With some questions at linebacker during the offseason he'll almost definitely get his chance this spring and during training camp, but this is a massive offseason for Van Noy.
