FanHouse Aveion Cason

Training camps have wrapped up, the NFL season is right around the corner, and it's still hot as sin outside. But instead of cooling you off with a warm island song, FanHouse break out ye old heat check for our 2009 NFL Season Previews." We'll rate each club in 5 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.

Without playing a game, the Detroit Lions have matched their 2008 regular season win total. Naturally, this is an embarrassing fact, and one that Lions fans are probably sick of hearing. However, it also serves to show how easy it will be for head coach Jim Schwartz to be hailed as a genius this season. The Lions will win a game (or more!) in 2009, and Schwartz has done some things in the offseason to point this franchise in a positive direction. It's time now for the players to see the benefits of their hard work during the spring and summer.

Because the NFL season never ends, we present our 2009 Offseason Roadmaps for front offices to navigate through the summer.

I'm going to do my best to avoid use of the phrase "Well, things can't get any worse," or anything like that. Really, I am. But it's worth pointing out that this is a true statement. Things are looking up for the Detroit Lions because they absolutely can't get any worse.

With two first-round picks and a ton of available cap space, a well-managed organization could make a significant dent in one year.

As the season progresses, the Lions triage unit keeps adding new members. The Lions have placed 14 players upon the injured reserve, and have another player in Ross Verba who they would like to add to that list but are unable to. With each successive injury, the Lions seem to find another former Ram to add to their roster in the place of the player who is no longer available. This makes me question the input that Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz has on the personnel selection process.

Obviously, with Mike Martz's complex offense and unique terminology, previous experience within the offense is an additional advantage for free agents. The Lions have signed Az-Zahir Hakim, Mike Furrey, Lamar Gordon, Arlen Harris, Aveion Cason and Blaine Saipia all as a result to their previous connection to the Martz offense. Other than Furrey and Saipia, none of them have provided a substantial contribution. With Martz's recent comments about Marshall Faulk being a desirable roster acquisition, I really have to question if the Lions are not being clueless in their attempt to resurrect the "Greatest Show on Turf", with a bunch of has-been's and never-were's.

Mike Martz has come under fire in recent weeks as the offensive unit struggles and trademark, Martz-offensive characteristics like ill-timed time outs, procedural penalties, and a heavy preponderance of turnovers have all abound of late. I am beginning to believe, at least in the Lions case, that Martz is the next "Mouse" Davis, who in spite of his incredibly innovative scheme, only had a brief level of success before the rest of the league caught up with his fabled "run-and-shoot" offense, which is an antecedent of Martz's scheme.

If the Lions sign Trung Canidate next week I'll vomit. They have to cast a much wider net if they intend to find quality talent to replenish their roster with. They are faced with the reality of another complete rebuild of their roster, and they can neither afford to leave any stone unturned in their search for quality personnel or allow any preconceived notions taint or shape their personnel decisions as they embark upon this process. If you could turn back time, I would be incredibly tantalized by the prospect of adding a 28-year old Marshall Faulk. Obviously, since that is an impossibility, the Lions front office needs to exhibit some clarity in it's future personnel decisions.

If there was one player on the Lions roster that I would suggest it would be nearly impossible to replace, it would be RB Kevin Jones. Jones' serious foot injury and subsequent placement on the injured reserve, forces the Lions to seriously consider the immediate future of their running game, and they will likely also have to examine it's long term future, too.

The Lions have already sustained season-ending injuries to versatile RB's Shawn Bryson and Brian Calhoun. After the loss of Jones, they now have to rely upon journeymen RB's Arlen Harris, Aveion Cason and practice squad player, Anthony Sherrell. Lions Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz does not have a strong tendency toward developing a strong rushing game. His offense generally exhibits a pass first tendency. Martz generally utilizes the ground game to keep opposing defenses honest. With the absence of Jones, I wonder if the Lions will even attempt to operate under the illusion of establishing a running game. The difficulties the Lions offense will face in upcoming games may be insurmountable.

Harris and Cason are versatile players who have a strong knowledge of their roles in Martz's offense. It is no surprise, though, that neither player has ever been able to catch on with a team for any prolonged period of time. Neither has the skills necessary to be an every down back. With QB Jon Kitna's continued struggles that have been exacerbated by turning the ball over, the Lions may want to consider utilizing a more "vanilla" brand of offense that is more reliant upon running with the ball. In this particular case, opposing defenses won't really fear any of the Lions backs hurting them rushing the ball. That realization will enable them to make life more difficult for Kitna.

The Lions recently placed second year DT Shaun Cody on injured reserve due to a nagging toe injury which limited him to six games this season. Cody, a former second round pick from USC, was the heir apparent to veteran DT Dan Wilkinson, who was released prior to the season. Cody was not a major contributor this year when he was active, and unfortunately didn't live up to the team's performance expectations. I would go as far as to say that if you were looking for a place to lay blame upon the Lions poor season, the loss of DE James Hall and DT Cody, along with the unexpected suspension of DT Shaun Rogers would reside near the top of that list of contributors to the team's demise.

The team's defensive front was perceived to be one it's strengths prior to the season. At this point, it is one of the most obvious areas that demand to be upgraded this off season. The lack of a consistent pass rush has allowed opponents to complete nearly 70% of their passes. The loss of Cody, Hall and Rogers also has exposed a giant void in the Lions defense which opposing offenses have been able to run the ball through at will. The Lions inability to stop the run, or pass, has severely impaired their chances for winning games.

RB Kevin Jones is set to return from his ankle sprain to play against New England this Sunday. The Lions have struggled offensively in Jones two game absence. Jones' replacements, Arlen Harris and Aveion Cason, have a combined 24 carries for 81 yards (3.3 yards/carry) and are nowhere near the play makers that Jones is. Jones will provide Lions QB Jon Kitna with a quality receiving outlet to counter the Patriots pressure. Jones also presents the Patriots with the possibility that the Lions may actually run the ball, which may slow down the pressure that they apply upon Kitna. Jones is emerging as one of the few bright spots during this disappointing season, so it is good to see that he will be able to provide Lions fans with some small measure of pride, in spite of the team's continued struggles.

Recently, after RB Brian Calhoun was placed on injured reserve, the Lions signed journeymen veteran RB Aveion Cason to assume Calhoun's roster spot. After Cason's signing, I wondered aloud about what the Lions would do if they lost RB Kevin Jones for any significant amount of time. Unfortunately, that idea has become a reality and the Lions, who have struggled mightily to score points in the red zone in recent weeks, will be without their best player and most potent scoring threat for at least one game (if not more).

Jones has 153 carries for 636 yards and has caught 50 passes for 367 yards. Jones has 1003 total yards and 8 touchdowns. He has gained 4.9 yards every time he has touched the ball. Obviously, he is no LaDainian Tomlinson, but Jones is incredibly valuable to the struggling Lions offense and will be sorely missed. Cason and Arlen Harris, are both versatile backs who are well-versed in Mike Martz's offensive scheme from their time playing in the offense with the St. Louis Rams. With that in mind, neither player is as explosive, or consistently effective as Jones has been.

Without Jones, Jon Kitna's job becomes very difficult. Opposing defenses can utilize their personnel differently without Jones in the lineup, especially their safeties. Martz doesn't place a lot of primacy in the running game but obviously realizes that the threat of a ground game enforces the defense to game plan in the event he decides to call a lot of running plays. Without Jones, expect a lot more third-and-long yardage situations. When you couple Jones' absence with the Lions inability to find a consistent third option in their passing attack, it is hard to expect them capable of defeating anyone without a stellar defensive effort, until Jones' healthy return.

The Lions placed veteran DE James Hall and 2006 3rd round draft pick RB Brian Calhoun on the injured reserve list yesterday. The loss of Hall, who has been the team's most consistent pass rusher, is particularly damaging.

The Lions thin defensive line rotation, once considered the team's strongest personnel group, is becoming extremely patchwork in orientation. Earlier in the season, the Lions needed to place second year DE Bill Swancutt, whom the team had high hopes for due to his consistent, high level of effort, on injured reserve. DT Shaun Cody has recently missed several games since injuring his toe against Minnesota. With the additional loss of Hall, the Lions have to be increasingly disappointed in All-Pro DT Shaun Rogers for failing a league administered drug test.

The injuries to the Lions defensive front does provide opportunity to several players like DE's Kalimba Edwards and Jared DeVries and DT Cleveland Pinkney to establish their future worth to the organization. The Lions also added former San Francisco DE Corey Smith (after placing Hall on IR), who will now be given the opportunity to gain some playing time.

The Lions also added veteran return specialist and 3rd down back Aveion Cason, who has previously played with both the Rams (while coached by Mike Martz) and the Lions. Cason's versatility is valuable, but heaven forbid RB Kevin Jones sustain any significant injury. I hate to imagine a Lions backfield that would feature a combo of Aveion Cason and Arlen Harris. In regards to Calhoun, he never contributed much for the Lions this year. Considering his high draft selection, and the Lions need for quality depth throughout their roster, Calhoun's selection in the third round becomes increasingly dubious as the season marches on.