Great discussion this week about the complicating financial factors Detroit will face with its No. 2 overall draft pick. As we noted in the original post, some teams would be reluctant to pay a defensive tackle — Ndamukong Suh or any other — the kind of premium contract usually reserved for quarterbacks, defensive ends and left tackles.



The question: Should the Lions consider Oklahoma State left tackle Russell Okung over Suh (or Oklahoma’s Gerald McCoy) because of the financial considerations? Remember, those factors arise from the longstanding NFL sense that left tackles are more important and impact the outcome of games more directly than defensive tackles.



From what I saw, you largely refused to consider the financial aspect and confined the debate simply to whether the Lions would be better off adding a left tackle or a defensive tackle. I didn’t tabulate each answer, but in the abstract, a significant percentage of you favored Okung.



In terms of building for the future, wrote rfrelin23, protecting quarterback Matthew Stafford should be the Lions’ highest priority:

“Everyone seems to be on the same ‘wavelength’ here. If the [Lions] feel Okung is an all-pro LT then they must take him. The future of the franchise rests on the shoulders of Stafford (and he can’t throw the ball off his backside). Right now the Lions don’t need star players, rather they need solid NFL starters. A DT does not make or break a franchise, but QB does!”

While Suh is the consensus top player in the draft, TDbuddah warned against believing any surefire projections:

“If the Lion personnel guys project Okung as a can’t-miss, NFL-caliber LT, they should take him. Obviously, there is no proof that any of these … guys will be a superstar in the NFL. When that’s the case, I would lean towards protecting the franchise.”

But that’s just the point, some of you argued. Passing on Suh for these reasons “would be foolish,” wrote seanje. Suh is a “once in a decade, position redefining player,” wrote funlovin 24. Vikes4ever70 asked: “Who’s worth $10+ million per year? Okung or Suh? Regardless of value of position, I say Suh.”



Taking Okung would allow the Lions to move Jeff Backus to left guard, addressing two needs. But solidifying those positions wouldn’t be enough to satisfy SuperSloth003:

“We need studs. (best players available at a positional need). Suh is the best prospect and we must take him. Deal with another year of the typical Lions o-line, then address it more effectively next year with another high draft pick. Patience my friends.”

My take? I think you can make a quite reasonable argument for the Lions to follow this scenario: Sign defensive tackle Anthony Hargrove, a 26-year-old restricted free agent whose pure athletic ability matches or exceeds Suh and McCoy. Then draft Okung.



Hargrove, who visited Detroit earlier this week, has overcome multiple obstacles in his NFL career, including a one-year suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. But in that scenario, the Lions would align themselves with a long-term playmaker who had a substantial impact on a Super Bowl-winning team.



I think it’s something the Lions are giving thought to. Over the next 3-5 years, what would give them a better chance to win: Having a mainstay at left tackle, a veteran at left guard and an ascending playmaker at defensive tackle? Or the potential of a stud defensive tackle with the other positions unaddressed?



In the original post, I suggested the Lions should only take Okung if their personnel department considered him a better prospect. But what if it’s close? If, say, the Lions consider Suh a 10 and Okung an 8.9, it might make more sense to sacrifice that extra “1.1″ to solidify a larger percentage of their team. This assumes the Lions sign Hargrove, which we’ll know by the April 15 RFA deadline. If Hargrove remains with the Saints, I draft Suh regardless. With Hargrove in the mix, however, I would give strong consideration to Okung if scouts consider him a worthy top-5 pick.

Falling



Favre conspiracy theories: Can we all agree it’s pointless to suggest that quarterback Brett Favre somehow dropped the ball on recruiting free-agent running back LaDainian Tomlinson? And that the uncertainty of Favre’s future actually played a role in Tomlinson’s decision to sign with the New York Jets? In my mind, it’s simple: Tomlinson went to New York because he’s going to play more there. If anything, I’m betting Tomlinson is guessing Favre will play in 2010. Because if he doesn’t, the Vikings are likely to revert to their run-heavy scheme — one that almost certainly would have a significant role for a backup tailback. “Favre’s indecision hurts Vikings” makes for a good headline, but there’s no meat on those bones.



Rising



Matthew Stafford, Detroit quarterback: Stafford is close to being fully healed from the knee and shoulder injuries that limited him to 10 games in his rookie season. He reported to the Lions’ offseason conditioning program as the team’s unquestioned starter and has also taken up residence as a locker room leader and representative. Team officials have looped him into their offseason plans, asking him for opinions and even inviting him to make recruiting calls to free agents. “I think they know that I know a lot of guys in the league and personnel pretty well,” Stafford said. “It’s fun to be able to help out a little bit.”

We’ve had a relative flurry of activity Tuesday afternoon here in the NFC North. Let’s start in Detroit and work our way out.



Speaking to reporters in Detroit on the second day of the Lions’ offseason program, quarterback Matthew Stafford said he is throwing at full strength but acknowledged his surgically repaired knee is not yet 100 percent. He had arthroscopic surgery Dec. 29.



“I wasn’t running full speed with the guys,” Stafford said, according to a transcript provided by the Lions. “I was doing a separate conditioning thing, but other than that I was going.”



Stafford said he should be ready for the Lions’ veteran minicamp later this spring. If this were training camp, I would be alarmed. But dialing down a March conditioning run is pretty typical for players returning from surgery.



The Lions also re-signed three players Tuesday. Safety Marquand Manuel signed a one-year contract, according to John Niyo of the Detroit News. Meanwhile, Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com reports the Lions also agreed to terms with defensive end Copeland Bryan and cornerback DeAngelo Smith.

I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest that Detroit is serious about upgrading its defensive line.



So far this offseason, the Lions have acquired defensive tackle Corey Williams from Cleveland and signed free-agent end Kyle Vanden Bosch from Tennessee. They might be in position to draft Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh next month, and now there are multiple reports they will host New Orleans defensive tackle/end Anthony Hargrove beginning Monday night.



Hargrove is a restricted free agent, meaning the Saints would have the right to match any offer Detroit might make. If they pass, the Lions would send the Saints a third-round pick in next month’s draft.



Hargrove is an active pass-rusher who has evolved from a college linebacker to a “three-technique” defensive tackle since entering the NFL. NFC North readers no doubt got to know him during the Super Bowl, when I just so happened to write this post on his fight against substance abuse.



The visit is scheduled to conclude Tuesday. We’ll keep you updated.



One other Lions-related housekeeping note: Their trade to acquire Atlanta cornerback Chris Houston is now complete, but the terms are a bit different than originally reported. The Lions sent their sixth-round pick this season and a conditional seventh-round pick in 2011 in exchange for Houston, who is expected to start this season.

I can see no downside with Detroit acquiring quarterback Shaun Hill from San Francisco, as Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee is reporting. Among my reasons:

• Hill spent three years as a backup in Minnesota under offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, who now holds the same position in Detroit. They have a comfort level that will accelerate Hill’s adjustment to a new team.
• Hill is the quintessential backup quarterback from this sense: He has proved he can come off the bench and win games over an extended period of time. He went 10-6 as a part-time starter for the 49ers over the past three seasons. Notably, the 49ers were 10-22 in the games he didn’t start over that span.
• He is good enough that he could push starter Matthew Stafford if the franchise quarterback falls into an extended slump, but not to the extent where he would challenge for the starting job in training camp.
• The deal would end Daunte Culpepper’s candidacy to return as a backup, a situation that probably wouldn’t have been healthy for him or the Lions. Culpepper wants to sign with a team that will give him a chance to play over the long term, which is not something the Lions could offer.

A seventh-round draft pick in 2011, the 49ers’ reported asking price, is more than a fair price for those attributes.

Hill

The 49ers’ decision to trade quarterback Shaun Hill to Detroit for a 2011 seventh-round draft pick gives them something in return for a player they would have released. San Francisco can now proceed with Alex Smith and David Carr as its top two quarterbacks.



Hill leaves the 49ers with a 10-6 (.625) record as their starter. It’s an upset if Smith or Carr fares that well. I also think Hill, 3-3 as a starter last season, wasn’t going to win 62.5 percent of his future starts, either. The 49ers decided Hill had maxed out in San Francisco and that two No. 1 overall picks had more upside. That isn’t wholly unreasonable.

Falling



Bryant McKinnie, Minnesota left tackle. Julius Peppers‘ arrival in the NFC North is another hit in a tough offseason for McKinnie. In a nationally televised matchup last December, Peppers dominated McKinnie so thoroughly that the Vikings eventually benched him. In that game, Peppers notched one sack, had three quarterback hits and also batted down a pass. As Chicago’s top free-agent pickup, Peppers will now face the Vikings — and potentially McKinnie — twice a season. Peppers has played on both the right and left side of the defensive line in his career, but the Bears are sure to be tempted to match him up on McKinnie when the teams play in 2010.



Rising



Gunther Cunningham, Detroit defensive coordinator. Good players make for good coaches. So you can expect Cunningham to be a better coordinator in 2010 after an overhaul of the defensive line that might not be done yet. The Lions already are better at two positions, with Kyle Vanden Bosch taking over for defensive end Dewayne White and Corey Williams succeeding nose tackle Grady Jackson. If the Lions draft a defensive tackle No. 2 overall, they will have pulled together a more-than-competitive defensive front that will create more havoc in the backfield and get more heat on the quarterback. The first place to address any woebegone defense is up front, and Cunningham will be the beneficiary in 2010.

A new Tuesday feature on the ESPN.com NFL blog network.



Can the Falcons play some real defense?



In Mike Smith’s two years as coach, the Falcons have put together back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in franchise history. But the amazing thing is that Smith, a coach with a defensive background, has done it without a very good defense, which is something any team needs to compete with New Orleans in the NFC South.



The Falcons are well aware of this and they’re doing something about it. They went out and made their big splash in free agency by signing cornerback Dunta Robinson and re-signing cornerback Brian Williams. They also dumped Chris Houston, whom they never felt was very aggressive, in a trade with Detroit.



On paper, Robinson and Williams should be the starters. But the Falcons are also high on young corners Chris Owens, Brent Grimes and Chevis Jackson, and they’ll all be in the mix. Pretty amazing how proactive the Falcons have been at cornerback, especially when you consider Atlanta officials got a little sensitive when media members criticized the team’s cornerback play last season.



Those officials repeatedly said the main reason the cornerbacks were struggling was because the pass rush wasn’t producing like they had hoped. Take that as a very strong sign the Falcons aren’t done touching up their defense.



They’ll tell you that defensive tackle Peria Jerry, who is coming back from an injury that kept him out most of his rookie season, will be back. Jerry can create a push in the middle and that’s going to help John Abraham and Kroy Biermann be more productive on the outside. But, if the Falcons were this aggressive at addressing cornerback, you have to think they’re not done at defensive end.



They’ve got the draft and what’s left of free agency, and their focus is going to be on building up the pass rush. It’s all they’re really lacking right now. They’re solid at cornerback, linebacker and in the middle of the defensive line.



Give them a pass-rusher and Smith might finally be able to really play the kind of defense he wants; the kind of defense that could make the Falcons a legitimate challenger to the Saints.

We’ve detailed Detroit’s effort to revamp its defensive line. Monday, they ramped up their efforts to rebuild their cornerback position.



In addition to signing free agent Jonathan Wade, the Lions acquired Chris Houston from Atlanta in a trade we touched on Sunday evening. The Lions gave up a sixth-round pick for Houston and will swap fifth-round picks with the Falcons as well.



At this early date, I would consider Houston a likely starter while Spencer would be in the mix for the nickel and dime positions. That still leaves at least one starting position left to fill after the release of Philip Buchanon last week. Two other cornerbacks from last season, Will James and Anthony Henry, are free agents.



Houston ultimately was expendable because the Falcons signed Dunta Robinson to replace him. FOB (Friend of the Blog) Aaron Schatz of Football Outsiders, who tracks the career arcs of NFL players, suggested Monday night that the Lions got a steal:



Let’s see… Detroit’s secondary has been Edsel-riffic for two years now. Chris Houston was a second-round pick just three years ago. Highly-drafted cornerbacks often take three or even four years to develop. Rashean Mathis and Corey Webster broke out in season four; Nnamdi Asomugha never intercepted a pass until season four. And to take a gamble on Houston’s talent finally emerging, all the Lions have to do is give up a sixth-round pick and switch places with Atlanta in the fifth round? Uh, yeah, that works.

D. Orlando Ledbetter reports the much-anticipated trade of Atlanta cornerback Chris Houston to Detroit has finally happened.



The Falcons get a sixth-round pick in return. The deal also includes the two teams swapping picks in the fifth round. Atlanta now has the second pick in the fifth round and Detroit will take the 18th pick in the fifth round.



Houston became expendable after the Falcons signed Dunta Robinson and re-signed Brian Williams. They also have Christopher Owens, Brent Grimes and Chevis Jackson at cornerback.