Passing Time: Terrion Arnold ARRESTED! - Our BOLDEST Predictions! Are We Crazy??? - S2E53 - 6/24/26

🏈 Passing Time Podcast Episode 54 is here!

This week we're breaking down the latest Terrion Arnold legal situation, discussing what it could mean for the Lions, and explaining why this remains a wait-and-see story.

Then we unleash our boldest Detroit Lions hot takes for the 2026 season, including:

🔥 Jahmyr Gibbs wins Offensive Player of the Year
💪 Detroit finishes with a Top 10 defense
🦁 Sam LaPorta becomes a Top-3 NFL tight end
💥 The Lions lead the NFL in sacks
🏆 Detroit returns to the NFC Championship Game
👀 Plus our thoughts on the rookie defensive class and much more!

We also cover the latest news from the Tigers, Pistons, and Red Wings before wrapping up another episode of Passing Time.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:04

You're listening to Passing Time, a Detroit Lions podcast. We're one pride and all grit with a passion for Detroit Lions football. Whether you're between meetings, between classes, sitting in traffic, or just relaxing at home, if you have time to pass, pass it with Passing Time. Detroit Lions Talk.

SPEAKER_00 0:25

Welcome back, everybody. Thanks for tuning in to making Passing Time one of your weekly listens. Brian, this is episode number 54. Yep. And you're on the clock and you're passing time with us. A Cord Lions Podcast. I'm Rob. And I'm Brian. Simple podcast today. Breaking news, Terry and Arnold news. Brian?

SPEAKER_01 0:54

Terry and Arnold. Yep.

SPEAKER_00 0:56

We're going to dive into that. We're going to talk, we're going to talk about like best case scenario, worst case scenario, kind of a little bit of a legal dive into it, what they're looking for, how we can get off. Maybe the lion's spin on that. We're going to lead off with that, and then we're going to get right into a few hot takes from both of us on the lion season, which is going to be a little uh melancholy after you get through uh the Terry and Arnold news.

SPEAKER_01 1:22

Yep. I mean, so we started this like planning period thinking like, hey, let's do some hot takes, let's let's make it fresh, let's make it a little hot and make make things a little quick. And then uh the TA news broke, and uh we're uh had to shift a little bit.

SPEAKER_00 1:37

So we're recording this at 1120 um on a Wednesday evening, Brian. And uh yeah, we um we were just going hot take style, and then TA news came out, and uh we had to pivot, but just like any worldwide podcast would do, we we could pivot with the best of them. Yes, sir. Um so before we get into that, real quick, Brian, anything you want to tell the listeners?

SPEAKER_01 2:00

Yes, uh like, subscribe, uh, do the thing that you do, and uh, you know, help support the the pod, help us help us keep rolling.

SPEAKER_00 2:08

So yeah, I like it. So um Terry and Arnold legal situation, you know. I want to start this off. Uh first things first.

SPEAKER_01 2:17

Yep. He's uh he's innocent until proven guilty.

SPEAKER_00 2:21

Um no doubt about it. Allegations are not convictions in these cases, you know. Um, so uh Terry Arnold was arrested, and um there are allegations, but he has not been convicted of anything. The reports indicate that prosecutors are investigating whether Arnold had any involvement in a retaliatory incident after an alleged uh theft um down in an Airbnb in Florida. Yep. Um key legal question isn't whether he was present, because I think that's already been delineated. He's he's basically said he wasn't present. Um the key legal thing for him is whether prosecutors can prove that he planned it, directed it, financed it, or encouraged it on the alleged crimes. Um so um what the defense is gonna argue here, Brian, is um that he was a victim of theft. He never uh approved, ordered, he wasn't there, um he didn't witness it. Um text messages, phone records, and statements can be taken way out of context. And you know, the what you saw there wasn't really the implied meaning of those messages.

SPEAKER_01 3:45

For sure. And and even before we kind of roll into this, which which I I agree with, I I think we need to like dive into both sides and see where Terry Arnold lies and how does that impact you know our Detroit Lions in this process. But ultimately, what like the the incident itself started off with what? Like Terry and Arnold had $250,000 worth of merchandise and cash stolen out of a uh AR and B B that he had in Tampa, Florida. Is that right? That's right, yeah. Okay, and then associates of Terry and Arnold held some of these or found out who stole this stuff, found out who they were, kidnapped them, held them to gunpoint, and then got the the the merchandise returned, is that or just held them held them as a kidnapping, um, threatening their lives, kinda.

SPEAKER_00 4:47

Yeah, I mean threatening uh you know allegedly pistol whipping, beating, okay, um, and and and trying to get uh extract the the stuff back. Right.

SPEAKER_01 4:57

So um and in this process, the allegations are saying that Terry and Arnold was a part of that, correct? There was a messaging back and forth from these associates and Terry and Arnold.

SPEAKER_00 5:10

Uh I mean to take it out of the legal terms, it's basically saying that Terry and Arnold's crew basically were like, hey, we'll get your stuff back, we're gonna take matters in our own hands. Originally he called the cops, but then quickly uh his crew went in and kind of took upon themselves, you know, roughed them up and uh worked on getting the stuff back or making charges.

SPEAKER_01 5:34

Retaliation, vigilante, yeah, like we'll take we'll we'll do our own work.

SPEAKER_00 5:39

I mean, we can all relate to that, right? Like that would be, you know, somebody steals Brian's bike. Um me and four other guys go and we we can't find the bike, but we we make sure that the guide won't steal Brian's bike again, you know, and um and that we all kind of think about that. Like, hey, I want that that you know the person to pay for what they did.

SPEAKER_01 6:04

You know, that that self-justice, like like take it upon yourself to to take the matters in your own hands, you know.

SPEAKER_00 6:12

So um, you know, the the defense is gonna attempt to just basically all like and separate him from like what happened and basically say like, hey man, these are allegedly and then and what what messages you're looking at are way out of context, right? Um but if the prosecutor prosecutors can prove that he directed this incident, um this is a this is much more serious, and Brian, like um the scale here of his his term in in jail or prison is pretty significant, right?

SPEAKER_01 6:50

I mean we've read anything from like you can plead this down, you know, they might be able to to work on a deal, or it could be life in prison, right?

SPEAKER_00 7:00

I mean that yeah, I mean that's extreme. Extreme um anywhere from probation to life in prison. Right. That's two um wildly different outcomes. Um I I can you know tell you like it I doubtfully with with his representation is gonna be life in prison. Um, but even when that you gotta scale that back a little bit, it could be life without the NFL. Right, right.

SPEAKER_01 7:25

And it it may very well be the life without the Detroit Lions, but at the very least.

SPEAKER_00 7:30

Yeah, so um, you know, the prosecutors in the eyes of the law, if the prosecutors can prove that he planned a crime, that's nearly or as damaging as actually committing the crime. So it um you know exposure could be measured in years, not months. The statutory maximums are severe. Um plea deals often result in lower sentences, um, but they result in sentences, especially when it's when it's tough. So um for for TA and the defense and the prosecution, you know, what matters most here is the phone records, the text messages, are there venmos back and forth, are there financial transactions, um location data. We're all pinging off uh everything. There's uh you know, cameras now, the flock cameras everywhere, right? Um, and then testimony from anybody cooperating. You know, he's got a group of best buds, but when those guys are getting the book thrown at him, they might not fall on the sword for TA.

SPEAKER_01 8:39

Right. And it and it sounds like right now the testimony from these guys um is what the the prosecution is relying on. Um and you know, what kind of deal have they have they offered though those uh the crew, if you will, and uh, you know, what is their motivation in order to either protect or not um to Terry and Arnold in this process.

SPEAKER_00 9:05

Yeah. So, you know, as Lions fans, um right now this is a this is a legal story, not a football story, though he's not gonna be at least for a period of time on the football front.

SPEAKER_01 9:23

And that makes you start to think um when it came comes to OTAs, and you see Terry and Arnold working on the second field with the second team defense versus the first field and the first team defense. Um, does that is that telling? Um, when they add questions to Dan Campbell and you ask him, hey, why is Terrian working over there? He's got to earn his position. He, you know, you see Ennis Regstrah, you see DJ Reed, you see Rocky Sin, you know, working on that that first team um defense, you know, getting first team reps at corner. Um, is that telling?

SPEAKER_00 9:59

Yeah, um I would say yes, that's that's very telling right now. Um, but the lions in the NFL are typically a little bit slower to react. Sure. You look at the Rashi Rice, you know, deal, very different. Um, but the NFL is still trying to wait to react on that. I don't know, we're you know, 18 months from kind of when that incident, but the legal process is kind of playing out, and there's been some reaction, but not full reaction to that.

SPEAKER_01 10:30

And and the Lions, you know, continue to hold themselves to a standard of character, um, football etiquette, and uh, you know, good people uh in their room. So are they going to allow even this distraction to be a distraction, or are they going to cut ties regardless of the the legal outcomes of this of this issue?

SPEAKER_00 10:52

Yeah, and you know, the lions went um, you know, the angle of culture, right? They've been talking about culture. Um, Campbell was hired to deliver culture. Um, and that this could be something that severely interferes with that culture.

SPEAKER_01 11:08

100%. And right now, the the statement the Lions have just given out, it says that there's no comment, they don't want to interfere with the legal process, which you know makes sense. They're gonna let the the prosecutors, they're gonna let the the the courts do their job. Um, they're gonna let the NFL determine whether this is something that they need to intervene with um first. And uh, you know, I'm I'm sure TA has told the lines of story, um, and they have to like either trust TA in his process and and his um and his word um or not.

SPEAKER_00 11:41

So yeah. Um, you know, we'll stick to the north. Uh there's been Josh Jacobs, you know, has been like um basically not allegedly, I think they're they're basically saying like something happened. Yeah, he was doing that, and the NFL hasn't reacted. And this is now uh a month or so past, right? So this is gonna be very slow moving. Hopefully, TA's lawyers get him out of jail, um, which she probably will be out of jail very quickly and let this all play out in core, but man, um this is gonna be um significant news story for a while.

SPEAKER_01 12:21

Yep, and uh you know, it it makes you think like you bolstered your defensive backs, you brought in some youth, you brought in some veterans, and uh maybe you're you're dependent on these guys because you knew a little bit more about this story going through.

SPEAKER_00 12:39

So I mean that's speculation. Very, very speculative. Um, so we what we want you guys to take from from what was the the diatribe right there. I think there's three major bullet points, Brian. Until actual charges, evidence, court filings are fully vetted. This is just kind of a wait and see situation.

SPEAKER_01 13:01

Yeah, you get we don't know. I'm not a legal prosecutor, I'm not a lawyer, so I don't know. All I'm all I'm doing is reading on acts and determining what I I should believe or not believe.

SPEAKER_00 13:11

So um the range of outcomes here is uh is giant, right? Yeah, I mean it's it's all the way from you know life in prison to and we talked about that, yeah. Almost almost, yeah, almost nothing, right? And um at this stage, no third bullet point, at this stage, nobody outside the investigation truly knows um which end of the spectrum we're on. You know, the the prosecution's gonna lead with uh the most serious charge to the you know the life in prison, and the defense is gonna say, like, hey, like uh we should get this dropped, it shouldn't even be in the courts, right? And like so we're here at the the kind of the forefront of this, and and there's a whole range of outcomes that could happen.

SPEAKER_01 13:54

And you know, we could be a hot takey with this too, but the reality is we're just breaking the news to you that we've received that we know of, and uh take it for what it is.

SPEAKER_00 14:04

So, yeah, so um stay tuned. This will be a uh probably a weekly update on the podcast. Yeah, um, we don't have a good lawyer friend, we have doctors, teachers, financiers, you know, pilots, and all the fun things, but um we gotta hey reach out to us if you're if you're a legal person and kind of help us uh run through this. Yeah. On a much more fun podcast side, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:36

Take a deep breath. Let's let's let's let's put that heaviness of uh aside because like as Lions fans, I feel like we've been there before. We've been there in in our history where like the off-season takes on this kind of crap, right? And instead of like getting better, we gotta rely on or we gotta talk about the the JMOs getting in trouble for for gambling or the assaults and batteries, or if you go back in the day, the going through a drive-thru naked, you know, and so on, right? You know, the the lions have their their stories, and uh you know, I I felt I feel pretty good about the the history, you know, the current history, um, not having that until now.

SPEAKER_00 15:22

Yeah. Um so let's lead into like um some more fun stuff. So um Brian, um we both got kind of two and a half hot takes for the year, right? And um I'm gonna let you drive here for your for your hot take and kind of introduce what we're doing, how we're doing it.

SPEAKER_01 15:41

Okay, so we're gonna talk about a couple hot takes. Some something for the 26-27 season. What do you see happening? What are some what are some takeaways that we can get from this season now, way too early. Um predictions such as Brian's hot take number one. Brian's hot take number one, Jameer Gibbs will lead the league in all-purpose yards. Um he will then be in the market, if not winning, offensive player of the year, um 210, or I'm sorry, 2,100 all-purpose yards, scoring 18 to 20 touchdowns. Um, if you look at this, no David Montgomery to share to share um runs with, there's to share snaps with. Um, Isaiah Pacheco might take a little load off of him in short yardage. Um, but Gibbs is gonna be the true workhorse here.

SPEAKER_00 16:40

I like it. I like it. So, what does Vegas say about kind of your hot take?

SPEAKER_01 16:46

Well, they agree. So, so I I came up with this hot take. I was like, oh, I'm pretty excited about this, and then um, so Vegas got it first.

SPEAKER_00 16:55

So uh tell them what Vegas thinks.

SPEAKER_01 16:59

All right, Vegas is is is giving you uh plus 750 on Jameer Gibbs as of now as the offensive player of the year for 2026.

SPEAKER_00 17:08

Where does that rank amongst all offensive players?

SPEAKER_01 17:11

He is the first uh most likely most likely to receive that bajan robinson at 800 plus 800, uh Jamar Chase at 850, and Puka Nakua at plus 1100.

SPEAKER_00 17:24

So um we're gonna dip the pinky toe in the water there with the with the first hot take, but I like it. Uh it's it's a good hot take. I think you know Drew Petsing uh like is here to get the most out of Jameer Gibbs, right? And like that's been talked about quite a bit where he's gonna utilize him quite a bit. Um this is kind of a weird one because I was thinking about this. Um, I made this. We're sitting here, we're we're we've been doing our homework thinking about this. Um, but there's a name on this list that might end up being very prominent based on the breaking news tonight. So um, my first thought take is the the rookie defensive trio of Derek Moore, Jimmy Rolder, and Keith Abney will be playing meaningful snaps in games that matter. Um so let me just give you a breakdown of these guys. Again, Derek Moore led Michigan in both sacks, tackles for a loss, despite playing under 40 snaps per game. Michigan rotated guys. They had first wave, they had second wave, they actually had third wave. They really believed in keeping guys fresh throughout the game. Um posted a 17.5% pressure rate, one of the best in the Big Ten. Um playing opposite of Hutchinson uh means offensive can't slide protection his way. So in college, everything slid his way. Um in Detroit, everything slides Aiden's way to an extreme level. So he's gonna be out basically. I mean, he has to win some of his one-on-ones, and um you know, Holmes traded up for him. Um this is not a developmental edge that we're working with. This is a guy that we saw, we took, he's an edge setter, he's a run stuffer, but he's also proven that he can get tackles for loss, sacks, and be a disruptor. Um, so I think he finishes with you know somewhere in that seven, eight, nine, ten plus sacks on the year.

SPEAKER_01 19:30

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 19:30

Um, and and partially the credit should go to Aiden and you know the the middle of that defensive line as well. Um, but he's gonna be the guy that they're like, you know what? Make this guy beat us, and I think he's gonna win that battle. So that's guy number one. Number one.

SPEAKER_01 19:46

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 19:47

Do you have a comment there?

SPEAKER_01 19:48

I I like it. Like uh Jimmy, uh sorry, Derek Moore is uh the guy that when we drafted him, I had some question marks and I had to go back and do some of my my homework. Um, and I the more I'm more I'm watching this guy, and the more I I you know go back and watch those Michigan games, uh, outside of just being a fan, but but more of being like doing that research, um, you find that he he's a player.

SPEAKER_00 20:13

Yeah. So yeah, so excited about that. Um, second is Jimmy Rolder. Um, again, I'll give you a little background on him. Um, led Michigan tackles last year, 73 tackles, um, had an interception, solid in coverage. Coaches are already been praising him. He's been name-dropped multiple times by coaches, players uh during spring practice. Recorded a pick during mini camp. Okay. Um, classic Dan Campbell traits. One of the reasons they drafted him. You know, smart, physical, he has special teams value. Um, I think he wins a role similar to when Malcolm Rodriguez was playing his most football with Detroit his rookie year.

SPEAKER_01 20:53

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 20:54

So meaningful snaps. Um, and last, uh give me a chance to any any comment there.

SPEAKER_01 21:00

No, not yet. Okay. Go ahead.

SPEAKER_00 21:02

Uh Keith Abney. Uh this uh defensive back plays multiple positions, has played corner, has played nickel, has played safety. Um last year, 21 pass breakups, five interceptions over his uh last, I guess, 25 stars. First team all Big 12, known for being physical, being versatile, ultra athletic. Um Lions love DBs who can play multiple spots. Just so happens that some guy might be boxed out by some steel bars, and there might be some more opportunity to play. Right. So I'm thinking, you know, I I was thinking by you know Thanksgiving, December, Abney's getting on the field and in some kind of regular third down package, nickel package. That could be pressed a little bit forward with the news that we're talking about right now.

SPEAKER_01 21:57

And that's fair. And I I don't know yet. I would have to see because I I love Roger McCreary and what he is bringing to that slot position right now and what he has to offer in his at least his experience. He still has it. It sounds like he he can play. And I would say that that slot position is going to be tough to overtake him right now. And then you can also offer Brian Branch if he ever comes back and still has that opportunity to fill in that role too. As a backup, you know, or as a as a as a last case scenario. Outside, I would say it's going to deal with health, right? You still have Rocky Sin, who I think fits very well into the scheme. And Kelvin Shepard likes likes Rock, what he has to offer. He's not the highest of high, but he's definitely not the lowest of low. So he just is steady. Solid as a rock. So consistent. And if you tap into an NSR who we have not seen yet, if that guy can stay healthy, you know, you you might have lightning in a bottle. So it would be tough to crack those two spots, but maybe. Maybe. And it's a hot take. So I get it. And then rolling back a little bit to Jimmy Rolder. I'm interested. I I definitely heard the name pop up with coaches, and I like that about him. I like the the praise that they're giving him. I just also know that Kelvin Shepard, and we'll get into this in a second, is gonna be a little bit more apt to adjust and not play that three-backer scheme or that base scheme nearly as much. He's going to go to the nickel because I think that's who we have, the the the personnel who can support that. And so that limiting the meaningful snaps. So is he gonna overtake then Derek Barnes at that spot? That would be that would be your question mark.

SPEAKER_00 24:06

Surprising. It's gonna be surprising. Shepard loves Barnes, right? Exactly. He's on record, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:11

Shepard says, like, he's my he's my little brother. You know, he's he's a guy that he looks after. He he wants to give him every opportunity to be successful. Um, so overtaking Derek Barnes is gonna be difficult.

SPEAKER_00 24:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:24

Unless an injury happens or Derek Barnes just can't get the job done.

SPEAKER_00 24:29

So I think you know, when we are recording this podcast later on, we'll be talking about uh Brad Holmes' masterclass draft. You know, we haven't talked about the first rounder and what he's gonna do. In this podcast, we've talked about a previous podcast, uh, Blake Miller. Um, but I think we're gonna get back to like, well, Brad Holmes, like at it. You hit this one out of the park. So Brian's hot take number two.

SPEAKER_01 24:53

All right, so I'm looking at the defensive side of the ball, which is interesting to say because we developed these hot takes before the TA news. But even with the TA news, I'm gonna say that the Detroit Lions are a top 10 defense in the NFL. They are woo. Can you imagine let's be honest though, last year, even with Dan Campbell calling plays, um, they fired John Morton or pushed him into the booth, they the yeah, they were still a top five offense.

SPEAKER_00 25:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 25:32

So now if you pair uh uh an offensive like that, who I feel like got better, with a top ten defense, the sky's the limit.

SPEAKER_00 25:43

A top ten defense, I mean, you're talking, you know, the you're hitting the button on a potential Super Bowl contender.

SPEAKER_01 25:50

You and we'll get to there too. Okay. Okay, we'll get to there too. But uh, I'm looking at, okay, a healthy Ali McNeil. There is such a difference, and I've said it before, but I'll say it again. There is such a difference between your off-season prep work when you're rehabbing an injury versus your off-season prep work when you are healthy and ready to prepare for the next season. He's ready to prepare for the next season. And he, if you ask him, you've seen it in his interviews as well. Night and day difference right now. Same with Aiden Hutchinson. Like, he's not rehabbing anymore, he's getting better, you know. DJ more our DJ Reed is is uh gone through his his rehabs, he's getting healthy, he's he's getting better, you know. So we have these guys in spots that are now healthy that we were expecting to be top of their game when they came back, but they just weren't.

SPEAKER_00 26:48

So before you hit that button online super bowl and you're buying into this hype, let me tell you why it's a hot take.

SPEAKER_01 26:58

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 27:00

We just talked about Terry and Arnold. Yeah. Okay. We talked about uh Enos Rakstraw. Like I you gotta see something before you you can believe something, right?

SPEAKER_01 27:12

Completely agree.

SPEAKER_00 27:12

Um, we talked about Brian Branch. Is he gonna be a contributor by December?

SPEAKER_01 27:19

I think with the depth, depth, depth that we've created, we are have made it available for us to get to week five or six and bring Brian Branch and not force him back fast. So five or six, that's yeah, that's early.

SPEAKER_00 27:36

That's early in the in the in the timeline, right?

SPEAKER_01 27:39

But I'm also hearing other stories about Brian Branch looking looking good, not not healthy, but but good in this process.

SPEAKER_00 27:46

Was he chewing on bark with Aaron Rodgers getting that all?

SPEAKER_01 27:49

He might have been, you know. Aaron Rodgers came back quick too from an Achilles. He can't run, but he he came back quick.

SPEAKER_00 27:55

So different style of athlete. So also, also, Kirby Joseph. Uh, he's not, I mean, he's testing it out. Uh you know, we we're gone, a DJ like there's reader. There's a there's a lot of question marks. Uh, and and if what I'm saying is true, with we're gonna rely on a rookie edge, we're gonna talk about a rookie third linebacker, Keith Abney's gonna play some meaningful snaps. Um, basically, what you're saying is like, you know, hey, we have depth. You're basically saying our number twos are so good, they're better than two-thirds of the league's number ones.

SPEAKER_01 28:38

I don't, I no, I can't say that. I can't say that, but together as a unit, I believe that they can play to that level.

SPEAKER_00 28:46

Okay, I want to be the devil's advocate for your appreciate that.

SPEAKER_01 28:49

So I do think that Kirby comes back and gives gives us something. I don't know if he gives us a full season, but he gives us something. Brian Branch, as the season goes on, will give us something as well. Again, we talked just talked about Alien McNeil and and Aiden Hutchinson and you know DJ Reed coming off of injury and being healthy. He is not gonna be the Brian Branch of the beginning of last season or or before. He's gonna be coming off of injury and rehabbing and continuing to work back into form. We're hoping that he can be the Brian Branch we know by playoffs.

SPEAKER_00 29:25

Yeah, that um I like it. That makes me excited. I'd be very happy if that happens. So um, my hot take, number two, okay, Sam Laporta finishes at a top three NFL tight end. Oh, so I'm talking 90 plus catches, a thousand yards, and finishes in the top three at the position. And there's some extremely intriguing tight ends out there that put up staggering numbers, right?

SPEAKER_01 29:56

And so that let me ask you this like might not be on your list right now, but there's already been negotiations with San Laporta in contracts. Do do we sign him now?

SPEAKER_00 30:08

You better strike right now while you got the injury stink all over this guy, right? Um, so Drew Petzing uh built Arizona's offense around tight ends. Arizona ranked uh top 10 in 12 personnel usage and number one in 13 personnel usage uh last year. Um Trey McBride led the league in tight end targets, tight end receptions, um, and receiving yards in 2025.

SPEAKER_01 30:37

I'm Capboy David's advocate with this as well.

SPEAKER_00 30:40

Yeah, you can let me get through a couple more bullet points and then and then well.

SPEAKER_01 30:44

But if you have something that you are right there hot and bothered on, like we talk about 10, 12, 13 personnel with Drew Pet Sing a ton, but we're we're talking about that because he's coming from Arizona who didn't have a wide receiver who could catch a ball, right? So when we say Drew Pet Sing relied or developed 13 personnel, yeah, because the three tight ends were his best players. And if we if he had an Aman Ras A Brown, uh Jameson Williams, and uh uh Isaac Tesla, in addition to Sam Laporta, I I'm guessing, I'm I'm only guessing, that he wouldn't run 13 personnel nearly as much.

SPEAKER_00 31:26

So do you think the Lions are top 10 in the league in 13 personnel?

SPEAKER_01 31:31

No.

SPEAKER_00 31:33

Okay, so like this guy is known to find some success with it, and we have a actually an upgraded tight end room.

SPEAKER_01 31:40

I believe that Drew Petsang is known for finding what works for his team. Okay, and so if that means he's going to f force what works that he's had in the past, then I don't want him anymore. I want him to work with what he has. And I I I like Tyler Conklin, I think he's okay, you know. I like Brock Wright, I think he's okay, but he is not he's not Sam Laporta. All right, so we uh you know he's definitely not Trey McBride, you know, those guys. So what we have is a good tight end, number one, and we have some support for him. Yeah, we also have some really good wide receivers, there's no doubt about it.

SPEAKER_00 32:22

Okay, so um, and those wide receivers will take pressure off of the tight end, which he's really figured out good ways to locate those tight ends. Um, I I do think the Lions are gonna have a good offense this year. I think they're gonna struggle on defense, and I think what better way to help a defense out than grinding it out on offense and killing clock, right? So, again, that's targeting your tight ends, targeting your tight ends. Keep your tight ends out there, letting Jameer Gibbs eat to your first hot take. Um, so Lions specifically noted when they hired Petsy and he prioritizes tight ends. That was one of the bullet points that they talked about, right? So um Conklin, right, they're they're they're heavier, they're bigger. They can go those big packages and they can feature Laporta in those packages. They can be your blocking tight ends. Laporta, you know, he's at prime years of his career. Um, Goff trusts him, he's already earned that trust. You know, Goff's been around for 11 years. He this is going into his 11th season, and he he understands you know where his bread is buttered, and and Laporta's a guy that he's come to trust. Um, defenses, they gotta account for Gibbs, they gotta account for Amon Ross St. Brown, yeah, they gotta account for J-mo. I agree. Tesla's gonna stick his big frame in there, they gotta account for him. There's gonna be there's gonna be space on the field for a guy. So I think Petsing is going to take that familiarity with McBride, and and McBride didn't break out really until he's about Laporta's tenure in the NFL. And he's gonna say, you know what, I got I gotta I got a McBride Jr. And I'm gonna I'm gonna I'm gonna feed him.

SPEAKER_01 34:10

Okay. And I'm not gonna disagree that Sam Laporta is gonna get his. I the only thing that I'm going to to disagree with is the the personnel that he'll use in order to feed him. I think he's going to utilize Amin Ra and J Mo to take the top off and Gibbs to to spread the the defense in order to still feature Sam Laporta.

SPEAKER_00 34:33

Okay. All right. Um, some data, you know, to if you want to take this to your betting app. We don't condone betting. We're not a betting advice. Podcast. Um, if you want to put a uh a one or two shackle as in a dollar bill or two dollar bills. Um uh comeback player of the year. Uh Sam Laporte is listed on the you know the top 20, 25 people. He's coming in at plus five thousand. So an outside shot right there, you know. Uh put your dollar in now. The big names ahead of him are Mahomes, Jaden Daniels, Kyler Murray, Malik Neighbors, Daniel Jones, Micah Parsons. Um uh but there's some guys down there.

SPEAKER_01 35:18

George Kittle. There's some guys down there, Laura Bosa. Yeah, so all right.

SPEAKER_00 35:23

So, anyways, you know, um I guess I'll go back to back here and I'll tie in my first take with another take. This will be quick. Um this supports defense, so I don't want to talk about two sides of the mouth, but you can see it. I smell what you're stepping in, Brian. Thank you. Um and I talked a little bit about Derek Moore at the beginning, and we haven't given enough, we haven't put enough respect on the interior of the Lions defensive line yet. Um, but because of that, I think the Lions lead the NFL and sacks and produce two double-digit sat guys this year.

SPEAKER_01 36:08

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 36:09

Um Hutchinson's healthy.

SPEAKER_01 36:11

Is he your first double-digit sack guy?

SPEAKER_00 36:14

Um Hutchinson is my first double-digit sack guy. Matter of fact, he could get, you know, that the guy is good enough to go for 20, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. But because he's so good, you got the guy on the other side that's just gonna get like a tremendous opportunity to make some plays. Um you you got some guys in the middle that are just gonna collapse the pocket. They're gonna have the quarterback scrambling out, and and and the lines are gonna clean up on the edge. Um, and hopefully we get a little bit better secondary play than last year, um, which buys those edges a little bit more time to and I'm a still a true believer that the more you pressure a quarterback, the less the less you need your DBs to hold their ground, to to be tight in those in those times.

SPEAKER_01 37:05

Um before we were like we were not getting pressured in a timely manner, allowing our corners to have to cover for longer, right? Hopefully, we can get a uh a little bit better of a pressure rate, a quicker pressure rate, and allow our corners to cover for less.

SPEAKER_00 37:19

So we were we're famously wrong on the Davenport call, right? We were way wrong. We were way wrong. Um and uh there's it's all on record, right? There's nothing we can say about it. Yeah, um, but I'm we're gonna be so right on this one, man. Um so I I feel good about it. Um I I I think you can you know you can press the button on uh on the the Lions. Um I I think I don't know what the the data suggests, but Derek Moore could be a sneaky defensive rookie of the year type guy because he's probably getting pretty good odds. But Brian, I don't want to take away you have a uh final bonus hot take.

SPEAKER_01 38:00

Final bonus hot take. The Detroit Lions, our Detroit Lions are gonna make it back to the NFC Championship game. Yep. I think with a with a fourth place schedule going into this season, I think they come out of it with a 12-5 regular season record, they win the NFC North, and they are in a pretty good spot to meet the LA Rams in the NFC Championship game.

SPEAKER_00 38:35

That would be dramatic, right? That'd make for great cinema. Yep. They met in the playoffs before, you got the Stafford narrative, you got the golf narrative. Um Woo! Yep. Uh the podcast before and after, you won't want to miss that one.

SPEAKER_01 38:53

I'm excited. I don't I'm sweating bullets already thinking about it.

SPEAKER_00 38:56

So yeah, so uh and the NFC winner by Vegas is Rams are plus 295, the probable first place kind of but the Lions are plus 930, and they're in the top five, uh coming in at fifth. So um man, what a dichotomy of a podcast. We we start off with real tough news on TA. Um, and maybe if we could put a bow on it, is that man? I think the Lions, um, you you you said it earlier, they they've got a lot more depth this year. So um I don't think missing TA, and I we're we're a better team with him. I don't think missing him is going to tank the season. I think there's a couple other guys that like would really, really hurt. You know, if Gibbs goes down, if Goff goes down, um, if Penet goes down, if Hutch goes down, that's like, hey, we might as well play for next year. I think you know, TA goes down, it's like, well, we didn't see much of them last year, and um maybe we'll have less defensive holdings this year, right?

SPEAKER_01 40:03

Um yeah, I I can't I couldn't say it better myself.

SPEAKER_00 40:08

Well, it's because you said that yourself, yeah. So um in uh Brian, a couple other fun data points I was just kind of pulling off. Um, Protector of the Year, Pinnae's uh best odds at plus 500 to be the best offensive lineman, hypothetically, this year. Um, one thing I found interesting is Coach of the Year. Um John Harbaugh is uh number one at plus six hundred. Number two is Jesse Minter at plus nine hundred. You gotta scroll way, way down at plus 2800, and you get a Dan Campbell down there, um, which is pretty fascinating. I think he is in the scheme of things, he's on the lower half of that. So um with a fourth place schedule, that could be kind of a fun one to kind of play around with a little bit. Um Pistons trade away beef stew today for three second rounders. First, first overall or first round pick was first round pick, uh Aquare out of uh Stanford, they traded up for him.

SPEAKER_01 41:17

17 overall.

SPEAKER_00 41:18

Yeah, draft coverage is terrible because there are so many trades going on. Brian, you you were talking, I don't I don't need you to recite it perfectly, but like talk about the second round picks in the NFL quickly.

SPEAKER_01 41:31

So they were talking about the second round picks. I heard this on the radio, and uh they're talking about of the 30 second-round picks, only four of them stayed with the team that actually had them to start with. So 26 of those picks had been traded. And of those 26 picks, they had been traded not just once, like 26 times, but they've been traded multiple times, upwards in the 70s of times. There was uh we were talking, I was talking about it before this. There was one particular pick that was traded back and forth between the same team upwards to eight times.

SPEAKER_00 42:10

So that's wild. That they treat their picks quite a bit differently. You know, we talk about Campbell being willy-nilly with his picks. Yeah, yeah, the NBA with their second rounders, it's just wild. Um, Tigers news, stick a fork in them. They're done. Lost again today. Lost they lost a scuble start. They should trade Scoobyl. Um, put a fork in them. Um Red Wings News. Um Larkin. Is he gonna get traded? Are they gonna force him to stay? Yeah, that's gonna be interesting. Interesting stuff. Brian Gunn, uh, if you're an odds maker and I gave you even money on Larkin being a Red Wing next year, which side would you take?

SPEAKER_01 42:50

I'm leaning towards they're going to make Larkin a Red Wing next year. Okay, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 42:55

I'm on the same side of that. Yeah. Um anything else that you want to talk about?

SPEAKER_01 43:00

Um, just again, we ask you to like the podcast. Uh, subscribe.

SPEAKER_00 43:06

How couldn't you like this podcast? It's great, it's a fun podcast. We're bringing you that fire, that that that heat. Phil, you know, Phil, share this with your co-workers, your grandmothers, your all the people. Um pass this podcast on. We're gonna get Phil on the podcast. I like it.

SPEAKER_01 43:25

I like it.

SPEAKER_00 43:26

Um, so uh Lalone, you know, when you're up in the sky, can you fly a banner with passing time behind us? You know, like Baki, can you hand out you know your medical results and then put on, you know, it would reduce your anxiety if you followed the podcast, you know? T-Rob and all your traveling to Minnesota, maybe we can get popular over there with all of our love for JJ McCarthy.

SPEAKER_01 43:53

I know we haven't been featuring Bill the last few few pods, but Bill, hand it out to all the kids that are going to your PE class, you know? Come on now, help us out.

SPEAKER_00 44:03

Bill, you're on the back of a milk card, man. I don't know if we're gonna donate a whole segment to you next year, so you gotta show some love over here to the pod.

SPEAKER_01 44:10

You gotta show up. You gotta just sit alongside us for one time. One time.

SPEAKER_00 44:15

I know it's the Mount Rushmore podcasters. It's hard to sit next to us. Alone, you can you can relate to that. But hey, uh like, subscribe, follow, listen, have some fun with us. Um, we're gonna try to bring the heat, um, both in the tough times and the good times. We were here all last year. Uh, we'll be here all this year. So um, cheers. Thanks for passing time with us. We are a Detroit Lions podcast. Stay gritty, go lions. See you next week.