Larry Foote Signs With Hometown Detroit Lions

[krulmichael]

Source - http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2009/05/larry_foote_says_he_has_agreed.html

DETROIT - Larry Foote says he has agreed to a one-year contract with the Detroit Lions.

Foote said terms of the deal were reached Tuesday night and he planned to sign it Wednesday morning.

"I'm excited because it's a fresh start for me," Foote said Tuesday night in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "It's a one-year deal to show my talents, and hopefully end up signing a long-term deal after showing the Lions and their new coaching staff what I can do.

Foote said he met everybody from coaches to executives to cooks at Lions headquarters in Allen Park, Mich., earlier in the day, and his agent, Ken Kremer, worked to complete a deal.

The Pittsburgh Steelers released Foote on Monday, a move expected because he asked to be traded or cut. He started every game for them the past five seasons, including their Super Bowl victories last season and after the 2005 season, but was unhappy coming off the field on passing downs.

The native of Detroit and former Michigan star said a lot of teams have expressed interest in him, including Arizona, Kansas City and Indianapolis.

Foote will become the middle linebacker the Lions desperately need coming off the first 0-16 season in NFL history.

Foote was due to make $2.885 million in the final season of his contract, but the Steelers no longer owe him the money.

With Lawrence Timmons ready to start, Foote told the Steelers last week he wanted to be dealt or cut. Pittsburgh released Foote after failing to find a team willing to part with a draft pick for him.

Steelers director of football operations Kevin Colbert said Foote was a big part of the team's success, but the salary cap made the decision inevitable.

Foote, a fourth-round draft pick in 2002, had 14½ sacks and three interceptions over the last five years with Pittsburgh after mostly being used on special teams in his first two seasons.

Thank goodness Detroit made a very intelligent move with this pickup.

 

[BigBiss]

Good Deal this guy did nothing but bust his ass for us I hope it works out for him and the lions

 

[Apocalypse]

hurray

if he does good this season he'll prolly sign a 3-4 year deal
Foote, Sims and Peterson will be a real nice LB core.

 

[mgoblue2290]

Great pick up, if only we would've gone defensive tackle at 20 or 33.

 

[Buzzman]

its cool with got Sammie Lee Hill. Andre Flu wasnt given a chance last year with gayass Rod. He'll turn heads this year/

 

[krulmichael]

its cool with got Sammie Lee Hill. Andre Flu wasnt given a chance last year with gayass Rod. He'll turn heads this year/

I agree with the Fluellen comment.

 

[Leftwich]

Wow, with these kind of signings you can really tell the Millen era is over. The Detroit Lions under this new leadership look like they'll be on the up.

 

[QuietStorm]

Good signing... The Lions are making some good moves.

 

[DomePatrol]

They got a nice LB squad now.

 

[JeremyHight]

... wait... so we don't draft Ray Ray because he is a two down LB, so instead to fill the gap, we get an older two down LB?

I am not really bashing the signing, more just bashing our logic of not drafting a far superior athlete to play the position. Foote is good, but he has never played in a 4-3 system in the pros and normally, Pittsburgh releases players at the right time.

 

[Senser81]

... wait... so we don't draft Ray Ray because he is a two down LB, so instead to fill the gap, we get an older two down LB?

I am not really bashing the signing, more just bashing our logic of not drafting a far superior athlete to play the position. Foote is good, but he has never played in a 4-3 system in the pros and normally, Pittsburgh releases players at the right time.

Yeah, I remember a few years ago when the Browns signed ILB Earl Holmes from the Steelers. Holmes was a relatively small but tough player who had limited skills, but he did well for Pittsburgh because he was surrounded by great players. He flopped in Cleveland (and Detroit) because he didn't have the surrounding talent.

I wish the Steelers had kept Hardy Nickerson and Chad Brown back in the day, but otherwise they usually release players at the right time (Neil O'Donnell).

 

[Sven Draconian]

... wait... so we don't draft Ray Ray because he is a two down LB, so instead to fill the gap, we get an older two down LB?

I am not really bashing the signing, more just bashing our logic of not drafting a far superior athlete to play the position. Foote is good, but he has never played in a 4-3 system in the pros and normally, Pittsburgh releases players at the right time.

Maybe because Ray Ray just wasn't that good?

Earl Holmes wasn't bad as a Lion, he was pretty solid for what we needed him for. Tackle to tackle player against the run. Pretty much exactly what Foote is going to do for us as well. Schwartz doesn't use the traditional ILB (as per his admission) going sideline to sideline.

Foote is a decent veteran who's a pretty big upgrade over Lennon (who's awful) but should be decidedly mediocre. He's going to upgrade are run defense, and with Gilbert Brown (plus, hopefully, Sammy Lee Hill working out) he'll stop teams from just abusing us up the middle. We won't be an above average run defense, but we won't be the leagues worst either.

 

[DSpydr84]

Wow, with these kind of signings you can really tell the Millen era is over. The Detroit Lions under this new leadership look like they'll be on the up.

It's pretty incredble how noticable the change really is. It's hard to believe someone was that poor of a GM.

I like this move a lot. It's one year, so he's not our full time guy, and he brings a lot of leadership to our team. Hopefully he can show our guys the ropes and what it takes to be a champion.

... wait... so we don't draft Ray Ray because he is a two down LB, so instead to fill the gap, we get an older two down LB?

I am not really bashing the signing, more just bashing our logic of not drafting a far superior athlete to play the position. Foote is good, but he has never played in a 4-3 system in the pros and normally, Pittsburgh releases players at the right time.

Wouldn't you rather pick up a two-down LB in free agency for a one year contract instead of a two-down LB in the draft for a 5 year contract? This also gives Levy a chance to develop for a year at MLB. Excellent signing IMO.

 

[Buzzman]

Pettirgrew and Delmuse will be great TE and S. I'd rather have them and Foote, then Rey and not one of them.

 

[Gonzo]

i always said that the lions needed a big pick up on defense to be a good team

lol, good job going out on a limb with that one.

 

[Leftwich]

I'm pretty sure Detroit runs a 4-3. Will Foote be good as a 4-3 MLB since he's only played in the NFL as a 3-4 ILB?

 

[DSpydr84]

I'm pretty sure Detroit runs a 4-3. Will Foote be good as a 4-3 MLB since he's only played in the NFL as a 3-4 ILB?

I don't see why not. It'd be like a busboy going to server... it'll take a week to learn the menu and things to say but after that it's just doing what you're used to.

 

[JeremyHight]

Maybe because Ray Ray just wasn't that good?

And Foote was? He was only good enough to be a 2 down linebacker. Ray was the same, but he is also younger and far more likely to improve upon that weakness over someone who has been in the league for a while like Foote.

Wouldn't you rather pick up a two-down LB in free agency for a one year contract instead of a two-down LB in the draft for a 5 year contract? This also gives Levy a chance to develop for a year at MLB. Excellent signing IMO.

If you are going to give Levy a chance to develop, why not Ray? I'd rather get a young LB with incredible athleticism and played in a 4-3 over someone who is older, doesn't have room to grow, and has only played in the 3-4 for the last few seasons.

You are forgetting about the all might dollar bro. Rey Rey would have been looking for decent money...and he's unproven in the NFL. Foote is a heady player...which is one of the big knocks on Rey Malgalgalgaouluagluagluaga.

I don't know what the DT situation looks like in Detroit...they're too low on my "Give A Crap" meter....but if they're pretty decent, the Foote will do wonders for your team. He can mentor your young linebackers...something Rey Malgluagluagluaglua will need as opposed to be able to provide.

Dollars shouldn't mean shit to a team who cannot sell out their stadium. They need the best possible players.

Foote is unproven in the 4-3 in the pros. As for mentoring... ask Foote how well he mentored Simmons last year. He was pissed about having to come off the field for him and pushed to leave the team the first chance he got.

I don't see why not. It'd be like a busboy going to server... it'll take a week to learn the menu and things to say but after that it's just doing what you're used to.

ILB is far different than MLB. ILBs have to take on the guard and are normally stronger and slower. MLBs job is to read the play and fill the hole. One is all about strength, while the other is about vision and speed.

 

[DSpydr84]

If you are going to give Levy a chance to develop, why not Ray? I'd rather get a young LB with incredible athleticism and played in a 4-3 over someone who is older, doesn't have room to grow, and has only played in the 3-4 for the last few seasons.

Because I'd rather have Delmas/Pettigrew.

And for what it's worth, Levy fits the description of your "ideal" LB that you mentioned above ("a young LB with incredible athleticism and played in a 4-3"). Not to mention, Levy played on all three downs, and moved between all three LB positions.

Finally, if you think a player who's job was to "take on the guard" is incapable of "reading the play and filling the hole", I think you're reaching for an arguement. I'd be willing to bet any 3-4 ILB is fully capable of playing 4-3 MLB, and I'd be willing to bet even more that in some point in their career, they have.

 

[mgoblue2290]

I'd rather have Jerry or Oher/Delmas or Ron Brace.