Find a way to convince Gunther to switch to 3-4. Add Manti Te'o, trade up and grab Jonathan Banks/Dee Milliner. Convert to a 3-4;

DE: Suh, L Jackson
NT: Hill/3rd-4th round DT
DE: Fairley, Willie
SLB: Durant/Whitehead/R-Lewis
MLB: Te'o/T-Lewis
MLB: Tulloch/T-Lewis
WLB: Levy/Whitehead/R-Lewis
CB: Houston
CB: Bentley/Milliner/Banks
Slot : Bentley/Milliner/Banks/Greenwood/Jonte
FS: Delmas
SS: Speivey or a 2nd round pick S

This would allow MUCH more man coverage since Te'o is great at it and Houston is more of a man than zone CB, and Milliner/Banks are both solid in man on the outside. Heavy blitzing.

FWIW, Willie Young would probably also be better as a pass rushing LB than a straight DE.

I'm not saying I like the move (esp since it seems like teams are going away from the 3-4, and I HATE that the Lions are always "following an old trend), but I do think Suh and Willie would be better suited for it, and it allows us to dump Avril with little to no consequence.

The Avril thing is the main reason we'd benefit so much from it. Suh would be so dominant with more options at end, and I'm positive the run defense would help since he'd be amazing at containing the edge.

No way we could get both Te'o AND Milliner without giving up the farm.

I posted what I think the biggest benefit would be, but I have to add, I think the biggest problem with this system is the play of our safeties. We could have a good front 7 and still get killed in the middle of the field deep, all day, with our current crop.

F it, go with a 5-2. Levy is a non factor anyway, might as well put SLH on the line and take the double teams away from suh.

Agree. Safeties our biggest problem.

So please explain how the Steelers defense is #1 this year when playing without Polamolu almost all year?

I have been calling for that since last year. Our D-line destroys the O-line every time we do it. It puts more of our greatest defensive strength on the field and pulls a deficiency off the field, (Levy - however, I think Durant is just as much of a deficiency as Levy). The 2 Linebackers would only have to be responsible for covering the TE's.

Avril-----Fairley-----Hill-------Suh-------KVB/Young

I love everything about this idea. QB's would drop a brick of crap in their drawers as soon as they see Detroit on their schedule. There is not an offensive line in the world that could protect against that Dline.

CB is our biggest problem. CB is where QB's target when they have to have a TD. Just like yesterday.

Because at least their safeties are serviceable. The way you're talking is like the safety position is the most important position on the field. How can you seriously stick up for the Lions safeties?

Any safeties you're looking at highly in FA or possibly in the draft right now?

Id like to see Suh line up in the mike position like he did in his rookie year. He got like four sacks that way.

Levy/Suh/Durant
kvb/williams/fairley/avril

have Suh blitz and take the open lane.. And can u imagine the WR coming across the middle and thinking what if suh is there lol LIGHTS OUT!

Honestly I dont even know which safeties are FA's except Dashon Gholston. As far as the draft, right now there doesnt seem to be a safety worth a top 10 pick. Which is why i really want Te'o, a need with a lot of talent. Same can be said for Millinner.

Good point. The talent on the defensive line gives us so many options; adding a potential GREAT linebacker would give us even more. Let's start a T'eo bandwagon!