Detroit Lions Hire Graves as Receivers Coach

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) - Fred Graves was hired by the Detroit Lions as their wide receivers coach Wednesday.

Graves, who coached the Cleveland Browns' receivers last season, replaces Kevin Higgins, whose contract expired.

Graves will be charged with developing Detroit's groups of young, talented receivers, including Roy Williams and Charles Rogers.

He spent 2001-03 with the Buffalo Bills. Before moving to the NFL, Graves spent 19 seasons at Utah, his alma mater, in a variety of coaching positions.

Maybe he can coach Az on how to catch a football more consistently.

Wait... we took Clevelands WR coach?

Why? Don't they have one of the worst WR corps in the league?

I'm Confused what other young, talented receivers are they talking about other than Williams and Rogers?

Swinton has got the stuff, he just needs to bring it out more often. Maybe this coach can do it.

But the best WR coach in the world can't help if we are throwing 5 and 7 yd. passes. I don't think that this hiring is very significant.

Whoever this guy is hopefully he can get Williams to at least put his hands up. In those last 3-4 games of the year, it looked like he was just going through the motions sometimes. I think he has the talent to be a great one, but he has to focus on every play. Maybe the ankle was bothering him too much. It bothered me that he bragged that the NFL was not that difficult and then it looked like he hit a wall.
I hope that Hakim is gone. I've watched him drop way too many balls over the last couple years. How can you pay someone that much to only catch 30-40 balls a year and drop another 15-20.
Add Stephen Alexander to that list too. That drop in the endzone against Jax. ended up costing us that game. After Drummond's awesome returns, the game would have never went into overtime if he could have caught that easy one. That game to me was the turning point of the season as far as me giving up any playoff hopes.

Swinton is already 29 and bounced around to aleast a half dozen teams including Canada. He wouldn't even been in the NFL right now if he didn't also return kicks. The only reason you think he looks good is compared to rest of the Lions recievers he does. That's not saying much.

Outside of Rogers and Williams the Lions have 3 positions up for grabs during the off-season. That goes double for the TE where I have a hard time telling the difference between Stephen Alexander and the "great" David Sloan.

mkay..maybe Circus Kircus

Exactly my thoughts.

Roy needs to learn to fully commit himself to football, which means working hard every play, in the off-season, and bulking up.

If he was conditioned in the off-season, he could have been a 1,000 yard receiver.

He has the potential to be a great one, just needs to show the committment. I also think he is a little shy going over the middle, and getting hit.