Denver, Detroit make early strides in the draft

There are a lot of picks left to be made but the Detroit Lions and Denver Broncos have already had winning drafts.

Even if Denver forfeits its remaining picks the team took unmistakably helped its putrid defense with the additions of linebacker Von Miller, safety Rahim Moore and linebacker Nate Irving.

I’m a little confused about why the team took Miller over Marcel Dareus in a year they are switching from the 3-4 defense to the 4-3. Miller is considered a top-notch edge rusher for the 3-4 and Dareus would help fill a gaping hole in the team’s run defense.

But as far as just adding talent, Denver has done a tremendous job heading into day three.

It’d be impossible to fill all the holes that defense had all in one offseason. But pair those three with the return of pass rusher Elvis Dumervil from injury and the Broncos should improve immensely on defense in John Fox’s first year as head coach.

Detroit has also impressed me. This is another team that still has needs to fill. They need offensive linemen to protect Matt Stafford and Shaun Hill. And they need defensive backs. But the pass defense arguably improved a notch when the Lions added Nick Fairley Thursday night.

Then, with the additions of wide receiver Titus Young and running back Mikel Leshoure, Detroit took more steps toward creating a fantasy football-style offense.

A couple years ago, amid a 0-16 season, Zoneblitz did a writeup on what we would have done to rejuvenate this team. The post started with a commitment to fat guys on both sides of the ball. the Lions have built that stud defensive line we suggested. They have yet to really address the offensive line as we recommended.

But adding Young and Leshoure to Calvin Johnson, Brandon Pettigrew and Jahvid Best, and Jim Schwartz and Martin Meyhew have Detroit on the right track. The Lions could compete for a playoff spot as early as this season.