The Right Foote

Okay, so NOW some of those draft moves are beginning to make sense...
The Lions signed ex-Steeler linebacker Larry Foote to 1-year contract on Wednesday, in a move that should solidify the Lion's linebackers along with Ernie Sims and Julian Peterson.
This had been rumored for several days, even from as far back as the draft. In fact, it rumored that the Lion's downright refusal to draft a middle linebacker, namely USC's Rey Maualuga, was because Foote was so adamant about playing for his hometown team.
I didn't think it was a good idea to pass up Maualuga not once, but twice, in the draft, and even now after Foote signed I still don't.
It's apparent by how far Maualuga fell, all the way to the Bengals with pick #38, well past some teams that needed the help at the MLB spot, that Maualuga had some red flags sticking out his butt. While I'm not sure what those were, I don't think that those offenses were egregious enough not to pick him up in the second round, especially if the Lions knew they were going to get Foote before the draft as had been reported by some news outlets.
If that was the case, then draft Maualuga anyway. Have him sit behind Foote for a year and learn some stuff, and when Foote moves on to another team, or retires, or gets his soul sucked out of his body like so many other former Lions players, Maualuga can move up to the starting spot and combined with Sims and Peterson make another solid year at the linebacker spot.
And you heard me right when I said that Foote will not be long with the Lions.
For one, he's kind of old, and I hear losses get to you in your old age. Secondly, he won't have to do much to look like the best player on the Lion's defense, and his one-year deal means essentially that this would be his second consecutive contract year. He's said that he would like a longer-term deal with the Lions after the season, but if reports are true that he turned down a two-year deal, he may just jump ship after this year for somebody in a better position.
We'll have to wait and see, but this gets me even more excited about the Lion's season.