If the first day of the NFL Draft comes to an end and the Detroit Lions haven’t added a new edge rusher, they are going to have some unhappy fans. There are already some fans who aren’t thrilled about the fact that the team hasn’t added an edge in the first few weeks of free agency. If the scenario actually pays out where the Lions don’t have a new edge rusher by the end of the first round, Pro Football Focus’ Jordan Plocher has named a player the Lions could target at the position later in the draft.
Plocher named Boise State edge Ahmed Hassanein as a day three option who could fix the Lions’ need for an edge rusher. Hassanein had a very productive last couple of seasons for Boise State. In 2023, he racked up 53 total tackles,12.5 sacks, and 31 hurries on the way to earning All-Mountain West First Team honors for the first time. This past season, some of those numbers fell a bit. Hassanein had 47 tackles and 9.5 sacks in his final college season. However, he did have 35 hurries. He also had 16 tackles for loss and earned All-Mountain West First Team honors for a second consecutive season. If Hassanein was the Lions’ only addition on the edge between now and the end of the draft, it would be a tough pill to swallow for fans. Even with his production over the past couple of seasons, it’s unlikely he would be ready to contribute early in his career. The Lions need somebody who will be ready quickly. If they sign another veteran, like the “bridge” edge idea I wrote about recently, I could see this pick working. With the way their roster is currently constructed, the Lions would need more than Hassanein to fix their edge issue for the 2025 season.
On the weekend of the Super Bowl, Bill Belichick’s girlfriend was walking around New Orleans in a T-shirt that trolled the Falcons for their loss to the Patriots in Super Bowl LI. The game included the Falcons blowing a 28-3 halftime lead. Those wacky kids are at it again. She has posted an image on Instagram apparently from that day in February on the 28th day of March. As in 3-28. As in 28-3. The move operates on another level, given that the Falcons interviewed — but didn’t hire — Belichick to be the team’s head coach in 2024. It’s just another concrete example of how the one-time football curmudgeon has made a late-life pivot toward being the kind of guy the old Bill would have openly mocked and ridiculed.