Lions top priority: Signing Curtis

[Bruce=GOAT]

NFL Experts Blog - NFL
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Lions eyeing free agent receiver

By Jason Cole and Charles Robinson

Thursday, Mar 1, 2007 12:38 am EST

According to a Detroit Lions source, wide receiver Kevin Curtis will be the team's top priority when free agency begins Friday. It's a clear indication that the Lions are not planning to take Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson with the No. 2 overall pick in the April draft.

Another source indicated Curtis is interested in playing for the Lions. Curtis played for Detroit offensive coordinator Mike Martz when Martz was the head coach of the St. Louis Rams. Martz has strongly advised the Lions to sign Curtis, who would join Roy Williams and Mike Furrey as the team's top three receivers.

The move would allow Detroit to pass on Johnson. Even though the popular notion is that the Lions are planning to draft Wisconsin offensive tackle Joe Thomas with the second pick, they are considering trading down to get more choices and help rebuild the team.

Detroit would not select Johnson if he is available despite the fact that he ran a sub-4.4 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine on Saturday. The Lions have been burned by first-round wide receivers in recent years. While Williams has been a success, they cut Charles Rogers (No. 2 overall in 2003) and are extremely unhappy with Mike Williams (No. 10 overall in 2005).

Curtis, a third-round pick by St. Louis in 2003, has primarily played as a backup. He has 136 receptions for 1,714 yards and 12 touchdowns in four years, including 40 catches for 479 yards last season.

[Keenum]

I wish we could keep him, but he's going to cost a lot. I do want to see how he performs as a long-term starter, though.

[RAMMAN68]

Well, I wish him the best. I think he will become a Pro Bowler some day.