| 19 August 2009
Update 8/20/09: Bullocks cleared waivers at 4PM this afternoon, and rather than give the oft injured safety an injury settlement, he was placed on injured reserve. Meaning Bullocks is still property of the Detroit Lions, and is officially out for the 2009 season. Despite being given another year to recover, the question remains; can Bullocks ever retrun to form after his devestating knee injury? The TWFE Magic 8-Ball says...Not likely. Big Al
Going into the 2009 season, safety Daniel Bullocks was expected to get plenty of playing time, if not start. Yet, here we are, 3 weeks into camp, and Bullock's oft injured knee has him unable to much of anything other than visit doctors. So the Lions are going to ditch the always injured 2006 2nd round pick by placing him on the waived/injured list. Meaning he is all but done as a Detroit Lion.
Per Nick Cotsonika at the Freep:
Bullocks, a 2006 second-round draft pick, missed the ’07 season because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in an exhibition. He returned to play 16 games last year, starting 15, and was the Lions’ recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award in honor of his comeback.
But the knee sidelined him in training camp this year, and he visited the surgeon who repaired it.
As to what exactly the "waived/injured list" is, here's the best explanation I could find, via WikiAnswers...
Waived injured' means the team is releasing the player but the player is injured. The team is responsible to pay the player until his injury has healed. This is usually done by reaching an agreement for a specific amount of money, called an injury settlement. Other teams are allowed to pick up players on the waived injured list but they are forewarned that the player is not in condition to play. Sometimes, if a player on the waived injured list is not selected by another team, the team will retain the player and place him on its injured reserve list.
In other words, the Lions cut Bullocks, and will essentially buy out his contract for an agreed upon cash settlement. Bullocks could return down the line, but if the current coaching staff thinks he can't get back to NFL readiness after suffering the injury 2 years ago, and after actually playing in 2008, what are the odds he'll ever be ready in their minds? Slim and none, thus the Lions cutting ties with what will be known as another Millen draft bust.
I'm calling Bullocls a bust due to never living up to the expectations of a 2nd round draft pick, though it's due to injury, not a lack of talent. Bullocks was one of the few and far between solid selections by Matt Millen. Unfortunately, the ACL injury he suffered in '07 derailed what was likely going to be a productive career.
The Curse of Matt Millen strikes again!
With the release of Bullocks, the only remaining member of the 2006 draft on the Lions' roster is Ernie Sims. Is it any wonder the Lions went 0-16 by whiffing on an entire draft 2 years previous?
What follows is what could arguably call one of the worst drafts ever, in any sport, in any era.
1. 9 Ernie Sims, LB Florida St. - Solid but unspectacular starter, has yet to truly have a break out season. The Tampa 2 was an awful fit, will The Schwartz's scheme be a better one?
2. 40 Daniel Bullocks, DB Nebraska - Torn ACL has ruined career.
3. 74 Brian Calhoun, RB Wisconsin - Spent most of his time in Detroit on the IR, but was unproductive whenever activated. Waived after the '08 season, out of football.
4. Traded to NE - The Pats drafted TE Garrett Mills in the Lions' spot. Mills has spent the last 2 seasons in Minnesota as a backup, and is on their current training camp roster.
5. 141 Jonathan Scott, T Texas - Started 6 games in 2 years, waived after the '07 season, apparently out of football.
6. 179 Dee McCann, DB West Virginia - Practice squad in '06, then released. Was signed and then cut from the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL this summer, which about says it all about Millen's drafting acumen. McCann couldn't even stick in Canada!
7a. 217 Fred Matua, G USC - Released in '06 training camp, bounced around practice squads of a few teams,apparently out of football.
7b. 247 Anthony Cannon, LB Tulane - Amazingly (It's amazing when you look at the rest of the'06 draft), Cannon had an on and off 3 year career in Detroit, almost exclusively on special teams. He was released this past off season, currently an unsigned free agent.
Wow. Words fail me as to the awfulness of Millen's 2006 draft.
At this point, the Lions might be better off blowing out every Matt Millen draft pick left on the team. What better way to cleanse the Millen stench but to eliminate any and all players connected to his tenure?
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