As big a problem as talent is for the Lions -- and anytime you go 0-16, which is once in NFL history, talent is a BIG problem -- there are some players on the roster worth keeping.

The trick is identifying them, figuring out how to best use them and surrounding them with more.

Much, much more.

"There are some very, very talented people in this building, and they haven't always been in a position to succeed, and by having a clear plan and by having the systems in place, we're going to give them an opportunity to succeed," Lions president Tom Lewand said last week. "And I'm very confident that they will."

We'll see.

But Lewand has the right idea, at least. After the Dolphins finished 1-15 last season -- with their only victory coming in their 14th game, in overtime, after a missed field goal -- they didn't get rid of as many players as you might think.

About 25 players who were bad enough to go 1-15 last year were good enough to go 11-5 this year and make the playoffs.

After the Dolphins overhauled their front office and coaching staff, they went to work on the roster. They watched every game every one of their players played the previous season -- whether it was for their team or another previously.

They evaluated how their players performed at the time, but more important, they projected how they would fit what they were going to do in the future.

We have no idea whom the Lions will hire as head coach. So we have no idea what kind of offense or defense they're going to run. So trying to break down their personnel too much is pointless.

But some things are obvious.

Wide receiver Calvin Johnson is the Lions' best player. He can be one of the best players in the NFL. He needs to get the ball more.

Which brings us to quarterback.

The Lions must find the answer. You can cite teams that have made the Super Bowl without an elite quarterback -- Trent Dilfer's Ravens, Rex Grossman's Bears -- but they are the exception rather than the rule. And their strength was on defense, not at receiver.

Some folks are clamoring for Drew Stanton, a second-round pick out of Michigan State in 2007. But what is Stanton's strength? Making plays with his feet. And what is Johnson's strength? Catching deep balls. It's another Matt Millen mismatch.

Even if Stanton turns out to be a good quarterback, he might not be the best fit for Johnson. Daunte Culpepper gives the Lions an option if things don't work out in the draft -- or gives them a way to bluff going into the draft. But if there's a downfield thrower worth the No. 1 pick, the Lions must take a long look at him.

The Lions have a decent back in Kevin Smith, but they need another runner and help on the offensive line. Right tackle Gosder Cherilus, last year's first-round pick, had a rocky rookie season, and he's their best O-line asset for the future.

On defense, the Lions don't measure up. Literally.

"We're a small Football team," general manager Martin Mayhew said last week. "We get out there, and we might call the right defense, and we might have a free hitter in the hole, and instead of being second-and-10 it's second-and-six because we're not big enough and we're not physical enough."

The Lions badly need playmakers, especially at linebacker and in the secondary. They have some potential on the defensive line, mainly with Cliff Avril, but they still must decide if he can be a premier pass rusher or if they need to find one.

Again, some players might perform better in different situations. Dewayne White is a good left end but an average right end. He should play left end. Role players should be role players, not starters.

In the end, many of the players the Lions should end up keeping are role players. What the Lions need are impact players and difference-makers because a huge difference needs to be made.

Contact NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA at 313-222-8831 or ncotsonika@freepress.com Check out his Lions blog at www.freep.com/sports.

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