AP

As we mentioned earlier tonight, the Lions decided to disclose on their website the names of the rookies whom the team will be hosting to the 2011 draft. As coach Jim Schwartz recently said, “The fact is, everybody in the league knows. So if everybody in the league knows, it really doesn’t matter. And if it’s interesting for the fans . . . then I’m all for it.”

When Schwartz said “everybody in the league knows,” we assumed he was referring to the habit of agents to discreetly (or otherwise) get the word out as to where their clients will be going before the draft.

Instead, Schwartz was speaking literally.

Multiple sources have advised PFT that the Lions, intending to send a list of their pre-draft visits to the league as required by rule, sent the list to every team.

Let’s repeat that. The Lions were trying to send an e-mail to the league office with a list of pre-draft visits. And they instead sent the list to the entire league.

One source said that the same thing happened when quarterback Matthew Stafford was placed on injured reserve during the 2010 season, sending the e-mail to the entire league instead of to the league office.

In other words, this is the second time in less than four months that the Lions made the same mistake.

Why do we have a funny feeling that, in some way, this is Matt Millen’s fault?