Back in April, we learned that the Lions had attempted to re-sign Rob Sims, but the veteran guard hadn’t responded to their contract offer, which was made about three weeks earlier. Asked about that offer, Sims told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, in so many words, that it wasn’t worth considering.
“Without throwing [the Lions] under the bus, and I could, but when we got the offer, we didn’t think, for the time we had put in, 80 straight games, 80 straight starts and some of the things we had played through, the offer was … something that we didn’t deserve,” Sims said. “It wasn’t right for us. That’s, basically, what it boils down to: It just wasn’t right for us.”
With veteran guards like Justin Blalock and Mike Pollak retiring this week, Sims won’t be the next one to announce he’s moving on from the NFL, as he tells Birkett that he can still play, and would like to play. However, “it’s got to be under the right circumstances,” according to the longtime Lion. If he doesn’t get an offer he likes, Sims sounds prepared to move on to the next phase of his life.
Here are a few more Tuesday items from out of the NFL’s two North divisions:
- Having reported to the Browns, safety Tashaun Gipson remains hopeful that he’ll get a long-term contract done with the team, indicating today that the situation is “ongoing,” per Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter link). Gipson, the last restricted free agent of 2015 to sign, told reporters that he was disappointed to receive a second-round tender from Cleveland instead of the first-round tender, but noted that some family matters kept him away from OTAs, in addition to his contract situation (Twitter links)
- As expected, Bears tight end Martellus Bennett participated in minicamp today, and spoke to reporters after the team’s practice. Addressing his desire for a new deal, Bennett said he’s “always” trying to sign a new contract, adding that he thinks every American should be doing the same thing (Twitter links via Adam Jahns and Brad Biggs). Bennett, who confirmed that he expects to report to training camp, wouldn’t say whether or not he asked the Bears to trade him (Twitter links via Biggs and Jeff Dickerson).
- Speaking to reporters for the first time since taking over the Lions from her late husband, Martha Ford said today that she was disappointed Ndamukong Suh left in free agency, adding that she told him she wanted him to stay (Twitter link via Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com).