Detroit Lions Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Lions Hire Bob Quinn As GM

January 8th, 2016 at 9:31pm CST by Luke Adams

9:31pm: Quinn was also named the club’s executive vice president, and will report directly to owner Martha Ford and president Rod Wood, the team announced via press release.

6:47pm: The Lions have announced the hiring of Quinn, according to Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

4:23pm: The Lions are expected to hire Patriots director of pro scouting Bob Quinn as their new general manager, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Quinn was one of four candidates linked to the job.

Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press tweets that the Lions say they have nothing to confirm at this time, but that may just mean the team isn’t ready yet to make an official announcement. According to Birkett (Twitter link), Quinn was believed to be in town today for his interview.

Having fired general manager Martin Mayhew during the 2015 season, the Lions had promoted Sheldon White to replace him on an interim basis, and White was one of the four candidates the team was said to be considering for the full-time job. Giants assistant general manager Kevin Abrams and Seahawks co-director of player personnel Trent Kirchner were also in the mix, though Birkett tweets that the Lions never got around to interviewing Kirchner.

Quinn has spent nearly his entire career with the Patriots, having joined the organization way back in 2000. Starting as a player personnel assistant, Quinn became a regional scout before being promoted to national scout in 2008. In 2009, he was named New England’s assistant director of pro personnel, and he was eventually promoted to director of pro scouting in 2012.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick endorsed Quinn for a general manager job earlier this week, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Belichick’s support helped Quinn’s case. Longtime Cowboys executive Gil Brandt also likes the moves, tweeting that the longtime Patriots exec will make an “excellent” GM for the Lions.

Per Rapoport, the Lions and Quinn are currently finalizing the details of his contract. Once it becomes official, the new Lions GM will have some decisions to make, including deciding the fate of head coach Jim Caldwell. If Quinn decides to go in another question, it seems likely that Patriots assistants Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia will be among the head coaching candidates Detroit considers.

Coach Rumors: Browns, Marrone, Giants, Bucs

January 7th, 2016 at 5:51pm CST by Luke Adams

The Fritz Pollard Alliance, an organization that works with the NFL to ensure that minority candidates are considered – and hired – for coaching and front office jobs, has put out its list of recommendations for this offseason, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

As Tomasson outlines, the group’s top six picks for head coaching candidates this winter are Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, Vikings defensive coordinator George Edwards, Cardinals offensive coordinator Harold Goodwin, Bills running backs coach and assistant head coach Anthony Lynn, and Cowboys secondary coach Jerome Henderson.

Jackson and Austin are viewed as particularly strong candidates, with both men having scheduled multiple interviews with teams seeking new head coaches. Lynn and Henderson have also lined up HC interviews, so we’ll see if Edwards and Goodwin can follow suit.

Here are more of today’s coaching notes and rumors:

Reports indicated that Doug Marrone and Sean McDermott were both on the Browns‘ interview schedule for today, but only the Jaguars assistant head coach actually met with the team. Per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, the Panthers defensive coordinator will now interview on Sunday, which is shaping up to be a busy day for Cleveland — the Browns are also scheduled to meet with Bengals assistants Paul Guenther and Hue Jackson on Sunday.
Within that same piece, Kabot cites sources who say there’s some concern among Browns players about the possibility of Marrone landing the job, since he’s not considered a players’ coach. Joe Thomas has indicated he may ask for a trade if he’s not happy with Cleveland’s new head coach, and fellow offensive linemen Alex Mack and Mitchell Schwartz could both depart in free agency, so the Browns may want to proceed with some caution.
The Giants have officially confirmed that they interviewed Teryl Austin for their head coaching job today, bringing their total number of interviewees so far up to three, as our tracker shows. Adam Gase and Marrone also have meetings lined up this week with Big Blue, with Jackson and McDermott potentially in the mix for interviews as well.
Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter was upset by the sudden firing of Lovie Smith, sources tell Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com. Koetter also may have more interest in a head coaching job in the Pacific Northwest, where he grew up, but he “relishes” coaching Jameis Winston, so if he gets the opportunity to land the Bucs’ HC job, he could be a good fit. Mortensen adds that, while the Bucs tried to hire Chip Kelly back in 2012, the former Eagles head coach probably won’t be a candidate this time around.

Latest On Titans’, Lions’ GM Searches

January 7th, 2016 at 12:49pm CST by Luke Adams

The Titans have requested and received permission to interview Chiefs director of football operations Chris Ballard for their GM opening, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. While it’s not clear yet exactly when Ballard will meet with the team, Buccaneers director of player personnel Jon Robinson will interview for Tennessee’s GM vacancy on Friday, sources tell Albert Breer of NFL.com (on Twitter).

Giants vice president of player evaluation Marc Ross is meeting with the Titans about the position today, a day after the club announced that it had interviewed former Lions general manager Martin Mayhew for the job. In addition to those four candidates, Chris Polian of the Jaguars will interview with Tennessee at some point, though there has been no indication yet that Vikings assistant general manager George Paton will do so — the Titans put in a request to talk to him, but Paton rarely explores jobs outside his current role in Minnesota.

Meanwhile, the Lions, who also requested an interview with Paton, continue their GM search as well, and it’s beginning to sound more and more like they’ll wrap up the interview process by this weekend, which could allow the club to have a GM in place early next week, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Finalizing a decision on that job would allow the Lions to move on to determining whether coaches will be made to the coaching staff.

Kevin Abrams (Giants), Bob Quinn (Patriots), and Trent Kirchner (Seahawks) have been identified as outside candidates for Detroit’s GM job, with current interim GM Sheldon White also earning a meeting about the permanent position.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Giants To Interview Lions DC Teryl Austin

January 7th, 2016 at 7:03am CST by Zachary Links

Chalk up another interview for Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin. The 50-year-old is slated to meet with Giants brass today, as Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets.

Austin met with the Dolphins on Tuesday and the Browns on Wednesday (as confirmed by Nate Ulrich of the Beacon Journal on Twitter), so he should be in the interviewing groove by the time he sits down with the Giants in the New York area. The Giants got their first interview in the books this week when they sat down with offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo. In addition to their powwow with Austin, the Giants also have a Thursday meeting scheduled with defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. On Friday, they’ll chat with Bears OC Adam Gase and they’re slated to interview ex-Bills head coach Doug Marrone on Saturday. Panthers DC Sean McDermott is expected to interview with the club at some point and Bengals OC Hue Jackson has been mentioned as a candidate.

Prior to taking over as the Lions’ DC in 2014, Austin was a defensive backs coach with the Ravens, Cardinals, and Seahawks. The veteran coach also briefly served as the University of Florida’s defensive coordinator in 2010. Austin garnered attention from the league when the Lions graded out as one of the league’s best defenses in 2014. In 2015, Austin was without the likes of Ndamukong Suh, DeAndre Levy, and Nick Fairley, but he still managed to get results out of his defense, particularly down the stretch.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Calvin Johnson Considering Retirement

January 6th, 2016 at 8:05pm CST by Luke Adams

8:05pm: Calvin Johnson is serious about considering retirement, and he’s mentioned his thoughts to Lions teammates over the last few weeks, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Meanwhile, a source tells Ed Werder of ESPN.com (on Twitter) that Johnson told his mother that he isn’t sure he wants to play any more. Johnson cleaned out his Lions locker at the end of the season, unlike other veteran players on the team. “Calvin is the kind of guy who says, “If I don’t feel I’m into this 100%, then I need to decide if want to be in at all,” a source close to Megatron told Werder (link).

1:30pm: Most discussion and speculation involving Calvin Johnson in recent weeks has centered around the question of whether the Lions will consider cutting the veteran receiver or asking him to take a pay cut this offseason. However, it sounds like there’s no guarantee Johnson will even continue his playing career in 2016.

“Like many players at this stage of their career, I am currently evaluating options for my future,” Johnson said in a statement, per Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (Twitter links). “I would expect to have a decision regarding this matter in the not-too-distant future.”

Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press confirms that Johnson has mentioned the subject of retirement to at least one former teammate, and writes that several people who know the 30-year-old believe that scenario is not out of the question.

While it would be a shock if Megatron walked away from the NFL this year, all the wear and tear he has endured over his career has made him consider the possibility, according to Birkett, who notes that the Lions wideout has been plagued by ankle and finger issues in recent years.

Since leading the NFL with 122 receptions and 1,964 yards in 2012, Johnson has seen his production decline a little. Still, he continued to be one of the league’s more productive pass catchers in 2015, with 88 catches, 1,214 yards, and nine touchdowns.

Johnson remains under contract with the Lions for four more seasons, but his deal doesn’t include any more guaranteed money, and his cap hit is set to increase to $24MM+ in 2016. The Lions could nearly cut that figure in half by releasing the former second overall pick, or could create nearly $16MM (the amount of his 2016 salary) in cap savings by cutting him with a post-June 1 designation. So if Megatron does decide to keep playing, he and the Lions may have to agree to a reworked contract, assuming he wants to remain in Detroit.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On Titans’ General Manager Search

January 6th, 2016 at 7:47pm CST by Luke Adams

7:47pm: The Titans announced that they interviewed Martin Mayhew for their GM position today, as Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.

Jaguars director of pro scouting Chris Polian will interview with the Titans on Friday for their open GM job, as Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com writes. Meanwhile, Buccaneers Director Player Personnel Jon Robinson has been given the OK to interview for the Titans’ GM job, Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune tweets. Robinson, a Tennessee native, was mentioned as a potential candidate for the job shortly after Ruston Webster was let go.

2:40pm: When we last checked in on the Titans’ hunt for a new general manager, the team was in the process of scheduling an interview with Giants vice president of player evaluation Marc Ross, and was aiming high by targeting Ravens assistant general manager Eric DeCosta, who typically turns down requests for interviews.

Unsurprisingly, DeCosta has indeed declined the opportunity to interview for the GM position in Tennessee, according to Albert Breer of the NFL Network, who tweets that the veteran Ravens executive will be staying put in Baltimore. Presumably, the Titans expected that outcome, but figured it didn’t hurt to ask.

Along those same lines, the Titans are one of two teams – along with the Lions – that hopes to interview Vikings assistant general manager George Paton, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Paton is another executive who rarely explores the opportunity to leave his current organization, so it seems unlikely that he’ll pursue the Titans’ job, but it sounds like he hasn’t officially said no yet.

As for Ross, a candidate who definitely will be meeting with the Titans, his interview is scheduled for Thursday, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Lions To Interview Kevin Abrams For GM Job

January 6th, 2016 at 12:19pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lions have identified another potential candidate for their general manager job, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, who reports (via Twitter) that Detroit will interview Giants executive Kevin Abrams. La Canfora notes that Abrams is well regarded by Ernie Accorsi, who is consulting for the Lions during their GM search.

Abrams, the longtime assistant general manager in New York, is the second Giants executive to draw interest from a team with a GM opening this week. The Titans have reportedly lined up an interview with Giants vice president of player evaluation Marc Ross, targeting him as a potential replacement for Ruston Webster.

The Lions have now increased their list of general manager candidates to at least four men. Besides Abrams and interim GM Sheldon White, who will get an opportunity to make his case for the permanent position, Detroit has also asked for and received permission to interview Patriots director of pro scouting Bob Quinn and Seahawks co-director of player personnel Trent Kirchner.

The Lions are also said to have put in a request to interview Bengals personnel chief Duke Tobin. However, Tobin intends to remain with Cincinnati for the long term.

With Detroit’s general manager hunt moving forward, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press looked at the 10 most pressing issues that the team’s next GM will have to address.

North Notes: Tucker, Tobin, Steelers, Bears

January 5th, 2016 at 2:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran kicker Justin Tucker is eligible for free agency this offseason, but it sounds like the Ravens plan to keep him in the fold. Tucker confirmed on Monday that negotiations between the team and his agent have been ongoing for quite some time, according to Jon Meoli of The Baltimore Sun.

“My agent [Robert Roche] and these guys have been talking, on and off, for a better part of a year, year and a half,” Tucker said. “At this juncture, I’m kind of letting it all just unfold how it’s going to unfold.

“I’m optimistic that something will get done, but at the same time, like I said, the only thing that I can really concern myself with as a player is just improving and making sure that wherever I end up, I know I’m going to end up where, God willing, I’m supposed to end up, but the only thing that I can take care of is my own personal business, and that’s making myself the best kicker possible.”

Tucker, 26, has been a little shakier during the last two seasons than he was in his first two years, missing five field goal attempts in 2014 and seven in 2015. However, all but one of those misses came from 50+ yards, and he converted all 29 of his extra-point tries in 2015, so he’ll be in line for a nice raise from Baltimore.

Here’s more from around the NFL’s North divisions:

Bengals personnel chief Duke Tobin received requests for general manager interviews from both the Lions and Titans, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). According to Schefter though, Tobin intends to remain in Cincinnati long-term.
DeAngelo Williams may not be able to play against the Bengals this weekend, but the Steelers don’t intend to bring in a veteran running back for the game, head coach Mike Tomlin said today. According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Twitter link), the Steelers would roll primarily with Fitzgerald Toussaint and Jordan Todman if Williams can’t go.
Bears general manager Ryan Pace, who is entering his second year as Chicago’s GM, says that he may have to rely on free agency more in the program’s early stages because of the team’s needs, tweets Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune. Hopefully, the GM added, that reliance on free agency will diminish over time.
Pace made some other interesting comments during his conversation this week with the media, giving quarterback Jay Cutler a vote of confidence and insisting there’s no rift between the team and tight end Martellus Bennett. Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times has the story on the Bears‘ plans to build around Cutler, while Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com passes along the GM’s comments on Bennett.

Coach Rumors: Payton, Giants, Fins, Marrone

January 4th, 2016 at 10:41pm CST by Luke Adams

Coaching-related news and rumors have dominated Pro Football Rumors on the first Monday of the offseason (for 20 teams, at least), and they show no signs of letting up just yet. Here’s the latest from around the NFL on teams with coaching vacancies and candidates to fill those jobs:

The Browns have requested and received permission to interview Patriots‘ defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, a league source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
The Lions have asked for and received permission to interview Patriots director of pro scouting Bob Quinn for their GM job, league sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is scheduled to interview with the Browns for their head coaching vacancy on Wednesday, a source tells Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer (on Twitter).

Earlier Updates:

Saints head coach Sean Payton is monitoring the Giants‘ situation “very closely,” tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. It’s not clear whether Payton would be a top choice for the Giants, or whether the team would be willing to give up a draft pick to land him, but it sounds like the New York job would be at or near the top of Payton’s wish list if he leaves New Orleans.
Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com also weighs in on the Giants‘ job, tweeting that the club is “fully expected” to include its coordinators in its search. That means OC Ben McAdoo and DC Steve Spagnuolo could both get interviews.
As we speculated earlier today, the Dolphins are meeting with former Falcons head coach Mike Smith to discuss their head coaching opening, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Smith’s interview with the club is happening today.
Doug Marrone‘s interview for the Browns‘ head coaching vacancy will take place on Thursday, not Tuesday, a league source tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter link). Meanwhile, Matt Lombardo of 97.5 The Fanatic passes along a report from ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, who says Marrone will also interview with the Eagles (Twitter link).
A report earlier today suggested that Panthers offensive coordinator Mike Shula didn’t want to interview for any head coaching jobs while Carolina remains alive in the playoffs. However, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter), Shula said this afternoon that he’ll make that decision if and when he receives an invitation to interview for a head coaching position.

Tahir Whitehead Wants To Stay With Lions

January 4th, 2016 at 8:42pm CST by Zachary Links

Linebacker Tahir Whitehead is slated to hit the open market this offseason but his preference would be to return to the Lions, as Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press writes. However, there’s one major caveat: Whitehead is also focused on starting for someone in 2016.

“Yes, that’s definitely one of the big factors because as a player in this league you don’t go somewhere or be on someone’s team just to be someone’s backup,” he said. “You want to go somewhere where you’re wanted, where you’re needed and you’re going to play. So I definitely want to be a starter. I think I’ve shown that I can be a starter in this league.”

Whitehead, 25, has worked his way up the roster since the Lions drafted him in the fifth round of the 2012 Draft. When Stephen Tulloch went down with a knee injury early in 2014, the Temple product was elevated to the starting lineup and wound up finishing second on the team in tackles. This year, Whitehead took a backseat to Tulloch in the first half of the season but he started the final eight games and looked strong.

Whitehead has appeared in all 16 of the Lions’ regular season games in the last three seasons. In 2015, he started nine of those 16 games, recording 47 total tackles, 1 sack, six pass deflections, and one interception.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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