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Detroit Lions News & Rumors

NFC Mailbags: David, Buccaneers, Stewart, Lions

June 13th, 2015 at 11:19am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday morning, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening their mailbags and answering questions from readers. Let take a look at some interesting notes out of the NFC…

  • There is an “open dialogue” between the Buccaneers and linebacker Lavonte David‘s camp regarding a contract extension, reports Pat Yasinskas. The writer notes that both sides would like to get a deal done quickly.
  • Looking at the Buccaneers offensive line, Yasinskas believes the team doesn’t have much of a need for recently-released Evan Mathis. The team would rather have their young players, including Ali Marpet and Kadeem Edwards, compile snaps. Meanwhile, Yasinskas says lineman Demar Dotson still wants a new contract, and the writer believes showing up for minicamp could improve the player’s chances.
  • Jonathan Stewart‘s deal runs through 2017, and David Newton could envision the Panthers getting out of that contract early. Considering general manager Dave Gettleman‘s willingness to part ways with veterans like DeAngelo Williams and Steve Smith, there’s no guarantee that Stewart sticks around.
  • If Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin can put together a top-five defense without Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley, Michael Rothstein says the 50-year-old will likely have his pick of heading coaching gigs next offseason.
  • Rothstein believes it could be a “tough road” for Mohammed Seisay to make the Lions 53-man roster. If the cornerback were to stick around, it’d have to be because of the 25-year-old’s contributions on special teams. The writer notes that the team has four “likely locks” to make the roster at cornerback: Rashean Mathis, Darius Slay, Alex Carter and Quandre Diggs.

Minor Moves: Friday

June 12th, 2015 at 8:01pm CST by Rob DiRe

Here are Friday’s minor transactions from around the NFL:

  • The Lions claimed quarterback Garrett Gilbert from the Patriots earlier today, reports Howard Balzer of LockerDome.com (via Twitter). The team released quarterback Anthony Boone, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter).
  • The Seahawks have signed wide receiver Kasen Williams, according to John Boyle of Seahawks.com (via Twitter). The team waived linebacker Mister Alexander to make room for Williams, who announced the signing on his Instagram account.
  • Wide receiver Zach D’Orazio was waived by the Patriots, and passed through waivers unclaimed, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
  • While the Buccaneers might have landed recently released tight end Tim Wright, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports is interested to see the full list of teams who put in waiver claims for him (via Twitter). He adds that the Jets were one team that did.
  • In order for the Buccaneers to make room for Wright on the roster, the team has waived tight end Taylor Sloat, according to Jenna Laine of SportsTalkFlorida.com (via Twitter).
  • The Jets have signed former USC Trojan and Saints offensive tackle Charles Brown after they wrapped up their full-squad minicamp, reports Randy Lange of NewYorkJets.com. The team cut offensive tackle Sean Hooey to make room for the former second-round pick.
  • Hooey wouldn’t be unemployed for very long, as the 49ers claimed him off waivers from the Jets, according to Wilson (via Twitter).

Lions Sign First Round Pick Laken Tomlinson

June 11th, 2015 at 8:36am CST by Zachary Links

The Lions announced that they have signed first-round guard Laken Tomlinson. The Duke product was taken with the No. 28 overall pick.

The Lions originally owned the No. 23 pick in the draft but they moved back in a deal with the Broncos in order to add veteran center/guard Manny Ramirez. Tomlinson is expected to start for the Lions at left guard this year in place of Rob Sims. There’s change elsewhere on the offensive line too as Travis Swanson will be the starter at center in place of longtime staple Dominic Raiola.

The rookie wage scale calls for Tomlinson to earn just over $8MM over a four year period. With Tomlinson signed, the Lions now have their entire draft class under contract.

Dolphins Sign C.J. Mosley

June 10th, 2015 at 5:39pm CST by Luke Adams

5:39pm: The Dolphins announced that the deal is official, according to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (on Twitter). To make room, defensive tackle Kamal Johnson has been shown the door.

1:16pm: It’ll be a minimum salary benefit contract for Mosley, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

12:33pm: After hosting him for a visit, the Dolphins have reached an agreement on a one-year contract with defensive tackle C.J. Mosley, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). The free agent defender reportedly drew interest from the Lions and at least one other team besides the Dolphins.

By agreeing to sign with Miami, Mosley will reunite with former teammate Ndamukong Suh, the offseason’s No. 1 free agent, who joined the Dolphins back in March. Although he wasn’t as coveted a free agent as his ex-Lions teammate, Mosley was a solid contributor in Detroit last season as well. Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required) ranked him 26th out of 81 qualified defensive tackles, viewing him as slightly above average against both the pass and the run.

While the addition of Suh was huge for the Dolphins, the team lost two of its top defensive tackles from 2014 this past winter — Jared Odrick departed in free agency and Randy Starks was released by the team. Earl Mitchell is returning from last year’s squad to pair with Suh up front, but the club doesn’t have much veteran depth at the position, so Mosley could be a useful part-time player. Second-round rookie Jordan Phillips also figures to be a part of Miami’s interior defensive line rotation.

It’s not clear yet what sort of salary Mosley will earn on his one-year pact with the Dolphins, but it figures to be fairly modest, since no free agents are signing for big money this late in the offseason. Still, the fact that the 31-year-old had multiple potential suitors may earn him a deal worth more than the minimum.

Mike Tannenbaum, the Dolphins’ executive vice president of football operations, was the general manager in New York when Mosley played for the Jets from 2006 to 2008.

Minor Moves: Wednesday

June 10th, 2015 at 5:25pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Wednesday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, with additional moves added to the top of the list throughout the day:

  • The 49ers re-signed linebacker Michael Wilhoite, according to Howard Balzer of USA Today Sports (on Twitter). Wilhoite was an exclusive rights free agent. At one point earlier this offseason, the 49ers were said to be shopping Wilhoite as a possible trade chip. However, that was back when San Francisco was still expecting to have Patrick Willis and Chris Borland back in the mix for 2015. In April, GM Trent Baalke indicated that he was working on a new deal with Wilhoite. Apparently, that did not come together as planned.
  • As we heard yesterday, the Panthers are signing tight end Scott Simonson after working him out earlier this week. To make room on the roster, Carolina has waived punter Matt Wile, the team announced today (Twitter link). Wile initially joined the Panthers as an undrafted free agent out of Michigan about five weeks ago.
  • The Lions have made some changes at the back of their 90-man roster, signing tight end David Ausberry and cutting safety Nathan Lindsey, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Like Simonson, Ausberry is a former Raiders tight end, having spent four seasons with the team after being drafted in the seventh round back in 2011. He played sparingly during his time in Oakland, catching 11 career passes for 120 yards.

North Notes: Heyward, Lions, Bennett

June 10th, 2015 at 5:15pm CST by Zachary Links

Steelers defensive end Cameron Heyward is due for a big-time contract and will likely ink one before training camp opens, Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes.

“I try to stay out of the process and just focus on what I can control,” Heyward said. “I’d love to get a contract, but I have to just continue to keep my eyes on the prize. I would love for it to happen. I think they want it to happen.”

Last season, Heyward was the first defensive end to lead the Steelers in sacks in a decade as he and Jason Worilds tied with 7.5 a piece. Heyward says he plans on being even more of a force this season and topping that total. Here’s more out of the North divisions..

  • There are a number of Steelers entering their walk years, but Heyward might be the only one to sign a new deal, Bouchette writes. The Steelers may try to sign tackle Kelvin Beachum, but they may not pay him what he’s likely worth on the opening market. Last year, Pro Football Focus rated him as the fifth best left tackle in the game.
  • The Lions hosted a ton of notable veteran free agents on Wednesday but did not sign any of them immediately after the session, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes. Wide receivers Brad Smith and Robert Meachem and running backs Ben Tate and Daniel Thomas were among the free agents in Detroit today but none of them have deals – at least not yet. The Lions appear set at running back after drafting Ameer Abdullah in the second round to pair with Joique Bell, but Bell is still recovering from offseason surgeries. Tate and Thomas, in theory, could be called upon if Bell’s recovery takes longer than expected.
  • Bears head coach John Fox is unsure if Martellus Bennett will attend the team’s mandatory minicamp, as Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com writes. The tight end is pushing for a raise from the $4.9MM base he’s scheduled to earn in 2015. The 2014 Pro Bowler has two years left on a four-year, $20.4MM deal he signed in March of 2013.

NFC Notes: Reid, 49ers, Lions, Rodgers

June 9th, 2015 at 8:37pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a quick look at the NFC..

  • 49ers safety Eric Reid is getting ready to play this season, but he told Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle that he’s given some thought to leaving the NFL because of the three concussions he’s sustained. “Everybody evaluates their own situation as far as playing this game,” the 23-year-old said. “I’ve evaluated mine and I’ve decided I still want to play.” The former 2013 first-round pick said he might seek more medical advice, but he intends to play in 2015.
  • Former Lions guard Rodney Austin was found guilty today in a North Carolina court of four misdemeanor charges stemming from an April accusation of domestic violence, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes. Austin was found guilty of assault on a female, assault on a child under age 12, interference with an emergency communication, and larceny. Mark Magazu, Austin’s agent, said in a statement that Austin “maintains his innocence” but does not plan to appeal the judge’s findings. Austin has been a practice-squad player for most of the last three years with Detroit.
  • With his entire entire starting offense back from last year, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers feels that his team has what it takes to win the Super Bowl this year. “I think the talent is definitely there,” Rodgers said, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. “But just like last year, you’ve got to see how the team comes together.”

C.J. Mosley Visited Dolphins

June 9th, 2015 at 1:09pm CST by Luke Adams

1:09pm: According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter), three teams are interested in Mosley, whose visit with the Dolphins is now over.

12:51pm: A report last week indicated that defensive tackle C.J. Mosley was drawing interest from an unknown suitor, while another report yesterday suggested he was making a visit, presumably to that some mystery team. The club hosting Mosley has now been identified, as Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald tweets that the veteran free agent is visiting the Dolphins today.

Mosley obviously isn’t the first former Lions defensive tackle to catch the Dolphins’ eye this offseason, and while Ndamukong Suh received far more headlines, Mosley was a solid contributor in Detroit last season too. Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required) ranked him 26th out of 81 qualified defensive tackles, viewing him as slightly above average against both the pass and the run.

Despite adding Suh, the Dolphins don’t have a ton of veteran depth at the defensive tackle position, so it makes sense that the team would be considering adding a player like Mosley, especially since he has a history with Dolphins executive Mike Tannenbaum, having played for the Jets back during Tannenbaum’s stint in New York.

Still, it remains to be seen whether Mosley will reach an agreement with the Dolphins, as multiple reports have suggested the Lions have also been in touch with his camp about a possible return. Most veterans settle for the minimum salary this late in the offseason, but if at least two clubs are interested in signing Mosley, he may land a little extra.

NFC Notes: Meachem, Lions, Boone

June 8th, 2015 at 8:36pm CST by Zachary Links

Former Saints wide receiver Robert Meachem will be working out for the Lions on Tuesday, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (on Twitter). As previously reported, Detroit will also host receiver Brad Smith and running back Ben Tate on Tuesday. Here’s more from the NFC..

  • 49ers lineman Alex Boone, who had not been part of the team’s offseason program to date, will be on hand for the veteran minicamp that runs Tuesday through Thursday, a league source tells Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. The Niners’ starting right guard was away from the team for the entire 2014 offseason while fishing for a better deal. He wound up settling for a two-year pact, a deal that he’s ostensibly trying to upgrade from now. The 49ers lost their other starting guard, Mike Iupati, in free agency and last week learned that starting right tackle Anthony Davis would retire.
  • Cardinals linebacker Larry Foote says the itch to play hasn’t hit him yet and he’s likely to coach this season, Kyle Odegard of AZCardinals.com tweets. The Cardinals added Foote to their coaching staff earlier in the offseason with the intent of signing him to the roster later in the summer if he decided to continue playing.
  • Todd Archer of ESPN.com wonders if the Cowboys should lock up Tyrone Crawford now or later. Crawford finished with just three sacks but he had 29 quarterback pressures and four tackles for loss as he learned the defensive tackle position on the fly. Set to make just $675K in the final year of his rookie deal, it could make sense for Dallas to lock Crawford down for multiple years beyond 2015. Still, he’s rather unproven as those three sacks are the only sacks of his career.
  • Rainer Sabin of The Dallas Morning News wonders if Darren McFadden can get his second wind with the Cowboys. Dallas has always been enamored with the former Raiders back, but he has lost much of his luster due to injury in recent years. “He was a guy that was interesting to us,” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said of McFadden. “Obviously he has some skill sets with his explosiveness and his speed. He can take it to the house if he gets the right seam. He’s an interesting back for us. We think he can bring something to the table here.”

Lions To Work Out Daniel Thomas

June 8th, 2015 at 7:02pm CST by Zachary Links

“Give me your tired, your old, Your veteran players yearning to see playing time.”

The Lions added yet another name to their list of veteran players being auditioned on Tuesday. Detroit will work out veteran running back Daniel Thomas, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter). Thomas now joins the likes of Ben Tate, Brad Smith, and Robert Meachem in an effort to impress the Lions.

Thomas, a second-round pick in 2011, was initially displaced from the Dolphins when they added Knowshon Moreno last offseason. However, Moreno went down with a dislocated elbow in September, prompting Miami to reunite with the 27-year-old. In four seasons with Miami, Thomas has run for 1,480 yards off of 409 attempts, good for just 3.6 yards per carry. Last year he saw time in 12 games, rushing for 168 yards off of 44 carries, good for a 3.8 yard average on each try.

Strangely enough, this will be Thomas’ second time auditioning opposite of Tate this offseason. The two backs shared the field in late May when showing their stuff for the Cowboys.

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