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Detroit Lions News & Rumors

Ben Tate To Work Out For Lions

June 8th, 2015 at 5:22pm CST by Zachary Links

Running back Ben Tate is on his way to Detroit for a Tuesday workout with the Lions, a source tells ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson (on Twitter).

Tate, 26, was long viewed as one of the best running backs in the NFL without a starting job. When he broke free from being Arian Foster‘s understudy, however, he did not impress. After signing with the Browns, Tate was leapfrogged on the depth chart by rookies Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West. Tate was bounced in November and picked up off waivers by the Vikings, but his stint only lasted until week 7.

The former Auburn standout received one more opportunity in the postseason, signing with the Steelers and seeing five carries in Pittsburgh’s Wild Card loss to the Ravens. He’s now an unrestricted free agent, and – unsurprisingly – he’s generating much less interest this offseason than he did a year ago. Tate worked out for Dallas back in May but didn’t land a deal, despite their murky running back situation.

For the season, Tate accumulated just 371 rushing yards on 119 carries, good for an average of 3.1 yards per rush. That’s a significant step down from the 4.7 mark he posted during the previous three seasons in Houston, over a span of 421 carries.

North Notes: Lions, Flacco, A. Brown

June 8th, 2015 at 2:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Special teams standout Brad Smith, who has played all over the field in his NFL career, will pay a visit to the Lions on Tuesday, reports Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. While Smith has seen time at quarterback, running back, and wide receiver during his NFL career, and was a very productive kick returner a few years ago, his primary contributions at this point in his career will come in kick and punt coverage.

Meanwhile, a Lions free agent, defensive tackle C.J. Mosley, is visiting an unknown team today, per Birkett. There were conflicting reports last week on whether Detroit has interest in re-signing Mosley, and Birkett notes that while the Lions have engaged with the defensive lineman about a possible return, no agreement is imminent.

Here’s more from out of the NFL’s two North divisions:

  • Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco would like to play in the NFL until he’s at least 40 years old, as he tells Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. Of course, we should probably take Flacco’s comments with a grain of salt at this point, considering he just turned 30 earlier this year.
  • While the Steelers may not adjust Antonio Brown‘s contract this year, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, with the help of former NFL salary cap analyst J.I. Halsell, attempts to identify a potential extension scenario that could work for both sides.
  • Judge David Doty will hear the NFLPA’s motion to hold Roger Goodell in contempt of court in the Adrian Peterson case on August 13, tweets Ben Goessling of ESPN.com. Doty ruled in favor of the NFLPA back in February, granting the union’s motion to overturn the league’s decision on Peterson’s suspension, but the NFL didn’t reinstate the Vikings running back until mid-April.
  • Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun passes along word of a couple auditions taking place this week, reporting (via Twitter) that center/guard Ben Gottschalk is trying out for the Packers today and former Hawaii defensive end Beau Yap is working out for the Bengals tomorrow.

Lions Interested In Re-Signing C.J. Mosley?

June 5th, 2015 at 9:12am CST by Luke Adams

9:12am: A source tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that, contrary to Meinke’s report, the Lions have moved on from Mosley. If that is indeed the case, it’s possible that Mosley’s camp is attempting to use supposed interest from the Lions to gain leverage with another team.

8:50am: The Lions’ interior defensive line has undergone some major changes this offseason, but the team may be able to maintain a little continuity heading into the 2015 season. According to Kyle Meinke of MLive.com, the Lions have interest in re-signing veteran free agent C.J. Mosley — a marijuana-related incident that resulted in a two-game suspension in 2014 isn’t blocking the defensive tackle’s return. Negotiations are ongoing, and there’s a chance a deal comes together as soon as next week, says Meinke.

While the departure of Ndamukong Suh was the most notable event affecting Detroit’s defensive line, the team also lost Nick Fairley to the Rams, bringing in Haloti Ngata and Tyrunn Walker to fill the hole at defensive tackle. One report in May suggested that the Lions may explore the trade market to fortify the interior defensive line, though team president Tom Lewand said last week that nothing was in the works on that front.

Suh and Fairley, arguably the two top defensive tackles on the market, grabbed the free agency headlines this offseason, but Mosley had a solid 2014 campaign 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. Re-signing Mosley would give the Lions a solid veteran presence to complement a group that – outside of Ngata – is lacking in experience.

Still, a return to Detroit isn’t a lock for Mosley, who turns 32 in August. According to Meinke, the veteran defender is receiving interest from at least one other suitor, so the Lions may have to offer him for more than just a minimum salary benefit contract to lock him up.

NFC Notes: Crowder, Panthers, Seahawks

June 4th, 2015 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Rookie wide receiver Jamison Crowder, selected by Washington in the fourth round of this year’s draft, was allegedly involved in a domestic dispute, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports. As Marvez details, a since-deleted Instagram post appears to accuse Crowder of domestic violence (Twitter link).

“The Washington Redskins are aware of an off-field situation involving Jamison Crowder,” the team said in a statement to FOX. “We have been in touch with the NFL office and will continue to follow proper League protocol and assist them in any way we can to gather all of the facts. We will not be making any further comment at this time.”

As we wait to see what comes of the investigation into Crowder, here are a few other Thursday items from across the NFC:

  • “The biggest thing it does for us is it gives us a fixed cost,” Panthers GM Dave Gettleman said of Cam Newton‘s new extension, per Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. “And we’ve been very intentional and thoughtful about how we’re spending our money, and we’ll continue to do that. We’ve been planning for this.” As Person notes, the team has also been planning for a new contract for linebacker Luke Kuechly, which should happen eventually, and the Panthers want to extend linebacker Thomas Davis as well.
  • Addressing Jermaine Gresham‘s visit to New Orleans, Saints head coach Sean Payton said the tight end’s meeting went well, and that he thinks Gresham could be a good fit (Twitter link via Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune).
  • The Seahawks announced a handful of promotions in their front office today, including elevating Scott Fitterer and Trent Kirchner to co-directors of player personnel. Both Fitterer and Kirchner drew interest from other teams this past winter, as Fitterer interviewed with the Eagles and Kirchner met with the Jets.
  • Speaking of those Seahawks, Jason Fitzgerald of The Sporting News takes a closer look at the salary cap situation in Seattle, where the team must make decisions on a number of players eligible for contract extensions and one notable contributor (Michael Bennett) who wants to rework his deal.
  • The Lions have moved Xavier Proctor from the defensive line to the other side of the ball, and will try him as an offensive tackle, per Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (Twitter link).

Minor Moves: Wednesday

June 3rd, 2015 at 4:32pm CST by Luke Adams

The NFL’s transaction wire has been fairly quiet so far today, but we’ll round up any additional minor moves made tonight in the space below. For now, here are today’s minor transactions from around the league:

  • Yesterday, we heard that the Lions were re-signing running back Rasheed Williams to their 90-man roster, and today Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com confirmed the move. In order to create space on the roster for Williams, Detroit parted ways with wide receiver Erik Lora, who signed with the team a few weeks ago after spending some time with the Vikings in 2014.
  • The Raiders waived/injured seventh-round pick Andre Debose with an Achilles injury, as Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com tweets. Debose figured to play a significant role in the return game, which explains the team’s signing of Trindon Holliday earlier today.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Minor Moves: Tuesday Night

June 2nd, 2015 at 5:47pm CST by Zachary Links

This afternoon, Luke Adams rounded up the minor transactions of the day. Here’s a look at the latest moves to come to light this evening..

  • Nose tackle Brandon Deaderick, a former member of the Saints, was signed by the Texans, according to Howard Balzer of USA Today Sports (via Twitter). The Texans also signed defensive end Jasper Coleman and waived running back Mack Brown, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 (on Twitter).
  • The Browns were awarded defensive lineman Tory Slater off waivers from the Seahawks, according to a source that spoke with Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter). To make room, linebacker Rodman Noel has been waived, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer (on Twitter).
  • The Lions will re-sign UDFA running back Rasheed Williams, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (on Twitter). Williams, who was released not long ago, will be back at OTAs on Wednesday with Detroit.
  • Washington announced that it has re-signed tackle Willie Smith. Smith, 28, originally entered the NFL as a college free agent July 28, 2011, and has since appeared in 29 career games with 11 starts with the Raiders, Chargers, and Washington. To make room, fellow tackle Tovar Allen was let go.
  • The Rams signed sixth-round wide receiver Bud Sasser, according to Wilson (on Twitter).
  • No surprise here, but Prince Shembo went unclaimed off waivers from the Falcons, as Wilson tweets. Wilson is facing animal cruelty chargers for allegedly killing a dog.
  • The Cowboys cut safety Keelan Johnson, according to Wilson (on Twitter).
  • Former Chiefs tight end Sean McGrath, who recently un-retired, has signed with the Colts, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). To make room on the roster, former tight end Jean Sifrin was waived, according to Wilson (link).
  • Former Missouri defensive tackle Lucas Vincent was waived by the Titans today, according to Howard Balzer of USA Today Sports (on Twitter).

NFC Notes: A. Smith, Hardy, R. Mathis

June 1st, 2015 at 10:54am CST by Luke Adams

As we turn the calendar to June, let’s check out a few Monday morning items from across the NFC, starting with a contract update out of San Francisco….

  • After restructuring his contract earlier this offseason, 49ers outside linebacker Aldon Smith is in line for a $200K roster bonus today, tweets Field Yates of ESPN.com.
  • Greg Hardy had a run-in with fellow defensive lineman Davon Coleman during a Cowboys’ practice in April, but the reviews on the former Panther have all been positive since then, writes Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. With players, coaches, and executives alike all praising Hardy, it doesn’t appear the Cowboys will have the same sort of buyers’ remorse the Bears did with Ray McDonald.
  • Lions cornerback Rashean Mathis has been telling people that his current two-year contract will likely be his last NFL deal, but that isn’t a sure thing — coaches have told him he could extend his career at safety, notes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter links).
  • With June 1 having arrived, Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com takes a look at whether the time has come for the Cowboys to address Brandon Carr‘s contract.
  • In his latest Monday Morning Quarterback column, Peter King of TheMMQB.com addresses the Adrian Peterson/Vikings standoff, the challenge that new Lions defensive tackle Haloti Ngata is facing, and several other topics from around the league.
  • Panthers wideout and return man Philly Brown will go by his given name, Corey Brown, during his second year in Carolina, as Pat James of the Charlotte Observer writes.

Lions Yet To Open Extension Talks With Ngata

May 30th, 2015 at 6:42pm CST by Dallas Robinson

With Ndamukong Suh agreeing to a deal with the Dolphins the weekend before free agency officially began, the Lions acted quickly to replace their defensive line stalwart by orchestrating a trade with Ravens during the opening minutes of the new league year, sacrificing two mid-round picks to land nine-year veteran Haloti Ngata. And though the 31-year-old Ngata is entering the final year of his contact, Detroit has yet to engage him in extension negotiations, writes Justin Rogers of MLive.com.

“I think there’s other guys that they’re really more worried about,” Ngata said on Wednesday. “But for me, it’s just getting my feet wet here and seeing if they want me here and seeing if it’s a good fit. I think we definitely are probably going to talk sometime, but right now, I know they wanted to, but we haven’t really said anything.”

Ngata, a five-time All Pro, indicated in March that he would be open to an extension, and Lions general manager Martin Mayhew said last month that team management is also interested in working out a long-term deal. Detroit did draft defensive tackle Gabe Wright in the fourth round of this year’s draft, but the club doesn’t have a done of depth along the interior of its defensive line after losing both Suh and Nick Fairley. Ngata, a longtime 3-4 defensive end who will now play DT in the Lions’ 4-3 scheme, could be a nice veteran fit on a young Detroit line.

Ngata will earn $8.5MM in base salary from the Lions in 2015. As a result of trading Ngata, Baltimore assumed the remainder of his prorated bonus money, which will count as $7.5MM in dead money.

NFC Links: Ngata, Nelson, Guion, Panthers

May 29th, 2015 at 10:01am CST by Ben Levine

Following nine years in Baltimore, Haloti Ngata is now adjusting to a 3-4 scheme in Detroit. The veteran understands the learning curve, but the former Ravens standout is excited to start his career with the Lions nonetheless.

“It’s definitely difficult,” Ngata told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “You’re going to, when you get fatigued, you get back to your old technique, your old ways of doing things. I saw it on film (Tuesday) — I just kind of seen some of my technique going back to what I used to do in Baltimore. So just knowing that once I’m fatigued, I’ve got to still focus, understand what my technique is, what they want me to do on the defense and try to attack all the time.”

Let’s take a look at more notes out of the NFC…

  • Packers wideout Jordy Nelson has been tight-lipped in regards to his apparent offseason hip surgery. As ESPNWisconsin’s Jason Wilde notes, the Pro Bowler isn’t focused on the injury, and he’s instead looking forward to a productive season. “Obviously, if it didn’t bother me, I probably wouldn’t have had the surgery. But nothing major,” Nelson said. “I had an opportunity to get some things cleaned up. We did it, and I think it was a good move and feel good about where we’re at moving forward.”
  • Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion still hasn’t heard from the NFL regarding punishment for his offseason arrest, reports ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky. The writer notes that Green Bay is “bracing for the possibility” that the former fifth-rounder will be out for some time.
  • ESPN.com’s David Newton believes the Panthers want one player to step up and replace Greg Hardy‘s production, as opposed to the platoon used most of last season. Ron Rivera seems to have his eyes on one candidate: Frank Alexander. “Frank’s doing a nice job,” Rivera said. “He’s showing that he’s hungry. He’s got a lot to prove personally. He feels that way and [is] working that way. This is his make-or-break season.”
  • Michael Oher joined the Panthers on a two-year deal, and the former first-rounder is thrilled with his decision. “It seemed like they wanted me,” Oher told Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer. “I got the (same) feeling going into my rookie year of not wanting to let guys down and guys with a winning culture. For me, it’s about getting back to the basics and fundamentals of doing everything right. Looking myself in the mirror knowing what I have to do and getting better from within.”

NFC North Notes: Peterson, Bennett, Lions

May 28th, 2015 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

A day after releasing a statement indicating that he doesn’t want to be traded and that his absence from OTAs is simply about securing his future with the Vikings, Adrian Peterson took to Twitter to rant about NFL contracts. While many of the running back’s broader points – involving the lack of agency players have compared to teams when it comes to getting out of contracts – are accurate, it’s difficult to have any sympathy for Peterson, given the circumstances.

Peterson, after all, is poised to enter his age-30 season as the NFL’s highest-paid running back, and the Vikings appear entirely willing to pay him that $12.75MM salary rather than asking him to reduce it, despite the fact that the 30-year-old was investigated for child abuse last year. While many players could rightly gripe about teams failing to honor contracts, the rhetoric doesn’t sound very effective coming from Peterson right now.

Let’s check out a few more items from across the NFC North….

  • Michael Johnson took a free agent visit to Minnesota to meet with the Vikings before he decided to return to Cincinnati this offseason. As Johnson told SiriusXM NFL Radio today (Twitter link), he didn’t think he’d like Minnesota, but he did — he simply preferred to “go home” instead of signing with the Vikes.
  • Bears tight end Martellus Bennett continues to be absent from Chicago’s offseason program due to a contract dispute, writes Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com. A report last month suggested that Bennett wanted a new deal and that the Bears were considering trading him.
  • Lions president Tom Lewand spoke to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press about the team’s increased focus on adding high-character players to its roster.
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